The Admiral Cab

[thaddeusthudpucker]

Ladies and Gentlemen

Our original plan for the Admiral Cabs, and indeed anything else we do, is not viable due to the lack of quality in the Shapeways prints. Thus, we will not be going that route.

Instead, we will be going a route that will ensure a higher quality final product and allow the modeler to make their own decisions when it comes to a few minor details. For example, etched steps or solid styrene steps, which headlight castings to use, what sand filler to install, what have you. This is a base model of a cab that you add the rest to.

Another change that has been made is that we will be standardizing on the Athearn window glass, as there are too many Kato versions and it is all a little Hit or Miss... You will still be able to use the cab on a Kato model, but you will need to procure your window glass as well.

What happens next is up to you. If we can get orders for 40 cabs, we can continue. this will amortize the cost of the molds and the production master. I must stress at this point that we are not seeking to make a profit, we want to make unique models that are not available but fill a need in the modeling community.

That said, the cost for one cab will be $25. Once the first 40 are ordered, produced, and shipped, there will be runs as demand warrant. I am including a poll here to gauge how many of you are willing to buy a cab still. In time, I will post a link to prepay for a cab.

Which brings me to my final tidbit, if you do prepay for a cab you are guaranteed a cab or your money back. If you lent us a cab, you will still get your first one gratis. Thank you for your help there. I know it in my soul that these will be awesome!!!

[thaddeusthudpucker]

[This space reserved for progress reports/Status updates]

[diburning]

I'd ideally would want to order about 20 of them (or more as I'm a locomotive hoarder), but I'd like to see a pre-production sample first.

As far as the Kato version goes, there is only one version of the Kato. As far as I can tell, Kato has not retooled their SD40-2 cab windows at all. There are only two versions, one version where the wipers are molded into the cab glass, and the other where the wipers are separate parts. I have a model from every run.

As far as the Athearn ones go, will they fit DCC Ready RTR, Not DCC-Ready RTR, or Blue Box? The DCC Ready RTR have window gaskets, the Not DCC-Ready RTR use the same windows (not flush mounted) as the blue box.

[thaddeusthudpucker]

That is a good question. I'm inclined to say Blue-box, because those will be the most readily available. I will ask Adam. The cab itself should fit on anything as long as you file things down and make them fit nicely.

[diburning]

How about this.... All incarnations of the Athearn SD40-2 CAB come from the same tooling, the blue box tooling, so fit shouldn't be a huge problem although the battery boxes on the blue box are molded into the shell while the RTR is part of the walkway, and both will need replacing as part of the cab replacement anyway since the Admiral cab's battery boxes are part of the cab itself and have a unique shape.

If you're going to do a one-cab-fits-all, I would suggest making the window frames accept RTR window glass since the blue box glass is not flush mounted (it's literally just a flat piece of clear plastic behind the front cab wall) so that it will fit both models with no problems. The cab should sit correctly on all versions of the Athearn SD40-2 anyway.

[NYSW F45]

are there different mounts for athearn? I only ask cause I had a sd40 that had what looked like a BB cab but it was a rtr model, then had another rtr in sd40-2 that had a cab that had what looked like a lip at the rear of the roof.

Either way i'de be down for 1.

[diburning]

The SD40-2 is retooled from the blue box. The SD40 is modified RailPower Products tooling.

[Railrunner130]

Not to change the subject- (well maybe) In addition to modeling the Rutland, I'm interested in streamlined steam locos. I've been looking for a Firefly, Mercury or any engine shaped like a bullet. Some of these are available in brass, which is entirely out of my budgeted price range. Would you consider designing shells that can be retrofit onto the frame of an existing loco? (preferably a Rivarossi)? I don't know if there is truly a market for such an item. However, based upon how hot similar products sell on eBay, I think there may be a decent market for it.

[PEIR]

I'd be interested in another pair but on the RTR Athearn SD40-2.