Or is it the previous-release shell with a sound-equipped frame?

Judging from product photos, the new 40' AAR box appears to be a sterling effort at better, finer detail, fully in line with Bachmann's overall improvement in product quality. But, pray tell, why was the post-1969 medallion used on the UP version? It would have never been correct for the "Automated Rail Way" lettering on brown cars, as the "Automated" slogan was dropped in favor of "We Can Handle It" shortly after "Railroad" disappeared from the medallion. I.e., there were no "Automated" repaints of the now-old 40' cars using the post-1969 logo.

[sigh]

Why do we have this knack for doing such a great job on stuff, and then blow it on big eye-catchers?

First, my thanks for a great model. I have five from the first run, and am looking forward to more from the announced release to add new numbers to the fleet. A few questions:

• Is it safe to assume that the new release will come with the new couplers? If so, given the coupler pocket changes necessary to accomplish this, will the parts be available to retrofit to the previous run?
• Will the truck frame profile be corrected... hopefully... please? It is the most glaring model fidelity issue in the new design. And if so, can we get retrofits?
• Will the horn casting be corrected? If the intent was to capture the Leslie S5TRRO, then it was a huge miss, emphasis on huge. However, it's easy enough correct in the aftermarket - the trucks are not.
• Will parts be available generally? We've been somewhat frustrated by having to buy whole models just to get pieces for kitbashing and details correction. Plus the nice, fine handrails (THANK YOU!) are... uh... a little fragile. (Oops.)

The biggest issue to me and many others is the truck appearance. It would save a huge amount of work if they were re-profiled for better fidelity to the prototype. The other detail issues are easy enough to correct, including the swiveling pilots, but the trucks are a major effort to re-model.

Thanks!

Aside from easily-fixable spot details for us rivet-counters, the new Centennial looks great. (We'll overlook the swiveling pilots for this discussion.    )

But let's talk couplers... yeah, they work, sort of, but for dummies they're clunky, not automatic, and don't want to pull more than 20-25 cars without decoupling. Anybody here tried to retrofit anything, especially Micro-Trains? A quick look to assess how to accomplish this was seriously discouraging.

Has anybody seen any in local hobby shops? In following the online retailers, only one (M.B. Klein) offered any for sale, starting last Friday, a stock of six of each number which sold out in four days. There's one eBay "buy it now" store which is offering a handful. But other than these two sellers... bupkus! Less than bupkus!

I'm mentioning this in light of the recent release of the 44-tonner, which was everywhere within a couple of days. The online sellers were tripping over themselves to get them up on their sites. But not with the Centennial.

What gives? 

Hey Mr. Bach-man -

You guys have hit one out of the park with the 44-tonner. Which, knowing a little about overseas production, makes me ponder: did B-mann anticipate the demand and are you planning re-runs to maintain inventory?

I would like to think that this is going to be a "catalog item" and y'all are going to keep the pipe filled. Dealers are burning through stock of these like crazy and I'm now slightly concerned that I'm going to have to keep a few on-hand in my personal collection just to be sure that future projects are covered, and as a source for the inevitable repair when I wear one out (recognizing the parts reality).

IOW, can I figure on being able to buy off-the-shelf a year from now? Two years from now? Five years?

Thanks!