Tomorrow for sure, we should finally get the 2024 catalog.

I too would love to see a Bachmann Sonny, given how unique his paint scheme and design is. He too would be a great choice for another new tooling in HO Scale. He, along with Nia, Whiff, Norman, Philip and Hiro are among the best choices for new toolings. Like I said about Philip, his tooling would most likely be the easiest and cheapest to make, given that he is a small box. If Bachmann is looking for the simplest new tooling in HO Scale, Philip is the way to go. Hiro is by far the most wanted, since Rebecca marked the return of tender engines in HO Scale. Hiro was one of the first, and most likeable characters to have originated from the CGI series.

Speaking of Rebecca, since her fully painted sample was teased, and will be shown in the next Thomas Tuesday stream, maybe we will see the next new tooling for HO Scale. If not in the 2024 catalog, then maybe the NMRA for sure. By summer, they should have Stanley's unpainted sample ready. Maybe even the Open Carriage and 12-Ton Vans, as well as those Narrow Gauge High-Side wagons and Gondolas. The latter two should have had some progress by now. It shouldn't be too much longer before Bachmann finally shows the unpainted sample of Sir Handel, and N Scale Diesel. In the next stream, Doug might also show us N Scale Gordon in the package, showing he is soon to arrive in stock. For Diesel, Bachmann just simply has to scale down his HO Scale model to work in N Scale. With no eye mechanism to worry about, Paxton's face will look perfect, which had been a turn-off by many on his HO Scale model.

The next new tooling for N Scale has to be Henry, then Edward, then after that, other good choices would be Duck, Oliver and Mavis. Henry wouldn't 100% be a new tooling since his chassis would easily be recycled from Gordon, minus trailing wheels, and his body shape is very similar to Gordon, though his tender is a Stanier instead of a Fowler. Mavis would recycle Toby's chassis, which is also the same as Thomas', and her N Scale model would be the first to actually have siderods. Duck because of his rivalry with Diesel in the earlier seasons of the show, and Oliver because we have Toad. I personally would like to see Ryan and Daisy in N Scale too, though it will be a good while before they're even considered, since they're the most recent models in HO Scale. One other character to recycle Gordon's chassis is Spencer, who has a streamlined body shape, and an even boxier tender with extra wheels. After Henry, the next 'big' engine for N Scale would have to be Spencer.

It really doesn't make sense that the CGI mandate ONLY applies to engines. Mattel is okay with Bachmann making model series rolling stock, but not engines, which is what's holding them back from making characters like Smudger, Splatter and Dodge, who would otherwise easily be made from existing toolings. They were one-off characters, but so is Beau, and Bachmann made him because they had his tooling. Mattel only let Bachmann make Beau because he was a CGI character; from Big World Big Adventures. Unless the CGI mandate gets lifted, the only characters who are still possible to use Diesel's tooling are Sidney and Fernando.

The fact that Doug Blaine deconfirmed Stepney a while back proved the CGI mandate was real, which is the same thing holding them back from making BoCo. Bachmann UK has the toolings for Arthur, Murdoch, Derek and Class 40, but we may never get them all because they never officially appeared in CGI... Although BoCo has a fan-made CGI render, it's not enough to convince Mattel...

For HO rolling stock that would use existing toolings that were actually in the show, the Italian Blue Coaches can be made using the Red Coach toolings. Stephen's blue coach would require a new tooling. An-An and Yin-Long would be recycled from Annie and Clarabel's tooling, and if they were to be made, it would mean Bachmann would have to make Hong-Mei, who can recycle Rosie's chassis, but with a different siderod configuration. One international engine that would completely recycle an existing tooling is Fernando, but if they were to use Diesel's tooling again, we'd rather have Sidney first.

As questionable as Nia is, it's only a matter of time before Bachmann eventually does make her for HO Scale, given that she is still a main character, even in the reboot. Most would rather have Whiff instead, since he's the last engine to appear in both model and CGI to not feature gimmicks, and that no ready-to-run model of Aerolite exists. Philip would be a great choice for a simple new tooling since he's just a small box, and would be a cheaper model. Norman is certainly an honorable mention for a new tooling since even though he was a nothing character in the show, many fan-made stories shed light on him, and that no ready-to-run model of BR 11001 exists. The new tooling everyone wants most of all is Hiro, especially after Rebecca's announcement brought tender engines back into the picture for HO Scale. Although Hiro would inevitably be the most expensive model, but high prices didn't stop the Narrow Gauge range from selling.

Considering Stanley has no unpainted sample ready yet, I don't see a new HO Scale tooling being announced in the catalog. Rebecca's first painted sample will be shown in the next Thomas Tuesday stream, as it has just been teased. It may not be until summer before we get to see Stanley's unpainted sample. Hope it won't be too long before Bachmann gets an unpainted sample of N Scale Diesel.

Any of these engines could be the next new tooling for HO Scale:
-Nia
-Whiff
-Philip
-Norman
-Hiro
-Hong-Mei (chassis recycled with some modification to siderods; don't really see her happening unless they make An-An and Yin-Long)
-Sonny (has a rather complicated siderod configuration, but could be doable, and no model of his basis exists)
-Porter (has rather problematic scaling)

The best choices for HO Scale recolors are Sidney and Fernando because Mainland Diesels and Green Salty are rather too niche.

So far, none of the current outstanding Narrow Gauge products have been physically shown yet, but Sir Handel, as well as the High-Side wagons and Gondolas, are up for pre-order with prices.

For HO Scale, Beau is the closest to being released since he's been fully painted for a while. Rebecca is still in the unpainted stage, as well as the figures. All other outstanding HO Scale products are up for pre-order at Trainworld, including those not physically shown yet, like Stanley. DCC Sound-Fitted Thomas and Percy as well as Salty's reintroduction have been on seemingly endless hold. The former two was due to the semiconductor shortage that went on following the pandemic.

As for N Scale, Gordon and Emily have both been shown fully painted, with the former having been for a while, and very close to release, while the latter was only recently shown, and may not arrive in stock until later this year. Emily's Coaches have also been shown fully painted for a while, and seem very close to release, while Henrietta was recently shown in the unpainted stage. Diesel and Paxton are already up for pre-order, but the Express Coaches are not, yet.

This Friday for sure, we should finally know what new products will be in the 2024 catalog.

We may be kept in suspense until next weekend at the latest. 2021 was the last time they posted the list of announcements in a special thread. Since then, it's been solely the catalog we get them from once available.

All of us have been waiting for weeks, and the suspense is killing me. The only exciting update we got recently was the painted reveal of N Scale Emily, and before that was the unpainted reveal of N Scale Henrietta. Still no Thomas Tuesday announcement for this month yet either.

I guess it will happen literally any day within the next week or so. So far, it's not looking like today either. Last week's video didn't show anything Thomas-related, with the closest thing being the Talyllyn coaches.

I guess the catalog won't be available this week either. Looks like next Friday for sure.

N Scale Henrietta was confirmed to have a face. With that, Hannah is possible in N Scale using the same tooling. If that was to happen, that will be Hannah's first ever piece of merchandise. Much needed rolling stock for N Scale are non-troublesome variants of the 7-Plank wagons, especially the Coal Wagon w/ Load. A generic brake van would very much be appreciated. We still don't know if N Scale Henry is coming yet, since we have to wait a little longer before the full catalog becomes available.

They still don't have HO Scale Rebecca fully painted yet, or an unpainted sample of the Open Carriage. Still no sign of Sir Handel either, or any of the Narrow Gauge rolling stock that's been left in the dust. They did announce Talyllyn coaches to go with HOn30 Scale Talyllyn. For HO Scale, the only rolling stock recolors that come to mind are the Chocolate Syrup and Toffee Tankers, which are still exclusive to Large Scale, and Troublesome Truck #7, which can be a 12-Ton Van. The best new tooling for rolling stock would be the Works Unit Coach. For engines, we still have Rebecca and Stanley on the backburner, and the latter isn't even up for pre-order yet. If any new tooling, Whiff would be the best choice, since he's the last that has appeared in both model and CGI that doesn't feature gimmicks. For recolors, Sidney is the best choice, since he had been requested for many years. One thing holding him back is the eye mechanism, unless that can be fixed. One other choice to use Diesel's tooling is Fernando. Salty's reintroduction is still on hold, which doesn't make any sense.

