Have fun with your trains
Thanks Sandy.
In answer to your other question there will be a sound kit available seperately.
Jack, you hit the nail right on the head! There's a big market out there, people who see a starter set, fall in love with it and buy it. Sure, a few years down the road, they start doing 'scale' everything, but a starter set provides an awful lot of fun, without having to get a college degree in modelling prototypes.
I still have my starter set; LGB 2010 loco, Chiquita banana boxcar, and brown gon. Got it in 1984, and it still runs flawlessly. Have I moved on to pure scale model railroading? I build models of short logging and mining cars, but I have a nice little collection of LGB shorties, too, and I still run them.
While they were still available, the NYC Lehmann starter set was a really hot item at Ridge Road Station; if those could come back, they'd be big sellers. Same with the Porter locomotives. They were popular both with the toy train crowd, and with the kitbashers.
Kudos to Piko for releasing new starter sets, and to Silvergate for distributing them!
SandyR
I think its the germie versions bright plastic colors of the prepro model is what thows me off, but then thats why I model American, never was a fan of the European stuff
My comments about the valve gears are a personal opinion, if (when) I get one I will simply discard them in favor af a simple stephenson setup. I think the US version looks great, and if its priced within reach for the starter community, it will be a big hit.
I think most of the "old hands" out there are losing sight of the fact that these locos and cars are aimed at the beginner who has yet to become an expert on valve gears, scale detail, etc.....- not that they won't eventually get there. I think PIKO is taking a big chance doing these sets in the hope of growing the hobby and should be commended for it! It is good to be flexible and design things in such a way that you can bring out multiple locos from the same tooling. I would not be surprised to see other (U.S.) locos based on this motorblock.
I constantly read threads on every model train forum about "How can we get people involved in the hobby?" At least PIKO is producing good quality sets that will get them started on the right foot. Think back to your very first train set. Did you measure everything with a pair of calipers or did you just "play" with it?
PS- Vic, I like the German version.
Bucksco wrote:
That looks a heckova lot better than the preproduction German version, you might have winner there. I'm still dont like the one piece valve gear, a fixed stepheson gear would have been better.
Southwest Chief wrote: GearDrivenSteam wrote:Not all LGB stuff looks like a toy. This is DARN close to the prototype. I know, cause I have one.Close, but the original LGB 2063 (shown below) paint is actually even closer to the prototype. Rio Grande Gold not orange, and subdued black not shinny black. I know, cause I have one
GearDrivenSteam wrote:Not all LGB stuff looks like a toy. This is DARN close to the prototype. I know, cause I have one.
Not all LGB stuff looks like a toy. This is DARN close to the prototype. I know, cause I have one.
Close, but the original LGB 2063 (shown below) paint is actually even closer to the prototype. Rio Grande Gold not orange, and subdued black not shinny black. I know, cause I have one
That NYC 0-6-0T...does it have sound and/or smoke?
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
The "official" MSRP is $417.99 which means you will see them in the $299 to $350 range.
Toad- If I let every stone thrown at me on the internet damage me I'd be way beyond repair at this point!
Bucksco wrote: They did a good amount of outsourced work for LGB so they are very familiar with thier production theory.
They did a good amount of outsourced work for LGB so they are very familiar with thier production theory.
And don't forget the ole LGB price tag! Theory might be the same $$$$.
And Jack you should know the retail price which was asked in the thread.
Really I tried to get with you by email but never could get through!!??? Just lettn you know I don't hold anything against you.
Toad
Very similar to LGB. PIKO is located in Sonneberg Germany (close to Nurnberg). They did a good amount of outsourced work for LGB so they are very familiar with thier production theory.
Anybody,
What is the dope on Piko stuff, anyway? Is it of reasonable quality mechanically? Just looks ugly/out-of-scale/what? Are the motors any good? Does the manufacturer/distributors stand behind their product?
Les W.
Can not wait for a members review on it!
Guess they asked china to come up with a quick answer?
