Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
General Discussion (Model Railroader)
»
Nice cars - rotten couplers
Edit post
Edit your reply below.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote user="JBB"][quote user="Master of Big Sky Blue"][quote user="Safety Valve"] <p>Im beginning to discriminate in future rolling stock purchases based on what I call the "Hassle factor" the fixing of shoddy work. The less potential for it the more likely I will buy that boxcar.</p><p>[/quote]</p><p>Thats why I only buy items in kit form. That way any shoddy work you have to fix is your own, and better yet, you don't have to pay for it.</p><p>What gets me is I am told that model train cars are coming Ready to Run because they are just to hard. The thing that insults my intelegence is the cars that are being offered, blue box style kits. Now of these were cars that were offered in kit form in the old Ambroid style I would see a legitimate complaint. But for crying out loud. Shake the box and it comes out built almost. While I am personally seeking craftsman style kits because I enjoy the challenge. Making shake the box style kits ready to run only increases the costs of said car while creating the potential for lots of frustration on the part of the modeler. I also feel that ready to run also removes alot of the core values of what this hobby is about leading to the increasing presence of people who's layouts appear in magazines that basicly follow the priciple. "I have alot of money so I hired Joe' Amazing Custom Layouts for Every space to build my layout for me". I find such a thing insulting and it degrades the work of people who actually build their layouts.</p><p>James</p><p>[/quote]James ,I can only add right on! Your post and the one from Kadee are some of the best things I've read on this board. We've all got a right to do things the way we want, and if all you're inclined to do is run RTR equipment, fine, but your missing one of the most interesting and rewarding parts of the hobby if you don't build some of your own stuff.</p><p>As far as quality goes, we model railroaders are saps. How long have we put up with poor quality items that have to be corrected after we buy them. How many of you have got scrap boxes full of rotten couplers that wouldn't have a prayer of working, and another set of boxes full of wheel sets that had to be replaced because they wouldn't make it around the layout once on a good day without derailing. How many beginners have been discouraged because they didn't understand or weren't told that that so called RTR item really needed some aftermarket addon items if it was to work properly. Why don't we have quality items like the extensive line of trucks that Central Valley offered? And don't tell me price. The prices people pay for those items on ebay or swap meets show that there is a market willing to pay big bucks for quailty. And it's not production costs either. Somehow Kadee has made quality trucks and wheel sets for close to half a century in the good old USA</p><p>This isn't a new trend. Every old timer can remember the heart break of those beautiful brass locomotives that looked great, but wouldn't run as good as the tyco train set items (And no NWSL to save us back then!)</p><p>I want to add a big note of thanks to Kadee. I've been buying their products for over 40 years now. They've stood behind everything they've ever made. Stuff is properly engineered, fits, and most importantly works, not most of the time, but all of the time. Thanks Kadee for a great line of products which are still made in the USA by people who care about our hobby!</p><p>JBB</p><p>[/quote]</p><p>Sky Blue, I just finished a set of 40' reefers from Branchline, it took me some time and they were the first to recieve the Kaydee Whisker 148's they are a set of 4 that I purchased last year. In no way did I intend to give you or anyone the idea that merely buying RTR or Blue Box that I am avoiding the problems related to coupler testing against the gauge.</p><p>I do the kits that I can in the time that I need to do them. The RTR's I buy because they are well done, the Proto 8,000 gal tank cars for example.</p><p>It is my challenge physically to do some of the kits and am careful with my budget to pick just the rolling stock that I will enjoy and not waste money on. Then they get Metal wheels and Kaydees. Always have been, always will be an extra expense which I dont mind these last 10 years.</p><p>The piles of thrown away horn-hooks and failed kaydee look-alikes is mute testamony to some manufactors un-willingness to cough that extra dollar or two in cost to make the rolling stock. I see that some manufactors install kaydees at the factory and those are the ones that earn my loyalty.</p><p>Thank you Kaydee for posting here, it is much appreciated. I would like to see your company prosper and make the couplers long after I pass on because it is truly a great thing to have in this hobby. Ive managed to put a pound of TE on the couplers and they have withstood it. I dont know how much more they can take without failing. But certainly MUCH more than the crappy plastic wanna-be's.</p><p>I think it is a sad thing to continually crank out a plastic POS that will fail instead of spec'ing a Kaydee from the start.</p>
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
Update Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
There are no community member online
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up