Would you purchase a locomotive in kit form?

[wallyworld]

After reading several threads about the cost of participating in this hobby as well as the administrator's mention of O Gauge kits available overseas, what about buying our trains in kit form? Would this be a way to reduce costs or could be a viable option for us? Would eleminating the labor cost of preassembly significantly reduce cost?

[FJ and G]

Wally,

I don't think that the price would be that much lower. Mfgrs have good sniffers for money. Secondly, by and large, the 3 rail crowd is either too lazy or don't have the time to invest in kits. Well, I shouldn't really say lazy so forget that I said that part of it.

Anway, gettting back to your question, in a word, YES. I would love to assemble a locomotive and possibly try to duplicate the parts to make a second copy using brass and other materials.

The key things for me would be:

1. low cost
2. easy to understand instructions, written as checklists with plenty of GOOD photos and/or diagrams


Nice thought, however.

dave v

[jkerklo]

Kits probably wouldn't save much money, but I would be interested in buying a kit that was intended for kit-bashing.

Color schemes and decals for different roadnames, of course, but the ability to select motors (power, one or two, etc), control features (simple, e-unit, any control system), sound boards. Even different trucks, wheel arrangements, add on parts.

If parts were interchangable, then I could have an engine that could be simply changed to different styles or roadnames.

A few different steam bodies and a variety of interchangable parts might serve the toy train operator to make a large variety of engine types, even some that never existed.

Different parts could serve both toy and scale operators.

Offerring something like this would also fill the need some modellers have expressed for unique items, but that don't have a market to make a product.

There would also be opportunities for rolling stock.

I would like to build my own engines and cars, but there is not a good way to do it, unless you are really into scale modelling. This would be more like "assembling" my own trains, rather than scratch building.

John Kerklo
TCA 94-38455
www.Three-Rail.com

[FJ and G]

If you want an open-style auto rack car that holds the standard 12 autos (87' long car), the only way to get one in O scale is to make it yourself. Some things are still not offered in O. One dude makes his auto racks with resin castings. A future project for sure!

[wallyworld]

John - that's a really great concept that would have a variety of applications - all of whom would be affordable. I wonder if there is some outfit already out there doing this
considering this is pretty common in other scales as you probably already know. I never looked for any because I had never came across an advertisement.

[wallyworld]

PS I just did a web search on Google ....Wow...ten pages worth. I'm logging off to check this out.

[Anonymous]

Sure, if connections were "plug & play". I'm not the best with soldering.

[CSXJOE]

At one time, AHM made plastic O guage steam engine kits (2 Rail only) they had a motorizing kit also. I built the Indiana Harbor Belt 0-8-0 switcher for static display. It was highly detailed and had metal running gear.

Lisa Marie, didn't you make some of these?

[Dr. John]

I built a couple of HO kits made by Roundhouse many years ago. If a reasonably priced kit for O gauge engines were to be offered, I would be interested.

[Anonymous]

Dave made a point that hit home for me, that is the time factor.
Most of my train time is spent working on my layout. I would like
to have the time to build a kit ,engine or rolling stock but to much other needs to be done.
Dr John I built some of those Roundhouse kits to in my younger days,
they were alot of fun.
Keith

[nitroboy]

If the price is right. I love tinkering and fixing things (even if its not broke) I heard that Lionel once put out a locomotive in kit form.....something called a Hudson[:D]

Dave

[eZAK]

I would probaly buy one, But I think they would actually be MORE expensive.

The importers would charge for marketing[:P]

Then you would have to figure in your time.[;)]

[CG9602]

Here's one place to go look for locomotive kits: www.djhmodelloco.co.uk I've purchased a few kits from them over the past couple of years, and, though technically demanding, they seem to work just fine. Any challenges with the kits were more my fault due to a lack of modeling skill (prior to this experience, I was accustomed to building kits that were static displays - model cars, war ships, et al).

[Anonymous]

Call me crazy but I love building and rebuilding engines from parts. There is nothing like the old lionel postwars. When I get them, I test them, dismantle, clean, oil and rebuild them. The kits are really fun, too. Plus it really gives you something to do when it snows, or in my case raining a week straight while I have a week off of work.

[Anonymous]

WHO MAKES THE LARGEST FREIGHT & PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK FOR O GAUGE? ARE THESE LARGER STOCK AVAILABLE IN ALL (OR NEARLY ALL) METAL? I'M ABOUT TO MAKE MY LAYOUT PERMINENT AND WANT TO BE SURE THE VERTICLE AND LATERAL CLEARANCES ARE SUFFICIENT.