A Commodore Vanderbilt could be one of the next US model from Marklin .

It once was part of the collection before WW2. It should be a great idea to let it return in HO.

I'd rather see a NYC 20th Century Limited streamlined Hudsons
much better looking
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:NYC_Hudson2.jpg

I think each RR in the USA back then had its own shops do the streamlining. there were many varieties.
here's a very nice one from the PRR (S-1 , a 6-4-4-6) - a raymond loewy design
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PRR_S1.jpg

This would a gread engine and I agree that the core chassis could be used to produce either the non-streamlined version or as the basis for the Henry Dreyfus 20th Century Limited of 1938. Some changes in the driving wheels might be necessary to produce an accurate model of the 20th Century loco, though. The J series 4-6-4s were handsome engines and it is sad that they all went to scrap. Though the New York Central was the archrival of the Pennsylvania RR, they both introduced the streamlined versions of their flagship trains around the same time. Both trains used smooth-sided passenger cars built by the Pullman Company. Maybe this would enable Marklin to justify the investment in manufacturing the dining and sleeping cars that could accompany this engine as well as the GG-1. Smooth sided rolling stock would also suit the Union Pacific diesels.

I fully expected that at some point Marklin would begin offering GG-1s in the many paint schemes used over nearly 50 year of operation, but it sounds like 2007 may be an expensive year for us US equipment enthusiasts. Good news, or at least good rumors, all the same.

They could make a Hudson later, like for the streamlined BR 05....
Very good!

I don't collect US trains, but this beauty looks good... What colour is it? I also like the other variants posted by Jon.. Perhaps this is an opportunity for Marklin to release a series?

Hi everyone,

This might need some input from someone knowledgeable about US rail-
roads but, does this mean we would get some Pullman Broadway coaches?

Now that would be a treat. If true please, please do it right.

Jeremy.

Yes, the GG-1 is also designed by Loewy. You're right.

On the GG-1 Loewy had the builders switch to welded sheet instead of rivited, and added the various pinstripe designs. He did not actually design the body. He did design the body of the PRR S-1, as well as the slightly smaller T-1 (only 4-4-4-4). I don't know if he had anything to do with the streamlined PRR K4 locomotive bodies.

nevertheless some more classic US steam would be great. I was not aware that the Vanderbuilt was on the J1 frame, so there would be many iterations possible for marklin down the years.
If they ever make these and price them fairly, I think they would do very well in the USA under the TRIX dc label.
I think for the Pullman cars it would be best to follow the conversion advice of PierreG and Almagik. they would probably make them in plastic anyways, and the Branchline Pullman cars are pretty much top notch. they might be able to use their metal bodied US cars to make the stainless rib sided PRR cars like the congressional series.

Regarding streamlined steam, Pennsylvania RR modified a very few of their standard class K-4s Pacifics as streamlined locs. They did not make the same commitment as did rival New York Central. There were two or three designs tried, and in my opinion, Loewy's "shroud" was not especially attractive. Others will disagree.

The 6-4-4-6 S-1 (exhibited at the 1939 World's Fair), like the 4-4-4-4 T-1 produced after the end of WW2, was not articulated. Thus, it would be interesting to see what curve radius would be required for model RR operation. The S-1, by the way, was considered unsuccessful and I have read that its operation was limited to the flatter and straighter lines west of Pittsburgh, PA.

An unstreamlined K-4 Pacific, of which the Pennsy built and owned hundreds, would be a more accurate steam companion to the GG-1 for modelers during the "Fleet of Modernism" period 1938-46. The last stronghold of the K-4s was the commuter line between South Amboy and Bay Head Junction, NJ. GG-1s hauled the trains from New York City to South Amboy, where steam and later diesels took over. Ironically, this line was also the last stand of the GG-1s, which were operated by NJ Transit at the end.

Since the Pennsy did not have "modern" steam power during the war, it was forced to run many of its heavy long distance passenger trains with doubleheaded Pacifics. The need to replace/upgrade its motive power after the war made it a perfect target for diesel salesmen and in fact the Pennsy hosted diesels of all US manufacturers in its rush to dieselize as quickly as possible.

A Pennsy PA-1 in Loewy pinstripes would be an easy model for Marklin to produce.

Amazing,one for me please.

Seeing is believing ...

I found out today at the Pittsburgh, PA (USA) World's Greatest Hobby train show (a touring train show) from Dr Catherall that Marklin will be making a Commodore Vanderbuilt in 2007, but only in Z scale.
Maybe, in 2008 or later it could come out in mintrix N and Marklin HO. It woudl only be a matter of scaling up the tooling from the CAD. Also something I did not knwo from Catherall is that Marklin is also very involved in making injection mold dies for the auto industry in germany, and is very highly regarded in that line.

a tuscan red GG-1 will also be out sometime in 2007 (more likely later the way stuff gets released). Catherall said Marklin USA regretted the way Marklin issued the Amtrak and Santa Fe extruded aluminum coaches as being much too short for scale. Because of this they did not sell very well in the USA. He said it would be nice for some heavyweight coaches (2 sets of 3 axle bogies) to come out, and was critical of the Walthers/Branchline ones as being all plastic, but anymore so what? - all of marklin's HO coaches are and have been plastic for some time. As long as they look good and are well built, I don't care too much.
I didn't ask what paint scheme the PA-1 would be released in this year.

Once again, I was less than impressed with the stand marklin USA had set up. same format as before. The CS was kept well guarded. Not much products in the way of recent locomotive and cars displayed.
MTH had the nicest display. If it weren't for all this marklin HO I have, know what I would be buying. MTH makes some really nice trains, especially their high rail scale O gauge (3 rail with more scale features and sizing). what I don't care is the lawsiut happy conduct, although they did do some good against the heartless UP RR not long ago.
There was more Lionel/MTH there than anything else. Western Pennsylvania is one of the best areas in the USA to sell O gauge - extremely popular here.