Wall Street Journal Article - End of the Model Trains

[IRONROOSTER]

Sir Madog

 

Isn't that the truth!!!

Paul

[BRAKIE]

richhotrain

But, a state of the art freight car? What the heck is that? And, you buy it at a train show? Tell me more. Rich

Rich,State of the art is Atlas Master,ExactRail,Tangent,Athearn/ Genesis,BLMA,Red Caboose and Intermountain..These can be had for $23-35.00 at most shows and I dare say not that much more the Athearn, Walthers or Trainman cars.

Other then ExactRail these cars can be purchase at the better train shows. What that means is the shows that has dealers that sells quality models..

[dknelson]

I'd add Kadee to the list of state of the art freight cars.  Having just added a bunch of details, and better wheels, to a regular commercial freight car offering, and tallying up the final cost of said details, the so-called "state of the art" freight cars while "expensive" might not actually be expensive if that makes any sense.

Dave Nelson 

 

[richhotrain]

I once owned a state of the art freight car, an EJ&E coil car by Red Caboose. It was not mean for human hands and fingers. I lost or broke so many parts on that car that I eventually dumped it in the garbage. 

Rich

[BRAKIE]

richhotrain

I once owned a state of the art freight car, an EJ&E coil car by Red Caboose. It was not mean for human hands and fingers. I lost or broke so many parts on that car that I eventually dumped it in the garbage. 

Rich

 

Yeah,One doesn't manhandle those cars like a old BB or Roundhouse car..Place 'em on the rails and let them be. I have several of those state of the art  cars and I use a KD magnet for uncoupling.

Even some of the Athearn RTR FMC boxcars I bought new came with their steps laying in the car's tray. These are the former Roundhouse 50' FMC boxcars that comes with fragile steps.

[BRAKIE]

dknelson

I'd add Kadee to the list of state of the art freight cars.  Having just added a bunch of details, and better wheels, to a regular commercial freight car offering, and tallying up the final cost of said details, the so-called "state of the art" freight cars while "expensive" might not actually be expensive if that makes any sense.

Dave Nelson 

 

 

Dave,When comparing street prices between the Walthers,Athearn (RTR),Bachmann(Silver) and Trainman cars there isn't much difference in prices. In fact I seen some IM cars cheaper then Walthers Main Line cars.

[jecorbett]

richhotrain

I once owned a state of the art freight car, an EJ&E coil car by Red Caboose. It was not mean for human hands and fingers. I lost or broke so many parts on that car that I eventually dumped it in the garbage. 

Rich

 

richhotrain

I once owned a state of the art freight car, an EJ&E coil car by Red Caboose. It was not mean for human hands and fingers. I lost or broke so many parts on that car that I eventually dumped it in the garbage. 

Rich

 

This is why I am perfectly happy with Accurail and their molded on details. That fine details is way too fragile. I'll buy a high end car if it is at a sale price but the bulk of my freight car fleet is Accurail, Athearn BB and RTR, and Atlas. All of them get KD couplers and I upgrade the wheels on Accurail. They all meet my "good enough" standard.

[BRAKIE]

jecorbett

This is why I am perfectly happy with Accurail and their molded on details. That fine details is way too fragile. I'll buy a high end car if it is at a sale price but the bulk of my freight car fleet is Accurail, Athearn BB and RTR, and Atlas. All of them get KD couplers and I upgrade the wheels on Accurail. They all meet my "good enough" standard.

The majority of my freight cars is BB and Roundhouse since I model close enough/good enough..

If I was young and just starting I would buy nothing less then the highly detailed cars and locomotives. Probably 2-3 engines and 50-60 cars.

[Steven Otte]

Am I gonna have to merge this with The Obligatory "This Hobby Is So Expensive" Thread?

I've heard people publicly mourning the imminent death of model railroading since I started reading about the hobby in the 1970s. Trust me, when the hobby goes belly-up, you'll be the first ones we inform. Until then, take any "reporting" on the topic from outlets that can't tell the difference between a Climax and a Shay with a covered hopper full of salt.

[Anonymous]

Steven Otte

Am I gonna have to merge this with The Obligatory "This Hobby Is So Expensive" Thread?

I've heard people publicly mourning the imminent death of model railroading since I started reading about the hobby in the 1970s. Trust me, when the hobby goes belly-up, you'll be the first ones we inform. Until then, take any "reporting" on the topic from outlets that can't tell the difference between a Climax and a Shay with a covered hopper full of salt.

 

Amen to that - just to make the 100 posts to this thread complete

[blownout cylinder]

I would love to see this thread get merged with the obligatory cost is high thread. It seems to be covering the same issues here.

[maxman]

 

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

Can't blame me this time, I made my comments early and moved on......

Sheldon

[andrechapelon]

Steven Otte

Am I gonna have to merge this with The Obligatory "This Hobby Is So Expensive" Thread?

I've heard people publicly mourning the imminent death of model railroading since I started reading about the hobby in the 1970s. Trust me, when the hobby goes belly-up, you'll be the first ones we inform. Until then, take any "reporting" on the topic from outlets that can't tell the difference between a Climax and a Shay with a covered hopper full of salt.

 

Make that a 125 car unit train of salt and I'll second that. 

Andre

[Anonymous]

One of the posters to this thread stated, that the younger folks do not only look for the cheap and cheerful stuff, but for the more upmarket products as well. While good quality, reasonably priced models make entering the hobby much easier, it´ll be the high tech stuff which will attract the younger, more tech savvy folks to the hobby.

Roco has presented a new toy for those folks - a "train cam", which, in combination with their Z21 DCC command station and a Smart Phone or tablet PC will offer you completely new insights:

This is awesome - and a lot more than just a digi cam installed in a loco!

[Jimmy_Braum]

I agree with the whole "Not everyone models the 1950's".  I tried to model the Pennsy in the steam era, but I just couldn't connect with it... so I went to Norfolk Southern since I've grown up with the Black Throrroughbreads and Conrail blue... I just wasn't feeling a connection there either.  So eventually after searching around, I found a railroad that fit my wants- smaller, older roster, an interesting route through my area, and modern era- Thus my fascination with modeling the Wheeling and Lake Erie was born. 

  I'm 24, and know about 6 others my age who model railroad, 2 are in a seperate club, 1 is in a club up the road, one doesn't have time to belong to a club,etc.... Plus the model railroading groups on facebook are FILLED with members younger than 30,heck, younger than 20!

[mbinsewi]

Wow Ulrich! that was great!  Some one on a different thread that Ed started about "throttles that look like throttles" had mentioned a system that puts you in the engineers seat. 

Mike.