Eilif Checked my Roundhouse "Hi Cubes" and sure enough, they're only a smidge taller than the peak of my standard boxcars. Compared to a proper Hi Cube it's just a smidge into the white. Don't know how I didn't notice this earlier. I guess with the flat roof it just looked taller than the standard boxes. Still going to use them, but I guess I won't be calling them HiCubes anymore! I'm glad they don't have the HiCube white stripe. If I found them for a great deal, I'd probably buy a couple more, but with E&C Hi-Cubes and other kits being available for just a few bucks more at my local shop, I'll probably go that way instead.
Checked my Roundhouse "Hi Cubes" and sure enough, they're only a smidge taller than the peak of my standard boxcars. Compared to a proper Hi Cube it's just a smidge into the white.
Don't know how I didn't notice this earlier. I guess with the flat roof it just looked taller than the standard boxes. Still going to use them, but I guess I won't be calling them HiCubes anymore! I'm glad they don't have the HiCube white stripe.
If I found them for a great deal, I'd probably buy a couple more, but with E&C Hi-Cubes and other kits being available for just a few bucks more at my local shop, I'll probably go that way instead.
Yes. Its one of those things in life that goes unnoticed until somebody points it out to you. Sorry.
They are cool. They convey the sense they are different than normal. I just think the standards for what companies like Athearn want to invest money into these days have changed.
That's simply speculation and Athearn could announce an RTR run tomorrow for all I know.
From my point of view, passenger cars are a bit different. There were many lengths of cars and even railroads had their specific cars, IIRC. So if Athearn makes a car that's in between, it doesn't really stand out in that sense, and makes for a nice representation. There were or are no in-between heights for boxcars in the current era. They are either standard or hi-cube, so to me, that shorty MDC hi-cube kind of stands out.
Those hi cube boxcar kits from E&C are roughly the same type of kit as MDC and are pretty accurate, IIRC, white stripe too. A guy at the ATL train show usually has a stack of them to sell for 10 bucks each.
- Douglas
Yes, but your "standard" boxcar in the photo is a modern standard boxcar. When you say standard boxcar to someone like me who models 1954, standard boxcar is a PS-1 or AAR with a roof walk.........
Sheldon
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
Eilif Dougless and Sheldon, I'll check the height on my Roundhouse HiCubes. IIRC, they are notably taller than other boxcars, but I think they might not be full HiCube. They were nice enough for me and I liked the bright colors, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're not representative of a proper prototype. I'm definitely a good-enough kind of railroader. Looks like Athearn dropped the 50' HiCube from their lineup as it's nowhere to be seen now.
Dougless and Sheldon,
I'll check the height on my Roundhouse HiCubes. IIRC, they are notably taller than other boxcars, but I think they might not be full HiCube. They were nice enough for me and I liked the bright colors, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're not representative of a proper prototype. I'm definitely a good-enough kind of railroader.
Looks like Athearn dropped the 50' HiCube from their lineup as it's nowhere to be seen now.
I searched "Athearn 50' high cube boxcar" on ebay and found what looks to be a few of them in both Athearn RTR from a few years back and newer Athearn/Roundhouse packaging that is only from the last 2 or 3 years.
None of the item numbers show as current on the Athearn site, but Athearn does that all the time after stuff sells out. No way to know if there will be another run or not.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I have found that each however requires a different balance of community and solitude for me to feel fulfilled.......
I have found that each however requires a different balance of community and solitude for me to feel fulfilled.......
Amen.
