Athearn NS heritage release dates

[buckykatt1]

Hey everyone, I've got a question I'm hoping you guys can answer.
What are/were the release dates for ALL of Athearns Ho scale NS heritage units? I'm looking for all 20 units (both AC4400's as well as the SD70ace's) As usual, I'm always a day late and a dollar short (not to mention I like a challenge), so I've decided to collect all 20 units. The major problem I've encountered though, is that I didn't pay attention to the details....like the release dates As I'm working to play catch up, I've already got the Monongahela, Interstate, and Conrail, with an eye on Lehigh Valley, and N&W. I'm wondering if all the units have been released, or are they still being released. I've accomplished my goal of getting all 7 UP heritage units, so I've got my eyes and my mind set on this goal. If anybody can inform me of even a little bit of release info, it will help out tremendously.


Update: Don't know how accurate these statements are, but I was told from a guy at a local hobby shop that the 10 GE units that Athearn has released are true to the paint scheme, but it is the body (AC4400CW) that is incorrect. The body style should be the ES44AC. Wether or not Athearn will correct that error has yet to be determined. However the EMD SD70ace units (10) those are due out starting sometime this summer. The SD70ace units will not have the same paint scheme as the GE AC4400's. The SD70ace's are suppose to be true in both body style, numbering, and lettering.

Also, now have Monongahela, Interstate, Conrail, and Norfolk and Western. Tomorrow will be adding Lehigh Valley and Southern? Does anybody out there know what the other road names are that have been released?

**Now as long as the wife doesn't know about this, I'll be alright

[thoroughbreed]

Athearn has released the 10 GE heritage paint schemes on AC4400's, which are not an accurate body style for the units. They are supposed to be releasing ES44AC's this summer with the correct paint schemes, along with the EMD SD70ACES.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=AC4400+RTR&CatID=THLD&AllRN=1">http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.a ... LD&AllRN=1</a><!-- m -->
The first 10 units listed are the AC4400's in NS heritage.
Inermountain has the correct ES44AC's in heritage paint due anytime now fr about $130 each non-sound.
Athearn has announced the EMD SD70ACE's for November for about $200 non-sound/dcc.
NS's heritage page is here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/Community/Heritage%20Locomotives/">http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/ ... comotives/</a><!-- m -->
Hope this helps.
TB 8-)

[buckykatt1]

Hey thoroughbreed,
thanks for the clarification. I guess I understand why Athearn sent out the AC4400's but in a way I don't. O.K. I watched their video on youtube and the guys said that Athearn wanted to be able to have hobbyists have the oppurtunity to run the heritage schemes (even if the unit's aren't prototypical). But on the other hand cmon, with the amount of money involved in todays model railroading (when was the last time anybody can remember buying a unit for less than $100.00). Don't you think that Athearn would want to do it right the first time? This is the first I've heard of Intermountain making the ES44AC's, so I'll have to keep a heads up for when they come out. Now I'm not sure if I want to re-invest all that money to get a prototypical body style. :? It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do I keep with what I have, or try to get as prototypical as possible?

[thoroughbreed]

If youre not afraid of a little kitbashing, you can convert them into GEVO look alikes using the following page for inspiration:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.qstation.org/BNSF_GEVO_Model/">http://www.qstation.org/BNSF_GEVO_Model/</a><!-- m -->
the author doesn't list the part numbers for anything, but you can get the idea of what to do. I think the hardest part of doing that would be the color match of the models paint.
I've built a few of these myself and after the first one, it gets alot easier. I would get an old athearn blue box ac4400 shell and practice on that one first before cutting up a new heritage one. The major part of the GEVO identification is the radiator section, so if you think you can build new ones, then I'd let the other discrepancies like grill placements, alone.
Hope this helps.
TB 8-)

[Brakie]

(when was the last time anybody can remember buying a unit for less than $100.00).


I've bought several locomotives from Atlas and Athearn(RTR) for less then $100.00 by shopping on line and on e-Bay.

One has to shop around to find the better deals.