Hi Mike....I guess we all have our opinions. And they are not always the same
for everyone. Can I comment on your thoughts:
> I consider both the sound and smoke of a steam locomotive the most important
> sensory experience of the prototype.
Can this be interpreted to mean that smoke and sound are more important than
dimensions? Thus, huge couplers, giant flanges, lack of details, tracks with
few ties, etc. are less important? Or, in other words, traditional AF is just
fine as long as it has smoke and chuff-chuff? Is that what you really mean to
say?
> Does the prototype labor down the track without billowing puffs of
> smoke emanating from the smokestack?
You are right -- the prototype has large billows of puffing smoke. Most models
have wispy wimpy white (not dark) smoke that is a poor representation of the
real thing. And the smoke/steam on the models rarely comes from the steam
chest or the steam lines on passenger trains. I suppose some smoke is better
than no smoke, but really strong wonderful smoke has not yet made it into our
model world. I'd like to see it get there, but until it does the realism just
isn't there for me.
> I never understood how the sound of a model steam locomotive is considered
> realistic when smoke is looked down upon as a gimmick.
Tsunami sound is realistic because it is made from recordings of actual steam
locos under load. Cannot get much more realistic than that. Pretty much the
same as standing by the side of the track. Smoke from the real thing is
sometimes black or gray in addition to white and the volume of smoke emanating
from the prototype is MUCH greater than from typical models. Smoke realism has
not yet reached the level of the Tsunami realism. Just an opinion, of course,
but one shared by many.
> I believe the most appropriate route is to replicate both for a total
> experience in a scale model.
> Mike A.
Yes, I agree -- as long as accurate dimensions and slow smooth operation are
not sacrificed in the process. We should ask MTH and Lionel for better smoking
features. Perhaps a volume button and a color button -- black, gray or white.
Once it becomes realistic, I would agree it is a major feature that will be
much in demand. Right now, most scale modelers do not care that much about
smoke.
Cheers....Ed L.
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