Eilif ATLANTIC CENTRAL "maker movement" my comments were purposely over the top. Why does it even need a name? Like making things is a new idea?... ...And I am also amused at this modern business approach of solving every problem by committy. I work in a technical field, I design houses and renovations, I restore historic homes, I am a skilled designer in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, light frame construction, kitchen design, and more. And I have field experiance in all these trades. Seldom has a committy been a good way to solve problems, surely not a committy of more than two or three. There's alot of truth in your skepticism of the "by comittee". I think the pendulum is finally swinging back with businesses becoming more aware that endless meetings and "brainstorm" sessions are not efficient or even productive. As for the emphasis on "community" in hobbies these days, thats a bit different. The "community" emphasis is more about specialized hobbies can thrive and grow faster when transfer of ideas happens in a group often usually as facilitated by the internet. Especially true for hobbies that don't have the critical mass to sustain a local club. Consider the Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL) community. It's really only about 20-25 years old as a recognized entity, but the internet has created an absolute explosion in the participants, techniques and standards of what models can be. There are some clubs, but by and large, it's the internet community that allowed the scattered elements of AFOLs to share techniques, plan gatherings etc. I was an active member from 2005 til a couple of years ago and in just a decade the "standard" that participants strove for went up substatntially, driven largely by the online community. All kinds of specialized "communities" and "movements" have roughly the same story. Cosplayers, analog DIY music fans, makers, 3d printing, etc. The terms may be cheesy or even unnecessary, but when it comes to hobbies, community works.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL "maker movement" my comments were purposely over the top. Why does it even need a name? Like making things is a new idea?... ...And I am also amused at this modern business approach of solving every problem by committy. I work in a technical field, I design houses and renovations, I restore historic homes, I am a skilled designer in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, light frame construction, kitchen design, and more. And I have field experiance in all these trades. Seldom has a committy been a good way to solve problems, surely not a committy of more than two or three.
"maker movement" my comments were purposely over the top. Why does it even need a name? Like making things is a new idea?...
...And I am also amused at this modern business approach of solving every problem by committy. I work in a technical field, I design houses and renovations, I restore historic homes, I am a skilled designer in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, light frame construction, kitchen design, and more. And I have field experiance in all these trades.
Seldom has a committy been a good way to solve problems, surely not a committy of more than two or three.
There's alot of truth in your skepticism of the "by comittee". I think the pendulum is finally swinging back with businesses becoming more aware that endless meetings and "brainstorm" sessions are not efficient or even productive.
As for the emphasis on "community" in hobbies these days, thats a bit different. The "community" emphasis is more about specialized hobbies can thrive and grow faster when transfer of ideas happens in a group often usually as facilitated by the internet. Especially true for hobbies that don't have the critical mass to sustain a local club.
Consider the Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL) community. It's really only about 20-25 years old as a recognized entity, but the internet has created an absolute explosion in the participants, techniques and standards of what models can be. There are some clubs, but by and large, it's the internet community that allowed the scattered elements of AFOLs to share techniques, plan gatherings etc. I was an active member from 2005 til a couple of years ago and in just a decade the "standard" that participants strove for went up substatntially, driven largely by the online community.
All kinds of specialized "communities" and "movements" have roughly the same story. Cosplayers, analog DIY music fans, makers, 3d printing, etc. The terms may be cheesy or even unnecessary, but when it comes to hobbies, community works.
On those points we are in agreement. My hobbies include model trains, hifi (I have been designing and building speakers for 45 years, and have about 1700 vinyl albums), GRAVELY garden tractors, old houses, and back in the day, old and fast cars.
No question community is important to these pursuits.
emdmike Malls are going the way of the brick and morter hobby shops. The new "mall" and "hobby shop" is the digital one on your phone or tablet. With 24/7 availablity, many of the better ones having real time inventory so you KNOW if they have it in stock or not. Just as the kits like MDC/Roundhouse, Athearn Blue Box and many others have been replaced with RTR versions of the same cars at a much higher price. I for one haunt the train show estate tables looking for these kits. The kit building process, to me, is half the fun. Same goes for fine tuning older brass models. At the recent train show last weekend, a dealer had 2 of the old MDC/Roundhouse 2 truck Shay kits, unbuilt new in the box. Those are getting harder to find. Those are a big challenge to get to run well and these days, a PFM/United Shay is a much better buy from many points. Cheers Mike
Malls are going the way of the brick and morter hobby shops. The new "mall" and "hobby shop" is the digital one on your phone or tablet. With 24/7 availablity, many of the better ones having real time inventory so you KNOW if they have it in stock or not. Just as the kits like MDC/Roundhouse, Athearn Blue Box and many others have been replaced with RTR versions of the same cars at a much higher price. I for one haunt the train show estate tables looking for these kits. The kit building process, to me, is half the fun. Same goes for fine tuning older brass models. At the recent train show last weekend, a dealer had 2 of the old MDC/Roundhouse 2 truck Shay kits, unbuilt new in the box. Those are getting harder to find. Those are a big challenge to get to run well and these days, a PFM/United Shay is a much better buy from many points. Cheers Mike
Doughless Sheldon, I don't know how close those other cars are to being dimensionally accurate or at least representative, but these particular boxcars aren't really even close. They are barely taller than a regular boxcar.
Sheldon, I don't know how close those other cars are to being dimensionally accurate or at least representative, but these particular boxcars aren't really even close. They are barely taller than a regular boxcar.
Again, I don't model that era, and barely remember the model back in the day, but a large percentage of both product lines live on, accurate or not.
Doughless Eilif Back to topic of Roundhouse and their kits, did the Roundhouse 50' Hi-Cube kits ever make it back into production in a RTR form? They were very simple kits but I've bought a few over the years and found them to be a nice quick way to add somewhat more modern cars to the lineup. Probably not. Even when reintroducing old kit products into RTR, Athearn seems to be trying to be prototypically accurate. Those 50' high cube boxcars were not a model of a real 50' hi cube boxcar, IIRC. The model is too short in height to be truly high cube. Athearn probably has other options. Interestingly, either Athearn or MDC, or both, had kits of 40' hi cube boxcars, which may have made it into the RTR production. While not extremely popular with railroads, the models at least represented a real car. Not that this matters. I've used the 50 footers myself. I'm just thinking in terms of what makes it into production these days.
Eilif Back to topic of Roundhouse and their kits, did the Roundhouse 50' Hi-Cube kits ever make it back into production in a RTR form? They were very simple kits but I've bought a few over the years and found them to be a nice quick way to add somewhat more modern cars to the lineup.
Back to topic of Roundhouse and their kits, did the Roundhouse 50' Hi-Cube kits ever make it back into production in a RTR form? They were very simple kits but I've bought a few over the years and found them to be a nice quick way to add somewhat more modern cars to the lineup.
Probably not. Even when reintroducing old kit products into RTR, Athearn seems to be trying to be prototypically accurate.
Those 50' high cube boxcars were not a model of a real 50' hi cube boxcar, IIRC. The model is too short in height to be truly high cube.
Athearn probably has other options.
Interestingly, either Athearn or MDC, or both, had kits of 40' hi cube boxcars, which may have made it into the RTR production. While not extremely popular with railroads, the models at least represented a real car.
Not that this matters. I've used the 50 footers myself. I'm just thinking in terms of what makes it into production these days.
I can't speak to this specific model because I have never modeled that era and not followed the availability of that model after I stopped working in the business.
But over the last 15 to 20 years the ATHEARN READY TO ROLL line, and now the ROUNDHOUSE line continue to offer most of the original Blue Box products, and many similar original MDC/Roundouse products without regard for "exact" prototype accuracy and with only minor up grades.
Examples include the 50' flat car with two vans, steel and wood 40' reefers, various box cars, the passenger cars, various caboose, and much more.
Yes, some products have been eliminated in favor of better versions, and the two product lines have been blended and revised to that end. But many fairly generic models have been re-run under the new RTR label, and many of those are still active product.
It depends a lot on what era you model as to how "prototype" fussy they are trying to be at a given price point with the tooling they have.
When I get home I can do some old catalog research......
