Midwestern Model Works Latest?

[up148]

Thanks for posting Chris. This is a major shift in model trains and in HO for sure. There certainly is more innovation in HO than any other gauge, at least at this time. HO has innovators and visionaries who raise the bar of possibilities and we get MMW and KOHs in O scale, two of the scummiest liars on the planet. Oooops, did I say that out loud?

[robert.]

$360 clams for a set of fans. Yoúll need lots of viewinf area to see them in use.

[up148]

I understand and yes, it's a lot of money for an HO model.......who knows how the market will accept it. Everything is so expensive today it's hard to quantify the value of a model train. I have no idea what a highly detailed current DCC with sound model sell for new today. I know Scale Trains is not cheap and I've seen some brass HO pieces bring what I considered to be stellar money. Seems to be a seat for every butt in HO.

[E7]

Those three features -- realistic working fans, opening hood doors and illuminated lights everywhere the prototype units have them -- were innovations that MMW's models were supposed to have. Now they're available in a mass-produced HO plastic model.

Hello Chris,

I don't recall the date (guess I'm getting old), but I believe the late Henry Bultmann's Trainmasters had working fans, FWIW.

Rich

[sarge]

Rich, before that were the early OMI Alco RSD-7/15 and RS-11s with belt-drive fans.

Nothing really "gee-whiz" about it, to be honest. Certainly not worth an additional premium (in O at least).

[E7]

Rich, before that were the early OMI Alco RSD-7/15 and RS-11s with belt-drive fans.

Nothing really "gee-whiz" about it, to be honest. Certainly not worth an additional premium (in O at least).

Brian,

I totally agree! Just something to break sooner or later!

Rich

[up148]

The PSC crown DD40 had working fans back in the mid 80's. As noted in my photo a really unnecessary detail.

[E7]

Some people just like all the gimmicks! Hatches that open to nowhere. Noise....I mean Sound, etc. etc. LOL. My priorities are: does it look right and run right.

Rich the pugnacious LOL

[Chris Webster]

I don't recall the date (guess I'm getting old), but I believe the late Henry Bultmann's Trainmasters had working fans, FWIW.

I'd forgotten about that one -- likely because it was out of my price range.

Rich, before that were the early OMI Alco RSD-7/15 and RS-11s with belt-drive fans.

Those (prototype) Alco locomotives only had one visible fan while EMD's 40 and 45-series locomotives (the locomotives that MMW is supposedly producing models of) have between two and five visible fans on their roofs.

The PSC crown DD40 had working fans back in the mid 80's.

Starting at the 2:40 mark, the ClassOneModelWorks video demonstrates how their HO fans operate independently of each other and are in sync with the sounds the sound decoder is producing: https://youtu.be/w0XTjA8h8zo?t=159. That effect is what I recall Erik said he was going to deliver on his models. It's a very different effect than PSC DD40's having all fans turning in sync with one another.

$360 clams for a set of fans.

Just to clarify, $360 buys the entire DCC+sound equipped HO scale locomotive. That's what HO models cost now - three days ago Bowser announced Alco C424 and C425 models in HO and those will cost $339 with DCC+sound. (There isn't a need for working fans on those Bowser models since the prototype Alcos' fans are not externally visible.

[up148]

I looked around the web at new production HO diesels too and most currently announced models are in the $300-400 range. Scale Trains just reduced the price of their GP40 (their incoming import), but it's still over $300.

Starting at the 2:40 mark, the ClassOneModelWorks video demonstrates how their HO fans operate independently of each other and are in sync with the sounds the sound decoder is producing: https://youtu.be/w0XTjA8h8zo?t=159. That effect is what I recall Erik said he was going to deliver on his models. It's a very different effect than PSC DD40's having all fans turning in sync with one another.

I didn't look at the video of this model until you posted it, but the operation of those fans is absolutely amazing. Each fan kicking in at a different speed/load and then shutting off independent of the others, as power is reduced...........that is an incredible feature, even if you don't care about it or want it.......but what a trip to watch one of these idling or shuttling around in the yard. Going to get a lot of Oooooh's and Aaaaah's at a model train show.