Thursday, December 18, 2008

Order updates

We have been filling orders as inventory permits.  The biggest holdup has been some problems with yields from molds for the SP/T&NO A-50-4 and PM/C&O single sheathed automobile cars.  We have this issue pretty much fixed and are again shipping these kits although there are still orders in the pipeline that are being progressively filled.  We do not expect to have any backlog by year's end.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What's coming....

At shows and meets, I am frequently asked, "What's coming?" or "When will that be out?" or "You said you'd have that by now."  First, none of the delays are on purpose.  Speedwitch is a one-man band and things pop up that create delays or force me to reshuffle the priorities.  Rest assured, I will get around to the projects that have been discussed.

Here is what's in the works:

Publications:
  • Focus on Freight Cars, Volume Two - this second volume, on double sheathed box and auto cars, is close.  I have had to have some photos that were originally scanned as negs printed instead, in the hopes that will eliminate some of the scratches.  The negs are old and many have been handled, scratching their surface.  I sincerely hope to have this for Cocoa Beach in early January, but it's likely going to be after that.
  • Prototype Railroad Modeling, Volume Three - some time in the first half of next year, likely April.
Models and Parts:
  • Bessemer & Lake Erie 1937 AAR box cars (7'3" door opening) - one-piece body, lots of etchings.  January release
  • Norfolk Southern 1932 ARA box cars (Viking roof) - one-piece body, Viking roof, etched trust plates.  February release
  • Ann Arbor single sheathed auto & box cars - one-piece body.  February or March release
  • Seaboard Air Line B-3/4/5 ARA single sheathed box cars - one-piece body.  Spring 2009
  • Youngstown doors with early Camel Roller Lift fixtures for early 1937 AAR box cars - late January.  These can be used on Erie, C&O, ATSF Bx-27 (although we will be releasing the Bx-27 with Duryea underframe as a full resin kit in the first half of 2009), C&EI, and others
  • Southern postwar AAR box car conversion kits - these include correct resin ends, 7-panel Superior or Youngstown YSD-2A 8' doors and correct decals plus Branchline undecorated box car kits - Janaury 2009 release
  • CP 1937 AAR box car conversions - includes 5/5 Dreadnaught ends with welded panel overlap and correct decals - February release
  • Illinois Central postwar AAR box car conversion kits - includes 7-panel Superior doors, resin ends with abbreviated top rib, and correct decals plus Branchline undecorated box car kits - March release
  • Maine Central/Lehigh New England ARA box car conversion kits - these include Murphy rectangular or Diagonal panel roof castings and door castings, plus decals and Red Caboose undecorated box car kits - Springfield release (assuming the decals make it from the printer in time)
Decals:
  • Northern Pacific 40' AAR box cars
  • Chesapeake & Ohio 1937 AAR box cars - Springfield release (assuming we have them from the printer by them)
  • Erie 1937 AAR box cars - Springfield release (ditto the comments for the C&O decals)
  • New Haven 1,958 cu.ft. covered hoppers - Springfield (ditto comments for C&O and Erie)
  • Chicago & Eastern Illinois 1937 AAR box cars
  • Rock Island Modified 1937 AAR box cars (with etched trust plates)
  • Illinois Central Modified 1937 AAR box cars (with etched trust plates)
That's all for now

Finished B-50-39

I had originally built up a B-50-38 when the UP B-50-38/39 kits were released.  I have since built a B-50-39 and painted it in the delivery scheme of the GATC-built cars.  Here is a photo: