What has occurred to me is that (as I recall) Boo-Rim also does the premium
Glacier Park Models in O scale and HO; in a moment of profligacy I bought one
ofthe GPM C&NW 4-6-0's, paying somewhat more than I had ever paid for an O
scale locomotive in my life, although less than the original sticker price by
hundredsof dollars. I don't plan on doing so right away again. Nonetheless,
if I were more committed to S scale, I would consider the 0-6-0 good value for
the money; ifanyone is thinking of really only one steam locomotive, it might
well be a good choice, especially for a smaller operation.
There was one of the 2-6-6-2's at S Fest in October at a most attractive price;
if I could have figured out how to use it, I would have dug into my pocket and
boughtit--most appealing. Perhaps needless to add, it disappeared within the
first hour after the doors opened.
I shan't be buying a U-33--although the images on the SIG site look very good,
and so far all the test reviews say it is a good runner--as it is entirely too
modern formy purposes. I agree (and have said so previously) that if the AF
USRA 2-8-2 were available with scale drivers, I'd consider it very seriously,
although that probablyis not likely to happen, even if Lionel re-runs it; I am
very happy with the Overland I bought at S Fest. I see no problem with Lionel,
or anyone else, producing relatively modern prototypes, although I am by no
means certain the only means of attracting younger modelers to S scale is to
offer contemporary prototypes; thefact is that there are a fair number of other
modelers who do want modern locomotives and cars. It does not injure me in any
way if they can get what they want.
As I have observed, Don Thompson has made mostly (I learned at an early age to
resist global statements) wise business decisions, such as his first offering
beingthe PS-2, a very common prototype which is valid for the very end of the
steam era up into second-generation diesels. Similarly, his offering EMD
first-generationswitchers also covers a wide spectrum of prototype eras; I
suspect it was the same inspiration that led Atlas to offer the SW-8/9 as their
initial locomotive whenthey re-introduced their O scale line nearly fifteen
years ago. No one, especially smaller manufacturers and importers, can afford
to offer prototypes few will buy,and the wider/larger the market, the more
successful they should be. And to point out the obvious (as others have also
done), S scale would not have as muchas we do without the AF market; I am not
sure whether Don has ever quantified his sales on-list, but I would be
surprised if his AF-compatible sales did not exceedhis full-scale ones by four
or five (or more) to one. Yet he also was careful to provide
sufficiently-scale (all MODELS depart from strict prototype accuracy to
someextent, necessarily, and each modeler must determine how much liberty he
can stand when buying something) conversion components to suit us scale
modelers.There is a reason I couldn't quite bring myself to buy the occasional
brass EMD switcher I saw at shows (I can't recall most of those prices, but
they were well tothe north of $300) but succumbed to an SHS with a list at
$200. And my first S scale purchase was a pair of SHS PS-2's when I saw they
were not only full-scalebut also had scale wheelsets included. But without the
much larger AF market, Don could never have sold his line at a price that would
have persuaded me.
And. lastly, since I have kept out of the acrimonious exchanges of the past
week or so, I am reminded of the adage I've seen several times in the last year
or so,that the reason arguments in the academic world are so heated is because
so little is at stake. As Andre reminded us, this is supposed to be a HOBBY,
it is supposedto be FUN. I know something about the academic world, having
been on the fringes myself, and my dear wife being very much involved, and the
only similar situation where so much pointless nastiness seems to occur is in
my day job; there is little nastier than a church fight, and heresy trials have
always struck me asabsurd exercises in which the "winner" creates great loss to
the institution with no corresponding benefit, even to himself or herself. I
can do without true believerswho are convinced they have a monopoly on truth.
And don't get me going on politicians and their campaigns.
Jace Kahn
General Manager
Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co.
> It is probably not the right model for you, save your money... Buy a RRM
> 0-6-0 <G>! At least you asked some thoughtful modeling related questions
> rather than the general bloviating that appears to be accompanying this model
> on the group right now.
>
> Ever considered a RRM 2-6-6-2? When we built it the idea was for an S Scale
> Mallet that would run on 30" radius curves.
>
> Jim Kindraka
> > Not really the answer I was hoping for, because I would much rather just
> > take it out of the box, plop it on the tracks, and run it. My interest in
> > large diesels is marginal, mostly because my layout is so small ( only
> > 10.5' x 16' with 37" radius curves). I would have been more interested in a
> > U18b or an EMD CF7, they seem to be more at home on a small layout. Because
> > of my limited interest, I am not anxious to tear apart a not so cheap,
> > brand new loco in order to re-wire it for DC (or DCC). Maybe that will
> > change once it becomes available in CSX colors, I don't know. The upcoming
> > mallet could be a real temptation, even though it too is a large loco,
> > although I doubt it will have interchangeable wheels with scale flanges.
> > Had the AF 2-8-2 been available with interchangeable wheels, I would have
> > had to have one...
> >
> > Bill in FL
