SteamFreak What I'm wondering is since Life Like has undergone a complete makeover with their P2K and P1K lines, why can't they put some decent starter sets together using some basic P1K and dispense with the old department store junk that caused kids so much frustration?...
What I'm wondering is since Life Like has undergone a complete makeover with their P2K and P1K lines, why can't they put some decent starter sets together using some basic P1K and dispense with the old department store junk that caused kids so much frustration?...
You mean like this: Walthers HO Trainline® Wayfreight Diesel Freight Set?
What I'm wondering is since Life Like has undergone a complete makeover with their P2K and P1K lines, why can't they put some decent starter sets together using some basic P1K and dispense with the old department store junk that caused kids so much frustration? Those are the same pancake-motored cheapies they were selling in the 70's. If Athearn and Atlas have quality offerings, why doesn't Walthers do it with LL? Even Bachmann has retooled their standard line drivetrains with can motors.
My guess is they wouldn't meet the low box store price point they're aiming for.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
I had bought this same set for 50 bucks a few years ago. My advice, even at that price it was too much.
The engines had trouble pulling the trains, the upper level was prone to sagging when the train went over it, the building kit's walls were warped, and a whole pleathora of other problems.
Save your money and get an Athearn or an Atlas set if you want a train set. (they all cost less that that piece of junk).
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
blownout cylinderIt'll last 3 laps tops----
It'll last 3 laps tops----
Actually, I've had a few of their plastic frame stuff in both HO and N, and it actually is surprisingly well built, it'll last a couple of years before the springs start getting distorted, etc.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Hi all: Back in 2003, I bought my Grandsons a Life Like train set. It had a GP38 and several freight cars, I had two grand sons (brothers) so I bought the older one a IHC (Premier) 4-6-2 Steam Loco. I reconditioned some of my OLD Freight cars from the 60's & 70's and added them later. These cars were only cleaned up and some of them lubed, all had the old Horn Hook couplers.
This was on Life Like track with the roadbed and steel rail, I also purchased a pair of turnouts and some extra track, so they could have a passing siding.
The GP-38 would pull all the cars, (27 total) on a flat surface (living room rug). The Steamer would only pull 7 or 8 cars.
I started building a 4X8 layout with them, in their basement. I had just started with DCC at the time and when we got some track laid down, I installed a Decoder in the GP-38, tuned the start volts and top speed volts and it ran like a charm. It would crawl like the best of them, and still run at a good speed.
I had taken about 4 of my own locos over to their house so they could have some varity in what they ran. my locos were all Athern BB with Decoders. I think they all had Digitrax DH121 's in them at the time.
My oldest grand son (12 at the time) bought a new loco and wanted to put a decoder in it, but we didn't have an extra one, but we had extra wiring "harness" so he wired up the loco, and took the Decoder out of the LL GP-38 and put it in the new loco and ran it. He didn't tell me about it. I found out later that he had put a dummy plug into the GP-38 and tried to run it on 00 address, after that it quit running. When I found out about it I was mad. It was one of the better running locos. Had traction tires and would pull more cars than almost anything else we were running.
It was Nov. of the following year, not quite a year old, I contacted Life Like and they said to send it to them and they would fix it. They sent me a NEW engine, it ran good but it didn't run like the old one.
Shortly after that, they started to loose interest in model trains. The older one (now 17) is interested in Cars, and girls, the younger one (15) is interested in electronic GAMES. He has all the boxes that go with them, the latest is the XBox 360.
PS The train Layout got FLOODED in the 2006 flood, and is no more.
Sam
Can you say retail mark- up? Too much for a "toy" for my taste.
Modeling the N&W freelanced at the height of their steam era in HO.
Daniel G.
The passenger cars are shortened from the prototype with "passengers" printed in the windows!!
The only reason why I'd buy that set is to get that F unit and the passenger cars.
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
HURRY! HURRY!
If you want this set...get it from wholesaletrains.com!
They have the exact same identical twin set for just $79.99 !!!!
Same number and eveything!!
Wholesale Trains, Model Train, RC Helicopter, RC Airplane, RC Boat, Garden Railroad, Park Flyer, Parts, Services
HURRY before they realize they are charging too little!!!!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
is anyone else having problems with duplicate posts?
Check out the Deming Sub by clicking on the pics:
BRAKIE And cabooses is correct for the "era" in that train set.
And cabooses is correct for the "era" in that train set.
Really?
What era is it exactly?
The SF ran passenger trains up until 1971. Wooden boxcars may have ran into the 70's but would have been pretty scarce. GP 38-2's weren't built until 1977 and I believe some are still running for the BNSF. But they were never painted that way. That paint scheme (warbonnet with large red letters) was used on wide cab units and was not started until the early 90s.