Eilif ATLANTIC CENTRAL Eilif This is worth noting. LEGO's are more popular than ever, the maker movement is on the rise, Cosplay is blowing up, even miniature wargaming seems to be bouncing back (albeit on the fantasy/sci-fi end). Kids and young adults are building stuff. Might not be as much trains, but somehow they seem to be finding the time to get out of their phones long enough to create alot of fantastic things. Gripes about these kids and their i-pads/phones might have SOME truth, but they're pretty broad and rub me the wrong way. Remember these memorables... "Those kids and their MTV" "Those kids and their Nintendos" "Those kids and their deadly marijuanna" "Those kids and that Rock and Roll" "The corrupting influence of Jazz!" and on it goes... There's always something for the older generation to find fault with the younger. Here is what rubs me the wrong way, any hint of a liberal dribble notion that marijuanna is ok on public forum read by kids. Actually LEGO sales are down the last two years, first time in their history. The "Maker Movement" is for extroverts to fulfill their need for constant validation from others while they create something, us introverts can create stuff on our own. A talent once praised in this culture, we can wait for success, then be validated by others...... Young people and electronics, I'm not griping, but I don't think it's my job to save the hobby. I gripe about the people my age (I'm 62), who are tieing up traffic talking on their cell phones while driving. Sheldon My bad. I was thinking more of overrought "Reefer Maddness" and not trying to make a political statement. I'll edit my original post accordingly. However, as regards your sweeping statements about the "Maker Movement" you are just wrong. It's not all about public validation nor is it limited to extroverts. There are tons of kids working away in their bedrooms, basements and public library maker labs. Further, if they choose to share their work and have their "community" on instagram or some other platform that's no different than those of us that choose to gather and share our work on a MR forum, train club, etc. Clearly I subscribe to Jetrock's brand of optimism.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Eilif This is worth noting. LEGO's are more popular than ever, the maker movement is on the rise, Cosplay is blowing up, even miniature wargaming seems to be bouncing back (albeit on the fantasy/sci-fi end). Kids and young adults are building stuff. Might not be as much trains, but somehow they seem to be finding the time to get out of their phones long enough to create alot of fantastic things. Gripes about these kids and their i-pads/phones might have SOME truth, but they're pretty broad and rub me the wrong way. Remember these memorables... "Those kids and their MTV" "Those kids and their Nintendos" "Those kids and their deadly marijuanna" "Those kids and that Rock and Roll" "The corrupting influence of Jazz!" and on it goes... There's always something for the older generation to find fault with the younger. Here is what rubs me the wrong way, any hint of a liberal dribble notion that marijuanna is ok on public forum read by kids. Actually LEGO sales are down the last two years, first time in their history. The "Maker Movement" is for extroverts to fulfill their need for constant validation from others while they create something, us introverts can create stuff on our own. A talent once praised in this culture, we can wait for success, then be validated by others...... Young people and electronics, I'm not griping, but I don't think it's my job to save the hobby. I gripe about the people my age (I'm 62), who are tieing up traffic talking on their cell phones while driving. Sheldon
Eilif This is worth noting. LEGO's are more popular than ever, the maker movement is on the rise, Cosplay is blowing up, even miniature wargaming seems to be bouncing back (albeit on the fantasy/sci-fi end). Kids and young adults are building stuff. Might not be as much trains, but somehow they seem to be finding the time to get out of their phones long enough to create alot of fantastic things. Gripes about these kids and their i-pads/phones might have SOME truth, but they're pretty broad and rub me the wrong way. Remember these memorables... "Those kids and their MTV" "Those kids and their Nintendos" "Those kids and their deadly marijuanna" "Those kids and that Rock and Roll" "The corrupting influence of Jazz!" and on it goes... There's always something for the older generation to find fault with the younger.
This is worth noting. LEGO's are more popular than ever, the maker movement is on the rise, Cosplay is blowing up, even miniature wargaming seems to be bouncing back (albeit on the fantasy/sci-fi end). Kids and young adults are building stuff. Might not be as much trains, but somehow they seem to be finding the time to get out of their phones long enough to create alot of fantastic things.
Gripes about these kids and their i-pads/phones might have SOME truth, but they're pretty broad and rub me the wrong way. Remember these memorables...
"Those kids and their MTV"
"Those kids and their Nintendos"
"Those kids and their deadly marijuanna"
"Those kids and that Rock and Roll"
"The corrupting influence of Jazz!"
and on it goes...
