The two Disneyland 4-4-0s (No. 1 C.K. Holliday & No. 2 E.P. Ripley) are alredy
available with similar prototypical locomotives (there are differences).
However, the other locomotives are not as common and would be a welcome
addition to the hobby.

The 1960s Schuco monorails were close to HO scale. I hope you don't have to
use the most recent monorail designs. An earlier design with the bubble dome
would be much more popular. Another key is to have something which runs
smoothly and reliably. The distinctive horn (onboard or externally) would be a
great addition.

James Keeline
San Diego, CA



--- Ben <ben.stephens@...> wrote:

> Here it is the latest on the Disney HO Model project.
>
> I was actually wanting to wait until I had final approval before I gave
> the group an update. However, I think many of you will really like the
> news I have to share with you today. As you know Disney has given us a
> tentative green light but was waiting on Park approval before they
> granted us the official license. Disney has given us one more
> stipulation that we are working on now. They want us to also offer an
> HO scale Disneyland Electric Train which will include one of the engines
> currently in use and the open air sideways seating excursion cars.
> Anyone have an opinion on which of the engines should be first? They
> also want us to look into a HO scale electric Disneyland Monorail. They
> feel that the train and or monorail would add to the product line.
>
> So what this has done is pushed the release date back a little until
> Faller can get price and production quotes on an electric train. The
> Monorail is going to be at least a year off as Faller is feeling
> pressure on their resources with a new Disneyline and now a train, they
> are a bit overwhlemed. So that is the latest on the Disney HO models.
> Disney has also stated that they want the train to be released at the
> same time as the Main Street Station so that has even created more
> pressure. In my opinion once we come back with pricing and a production
> schedule we will finally have a Disney License.
>
> In my personal opinion, I would love to see the Disneyland Monorail be
> done first, but that will not happen as it needs a lot of development.
> I will certainly guarantee that I will push as much as possible to get
> this project going as I think it would be incredibly popular and I have
> always wanted an electic Disney monorail. However, it will all depend
> on sales of the first plastic models and now the train.
>
> Finally, I have just named my company which is going to be called The
> ModelWerks and I will be opening a website in the next few weeks. It
> will be the place to buy the Disney models once they are available but
> until then, it will be a place to buy Faller models at some great
> prices. So stay tuned for that and I will offer a discount for all
> members of this site.
>
> Thanks again for your interest and support.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

Ben wrote:

> As you know Disney has given us a tentative green light but was
> waiting on Park approval before they granted us the official license.
> Disney has given us one more stipulation that we are working on now.
> They want us to also offer an HO scale Disneyland Electric Train
> which will include one of the engines currently in use and the open
> air sideways seating excursion cars. Anyone have an opinion on which
> of the engines should be first?

The last run of HO gauge locomotives used a model of #1 "Walter E.
Disney". Some modelers modified this into the #3 "Roger E. Broggie", as
they are nearly identical. Therefore, I would recommend either the #2
"Lilly Belle" or the #4 "Roy O. Disney". Because the latter might cause
some confusion among buyers who don't know their Company history, my
advise is to model the #2 "Lilly Belle".

One big problem you will face is in building an HO *scale* train.
Because the railroad is narrow gauge, you will have to build in HOn3 --
a fine modeling scale, but one that does not offer the same sort of
snap-together track widely available in HO standard gauge.

Previous models were thus made to fit HO gauge track, and were therefore
oversize by about 57%! This is about equal to Sn3, another nice scale,
but not one that looks good next to HO scale buildings.

I suspect you'll have to make a compromise on something here. Let me
know if I can help you make it deliberately. I used to be the Library
Director for the National Model Railroad Association, and have consulted
with a good number of manufacturers over the years.

> They also want us to look into a HO scale electric Disneyland
> Monorail. They feel that the train and or monorail would add to the
> product line.

This would be great! Just do the fanatics a favor and get the right
number of cars in the train. I'm annoyed that I had to buy two sets to
get a full train of cars.

If you build this, please give very serious consideration to building
track switches as well. I know many folks who would like to do more with
their monorails than run in circles (despite the prototype doing exactly
that), and switches are essential for this.

For both trains and monorails, you should make provisions for Digital
Command Control (DCC). This is a multi-vendor standard for operating
more than one train independently on a single track. Modern DCC decoders
also have sound chips, and this will add greatly to the appeal of the
products for modelers and Disney fans alike at fairly modest cost.

If DCC proves too pricey for this project, at least install the standard
jacks so modelers can easily add them later.

> Disney has also stated that they want the train to be released at the
> same time as the Main Street Station....

A very prudent move. Pity there isn't interest in the other stations as
well.

> I have just named my company which is going to be called The
> ModelWerks and I will be opening a website in the next few weeks.

I urge you to Google "ModelWerks" first. There are several companies
already using that name, and some of them build model railroad
equipment. Much cheaper to change your name now than *after* the lawsuit!

> Thanks again for your interest and support.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop! Please don't hesitate to call on us
if you need help with any of it.