And even if they had included a caboose it would probably be a NYC caboose painted in SF colors anyway.
It's a toy. It really doesn't matter if there is a caboose or not.
Just to add to this---found out a neighbour bought exactly this same set---one power pack came up DOA, the other---well just fizzled-literally. All they got was sectional track and a semi OK loco---need powerpack. I could go on with the tale of woe---
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
In the 60's & 70's, cheap sets were sold in every "discount department store" in the country. When these sets broke down the day after Christmas (if they lasted that long) it brought frustration to the kids - and did not help the hobby!! 2 or 3 years ago, my grandkids "other" grandma gave them a road race set HO" scale - what a POC!! The kids never got more than a lap or two around the track - too fast and off the track, too slow & it stalled!! That's what this set will probably do!!
First thing, this is a set for what toymakers refer to as, "The Grandmother trade," not meant to satisfy the tastes of fastidious model railroaders.
Second, it is a little pricey when compared to a single set - but when you open this box there are two complete train sets inside. Anyone who doesn't think that doubling the number of trains in motion squares the operating interest hasn't watched small children at play.
IMHO, this set is more likely to spark a long-term interest than a normal set consisting of an oval (a circle plus two straight sections) of track, a locomotive (without all those flailing rods that fascinated my contemporaries) and three cars. And it sells for less than two of all but the absolute bottom quality level equivalents. If enough sell to make this a profitable item this season, they will have accomplished what the manufacturer and distributor(s) intended.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Then again some TOY TRAIN SETS have lasted longer than these things---I'm not so sure I'd introduce anyone into model railroading with a trainset in the first place---there are way better ways to do that than a set that is likely to go--------------blat
Steemtrayn; might need to go slower---not sure it can handle that---
tatans Just what would you think this should sell for $4.95???? But I guess to all you guys who buy $60.00 boxcars, this is trash. Sorry guys, not everyone can spend vast amounts of money on this hobby.
Just what would you think this should sell for $4.95???? But I guess to all you guys who buy $60.00 boxcars, this is trash. Sorry guys, not everyone can spend vast amounts of money on this hobby.
Problem is, this is a lot to spend on a poorly-constructed set that will lead to frustration for the newbie. It isn't good equipment, and when it fails, the budding model railroader will be driven away,
By the way, I've been doing this for decades and have never, ever spent anything near $60 for a boxcar in any scale.
loathar Since a couple of you have had this set, What are the engines like? Are they crappy old power truck style or do they have 8 wheel drive/pickup? (just curious)
Since a couple of you have had this set, What are the engines like? Are they crappy old power truck style or do they have 8 wheel drive/pickup? (just curious)
Also, as said before, the Athearn sets may be better qualitry, but to my knowledge few if any have the extra trainset above like this does. To a Mom/Dad/Cousin It, That means more play value for Junior
-Morgan
Just got one on ebay for 15 bucks. I'll go easy on it...How's 50 smph sound?
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
OK----maybe 1/2 lap---probs 1/4---oh----how fast?
blownout cylinder It'll last 3 laps tops----
Oh...I forgot to tell ya...A lap on my layout is about 170 ft.
I'm thinking of buying a Life-Like loco just to see how many laps it'll do before it falls apart.
If you NEED to buy a train set, Atlas or Athearn sets would be 1000% better in quality!!
That is the going price, I have seen them in alot of stores at that price. If it gets another person in the hobby then it is worth it.
Don GibsonWhat's your point? It's good. It's bad? It's too expensive? There are are more expensive & cheaper made out there.. You will get what you pay for. - Certainly PAY for whatever you get.
What's your point?
It's good. It's bad? It's too expensive?
There are are more expensive & cheaper made out there.. You will get what you pay for. - Certainly PAY for whatever you get.
I think his point was for us all to get a good laugh out of a $200 life-like set.
The thing to keep in mind is, how many new model railroaders will come out of buying something like this? Granted it may be cheap and cheezie to those of use who been in the hobby for awhile. But for the beginner it might be the coolist thing they ever recieved or purchased. The dollars don't figure in when you consider that it could be a start of a life long hobby. How many of use started out as full fledged model railroaders? Not Me! My first train set was a gift from Mom, A AHM set with a Soo C-Liner and UP caboose. Cheesy? YES! But it was a start that I'm thankful for.
BTW, the set my dear wife bought was for our grandsons - but my XXX son-in-law has yet to clear a space in the basement for the boys to have even a 4x8 - the basement is only about 40'x60'!!!!!