[Dennis David]

QUOTE I'm rather disappointed this morning. After running the loco half way around my layout, it derailed. It had buckled and came off the track due to the glue join on the boiler failing.

I don't know how I can put this any other way but it's the plastic bodies that most turn me off to this brand of trains. Die-cast cost more but I just feel that this would never happen on one of my models.

 

[Dennis David]

Frugality at what cost?

 

[Dennis David]

To be honest I have never been impressed with Graham Farish. That being said I think that either process can give you excellant detail. The Kiss models that I have posted have die-cast bodies. I'm just biased towards a die-cast body attached to the driving gear. I feel that when you have a plastic body attached to relativly heavy running gear you open yourself to these kind of issues. Especially when the plastic is a little on the light side whcih I had noticed on some recent Hornby Models.

Would that stop me from buying Hornby, no not at all when it came to British prototype but if I could choose between a Big Boy by Hornby or one by Minitrix or Marklin I would pay the extra cost.

 

[Dennis David]

QUOTE Do the US HO manufacturers do metal bodied stuff? Answer no!

Actually the answer is yes.

Most diesels are plastic bodied but steam locomotives can be plastic, die-cast or brass.

 

[Dennis David]

I didn't mean to imply that one shouldn't buy plastic bodied locomotives. That would deny you from purchasing many fine models. It's just something to think about when comparing prices. I was actually getting very close to buying one of Hornby's live steam models but was somewhat put off by the plastic body which I though was a little on the thin side. Of course if it had a die-cast body it might well have cost more but is that really true? I always thought that plastic fabrication up to a certain level was very expensive and for short runs brass was actually cheaper. That's always been the traditional answer for why brass in the past. Whether this is still true maybe it's not anymore.

As far as Marklin goes, yes things could be better but how is their sales compared to Hornby? Are all divisions of Hornby pulling their weight or are certain divisions suffering?

I do know one thing this would be a lot darker place if either Marklin or Hornby would go under. Though some of those Marklin collectors may not mind too much.

 

[Dennis David]

That's a little off-putting.