[Doug]

Guess what, I have just bought my first US loco.

(need lots of Smiles here)

And that's not all, I didn't get one, I ended up with three!

I've never really been keen on American locos - I've never liked the classic steam loco...

Something just OTT about it

I haven't been keen on the classic diesels...

And modern switchers and freight locos are just ugly...

But these ones I have are slightly different

So the locos are coming from the US and will be the subject of a review and articles a little later on. What I found out about the principal loco was so interesting that it not only motivated me to get them, but also to read on and discover more. I'm sure they'll be interesting to other European modellers. They're not new and have been around a bit, but perhaps like me, there may be some that may learn something.

Something really interesting about pricing too. We've talked about it this week, but we really need to get motivated to do something about inflated European prices...

Watch this space ->

 

[neil_s_wood]

Sounds intriguing Doug. Are you going to tell us what the locos are?

I do like some of the American locos. There's some pretty good ones. The only reason I don't buy more is that much of the coaches to go with them are designed for very wide radius curves which is a problem for me. I don't have the space for metre and a half radius curves. The freight ones are better in this respect.

Agree with you about the prices but would not want to see a drop in quality because of it. What can we do to reduce European prices?

I would be interested in any suggestions.

 

[Doug]

I'll give some clues to the loco...

US price: $100 (£52.90 / €78), UK price: £166 ($313 / €245), French price: €269 ($345 / £182)

These price are for the same loco

In this world we live in, how is this justified? Are we just pushing it up to see how much someone will pay?

I could buy them retail in the US and sell them here undercutting the competition and still make a better margin than I was making selling WiFi devices.

 

[neil_s_wood]

It's not this is it?

QUOTE I could buy them retail in the US and sell them here undercutting the competition and still make a better margin than I was making selling WiFi devices.

I have actually thought about doing that with Continental outline in Australia. I could buy stuff from Modelbahn Kramm at half the price it sells for in Australia. Even with postage and shipping I would still make a killing.

Some pretty disturbing discrepancies there.

 

[Doug]

Ah, Neil - you have been an eager beaver.

Yep. 3-truck 80-ton Class C Shay.

I just love articulated and complicated drive systems.

 

[neil_s_wood]

I guessed that would appeal to you as I am aware you like the Garretts which are sort of similar.

Looks good. Look forward to the review.

 

[Gary]

Hey Doug I bought my first American loco this week. It should be with me faster than you can say Hattons apparently! Half the price of anything equivalent in the UK including the shipping and its twice the size of British locos and with smoke and lights!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Doug]

That's cool. Is that the Rivarossi?

 

[Gary]

I started a topic in the OO/HO section a few days ago. To be very honest when I saw it running on the big club layout and was advised of the price by the fellow club member (£37 plus shipping) then how could anybody resist?:-

http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=1570

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gwent rail]

If ever I was to desert the GWR, it would be to build an American layout.
Perhaps the vastness and diversity appeals, perhaps it's the way they run the railroads through such awesome scenery, but I think that it's probably the locos. Different, powerful and by the way Doug is talking, cheap as well !! Uncle Sam does have some appeal after all !!

 

[Doug]

Hey Gary, I saw that post but I missed the bit about you getting one.

These locos I'm getting are also painted, but to not have any numbers or company names on them. One of the things that I don't like about American railroads is the company concept. Not much mixing due to competition and once you start modelling one, you sort of are obliged to stick with it, the rolling stock and the countryside that comes with it. - Big generalisations, I know, but that's the impression that I get.

These unpainted locos will fit into my layout without confusing the issue that the LNER and Chesapeake & Ohio are not one and the same...

If I get more into it, I can add some decals later.

I have some plans for a logging project, but that was going to be HOe. I may just have to update it...

 

[Dennis David]

Doug,

Looks like I need to send you an issue of Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette.

 

[Makemineadouble]

Is there room for me here I've just purchased my first On30 stock it's going to be modular in the study for now.

 

[Doug]

Dennis, that Gazette looks great. There is something appealing about this sort of modelling indeed.

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 18 Nov 2006, 18:00) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Is there room for me here I've just purchased my first On30 stock it's going to be modular in the study for now.

On30 is 1:48 scale running on 16.5mm track right?

This does seem popular in the States. The place where I bought my locos mainly had On30 locos.

 

[Gary]

Yes I can really see Doug going for a scenic effort like in that picture now that he has his log cabin locos.

Happy modelling
Gary

(PS not really!

)

 

[Ozzie21]

Doug, some pictures of my mates partially completed On30 layout. He switched to On30 as his hands and eyesight make it very difficult to model HO scale anymore. That said he does keep mentioning British O gauge and exhibtion layout in the same breath from time to time. If he does do that I know who'll be building the locos.

A Climax at the top of the hill with some log cars. The Climax is a Soundtraxx special with a Tsunami version of the drop in decoder. This is a special order only from Soundtraxx but it does leave the others for dead when you hear it.

The climb up the hill from the river level.

Climax passing through a tunnel. We were messing about with a photo editor trying to get a sepia toned picture for an article in the short line gazette. I don't htink he's finished it.

On30 is excellent hobby medium with a huge following by manufacturers many of them English, Chivers Fine Scale is one and I'll show you the caboose later.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (Doug @ 19 Nov 2006, 04:54) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Dennis, that Gazette looks great. There is something appealing about this sort of modelling indeed.
On30 is 1:48 scale running on 16.5mm track right?

This does seem popular in the States. The place where I bought my locos mainly had On30 locos.

 

[Doug]

Great pictures.

I'm sure that I'll have some space on my layout for some logging. There is a little mine on one side and perhaps we can do some logging on the other end.

I have been researching the Shay, Climax and the Heisler. All three with different piston arrangements. Very interesting.

 

[Dennis David]

For the rest go here

 

[neil_s_wood]

Some excellent pictures there guys.

Maybe we could have a gallery on the forum to show stuff like this.

 

[Doug]

The gallery will come soon. We have it set up on SlotForum if you want to see how it all works.

Thanks for the photos. I'm putting together a nice little article on these machines.