Quote from: TrainMan2001 on September 14, 2019, 04:12:29 PM
At the NMRA Show I was told they would ship early December.

Thanks for responding. I had a small feeling that'd be the case since Rheneas was released within the same month two years back.

Does anyone have any particular idea on when the Narrow Gauge coaches will ship? TrainWorld says preorders are due in two weeks, but chances are it may not be an accurate shipment date.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but the Bachmann Online Store now an N Scale Thomas section with placeholder listings for the current slate of products. Prices have still not been decided yet.

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=756_1126&zenid=hfl7uokes3ple4gf63l2qs02a7

Duncan is renowned for having one of the worst CGI renders in recent years and as a result, most users have agreed overtime that Bachmann should hold off on him for as long as they can (which they have). Hopefully if they decide on making him, the original series model can be used as a basis so sales would be better otherwise.

For now, a lot of us are asking for Sir Handel since his basis Sir Haydn finished refurbishment over a year ago and Peter Sam has been announced last month.

N Scale is deeming a worthy new line with much potential so far and I look forward to its growth. Toby is a nice idea for an engine to make after a while and Mavis can also be made alongside him using the same chassis, though this is assuming that Bachmann can announce two engines on a single occasion. We're pretty early in the line's run, so it may be too early to tell.

If news on Rosie's recolor possibly surfaces before the end of the year, I'm hoping the same can apply to the Narrow Gauge coaches. I'm quite interested in checking those out as soon as they're released.

Reposting this after some unwarranted negativity arose. I'm starting to get tired of users like these...

The list I initially shared about a week back could do with a small update.

N Scale
James

Large Scale
Red Coaches

James is a pretty common pick among other users. Even though Thomas and Percy's prototypes aren't finished yet, I'm open for seeing him announced. He was my favorite character for a very long time and I'd be down for owning him in N Scale should he be confirmed. Hopefully, they'll get the sculpt and paint right like they did with his Large Scale counterpart. And talking of which...

Upon further talk in the Large Scale thread, I'm not so sure about Mavis being announced for at least a year and a half. The Red Coaches are looking more like a safer bet, as Annie and Clarabel have been around since the line's beginning in 2009. There's only a handful of sculpt changes to make (roofs, brake compartments, noses removed) and they could be just a little less expensive to produce than Mavis. This could be the best shot Large Scale has to remain relevant and redeem itself after five years worth of mainly uninteresting announcements.
I won't get too hopeful in this front, but if the coaches are announced and fans share interest in them, maybe Large Scale can last a little longer and we could eventually see a new engine of some form. Mavis, if the funds are sufficient, or LBSC Thomas, if they aren't.

Seems the 'new' categorization with the Red Coaches may be a common misconception. Still, bringing them in wouldn't be a huge hassle since Annie and Clarabel have been around for ten years.

Prices can really hurt from both a manufacturer and consumer perspective, and engines can play a big part in it. Comparing the typical retail prices of Toby's HO Scale model ($60-$70) with his Large Scale model (around $200) makes it clear which scale would end up more successful among casual customers. Diesel wouldn't have made the situation any better with his complex manufacturing setup and big probability of an insurmountable price.

All things considered, things have felt grim with Large Scale for quite some time and its future could use some acknowledgement soon. I'm not so sure about Mavis being announced within the next year, even if she is commonly seen as the best option for a new engine, but the Red Coaches would work as an announcement for February 2020. LBSC Thomas can serve as a backup idea if recoloring an engine is more financially sufficient. Perhaps if either option is announced and ends up earning some welcoming reception, Mavis may be announced someday, but only time will tell in the end.

Quote from: TerencetheTractor525 on September 03, 2019, 02:36:08 PM
From what I have seen, the unfortunate reality with Large Scale is that there are not enough people interested in the line. Thus, to be frank, I think that the only way announcing new large scale products that would consist of any sort of new tooling like Mavis and the Red Branch line Coaches would benefit Bachmann is simply if there are more people stating that they want to see them made. This not only goes for the Bachmann Forum, but other branches of social media as well.

Even in HO Scale, I would personally love to see more resin buildings made, but I decided to not include them in my February 2020 list because I know that they have not done great with sales in the past.

Nevertheless, to be fair to all Bachmann Thomas fans, I think that the Large Scale line should have something new announced in February 2020. That's why I suggested an LBSC Green Thomas and Troublesome Van. Neither would require any sort of new tooling, so I could see those as possible candidates.

Demand is a very valid point to bring up. No product can be made for a single person, after all.

Requests for new toolings haven't been super common in recent months following Toy Fair 2019, but Mavis and the Red Coaches are still the more oft mentioned options for a new tooling (at least as far as I can tell). Interest in Large Scale is still present, but it just has a relatively smaller audience than other lines. Since it has been so many years without an enticing announcement and concern for its future has been expressed on recent occasions, it wouldn't hurt for Bachmann to lend the line even a little bit of respect when February 2020 comes.

