Piko G7.1 (Br55)

That's a pretty impressive makeover , He just needs to weather it a bit now

I wonder what the cost of the extra parts were

Regards

Zmil

QUOTE (john woodall @ 28 Jan 2009, 18:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thinking about this I wonder just how cost effective it is.

Sure you get the satisfaction of doing the conversion, but it does seem rather expensive when you compare it to the Trix class 18 with sound at EUR320

John
Hi John,

you also get a warranty from the manufacturer.

I'd prefer to have a loco factory done as they are in ninety nine point nine percent of cases better than re-fits. I also don't have enough spare time in which to do stuff like this.

cheers

Neil

**** Hi Erkut: Lovely work, and very well done, but I still can't begin to think of that overall look of bright red underframe, shiny black top and still oversize flanges as a "scale model".

He needs to redo the wheels then visit you in Turkey for a truly expert "hands on weathering party".

***Hi John - isn't that the whole point of it though - gaining the pleasure from the hobby in the way you enjoy. The cost is irrelevant really... I spent about $A700 creating my model of British Legion as well as more hours than I bothered counting (maybe 200?)... still no sound either, but its a unique loco I'm proud to say I created.

I gained far more in satisfaction than it cost me in $$.

***Hi Neil - I'd put even the least of my loco's against any RTR ever built for finish and quality in any area but then the part of the hobby I like most is the building and painting of my own loco's and stock... Same with my buildings, they are always as good as I can make them as I enjoy the process of their creation.

The flipside is that as a result I spend more time than I should on them and to add to that, the compromises of most RTR nag at me a bit and so every one I own gets changed in some way - sometimes in only small details, and not necessarily because they are bad, but it always it makes them feel as if they are more "mine" than just buying them does.

The downside is that as a result of that approach, other things suffer, so I don't also have the time I'd like to build and scenic a model railway in the way I'd like to.

I still enjoy visiting and running trains on other peoples layouts though - everything from 3 rail Dublo to out of the box Bach-by & Roco-bra-flei-ko trainsets through finescale 4mm and On30 - they are all trains after all.... and trains are No1.

We all enjoy it in a different way... and see it in our own unique way... Its a great hobby no matter how we apply ourselves to it!!

Richard

QUOTE (john woodall @ 28 Jan 2009, 17:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thinking about this I wonder just how cost effective it is.

Locomotive EUR50-100
Upgrade kit EUR150
Loksound chip EUR110
Total EUR310-360

Sure you get the satisfaction of doing the conversion, but it does seem rather expensive when you compare it to the Trix class 18 with sound at EUR320

John

Hi Richard,

The great thing about this hobby is its diversity. Ultimately craftsmanship really does rise to the top.

I have seen a lot of layouts in my time, and there are a few that you walk in the door to see them and it really is WOW.

My interests are Germanic trains, and the quality of the Germanic layouts I have seen runs from the average to the outstanding. This is also the case with the British and NZR layouts I have seen. Strangely I have yet to see a US outline railway with the WOW factor.

I have to admit a lot of the layouts I have seen are RTR straight out the box, building built exactly to the manufacturers plans and sawdust for scenery everywhere and ultimately even though the track plans maybe different they all look the same. Sure my trains are RTR, but I am progressively weathering them, I paint all my kits and use static grass, but that is the diversity of the hobby.

As I have got older and been exposed to some pretty good modellers, what they do has rubbed off on me. Whether I ever get to their standards remains to be seen.

John

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 29 Jan 2009, 07:36) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>**** Hi Erkut: Lovely work, and very well done, but I still can't begin to think of that overall look of bright red underframe, shiny black top and still oversize flanges as a "scale model".

He needs to redo the wheels then visit you in Turkey for a truly expert "hands on weathering party".

......We all enjoy it in a different way... and see it in our own unique way... Its a great hobby no matter how we apply ourselves to it!!

Richard

Thanks for your kind words Richard. Apart from the reds the only other thing that bothered me was the driving rods, could've been better. It looks toy like.

Anyway, as truly put forward ; it is the sheer satisfaction that one gets out of it: full stop

It has nothing to do in price calculations. I always give the example of the face expression of the French chap, who had finished his first Weinert Br44, which really sums it all up of what this hobby is all about.

http://www.lrpresse.fr/trains/viewtopic.ph...f75fd62e59197de

The Fleischmann Br55, hardwired together with the forum members & weathered, is now so unique to me , no words or money can buy or describe it. It has become my pride and joy. Nobody can put a price tag on that.

This is such a great hobby that; I have lots of things planned to do, probably enough till the day I die. The layout ,the scenery, weathering of all rolling stock&loco's, preparing all Weinert track side accessories (which actually is my fetish).....and all these keeps me going in this crisis ridden times.

Baykal

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 29 Jan 2009, 16:36) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>***Hi Neil - I'd put even the least of my loco's against any RTR ever built for finish and quality in any area but then the part of the hobby I like most is the building and painting of my own loco's and stock... Same with my buildings, they are always as good as I can make them as I enjoy the process of their creation.

The flipside is that as a result I spend more time than I should on them and to add to that, the compromises of most RTR nag at me a bit and so every one I own gets changed in some way - sometimes in only small details, and not necessarily because they are bad, but it always it makes them feel as if they are more "mine" than just buying them does.

The downside is that as a result of that approach, other things suffer, so I don't also have the time I'd like to build and scenic a model railway in the way I'd like to.

I still enjoy visiting and running trains on other peoples layouts though - everything from 3 rail Dublo to out of the box Bach-by & Roco-bra-flei-ko trainsets through finescale 4mm and On30 - they are all trains after all.... and trains are No1.

We all enjoy it in a different way... and see it in our own unique way... Its a great hobby no matter how we apply ourselves to it!!

Richard

Hi Richard,

I'm sure your models are better than most RTR. I suppose the point that I am making is that not many of us have sufficient time or skills to do that too. The reason I would go with RTR is that most RTR is better than I would expect a kit built loco done by me to be. There are many skills required to make a top notch kit built loco such as soldering and painting and not many people have them all. Great if you can do it but for those of us whose skills have not been developed in that area it is a non starter. I'd rather fork out for a Brawa model.

However I do have a, mainly, sceniced railway with in the main unique buildings as this is what I prefer to devote my increasingly diminishing free time to.

Where time is sparse you have to pick what you enjoy doing most. Which I think we agree on.

cheers

Neil