hi Paul
It is true that there are many more large home layouts in the US, but there are plenty of large layouts in UK clubs, and travelling the exhibition circuit. Mostly they seem to be the product of a team, with different people doing different bits.The biggest ones are static, but less frequest here, so yes there are many more smaller layouts, but people still have lots of stock, either to run different periods, or just because they like making it.
I agree a mainly RTR layout is a nice idea, and that is why I started to model the US, but I failed to check what was available before starting. Having said that I wouldn't have been happy doing the mid-late 20th. Sure the kits take time, but not too much, and whitemetal kits (like DJH) are pretty esasy and quick to assemble.Getting the chassis and valve gear right is the truicky bit, and here my choice of early date is partly because most of the locos have inside pistons.
The Bowsers I have made might have problems, but the chassis go together easily, and for my money this is half the battle. If I could get good running gear RTR and then build (scratch or kit) the superstructure this would be ideal. But i don't want to pay for an intricate and expensive top side that I have to destroy. Certainely if you model narrowgauge in 4mm or 7mm in the UK this is the norm. You take an RTR chassis, a quick assembly resin or whitemetal superstructure, and you have a loco in a couple of nights.
I agree Bowser were only good for the PRR and maybe USRAs, but what puzzles me is why nobody set up to service modellers of any other roads to the same extent. Why was there no Bowser equivalent turning out Harriman steam for example, or Reading anthracite burners?
jon
If anybody spots or has an unbuilt PRR E6 Atlantic kit, I am on the hunt for one. I personaly like building the Bowser kits and have built several for folks that were unsure of building the valve gear. My first kit was a Challenger kit, the president of the local club was my "elmer" while building it, I was 18 yrs old at the time. I am now 36 and still love building them. I am a PRR nut so I guess I will start grabbing the PRR kits when I see them. Mike
LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case!
webbcompoundI agree Bowser were only good for the PRR and maybe USRAs, but what puzzles me is why nobody set up to service modellers of any other roads to the same extent. Why was there no Bowser equivalent turning out Harriman steam for example, or Reading anthracite burners? jon
Well, MDC / Roundhouse made a pretty extensive line of HO kits, including engines, based on SP / Harriman prototypes. Some I believe are still available thru Athearn / Horizon.
Part of the problem is just size. In the UK you had the "Big Four" for a quarter century, then British Railways / British Rail. During the same time the US had hundreds of railroads. For a manufacturer to specialize in one railroad, it would have to first be a big one like the Pennsy, and second, one that was located in the northeast quarter of the US, where most US modelers are...like the Pennsy!! Otherwise, the pct. of folks modelling one particular railroad just wouldn't justify the specialization.