Richard
I don’t think O14 will hit mainstream until ready to use turnouts are available.
My interests are 021 which is even more niche than 014.
But if O14 became more mainstream, would you still want to model in it??
O14 has its attractions because it’s needs a bit of work and skill to achieve!
best regards
Stay safe
Stay sane
Kelvin
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On 1 Oct 2021, at 12:13, Richard Speight <richard.speight@...> wrote:
?
I'm incredibly excited about this announcement but feel it could be a missed opportunity.?
It's really positive that it's been promised as adaptable to O14.??Whatever adaptable to O14 means it isn't going to be without compromises (probably wheels inset from outside
frames), and probably require some skill and risk damaging an expensive model.
I dabble in O14, but my kit building isn't up to the standard of RTR products.? I know O14 is a "modelling" scale and I enjoy modelling but would love the support of RTR to open opportunities. i.e. wheel sets, track for fiddle yards, etc.
As I understand from subtle remarks from manufacturers this is not the only 7mm narrow gauge RTR announcement in the pipeline.??Every OO9 announcement so far has been a 2-foot gauge
prototype (OK some Baldwins were re-gauged).? 2-foot has the iconic prototypes which RTR manufacturers will produce.? I know some people will object as they're happy with their kits, however that doesn't change the fact it looks like 7mm narrow gauge RTR will
happen, but probably for O-16.5.? I think we all agree they won't look quite right on O-16.5.
O14 is currently a niche, even when compared to O-16.5, let alone OO9 and heaven forbit OO.? However, those markets are congested.? No one knows the potential of 7mm narrow gauge supported
by RTR but given success of 7mm standard gauge and OO9 it looks promising. Does it have to be O-16.5 or could it be O14 from the start?? With off the shelf track and a couple of RTR locos in O-14 its popularity would quickly overtake O-16.5, which could still
exist for those who want to adapt OO chassis or model railways around 2 foot 4 inches.
I believe Lionheart could be persuaded to produce a bespoke O14 chassis if they believed there would be sufficient sales.? The problem is lack of track and here there is a complete
market failure.? The majority of existing 7mm Narrow Gauge Association members are by definition happy with O-16.5 and some will like the idea of it being served by RTR.? Peco are likely to be excited by RTR O-16.5 to increase sales of existing products in
this range.? The opportunity is new entrants untied to a gauge, but these people are unlikely to be able to co-ordinate a move to O14.? So I fear nobody will act.
Can anything be done to encourage the production of O14 track and encourage the likes of Lionheart to produce a bespoke O14 chassis before we have range of 2-foot prototypes RTR but on O-16.5, recreating the legacy issues which sees the perpetuation of OO.
These aren't hollow words, I would happily help crowd fund such a project.? Does anyone have contacts within Peco that would be willing help put together a proposal?? I really feel there is an opportunity here but it is a short window that won't stay open for
long.
Thoughts?
Rich
Many years ago I bought a Wrightlines 'Pug' replacement chassis. Converting that to O14 involved removing a slice from the end of the stub axles. I still have nightmares about how badly I did it ...?Let's
just say I bought Kay's RTR version of the chassis rather than fix the horrible wounds I'd inflicted on the kit, which kit is still somewhere down in the 'stash'.
I'll persist with my Link/Gibson kit for a little while longer, though the Lionheart is very tempting.
David H