There's always something for the older generation to find fault with the younger.
Here is what rubs me the wrong way, any hint of a liberal dribble notion that marijuanna is ok on public forum read by kids.
Actually LEGO sales are down the last two years, first time in their history.
The "Maker Movement" is for extroverts to fulfill their need for constant validation from others while they create something, us introverts can create stuff on our own. A talent once praised in this culture, we can wait for success, then be validated by others......
Young people and electronics, I'm not griping, but I don't think it's my job to save the hobby.
I gripe about the people my age (I'm 62), who are tieing up traffic talking on their cell phones while driving.
My bad. I was thinking more of overrought "Reefer Maddness" and not trying to make a political statement. I'll edit my original post accordingly.
However, as regards your sweeping statements about the "Maker Movement" you are just wrong. It's not all about public validation nor is it limited to extroverts. There are tons of kids working away in their bedrooms, basements and public library maker labs. Further, if they choose to share their work and have their "community" on instagram or some other platform that's no different than those of us that choose to gather and share our work on a MR forum, train club, etc.
Clearly I subscribe to Jetrock's brand of optimism.
I'm a very optimistic person, but I don't spend any time worrying about the choices others make or trying to steer their behavior.
As for the "maker movement" my comments were purposely over the top. Why does it even need a name? Like making things is a new idea?
I raised six kids, and I am helping raise their kids, that's my limit for trying to steer the outcomes of human behavior.
I'm not one who thinks the hobby is dieing, I worked in this hobby when I was young, I have been involved with several well established clubs/groups. I have been an NMRA member since 1968.
But the hobby has changed a lot, and continues to change, some for the better, some not in my opinion. Back in the day I knew some of the people who revolutionized this hobby, people responsible for creating Proto2000, Spectrum, etc.
But I don't spend one minute worrying if some young person takes an interest in this hobby or not. But I am amused by the views on that topic.
And I am also amused at this modern business approach of solving every problem by committy. I work in a technical field, I design houses and renovations, I restore historic homes, I am a skilled designer in electrical, HVAC, plumbing, light frame construction, kitchen design, and more. And I have field experiance in all these trades.
As for drugs and alcohol, I also have no illusions that I can change people's behavior, but I have seen first hand the damage done to people's lives, so I will admit I'm sensitive to that issue.
But what do I know, I'm just a hick with pickup, some guns, a passel of grand kids, and bunch of little trains without brains (no DCC).
Jetrock!
Very positive thinking! I think you see your glass as half full.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Don't worry, I don't think anyone on this forum is going to announce "hey kids, did you ever try model railroading on weed?"
My favorites of the Roundhouse "3 in 1" kits are the building kits, which featured their relatively little-known modular building components. I'm not positive but I think they were among the earliest modular building components, well before the Walthers modulars and even the now-venerable DPM modular building component systems. Sure, they were a little flimsy, but that also meant they were easy to cut up and modify, along with the assorted bits of rolling stock thrown in the boxes, to build character-filled 19th century buildings for your charming little towns, industrial buildings, and railroad facilities. For late 20th century modelers, they had a "Victoria Station" kit, with a boxcar and caboose, so you could build one of their railroad-themed restaurants for your pike. For 19th century fans who wanted something different, they had a cable car kit, with a passenger car to be laboriously converted to a narrow gauge cable car (they recommended using N scale tracks, effectively HOn30, to model the most common cable car gauge of 3'6") and a cable/powerhouse for the end of the line! They're a good introduction to kitbashing and creative model railroading.
As to "the kids," well yeah, if you read decades-old issues of MR, the death of the hobby is always a topic for discussion, even in the 1940s when then old-timers lamented the first "shake the box" kits and modelers' abandonment of cigar boxes and other found-object scrap as preferred modeling materials during the Great Depression and materials shortages of World War II! But the kids these days love the nostalgia of previous generations, which is why vinyl records and even cassette tapes are having a serious comeback. Part of how music of previous generations became so available to young people is online downloading, which became the gateway towards buying music on less ephemeral media than an MP3. Now, even those who are far from a hobby shop can order new items directly from the distributor or manufacturer, and I'm sure kids page through with the same wonder as my generation (Generation X, between the boomers and Millennials) enjoyed flipping through the Walthers catalog. Plus, they also have eBay and other resale sites which provides access to the vintage stuff. Once they catch the bug, some will make the pilgrimages to train shows and the shrinking number of brick-and-mortar hobby shops out there. And they have a bunch of grumpy old model railroaders like us posting on online forums for advice and explanations as to exactly what this strange widget from the 1950s was supposed to do!
The final factor that will influence young people getting into the hobby is the enduring prevalence of trains. My generation (those raised in the 1970s-80s) were taught that trains were going the way of the horse and buggy, only visited in museums, and the decline of railroading would result in their virtual elimination. Instead, railroad freight business boomed, Amtrak endured, and a new generation of light rail and streetcars carried young passengers the same way that their grandparents rode their predecessors. So they carry the memory of trains with them, and will pass along those memories to their kids--and, most likely, toy trains and train sets to play with when birthdays and holidays roll around. And someday, those kids might discover Dad's old Roundhouse kits that they bought off an old-fashioned early 21st century "web site" called eBay...
Eilif cv_acr richhotrain But that is exactly the point, Chris. If today's kids are sitting in front of their iPads playing Fortnite, they are not playing with trains. So, in the future, you are not going to get a lot of middle aged guys coming back to it because they were never into it as kids. The only thing is, that's a wide brush you're painting with, to paint all kids that way. And if the rise of the "maker movement" is any indication, there will ALWAYS be people that are interested unproductive frivolities, and those that are actually interesting in doing and building. This is worth noting. LEGO's are more popular than ever, the maker movement is on the rise, Cosplay is blowing up, even miniature wargaming seems to be bouncing back (albeit on the fantasy/sci-fi end). Kids and young adults are building stuff. Might not be as much trains, but somehow they seem to be finding the time to get out of their phones long enough to create alot of fantastic things. Gripes about these kids and their i-pads/phones might have SOME truth, but they're pretty broad and rub me the wrong way. Remember these memorables... "Those kids and their MTV" "Those kids and their Nintendos" "Those kids and their deadly marijuanna" "Those kids and that Rock and Roll" "The corrupting influence of Jazz!" and on it goes... There's always something for the older generation to find fault with the younger.
cv_acr richhotrain But that is exactly the point, Chris. If today's kids are sitting in front of their iPads playing Fortnite, they are not playing with trains. So, in the future, you are not going to get a lot of middle aged guys coming back to it because they were never into it as kids. The only thing is, that's a wide brush you're painting with, to paint all kids that way. And if the rise of the "maker movement" is any indication, there will ALWAYS be people that are interested unproductive frivolities, and those that are actually interesting in doing and building.
richhotrain But that is exactly the point, Chris. If today's kids are sitting in front of their iPads playing Fortnite, they are not playing with trains. So, in the future, you are not going to get a lot of middle aged guys coming back to it because they were never into it as kids.
But that is exactly the point, Chris. If today's kids are sitting in front of their iPads playing Fortnite, they are not playing with trains. So, in the future, you are not going to get a lot of middle aged guys coming back to it because they were never into it as kids.
The only thing is, that's a wide brush you're painting with, to paint all kids that way.
And if the rise of the "maker movement" is any indication, there will ALWAYS be people that are interested unproductive frivolities, and those that are actually interesting in doing and building.
IRONROOSTERFrankly, being called a movement really means that most people don't do this anymore.
Not always true. I know of a movement that everyone belongs to.
Mel, I understand you are having fun with sound and that is great, but it simply does not interest me.
With my Advanced Cab Control system there is no way to simply substitute a DCC controller into the system.
My blocks are not all manually selected like normal cab control. More than half of my control blocks are selected automaticly by a combination of route selection and cab selection of the adjacent blocks.
And my blocks use a power overlap scheme that prevents trains for over running their assigned blocks.
