What hopper wagons are these?

[Catsick]

A quick search and guessing would be costs can be astronomical depending on the complexity of the model. Time to get the model from design stage to storefront that depends on how accurate you want it, who it gets tendered/contracted to to create the kit, moulds, plans etc.

The recent Hornby documentary gave a good idea of the processes/duration involved in creating kits & rtr rolling stock altho they may have hidden the actual costs involved.

Or to sum it up   

[Ted]

I specifically meant NGS products, not the main manufacturer ready to run items.

[Catsick]

yup   

[njee20]

It still doesn't answer the question, but I'd consider doing a 3D print if it was of interest. IIRC the NGS do those bogies.

[Steven B]

The cost of tooling won't differ regardless of if Bachmann, Dapol or the NGS are doing it. The NGS will have lower overheads as the research done by Society members will be done for free.

For a basic wagon I believe you'd be looking at upwards of $10k. Prices will depend on the hardness of the tooling (hard tools last longer but cost more to make) together with the complexity (i.e. the number of parts that make up each mold), and the number of variations (e.g. nose end details) you decide to tool up.

If you're a member, the NGS accounts should provide a rough cost guide for a small loco.

Rapido and Peco have published videos showing some of the tooling process.

Steven B.

[Mr Sprue]

The cost of tooling won't differ regardless of if Bachmann, Dapol or the NGS are doing it. The NGS will have lower overheads as the research done by Society members will be done for free.

For a basic wagon I believe you'd be looking at upwards of $10k. Prices will depend on the hardness of the tooling (hard tools last longer but cost more to make) together with the complexity (i.e. the number of parts that make up each mold), and the number of variations (e.g. nose end details) you decide to tool up.

If you're a member, the NGS accounts should provide a rough cost guide for a small loco.

Rapido and Peco have published videos showing some of the tooling process.

Steven B.

The cost of tooling depends if you intend to either produce kits which would be moulded from 2D inserts or RTR tooling which would be more complex incorporating various movement such as lifters, sliders, interlocks, gates and pin arrangement etc.  As for hardened inserts that's not a costly process as most inserts today are Vacuum hardened to around 50 -55 Rockwell and capable of very high outputs.

The bottom line with all tooling that has to be seriously considered, is it viable? 

Then of course there is crowd funding which I confess to not know much about.... but I know a man that does!