The Intermountain Railway Company announced about 2 months ago that they would be releasing the ES44AC locomotive 1st quarter next year in March/April. There were some rumors that they got the tooling from Athearn which they got from Tower 55 Models when they closed shop. I can assure you that was just a rumor, These are going to be made with 100% IM Tooling. I literally was so exited when I found out they were doing this locomotive because as it stand now, there the only one doing them in plastic at a fairly affordable price without going Brass. Yeah some T55 units are still out there, but they often sell for BIG bucks DCC/Sound equipped. IM is doing a DCC and DCC/SOUND model, non-SOUND models will have a DCC Decoder that can operate on both DC and DCC, really a win win for all of us. Sound models will have a factory installed SoundTraxx Tsunami DCC decoder.

I went a little over board when pre-ordering these units for myself, and this was ontop of the pre-orders i had gotten from others, but I ordered the following for my own personal roster

ALL 4 Union Pacific Flag Units (#'s 5358, 5477, 5441, 5516) - DCC/SOUND models
ALL 4 BNSF New Image Units (#'s 5749, 5764, 5757, 5778) - DCC/SOUND models
GE Demonstrator #2005 - DCC/SOUND model

The AC's are being done in UP (Flag), Kansas City Southern de Mexico, CP, Ferromex, BNSF (New Image), and GE Demonstrator paint schemes.


Now I just see that IM is announcing the ES44DC locomotives for release in July/August 2010! They are really stepping it up here and going big, these are 2 BIG locomotives and I have a feeling there going to fly right out the door because all of us modern modelers will be buying at least one of these beautiful models to add to the roster The DC's are being done in BNSF (H2), BNSF (New Image) CSX (YN3), CN, NS, GE Demonstrator paint schemes. Im afraid im going to have to add the following DC's to my list above for my roster, i just cant pass them up!

ALL 4 BNSF (H2) Units (#'s 7661, 7682, 7724, 7737) - DCC/SOUND Models
BNSF (New Image) Unit #7695 - DCC/SOUND Model
2 of the CSX (YN3) Units (#'s 5207 and 5398) - DCC/SOUND Models
GE Demonstrator Unit #2011 - DCC/SOUND Model


Its looking like i wont be buying much trains for a little while here while saving up for my bill of locomotives LOL. But I just cant pass these things up, and i know there going to sell out quickly with the way IM does there runs on their products (VERY LIMITED and based strictly on pre-orders, which I personally think is so stupid, but its what alot of the companies are doing now adays ) and i dont want to miss my chance at getting the ones i want.

Well, it looks like Santa will have such a heavy sack just with your locos, that he may have to by pass some of the rest of us!!!
Actually, I'm happy and excited for you! Can't wait for the pics to be posted!!

sgtcarl1 Wrote:Well, it looks like Santa will have such a heavy sack just with your locos, that he may have to by pass some of the rest of us!!!
Actually, I'm happy and excited for you! Can't wait for the pics to be posted!!

LOL well actually the AC's arent due until March/April of 2010 and the DC's arnt due until July/August, so maybe, just maybe I will get a few of them for my Birthday in July and wont have to pay for them, but the rest will be coming out of my pocket, so thats why i said i better start saving now LOL

You can bet I will be posting tons of pics of my new babies when they come in. Ill have some nice looking consists, thats for dang sure hehe

Trucklover Wrote:Its looking like i wont be buying much trains for a little while here while saving up for my bill of locomotives LOL. But I just cant pass these things up, and i know there going to sell out quickly with the way IM does there runs on their products (VERY LIMITED and based strictly on pre-orders, which I personally think is so stupid, but its what alot of the companies are doing now adays ) and i dont want to miss my chance at getting the ones i want.

I agree. Atlas is beginning to do that to. If you think it is tough finding those UP and BNSF six axle units, try obtaining those obscure commuter railroad engines like i do! Atlas was supposed to release a few road numbers of New Jersey Transit GP40-2s, and they were sold out on walthers months ago, and they are only supposed to be delivered around now! I get anxiety when i see a model coming out that i'd really like, because this is what typically happens to me, i wait, and then they are gone. half the models i never see in person.

I don't always have $150 to put down on these engines when they come out, and it will be a pain finding them later. It drives me up a wall! So far, a couple of the Conrail units I'm looking for are still on store shelves. I might try and pick one of those up, going for maybe the Sound Equipped GP40-2, since I'd use that one often. Atlas also has some Conrail C40-8Ws in the future, something I'd been looking forward to for a while (would go good with my SD60I and SD45-2).

gonna have to see how it goes.