Hi All, I am been skimming over the latest new HO PRR I1 discussions and hope to impart a different view from someone who has no vested interest whatsoever.
When I first heard of this new company making detailed PRR models RTR I was more then a little doubtful. In the ?8? years time since they started, the amount of product that has been released is nothing short of unbelievable. In some respects this may actually be a detriment to them as over saturation leads to heavy discounting as previously mentioned. Now let's discuss the monetary investment and risk. From what I know of the S Scale S Helper Service 2-8-0 project, ANY of the BLI steam locomotive releases have to cost $3-400,000.00 range by the time they put product in your hand. Yup, that is almost 1/2 mil. Who here has that kind of coin to risk loosing? BLI has done it numerous times. Pick a wrong project that tanks and it is all over. For the 2 of you here that do not know, I LOVE brass trains LOVE LOVE LOVE brass trains. I buy them, detail them, bash them, import them, paint them, and even own the Yahoo brass group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brasscollectors If I could get an S Scale modernized PRR loco as detailed as what has been recently produced, painted with Tsunami sound I would trade you 2 brass for 1 in a minute. The line starts here. How anyone could not want these pieces is simply beyond my comprehension. Yes there is something to be said about taking the old clunker brass model and doing it up. That is the modeling part that we are supposed to enjoy. But you will most likely not get the slow speed running and correct detail level for the same total $$$ cost as the new RTR models even if you completely discounted your labor. As a side note, I ran a survey in the Brass group a few years ago. In the 400+ members there were NO collectors only. Everyone ran their brass as least some of the time, with by far (myself included) most considering the brass to be every day nothing special rolling stock. In HO you have never really had to put up deposits except on some brass to secure a project success. In S it is almost mandatory even with some of the plastic. It is all about the presale that makes the project go. No presale no project. It is just that simple. You have to take the project's temperature somehow. It is the non-refundable deposit that separates the customers from the tire kicking "I want 10 of em" crowd. When you consider that a manufacturer is actually asking for assistance in "getting it right' is also a huge plus. Previous items have almost always been made in complete secrecy from unknown alleged expert sources, and dumped on the market for the unwashed masses to buy and for those 6 wacko rivet counters to grumble and fix. Guys whether you realize it or not, this is AS GOOD AS YOU ARE EVER GOING TO GET IT. I will end with my usual is getting this model ? years late and after having plunked down a deposit not better then having NOTHING new at all? Get out your check book, go to your hobby shop and wait for something that looks like an I1 to be put in your hands when it is done. Thank You, Bill Lane Modeling the Mighty Pennsy in 1957 in S Scale since 1988 See my finished models at: http://www.lanestrains.com Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! Importing a Brass S Scale PRR X29 & G26 http://www.pennsysmodels.com PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded (Trading is MUCH preferred) http://mywebpages.comcast.net/billlane/PRRphotos.xls ***Join the PRR T&HS*** The other members are not ALL like me! http://www.prrths.com http://mywebpages.comcast.net/billlane/PRRTHS_Application.pdf See my Altoona train videos here http://www.myspace.com/billlane -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/622 - Release Date: 1/10/2007 2:52 PM Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
