Well, maybe you're missing Tankertoad's point. Incorrect model, improper paint scheme, rising prices, limited run. The new Atlas N&W caboose is all wrong from what I see on the forum.

That don't cut it with me. Maybe I'll just stick to Athearn when I get back into HO full bore. I could buy five cabeese, and decorate them at will as desired. Locos even come pre-painted, undecorated for NS and some N&W from them too. Some rolling stock too!!!

Paul in MI

"I am ferret of Borg...your socks WILL be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"

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Hmm, maybe that's why I'm sleepy all the time, heh heh.

Even with all those posts, I really don't spend much time on the forum 'cause I gots modeling to do, and this is the only forum I frequent any more.

Paul, your comment on purchasing Athearn cabooses is right on also. Those puppies are inexpensive and fun to kitbash into something a bit different, which I love to do.

I appreciate everyone's responses. At least we can have a civil discussion on the matter and agree to disagree on certain matters.



Don in Orygun City

Guys,listen,I have read in all the forums the following things,this may be up setting to some of you or you may get mad.I urge you to put yourself in a newbies or some one thinking about entering our great hobby.Please think about it.Well, here goes.

The model railroaders maybe hurting the hobby more then they know,I have read the following on some forums,If you buy a Athearn engine,you will need to repower it,regear it,and still it is not "right",they don't run good and far to noisey(really,My is a little on the quite side)you need to buy a $150.00 engine,and still it is not right for a given protoype due to this or that.Why that N&W caboose is not right! Yet,no where did they say it was a true N&W caboose! Don't buy P2K as they slurge going down grade! Really? Why doesn't mine at the club do that??? Am I just lucky or is it dumb luck? In order to operate your layout you need DCC to run more then one train! Really? I don't think so.Buy this DCC system NO!BUY this DCC system.My Athearn locomotive is running like crap,Buy a new motor,buy ernst gears,save your money and buy a Atlas or Kato.Then a comes the replies of clean your wheels,track,(you will need a high price cleaning car to do that!),check this or that.The grand daddy of them all,My son is interested in trains what train set should I buy him? Man oh man,do we forever more spend their money on the things we like and feel that the kid needs.It is enough to scare anybody off and the question is still needing answered in most cases.

Now,in they walk into a LHS,they see all the high dollar engines and cars,the many kits,and think," Can I really afford this hobby?" I know,I will buy some books and get the feel of the hobby,well,the "experts" really has a book full of crap you don't really need to do to enjoy the hobby..Guys,think about it,how much is being taught that has no true bearing on the hobby,but,some "expert" feels it needs done that way??

In closing this ranting,let me state we are the future of the hobby on the way we present it to the newbie and those they may want to join our ranks in the Worlds Greatest Hobby..Indeed it is the greatest.Let's help it grow by not discouraging the newbie and those that is thinking of the hobby.If some one does not model to your likes/dislikes be kind in your answers.Always remember not everybody can afford the top of the line stuff.

brakie

Yup Tankertoad. While I'm not that into the scratchbuilding heavy, I've been handy over my life with a lot of things that will help me with mechanics when I go to get into locos and mechanisms.

I've seen a lot of shooters and printers mentioned here too. I don't hunt, I don't eat wild game. But I have. I like to shoot and load, was in pistol competion for as long as I was a printer. I'm one of those "frustrated artists" that made love to a machine all day and worked miracles with replicating lifelike colors on paper with ink. That's why I got hooked into model railroading in the early 80's. Dorr and Corbet ran weekly live chats in my pre-IBM compatible days on Compuserve in the train forum, when I had a Tandy CoCo. Corbet was an Amtrak engineer. I love all the aspects of my hobby in trains. I used to spend some weekends in the basement, and I could get bored every few hours, and move to completely different projects, and never work on the same type of project the same time twice. Sometimes, I'd just fire it up, and kick back with the TV and a brew, and just enjoy a long train run for a while. Train Center Hobbies in Birmingham was 100% trains. It was a great hobby shop. I wish it was closer. It was on the NE burbs of Detroit, and I was on the SW side. I'm 90 miles further SW now. They sure beat the only place to do decent train business around here which is 50 miles away. They were a real business. They did brass, a lot of promo material, clubs, shows, custom live steam. Stuff came in discounted nice-real nice...then went up closer to list, and closed out for lovely discounts. This local place I'm quite disappointed in. After a year, and a lot of money working with him, I'll stick to mail order.

Anyone ever get up to the Detroit Zoo, go a few miles further N and check out Train Center. It's on the East side of Woodward, about 4 blocks S of 14 mile. You can park in back, so don't hassle with making the 'round the block thing' to try and park in front. They were always good and knowledgeable about trains, and very helpful and professional. They were more than willing to put something on the test track, and tell you the attributes of say, the model in brass you were looking at, vs. other makes and it's relative performance and shortcomings. Without asking yet!

Paul in MI

"I am ferret of Borg...your socks WILL be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"

Themr GREAT points Breakie. I'd buy Athearn in a minute, anytime. I have a LOT of their stuff. Most of my HO is probably Athearn. I set up a buddy with a train set, MRC power pack, 100% Athearn for his son's christmas present, and even BUILT a simple twice around and double siding for him for about $100. Lube the loco and run it. I never re-motored and regeared anything yet in my life that I run un customized. I still have one from my childhood with rubber band drive. Although it DOES have new rubber bands.

Paul in MI

"I am ferret of Borg...your socks WILL be assimilated! Resistance is futile!"

Alas, I have still not been able to convince Athearn to get into N-Scale.

As for newbies, I think Brakie hit the nail on the head. The sticker shock is hard to get over. While I wouldn't consider myself a newbie, I often suffer from the same affliction. $33 for a caboose?! PLEASE!



Modeling the Belmar Valley, a fictitious place served by N&W.

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And then there's the large scale/outdoor stuff.... if you want anything beyond the most basic toy train items, i.e., the so-called "finescale" large scale equipment, the locos generally begin at $500 - $750, and rolling stock frequently tops $100 per car. I look at the ads in Finescale Railroader and think to myself "there's no way I could afford a layout of that stuff." And I'm a long, long ways from being a newbie or a young modeler who has to stretch his hobby money the best he can.

But then I remember the old B&W photos of the early modelers and the clubs. Most of the equipment and models those guys had were far from top-drawer. But it sure looks like they were having fun. The few who had finely detailed stuff were usually scratchbuilders.

And with that thought, the whole thread has come full circle for me.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm a busy man. I have a railroad to run.



http://homepage.mac.com/michael21/CMS-RR-Co./

HA! I can just see the look on the loan officer's face when I try to explain how my "finescale" large scale equipment purchase will increase the value of my property.



Modeling the Belmar Valley, a fictitious place served by N&W.

I agree with brakie in that the preceptions that a "newbie" gets is based on how current model railroaders present the hobby and their atitude.

Think about this,

1) What / who / how was it that got you involved ?

2) What aspect of the of the hobby do you enjoy ?

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Once you have the answers to the above questions, those are the view that you should express. If you do feal it necessary to express something bad, just relate it as a personal experence and something one should be aware of.

My answers:

1) I've always enjoyed watching trains at crossings, and counting the cars go by. Also took a ride on the Silverton - Durango Colorado Narow Gauge line and was hooked.

2) I work with computers all day and everything is virtual. I like the fealing of actualy haveing something I can touch. Also I get a feeling of accomplishment when there is a visible transformation from a pile of little pieces in to something that is recognizable.



Edited by - cooldavion on 06/19/2002 09:58:56

Couldn't agree more, Brakie. I have yet to monkey with an Athearn or P2K, and I keep buying them. Why - cause I think they look pretty damned good, close enough to prototype to make me happy, and they run just fine. Heck, one of my fave locos is an old Plymouth DDT by an unknown manufacturer that needs traction tires and new couplers, and I got it in an eBay lot for about $5. And why is it my favorite - cause it looks kewl.

I also make sure I go out of my way to help out newbies in hobby stores or train stores when the other staff is busy (especially in generic hobby stores, cause I typically know more than the staff anyways). And I don't try to infuse them with the idea that they need to buy this or that - I simply answer questions and give them some ideas, typically middle of the road in terms of dollars and quality. If they ask about less expensive or more expensive stuff, I'll be happy to help them.

The guy that really annoys me is at our hobby discounter - he's always trying to convince *ME* to buy brass locos. Everytime I go in there. And I know enough just to tell him to go to h--- (well, in my head anyways, not out loud YET), but those that don't know better - he's probably scared off a few people I would guess.........

rockislandmike

http://www.heatherandmichael.com/recklessandveiled/