Quote from: thomas fan on September 03, 2019, 04:30:57 PM
All I would won't from the large scale would be the branch line coaches and Henrietta and it's sad to see that not many people care about the large scale.

Would discussing Large Scale with others outside the forum help? It can give an idea or two on how interested people are in the range and if they want any new products for it.

Quote from: Chaz on September 03, 2019, 01:03:39 PM
I honestly would have thought Mavis would have had a better shot than Diesel because of her motor and chassis being easy access for Bachmann from their Toby model.  Plus there is plenty of conversion possibilities for her and she would be a lot easier to make than Diesel, probably cheaper to make too.  If anything, Mavis would have been the safer all around option.  Announcing her with the red coaches would make an all around solid lineup of announcements if you ask me and wouldn't take a lot of effort on Bachmann's end either.

Certainly true. Perhaps the best way to approach brand new models for the Large Scale range is picking options with a mainly similar body/basis of an existing engine/coach. Mavis and the Red Coaches would work rather well in that regard.

Quote from: Large Scale Champion on September 03, 2019, 08:05:17 AM
So does anyone hold out hope for the Large Scale ever growing?
many threads have had the Bachmann hand of God reach down and give hope to their wishes, i just wish they'd give us such hope.
Specifics are not needed but just a hint that anything is in the works would be good.

Meanwhile as ever we are hopeful and here's a list of our 2020 list.

Loco: Any
Coaches: Red Coaches
Wagons: Troublesome Van
Figures and Buildings Please

I mentioned the iffy possibility of Mavis being announced in the 2020 thread. She seems to be the best choice for an entirely new character with her simultaneous iconic nature and small size, as well as Toby's chassis being reusable. More people have been asking for LBSC Thomas within the same thread, which is a reasonable option and one I'm totally fine with. Both options work for having a new engine at all and both could potentially be cheaper to manufacture than the cancelled Diesel.

Though unlikely, a brand new engine like Mavis could be a big shot of redemption for Large Scale after years worth of disappointment. Fan expectations have been defied with this summer's NMRA announcements, so anything can happen with this line in 2020. Mavis is my personal biggest hope, but I'll also accept ideas from others or announcements that are to come.

I may as well join in on the fun and share what I'd like for Feb. 2020! Not setting expectations too high considering the announcements we've gotten this summer, but I still want to lend some support in the ideas that currently matter most.

HO Scale
Stepney (with moving eyes)
Tar Tanker reintroduction

Narrow Gauge
Sir Handel
Blue Brake Van
Red Brake Van

N Scale
Thomas with Annie and Clarabel Starter Set

Large Scale (mainly wishful thinking)
Mavis (with moving eyes)

It is common among us fans that Stepney needs to be announced in time for the 75th anniversary, and for all the right reasons. Though I don't have particularly strong hopes for rolling stock and I will take whatever comes our way, it'd be nice if we saw the Tar Tanker reintroduced in vein of Gordon's Express Coaches. It helps that tankers are on the smaller end of options and have been recolored numerous times.

Even if Peter Sam has not yet been manufactured, I'm open to the possibility of Sir Handel being announced as he is my favorite among the Narrow Gauge cast. Like many others, I would appreciate the addition of brake vans; blue and red should be made at the very least since those are the only colors existing vans currently use.

I've already bought a good amount of N Scale track, but I still think a starter set with Thomas would be smart to make from a marketing standpoint. Not every family that buys model trains can enter a new scale easily.

The topic of Large Scale is a rather debatable one since announcements for it have not been exciting over the last five years. If the line were to have any shot of redemption going into the new decade, announcing a new engine would be its best case scenario. Bachmann was able to defy fans' expectations by giving Daisy moving eyes, so anything could happen announcement-wise in this field. As discussed elsewhere in the past, Mavis would be the absolute best choice for a new engine since she can re-use Toby's chassis and is an iconic, smaller character to make. Though I am not going to hold my breath over the idea, announcing Mavis at the very least would be a joy to see and it can make up for years of disappointment in the Large Scale market.

I'll take responsibility of being James since I'm the fifth.

Quote from: JLK2707 on August 20, 2019, 08:55:41 AM
Why would you want Stepney before anybody else?

I think these threads should sum it all up for anyone confused about the choice of Stepney.
https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,35991.0.html
https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,34526.75.html

Along with Peter Sam, Daisy is a big indicator that Bachmann still understands what their core consumers want out of new characters and that's something to be appreciated.

Like many others, I'm on Team Stepney and I hope both the series licensor and Bachmann staff can do the right thing next February by announcing him at the very least.

Stepney has my pick. All shared reasons considered, it's easy to see why he is an utterly perfect choice for a new HO tooling in 2020. I would hope Mattel remains open to letting Bachmann produce characters that have been gone for ages, if last year's Spiteful Brakevan is anything to go by.

If we end up getting Ryan as a new tooling, I'll welcome him with open arms too. Either character is fine, though Stepney would be a greater choice for the long run.