Why "Scale"? it's all my fault
开云体育Although it's been some time, I also
mentioned it was time to put the toys aside into a secondary
purpose--collecting.? Our hobby is too vast to ignore any segment
entirely but since it's claimed that some of our track-age works
with (nearly) everything so be it!? But we simply still don't have
a one stop shop!? At one time many train-sets all used Atlas #100
track.? Perhaps Atlas only made all kinds of track for everybody!
I had hoped that the hi-rail folks
would blend with the scale guys to sing songs of unity!? I also
thought that perhaps Lionel would have seen the light too, with
their newer diesels but since they only dipped their toe in the
Koolaide, nobody really knows anything, but this type of thing
happens in all sorts of industries--mostly singing verses in
chapter 7 or 11...,? VHS vs Beta was a great example.? Then poor
old Kodak was our 'yellow father figure' in my business till Fuji
upset our entire business. ? Kodak didn't know how to compete when
everything changed!? A Kodak rep stopped and left me with many
hundreds in film,as the green Fuji disease started to take over. ?
Now you have all sorts of products using old names made under
contract god knows where!
At one time, I though all this was my
fault when I was shooting SHS's ads.? I generally used scale
settings but we also used AF items for some settings--coal
loaders, accessory cars, etc. ? So that indicated that SHS &
AM + others could blend with AF.? Apparently that blending didn't
happen as we always hear about or see "Somebodies AF layout" while
seeing AM PA diesels pulling Budd cars. SHS switchers switching a
yard filled with SHS freight cars laid on SHS flex track!?
Now I think we all understand that "The
Powers" had to show claws and large flanges (bills to pay!), but
it didn't prepare for our days of reckoning.
Bob Werre
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开云体育Peter noted: "I still suspect that we'd have more momentum if we had some manufacturer adding a new model (not a new paint scheme on existing models) every six months or even yearly. Not to be it seems." I've been told it was my letter that got Lionel into thinking about taking the copula off the AF Bay Window caboose and then they'd have a "new" caboose with very little tooling costs, but my suggestions about putting S trucks under their 027 -3/16ths double door boxcar would hve been so simple and viloa, a "new" car. But the main thing I think that would have been simple for them to do is to take the Northern Chassis and put an SP Daylight shell and tender on it--yes, the drivers aren't exactly right and the main rod and valve action should be altered too, but the driver difference at scale is pretty tiny, but enough that scale folks would complain--however, with minor tooling costs a new locomotive that could be sold legitimately 5 ways; Daylight, Freedom Train, BNSF excursion train, WWII all black, and WP too.? Based on sales of such a locomotive in other scales causes me to believe they would "fly off the shelves" if the retail price was not astronomical.? Apparently this is so logical? that someone is doing the shells with 3-D printing (which I have on order!!). It's going to take me some time to put it together and paint it properly (and i want to do lighted number boards and a mars light would be cool. . . .) so I will finally have my S Daylight.? But no, the folks at "Big L" don't want to hear about it, nor risk any money on it.? OK, back to the previous programming. S' David D. |
开云体育Tom-=-feel; I need to reply here. True
S guys aren't put off, as our guys--have lived with results for a
long time! Those who were put off were the ones who were put off
with S for the lack correct size rail perhaps, or the lack of easy
to use trackage, or having 5 sizes of couplers too.., You don't
get to count the guys who didn't vote with their hobby dollars! A
guy once stopped to visit with us with the question?? who are the
unknown S scalers?? How many rebels are waiting to attach--how
many ants are in the walls?? Those of us, unless we're rebuilding
aren't affected too much. ? Of course nobody would really knows
unless you had an employee (often a cutie in shorts and big smile)
at a show and actually quiz them on these things! ( I once was
involved i a high stakes infringement case--big dollars here.? BTW
we won! Wish I would have reaped a dollar or 2 for the positive
results!).
Sometimes we don't know who might even
have an opinion on their favorite size/brand --if it says
Peco--good; if it says Kato--probably good too; Tyco--be aware! If
you run on a smooth layout you'll tend to follow along with those
results, but often the brand does the speaking rather than the
size!?
My layout is a mix of sizes from
#70-#83-#100 with the bulk being the very vintage Miller #126 with
some newer SHS? flex (whatever size it is/was!? So it's mainly a
non-issue while they all look attractive.? Heavier rail on the
main while sidings have lighter rail as it should be!? My
exceptions are when it's hidden so I might choose the heavy stuff
as it was free at one time!?
So Tom, here's making my 20% plus
thousands of lost possibilities count!
Bob Werre
Phototraxx
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Bob Werre
David Dewey