Adding DCC to that mix is bound to cause trouble.
Honestly, the only way I enjoy sound is operating a single loco with no other distractions or noise - kind of the opposite of my four train capable double track mainline with four other trains working elsewhere.
As for any other features DCC offers, my control system is more than flexible enough for my needs.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL To equip my 140 locos, and replace my 10 wireless throttles with DCC would easily cost $6,000 to possibly $10,000. The benefits would be small in my case. I model an era where I don't need or want fancy lighting effects, I have no need of consisting or speed matching, I don't want sound, my current throttles provide great speed control using pulse width modulation just like a DCC decoder, so what would I gain? I would gain slightly more realistic engine hostling in the engine terminal, and I would loose my built in automatic train control that prevents collisions...........for that I should spend $10,000? I think I will stay with DC and my Advanced Cab Control, with its relay based signal system. Please understand, I know my goals and desires are not in the mainstream on this, I understand why others like DCC. Sheldon
I model an era where I don't need or want fancy lighting effects, I have no need of consisting or speed matching, I don't want sound, my current throttles provide great speed control using pulse width modulation just like a DCC decoder, so what would I gain?
I would gain slightly more realistic engine hostling in the engine terminal, and I would loose my built in automatic train control that prevents collisions...........for that I should spend $10,000?
I think I will stay with DC and my Advanced Cab Control, with its relay based signal system.
Please understand, I know my goals and desires are not in the mainstream on this, I understand why others like DCC.
"Reefer MAAAADNESSSS!"
There's always something for the older generation to exagerateand find fault with the younger.
cv_acrAnd if the rise of the "maker movement" is any indication, there will ALWAYS be people that are interested unproductive frivolities, and those that are actually interesting in doing and building.
I just love it. Stuff a lot of folks just did when I was young is now called a "movement". Frankly, being called a movement really means that most people don't do this anymore.
I don't think that this means the hobby is dying, just that it is changing. RTR is becoming the norm. Not only for locomotives and cars, but also for track, structures, and scenery. DCC is more plug and play than ever. Even benchwork is available as a kit and I expect pretty soon it will be RTR as well.
And really, it's great. I use as much RTR on my under construction layout (13 1/2 x 36) as possible.
Paul
doctorwayneThis all-metal gondola dates from the mid-'50s, and whilst taking the photo today, it reminded me that it's one of my few older cars that's not yet received free-standing grabirons and a more detailed underbody...
Since I am interested in doing and building, I've updated this MDC gondola, replacing the cast-on metal grabirons and sill steps with wire parts...
...and when I get some more #79 drill bits, I'll redo the underbody details, too.
Wayne
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
cv_acr ATLANTIC CENTRAL About the only thing in this hobby that does not interest me is onboard sound and DCC. I have used DCC a lot on the layouts of many friends, but it is just not important to my goals. About the only place I part company with you on your post (other than specific personal choice of era and theme).
ATLANTIC CENTRAL About the only thing in this hobby that does not interest me is onboard sound and DCC. I have used DCC a lot on the layouts of many friends, but it is just not important to my goals.
About the only thing in this hobby that does not interest me is onboard sound and DCC. I have used DCC a lot on the layouts of many friends, but it is just not important to my goals.
About the only place I part company with you on your post (other than specific personal choice of era and theme).
Well Chris, a few more detailed thoughts on sound and DCC as seperate subjects - sound first.
I understand that a lot of people like sound, but as a person interested in a large layout with lots of trains running at once, it has drawbacks. As a confessed introvert I do not like chaos. My layout plan supports the operaton of eight trains at once......eight sound equiped locos, even with the volume down, even in a 1600 sq ft space, is chaos.
Secondly, I am a HiFi buff as one of my other hobbies. The sound quality of onboard sound in HO is poor at best to my ears, but more importantly in my view is the scale of the sound.
At three feet away from an HO model I am 270 scale feet away. I live near two important mainlines, I see trains all the time, most of the noise they make blends quickly into the background from distances equal to typical HO viewing distances.
