I have had no problems with any of my Hartland's Locomotives but I have noticed that not many people use them and I was wondering why? Is it the style? Is it the scale? Is it long term use? What is it? Post your feeling here if you own one or not...
I, too, have heard nothing but good things about them from their owners. I have several pieces of there rolling stock which I like much as they are inexpensive and detail and paint up nice. You hit the nail on the head on why they are not around more.
Scale and style - roughly 1:24, but their locos are not based on actual prototypes so they can have somewhat of a toy like quality. Their Big John loco is sort of a cross between a Dunkirk and a Heisler. 1:24 is a scale that I like with my AristoClassic and USA American series cars but has largely fallen out of favor in the large scale community.
The business side - They are a small company and the HLW side of the business is a secondary business for a plastics manufacturer (if my info is correct, please correct me if I'm wrong). They are not in many hobby shops and have had some supply issues which led the HLW line to be dropped by several large online hobby shops.
-Brian
It was Hartlands 4-4-0 that lit my fire to build an outdoor layout . It and all of its mates still run 9 years later , they are well made and long lasting products . Hartlands look great operating with other Hartlands , but the lack of detail shows when stopped beside a Bachmann locomotive . Hartland is about the only mfr of US type electric trains like the interurban cars , which I operate and run twice a day usually , again good service and dependable operation .
Maybe the reason there are not more sold and more in use is , the price , the scale , the style .
We know that Hartlands are made in Indiana here in the good old USA , and that the Chinese imports are cheaper in $$ from the other brands , talking street price here .
I am a big Hartland fan with more than a dozen powered units
They even operate in really cold weather ..............
I have a Mack switcher that I detailed & another mack that is going to be a railbus....someday. They run great. Like the others said, they do lack detail. The way things are going in China lately, we should all probably do what we can to support the industry in our own country.
Off the subject, but I volunteer at a nonprofit organization & sort out items for thier yard sales. We get SOOO many toys & stuffed animals.Mostly all from China. Our kids have so much because toys from China are cheap. We could buy toys from this country & buy less.Our kids would have plenty to play with, the toys wouldn't crowd our rooms & we would help our workers here.......just my opinion. Jerry
Hi LGBtrains1963
I have the little Mack center cab diesel I have had no problems with it.
My only gripe is its size, it not really very size compatible with any other brands on the market
It is the size difference that I think causes most of the shying away form the brand if there is any.
regards John
Is it REAL? or Just 1:29 scale?
Long live Outdoor Model Railroading.
The Mack has been a favorite of mine for several years now, I've built several bashes using them as basis. and the parts from them on other bashes. In fact I'm working on another Mack bash, and have another in mind, Bulletproof.
Heres a couple examples:
If I can swing it, I want to get a Mogul from HLW, with LGB going poof, HLWs might become alot more attractive for those of us doing 1/22.5, I really like their stuff.
Have fun with your trains
I'll admit it, I'm an HLW fan also a believer in the 10 foot rule.
I don't own any of the more expensive HLW locomotives, but would eventually like to purchase a Princess or Big John. I have 3 Mack switchers and 2 - UP 040T's. Their prices, through their on-line club had a lot to do with the purchases. $50.00 for the UP's and the Mack's w/bobber caboose's were a bargain. I have a bit of other HLW rolling stock, they are my mining, logging & short lines. They can negotiate the R1 curves and turnouts without any difficulty. Right now, I'm using temporay layouts that can be put out & taken down when necessary. (have a problem with wild hogs) The R1 curves and the straights are laid out on the grass, not ballasted and some of the grades run pretty steep..(6%?). The HLW loco's have the power to pull the short consists I'm using, mining line is 2 mini gondolas, a short flat car, & bobber caboose and the logging line is 3 lgb log car sets and a bobber caboose. Short lines, are box, cattle, gondola, flat, combine, caboose in varying number and assortment. All but the log cars are HLW.
I do own and run Aristo, B-mann, USA, LGB locomotives and rolling stock, and have larger curves for later construction of a permanent layout. But for now I do run the HLW stuff more. I don't worry about: crashing the stuff, seems pretty bullet proof, burning it out - replacement motors are very inexpensive. leaving it out in the sun, it get's very hot here in Texas and I do worry about some of the other manufacturers equipment warping in the sun/heat because of replacement price.
Let me put it another way...
I purchased an LGB 22232 - 040 locomotive w/tender for $200.00+ and shipping on top of that, total aprox. $240.00.
From the HLW on-line club, I purchased: (1)UP 040T, (1)USMC Mack switcher w/ bobber caboose (1) Uintah set(boxcar, gondola, flat car) (1) mini tank car, (1) V&T Cattle cars, w/free shipping, total: $175.00.
If one is just begining the hobby, HLW can be a very inexpensive route to having a good assortment of rolling stock to build experience in the hobby with.
Railroad Crossings: Thinning the gene pool daily!
I for one will never purchace another H L W piece of equiptment. I liked the look of the Little John.
When it was on the shelfs. I drove from Michigan City In. to Worth Il (who was the closest to have on in stock).
I had to pay full retail price. It looked and I thought it ran good until I slowed it down to couple it up to some cars. Then I noticed that one set of drives ran twice as fast as the other. It would not put more that about three cars.
I called the dealer I purchased it from. He gave me the number for H L T.
I found out they were only 4 miles from my house. After talking to them. They told me where to bring it to them.
I told, then showed the secretary / receptionest what the problem was.
She clamed that was not a problem. Voices (her's first got load). Then a Man in back came out.
I showed him the problem. He agreed with me that was incorrect.
About three weeks later I received a call to pick it up.
The same lady was at the desk. She handed me the engine and said it was repaired. She placed it on the display track. She turned power up to full and said it was fixed.
When I slowed it down. One set of drivers still ran twice as fast.
The she told me that for the price I paid. I could not expect the quality I expected.
Then she told me to take it back to the dealer for a refund.
The dealer charged me a 20% restocking fee. He just put it back up on the shelf for resale.
I enjoy my HLW interurbans , operate very well , and as you said , about the only game in town .
Some photos of them on my layout , enjoy .
The newest ones have little led lites in the ends , and at night the rear displays the 2 red marker lites , and swaps with direction change , they look good at night with the headlight , red marker lites , and the inside lights , yes , I like them a lot .
Hope the pictures helps you decide if you will join the 'electrics '
I had set up a complete loop of R1 just to test them at first , yes they operate ok and clear the cat poles .................................typically , streetcars and some interurbans used very sharp curves in real life . So compared to watching the real ones that I have rode in , and the videos / movies , of long ago , the HLW's are in good company .
check out the video runby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OGKCpQces4
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com
I dont like Hartland's trains mostly for the style. Anoter reason is their engines not looking like the prototypes.
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