Like most here I am a firm believer in getting it "correct". But none of the air brakes actually work on any of my cars, or yours either, so after that they are ALL wrong, and are just models at that point.
Bob W beat me to posting some of my thoughts about research and knowing when to say "when". As previously posted I have an unknown number of hours in making my K4 5495 - it is in the thousands of hours though. There was LOTS of research, buying photos, making custom parts using various methods, besides just doing the work. In the end the time etc spent making it was immaterial because it was for me. In spite of 15 years passing and all that time spent making it there are some glaring errors. I was trying to take a brass model depicting the original as built model and make it into its 1954 appearance. I had to draw the line someplace and finally complete it, hopefully to a level that in 10 years from now I would not look at it and say I should have done THIS to it. What was the PRR Drawing number showing the front cylinder braces? I now know because I have that drawing. I got it years after that work was done on my 5495, stumbling on it for sale on eBay. I absolutely know how and where to do research for PRR models. I have done it many times, ordering drawings from microfilm, and piecing the panels together. But finding the drawings, and doing the research is the black hole of time consumption and can get pricey as well. Once you start there truly is not end to it, if you are that obsessed with "getting it correct" There is no guarantee that you can get every drawing you need. Archives say they have a certain drawing but don't. How much effort do you spend on the research? When do you say "when"? ALL of the above is NOT "free" or immaterial when making a model for sale - on ANY level of manufacturing. It all has a great cost in terms of time spent, research materials purchased, and especially in the conversion of 1930s paper drawings into modern day computer design and manufacturing processes. Do you spend another $10,000.00 dollars and 1000 hours searching for some obscure detail, or "wing" it hoping 99.999% of your buyers won't know the difference or even care what you did? This is a REAL question that needs to be asked!!! Further, all of these costs have to be recouped becoming a cost of the model chasing that elusive word in S Scale - PROFIT. Profit in S Scale is like Sasquatch, it is alleged to exist but has not been seen! So it is real easy for us to get our keyboard muscles all jacked, and beat the "how did they get THAT wrong" drum to death until you have seen and done it for yourself. Most of us here are interested in rolling stock that was active but not necessarily new **60-70** years ago. Finding what you need especially for smaller more obscure roads is not easy. You should really TRY making something - anything for resale in S Scale. It is a real eye opening experience into just how amazingly fickle we all are. It will make you wonder how anything gets made for sale! Thank You, Bill Lane Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1987 See my finished models at: <http://www.lanestrains.com/> http://www.lanestrains.com Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! See my layout progess at: <http://www.lanestrains.com/My_Layout.htm> http://www.lanestrains.com/My_Layout.htm Custom Train Parts Design <http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm> http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded (Trading is MUCH preferred) <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls> http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls ***Join the PRR T&HS*** The other members are not ALL like me! <http://www.prrths.com/> http://www.prrths.com <http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf> http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society It's FREE to join! <http://www.prslhs.com/> http://www.prslhs.com Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL
