As you may have seen, there has been speculation on forums and social media that Arrowhead Models might offer the ACF 4600 covered hopper.
It is not the standard course for Arrowhead Models to reveal anything about projects ahead of a release. However, the amount of speculation on forums and social media channels has risen to a level that we believe a statement of some kind is in order.
Comments that I made in ‘A Modeler’s Life’ livestream podcast (Click here for that podcast. See time stamp : 34:07) may underlie some of this speculation. In that conversation, I mentioned that my intentions were to make the ACF 4600 Arrowhead's first release. To this end, I said that we had done a considerable amount of work, but when it appeared that Athearn would land the car within close proximity of our own, we chose to pivot to other projects. In that moment, we walked away from the ACF 4600, and we did so without the intent of picking it up again.
However, during the last week, a significant number of people have reached out to express a desire for an alternative option to the Genesis car. The interest is sufficient enough that we believe the idea has merit. So, we are letting our customers know that Arrowhead decided to start the project up again. Per our current plans, the Arrowhead Models’ ACF 4600 covered hopper will be released sometime during 2020.
In the spirit of good will, we want to clarify that we have some longstanding friendships with the staff at Athearn, and our intentions to move forward with the project is in no way an affront to them. In fact, it is quite the opposite--we wish them the best. We believe that there is enough space in the market for a second player, and given the dedication with which we have already approached this project, we want that second player to be Arrowhead.
Comments that I made in ‘A Modeler’s Life’ livestream podcast (Click here for that podcast. See time stamp : 34:07) may underlie some of this speculation. In that conversation, I mentioned that my intentions were to make the ACF 4600 Arrowhead's first release. To this end, I said that we had done a considerable amount of work, but when it appeared that Athearn would land the car within close proximity of our own, we chose to pivot to other projects. In that moment, we walked away from the ACF 4600, and we did so without the intent of picking it up again.
However, during the last week, a significant number of people have reached out to express a desire for an alternative option to the Genesis car. The interest is sufficient enough that we believe the idea has merit. So, we are letting our customers know that Arrowhead decided to start the project up again. Per our current plans, the Arrowhead Models’ ACF 4600 covered hopper will be released sometime during 2020.
In the spirit of good will, we want to clarify that we have some longstanding friendships with the staff at Athearn, and our intentions to move forward with the project is in no way an affront to them. In fact, it is quite the opposite--we wish them the best. We believe that there is enough space in the market for a second player, and given the dedication with which we have already approached this project, we want that second player to be Arrowhead.
Of course, we will have more information on the Arrowhead ACF 4600 covered hopper in due time. Until then, we have other great projects that you will soon hear about as well. Thank you for your support!
Blaine Hadfield
I agree less duplication in hobby would be nice. There are over 1500 cars that haven’t been done. The 4460 would be nice as well as the ACF cars 5000+ that Atlas isnt doing, Also the NSC three bay grain hoppers have not been touched. There is room for the PS, Trinity, and Procor. Ribbed plastic pellet cars.
Given that there are production variants of any freight car through its production life I’m sure that you’ll end up doing something that keeps it different.
I’ also sure that there are other, more modern cars, running the rails other manufacturers might not consider as well…
I wish you would do the ACF 4460 instead. That is a car Southern Pacific modelers need (the SP had no 4600’s). MP, Rock Island, Cotton Belt, Dupont (the famous Sclair hoppers), FMC also had 4460’s. It saddens me when we get so much duplication instead of more variety.
Really excited to have Arrowhead models developing fidelity models. What I really like is talking about other manufacturers and respecting their work and being ethical in the hobby. Way to go Arrowhead!