Which is better? RTR or kits you build

[B&O SteamDemon]

Geared Steam

> wonders if the original poster has even bothered to come back to read his thread <

 

Why yes he does,  I am an old school model railroader, I learned to build kits and kitbash rolling stock and engines first and then building.  Being that I used to build model airplanes and military vehicles as a kid helped fine tune some of my skills.  My biggest problem with RTR's is it removes the personal part of the hobby.  It's like you can buy a train set and put it on the track and there you go, anyone can do that.  the "magic" part of the hobby is when you take either kits or kitbash several kits and other things together and create that engine, rolling stock or building that otherwise wasn't available or just didn't come close to what you wanted or needed otherwise.  Granted I have several RTR from Athearn, my wife and brother have both some cars for me as gifts for chrismas and birthdays and I used them on the layout, but my first choice is always kits.  You can super detail the equipment and customize it to fit your needs for your layout.  Why do you think that all the hobby railroad magazines feature and highlight kits and kitbashed equipment?  It shows the skills and it shows others what you can do and inspires to try to match or exceed what you see.  I have learned and have been motivated by many of the projects submitted by those who built kits.  Plus most of the layouts you seen featured also are ones that don't feature it as a RTR layout.  Perhaps MRM should feature a side by side layout contest where people can look at equipment running on a layout that is RTR and one that is kit built and see what the public thinks about the appearance.  Just an idea.

[B&O SteamDemon]

jasperofzeal

Geared Steam:

> wonders if the original poster has even bothered to come back to read his thread <

 

I doubt it.  The OP's thread asked a which is better question, but I think his intended question was more along the lines of: since inexpensive kits (read Athearn BB) are not readily available in a LHS, how is a modeler on a tight budget to enter this "inexpensive" () hobby.  So instead of opening one can of worms, he opened two.  I suppose he really didn't care.

Oh I cared, and still do, and yes not having BB kits does make this hobby more expensive, but the intent of the thread was to see where people stand on which they feel is a better looking piece of equipment RTR or kits.  If you had your choice and we are not talking about money or time, but looking at engines and cars on the track which do you think is the one that gives the best appearance, and is RTR taking away from the hobby by making it a " turn key" hobby rather than a hobby of labor and love to create that scene that comes from the mind to fullfillment by your very hands.

[B&O SteamDemon]

Reading all the posts has shown me the passion for the hobby, but remember the original theme to this post:  Which looks better on the layout?  the RTR or the Kit that you built.  If John Q. Public were to come over and look at your layout and seeing two cars sitting side by side exactly the same, road name, road number and type of car and not knowing which was the RTR and which was the Kit car.  Which car would he pick as the best looking or realistic.  No politics needed just a simple choice, A or B?  Remember time is not an issue nor money when it comes to the question, but simply visual appeal.  No eggs needed in the answer either, granted amusing but not needed.  Thank you for your opinions and passions with this question.

Ray