Have my own press in the wings on paper that is and need some $$$ to get the steel. Leave the punch stuff to my buddy and then I can weld it together, sand blast, primer and coat
Hi Vic
BAH BONG!! Fail
Just another modern low grade carp loco that is not worth buying.
What is wrong with them not going that extra inch and puting metal motion rods on the locos these days.
Its not that hard for the manufacturers to stamp them and looks heaps better than the plastic carp they put on these days even if the rods are flat stampings.
regards John Busby
Thats why I cant see spending all that money on LGB. They look way to toy like. I would rather go with the cheaper Bachmann stuff and get the better detail. Even if the quality is not as good. The one thing I noticed about American layouts Vs. our western friends is it seems like they dont weather or kitbash like us. I also notice they lay track down different. They seem to use round stone The stuff I always read not to use. and not use large radius curves. Dont get me wrong the layouts I see on G scalemad are great looking but a big difference (look more toy like) then the way the majority do them. Why is that?
The one thing I noticed about American layouts Vs. our western friends is it seems like they dont weather or kitbash like us. I also notice they lay track down different. They seem to use round stone The stuff I always read not to use. and not use large radius curves. Dont get me wrong the layouts I see on G scalemad are great looking but a big difference (look more toy like) then the way the majority do them. Why is that?
Well I guess I could make a 262 from it........ or 062
You finish your home redoing?
Well its only a hop skip and a jump from tank engine to one of these:
Wouldnt surprise me to see something like this or a Mogul or Prairie being offered sometime next year
Not really impressed sadly enought. Would take me more $ do get it where I want it and looks way to stubby.
I guess untill I see a $$ and hold it in my paws then maybe I could use the 060 and drop a 040 off my roster.
Toad then you havent seen this yet?
Same engine different US profile shell, this is the one I want to see
vsmith wrote: user="ToadFrogWhiteLightn"] vsmith wrote:Might be a great bashing platform though For who?ToadYou, of course, you aint no knucklehead around a razorsawI am really curious now to see how the US profile tanker looks, given what I'm seeing here. Its clear to me this is aimed squarely at the entry level family market, ya know something with Playmobiles durability with a basic level of detail like the entry level LGB Toytrain line.I mainly have two concerns 1: IF its at an affordable price, and 2: how robust is the drive brick. if both are good for me, I can cut off the 1/29 cab and rebuild it to my own 1/22.5 standard. Adding new boiler details and cab interior details are no biggie to me...If it comes as shown with the one peice valve gear I doubt I would keep it, instead replacing it maybe with a simplified Stephenson rod assembly. I mean if Bachmann can provide working plastic valve gear on the cheap Bug Hauler line...ya reading me Jack?
user="ToadFrogWhiteLightn"] vsmith wrote:Might be a great bashing platform though For who?Toad
vsmith wrote:Might be a great bashing platform though
For who?
You, of course, you aint no knucklehead around a razorsaw
I am really curious now to see how the US profile tanker looks, given what I'm seeing here. Its clear to me this is aimed squarely at the entry level family market, ya know something with Playmobiles durability with a basic level of detail like the entry level LGB Toytrain line.
I mainly have two concerns 1: IF its at an affordable price, and 2: how robust is the drive brick. if both are good for me, I can cut off the 1/29 cab and rebuild it to my own 1/22.5 standard. Adding new boiler details and cab interior details are no biggie to me...
If it comes as shown with the one peice valve gear I doubt I would keep it, instead replacing it maybe with a simplified Stephenson rod assembly. I mean if Bachmann can provide working plastic valve gear on the cheap Bug Hauler line...ya reading me Jack?
Well Frank, think there aim was Euro market. I am going to let it be that way for awhile. But yeah I have a chain saw!
user="ToadFrog&WhiteLightn"] vsmith wrote:Might be a great bashing platform though For who?Toad
Thats why I cant see spending all that money on LGB. They look way to toy like. I would rather go with the cheaper Bachmann stuff and get the better detail. Even if the quality is not as good.
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