At last, N Scale Emily is shown fully painted! It took ridiculously long since her unpainted sample was shown, but she's finally ready! She doesn't have her number 12, but that's no dealbreaker, since she didn't have that until Season 24. Should hopefully be in stock by the end of the year. May not be expected 'til late 2024. N Scale Gordon should soon be shown in a package, and he should arrive in stock during the second quarter.

Hoping N Scale Henry will be announced in the 2024 catalog, since he would easily recycle Gordon's chassis minus trailing wheels. It may be a while before we see N Scale Diesel/Paxton unpainted. Considering Edward and Henry still get merchandise, even for the reboot, there is nothing stopping Bachmann from making them in N Scale. Henry should get announced in the 2024 catalog, then Edward should get announced in the NMRA, then we can have all of the original Steam Team in N Scale.

That's a bit disappointing. The full catalog isn't ready yet. We may not know any Thomas announcements for another week or two.

All we can hope is that unpainted samples of Sir Handel and Narrow Gauge rolling stock could be there, as well as fully painted samples of HO Scale Rebecca and N Scale Emily. It may be a while before we see unpainted samples of HO Scale Stanley, Duncan, N Scale Diesel or the Express Coaches, as those aren't even up for pre-order yet, nor do they have prices.

I was wrong. The announcements will be tomorrow. Not tonight. Hope we don't have to wait a few more weeks if it's strictly non-Thomas stuff.

The 2024 catalog will be publicized this Friday, so it looks like our 2024 catalog announcements will be up sooner than we all realized.

Could we finally get HO Scale Sidney, or N Scale Henry? Those are my biggest hopes, along with N Scale rolling stock like non-troublesome variants of the open wagon tooling, including Red, Blue, and Coal Wagon w/ Load, or a generic brake van. For the 80th Anniversary next year, the N Scale range should get LBSC Thomas and Origin James.

Nice to see that Bachmann revealed N Scale Henrietta in the unpainted stage. Once she is fully painted, Toby will soon have his coach. Hannah should be made using the same tooling, and would then be the first rolling stock recolor in N Scale that hasn't been made in HO Scale. I'm sure Henrietta has a face, and that it's just facing Toby, but not ready for prime time.

While Henry is the #1 priority for engines, but if we need another diesel in N Scale to diversify the range, Mavis would be an excellent choice, as she would use Thomas' chassis like Toby did, and would be the first production model of her to actually have siderods. The only problem with Mavis is that she got little to no merchandise since Mattel took over. Daisy is a more recent model for HO Scale, and that was literally her first piece of merchandise since her return in CGI. Daisy would also be great for N Scale, but there are higher priorities like Henry, Edward, Mavis, Duck and Oliver. Edward and Henry still get merchandise, even for the reboot, so there's nothing stopping Bachmann from making them in N Scale.

New toolings needed for N Scale rolling stock that would be very useful include a Salt Wagon, Cattle Wagon, Mail Car, and a generic Brake Van. With a Cattle Wagon, Troublesome Truck #3 can be made in N Scale. With Mail Cars, Percy can finally do his favorite job, which is the Mail Train.

Though the 2024 catalog may not be publicized for another month, but we should soon finally see N Scale Emily fully painted next month. Maybe we could also see HO Scale Rebecca fully painted within a few months. Don't know when they'll finally have the first unpainted sample of Sir Handel, but should hopefully be in a few months. Maybe the next stream will show N Scale Gordon in the package, showing he's soon to arrive in stock, and to be simultaneously released alongside HO Scale Beau.