I was a teenager when I was posting on the Bachmann Forum and suggesting that Bachmann update Thomas, Percy and James to look more accurate. 17 years later, it looks like that wish has finally come true.
(https://i.imgur.com/P8JohWL.png)
So far, a lot of curiosities have come up.
1. Will these new toolings be designed to be DCC Ready? There is a DCC Thomas and Percy, so it makes sense that the new tooling would be designed with that in mind.
2. Will there be front couplers? It seems like yes would be the obvious answer. A very long and overdue update.
3. Will the new tooling be compatible with the snow plough?
4. Is the chassis entirely new? The descriptions specify the bodies will be updated, but not the chassis. I can only imagine Thomas will at least get Stanley's side rods, and it would be great if Percy's valve gear gets updated to be more accurate.
Hopefully we will get these answers in due time. This is a very exciting day.
We never thought in a million years that Bachmann would be retooling the first engines in the range. Once they get released, it may be time to discontinue the original Thomas and Percy models. The new models must have front couplers. Percy especially needed it, since his model was bad. Maybe the new Thomas will get Celebration and LBSC variants.
Maybe a re-tooled HO Scale James will also be announced next year, and he'd get Origin and Busy Bee variants later on.