Bruce Metcalf
Lake Buena Vista FL

--- Bruce Metcalf <yahoo1@...> wrote:

> One big problem you will face is in building an HO *scale* train.
> Because the railroad is narrow gauge, you will have to build in HOn3 --
> a fine modeling scale, but one that does not offer the same sort of
> snap-together track widely available in HO standard gauge.

Correct, of course. HOn30 uses N-gauge track which is fairly available. It's
best if you can find track with a good narrow-gauge spacing such as Peco.

> Previous models were thus made to fit HO gauge track, and were therefore
> oversize by about 57%! This is about equal to Sn3, another nice scale,
> but not one that looks good next to HO scale buildings.

This was a problem with the Bachmann N-scale E.P. Ripley, combine, and two
passenger coaches sold to go with the Oslewski (sp?) Main Street buildings
since the train was much too large compared with the Z-scale buildings.

James

There is good information at www.burnsland.com
As a long time Narrow Gauge Railroader, I have to say HOn3 is not an
option without major effort to include creating new track etc. I
don't think HO standard gauge is ideal especially for Disnyland CA
with its small engines. I do think HOn30 has a lot of potential. It
can be sold with N scale Snap Track. Would Faller outsource the
locomotive mechanisms to another company? Such as Bachmann etc or do
it themselves? There are plenty of companies that make N scale
mechanisms that could be used as a start.
I do see where Disney is coming from, you can't have scale models
without some key piece to hold it all together and I agree that an
electric train and monorail could be the backbone for this.
One good thing is that if you, Faller, or another company produce
one of the locomotives in HOn30, there would be an additional market
for that company to release the same locomotive in black (no Disney
markings) to normal, narrow gauge modelers.
I don't agree that DCC is relevent to the Disney models though I
like the system for my normal trains.
In addition to creating accurate models, it takes up less space with
a smaller track radius.
Brian

--- In disneyworldmodelersclub@yahoogroups.com, "Ben"
<ben.stephens@...> wrote:

>
> Here it is the latest on the Disney HO Model project.
>
> I was actually wanting to wait until I had final approval before I

gave

> the group an update. However, I think many of you will really

like the

> news I have to share with you today. As you know Disney has

given us a

> tentative green light but was waiting on Park approval before they
> granted us the official license. Disney has given us one more
> stipulation that we are working on now. They want us to also

offer an

> HO scale Disneyland Electric Train which will include one of the

engines

> currently in use and the open air sideways seating excursion cars.
> Anyone have an opinion on which of the engines should be first?

They

> also want us to look into a HO scale electric Disneyland

Monorail. They

> feel that the train and or monorail would add to the product line.
>
> So what this has done is pushed the release date back a little

until

> Faller can get price and production quotes on an electric train.

The

> Monorail is going to be at least a year off as Faller is feeling
> pressure on their resources with a new Disneyline and now a

train, they

> are a bit overwhlemed. So that is the latest on the Disney HO

models.

> Disney has also stated that they want the train to be released at

the

> same time as the Main Street Station so that has even created more
> pressure. In my opinion once we come back with pricing and a

production

> schedule we will finally have a Disney License.
>
> In my personal opinion, I would love to see the Disneyland

Monorail be

> done first, but that will not happen as it needs a lot of

development.

> I will certainly guarantee that I will push as much as possible

to get

> this project going as I think it would be incredibly popular and

I have

> always wanted an electic Disney monorail. However, it will all

depend

> on sales of the first plastic models and now the train.
>
> Finally, I have just named my company which is going to be called

The

> ModelWerks and I will be opening a website in the next few weeks.

It

> will be the place to buy the Disney models once they are

available but

> until then, it will be a place to buy Faller models at some great
> prices. So stay tuned for that and I will offer a discount for

all

> members of this site.
>
> Thanks again for your interest and support.
>

WOW! I couldn't be more excited! I have always wanted
all of that, since I was a little kid.
Seems like the monorail will be kind of a challenge,
track-wise...
Keeping my eyes open for your new web site.
Well done, and thanks for championing this for all of
us!

Correct, of course. HOn30 uses N-gauge track which is fairly
available. It's
best if you can find track with a good narrow-gauge spacing such as
Peco.
--- In disneyworldmodelersclub@yahoogroups.com, James Keeline
<james@...> wrote:

>
> --- Bruce Metcalf <yahoo1@...> wrote:
>
> > One big problem you will face is in building an HO *scale* train.
> > Because the railroad is narrow gauge, you will have to build in

HOn3 --

> > a fine modeling scale, but one that does not offer the same sort

of

> > snap-together track widely available in HO standard gauge.
>
> Correct, of course. HOn30 uses N-gauge track which is fairly

available. It's

> best if you can find track with a good narrow-gauge spacing such as

Peco.

>
> > Previous models were thus made to fit HO gauge track, and were

therefore

> > oversize by about 57%! This is about equal to Sn3, another nice

scale,

> > but not one that looks good next to HO scale buildings.
>
> This was a problem with the Bachmann N-scale E.P. Ripley, combine,

and two

> passenger coaches sold to go with the Oslewski (sp?) Main Street

buildings

> since the train was much too large compared with the Z-scale

buildings.

>
> James
>