While I am very interested in scale operations, being the engineer is not necessarily my favorite job (I favor being the dispatcher or yard master), so this "intimate" experiance of pretending to be in the cab is not a top priority for me.
I do plan to experiment with some layout based background sounds, crossing gate sounds, etc. But those can be done with much better sounding speakers.......
DCC - I have used DCC a lot, most of my friends in the hobby have DCC. I have helped design and build some of their layouts.
I also require signaling and CTC. DCC dose not make signaling or CTC any easier, and with sound out of the discussion, the added features of DCC over my Advanced Cab Control with Aristo wireless radio throttles do not justify the cost or the work for a layout of my size.
Additionally I do not like any of the ergonomics of the various DCC throttles on the market.
I already have the 140 locos I need, they are not decoder equipped.
To equip my 140 locos, and replace my 10 wireless throttles with DCC would easily cost $6,000 to possibly $10,000. The benefits would be small in my case.
cv_acrExcept that MR was publishing similar "the hobby is aging and dying out" editorials 50 years ago. At one point the suspect was slot cars. Then video games. Then the next thing. Other than the basic TYCO set running in a circle, the main part of the hobby has really always been a mature person's hobby. That's when you have the resources in space, time and money to actually do it. You get a lot of middle aged guys coming back to it at that point or getting into it because they get the toy train set for *their* kids. But one way or the other, that person has to have an interest in trains to either pick it up or stay with it.
Other than the basic TYCO set running in a circle, the main part of the hobby has really always been a mature person's hobby. That's when you have the resources in space, time and money to actually do it. You get a lot of middle aged guys coming back to it at that point or getting into it because they get the toy train set for *their* kids.
But one way or the other, that person has to have an interest in trains to either pick it up or stay with it.
Rich
Alton Junction
ATLANTIC CENTRAL richhotrain dfdf1995 The hobby today is mostly aging baby-boomers including myself. Where are the young people --they're nowhere because they cannot afford the expense of entering the hobby. All of the young people are playing Fortnite on their iPads. Rich Rich, you are spot on with that assessment. Sheldon
richhotrain dfdf1995 The hobby today is mostly aging baby-boomers including myself. Where are the young people --they're nowhere because they cannot afford the expense of entering the hobby. All of the young people are playing Fortnite on their iPads. Rich
dfdf1995 The hobby today is mostly aging baby-boomers including myself. Where are the young people --they're nowhere because they cannot afford the expense of entering the hobby.
The hobby today is mostly aging baby-boomers including myself. Where are the young people --they're nowhere because they cannot afford the expense of entering the hobby.
All of the young people are playing Fortnite on their iPads.
Rich, you are spot on with that assessment.
Except that MR was publishing similar "the hobby is aging and dying out" editorials 50 years ago. At one point the suspect was slot cars. Then video games. Then the next thing.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I'm a kit builder too, I have big stock of them yet to build, but I also buy my share of RTR as well. This hobby need not be all one thing, or all the other.
I'm a kit builder too, I have big stock of them yet to build, but I also buy my share of RTR as well. This hobby need not be all one thing, or all the other.
Yes.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I like building kits, and I have been at this hobby for over 50 years, but 1000 freight cars is a lot of kits to build, so some are RTR.
I like building kits, and I have been at this hobby for over 50 years, but 1000 freight cars is a lot of kits to build, so some are RTR.
Yes. (Other than the 50 years part...)
ATLANTIC CENTRAL For me not every car needs to be a super detailed museum quality piece - RTR or built by me - but my skills are pretty good.
For me not every car needs to be a super detailed museum quality piece - RTR or built by me - but my skills are pretty good.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I like operation and display running, I like building scenery as well as rolling stock.
I like operation and display running, I like building scenery as well as rolling stock.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL So RTR helps me achieve my total layout goals in a realistic time frame and allows me to use my model building skills were they are needed most to achieve my goals.
So RTR helps me achieve my total layout goals in a realistic time frame and allows me to use my model building skills were they are needed most to achieve my goals.