Why do model companies do this?

[Anonymous]

I bought one of IHC's new UP hudsons, and now it turns out UP never had any hudsons. Why would a model company produce a model that has no prototype? Is this common?

[pandabear]

Yup. it's common. They do it because people (like me) will buy products in the livery of their favorite (and popular) railroads even if they never owned it, or just because it looked good. Case in point, my original Tyco trainset had a Alco Century 430 painted up in Santa Fe Warbonnet Red and Silver just because it was a popular road and attractive design. That unit got rebuilt with an old Hobbytown of Boston drive gathering dust on the LHS shelf, and briefly was painted in prototypical Conrail Blue, but I showed the accuracy police my modeler's license and repainted it in CNW colors afterward to fit in with my layout's midwestern location. You go with what you like.

[espeefoamer]

Model companies will produce anything they think will sell.There are a lot of Santa Fe models out there that the ATSF never owned.However,Santa Fe engines,especially in red/silver warbonnet sell well(especially in train sets sold in toy stores) so they are still produced.

[kansaspacific1]

I bought the new BLI NW2 (Phase 5), in UP colors. UP never had any phase 5 NW2s.
BLI did it for a simple reason: Adding UP to the line only required a paint job. Making
the correct hood for UP would have required a new mold to make the notched hood, and
it would no longer be phase 5, but instead an earlier phase.

Also, the SW7 (of which BLI also has a model ) shares the same sloped hood as the phase 5. The only mold change is the addition of a full height radiator, instead of the short radiator on the NW2. That may have simplified the making of the second mold.

Simple economics: more "prototypes" covered with one mold, and perhaps with
a slightly modified mold.

I don't like the discrepency, but I do like the sound and the way it runs. Maybe someday I'll change the hood for a correct Kato shell (if it fits).

Note to anybody from BLI: If you would make the notched hood available as a part, I
would consider that. (Since it would surely fit.)

[tmcc man]

hey lotus,
i really like your Uncle Pete sign. I am sorry about the UP feud, and, i am putting it behind me, and i hope you will too. Lets just talk about model railroading, and railfanning

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tmcc man

hey lotus,
i really like your Uncle Pete sign. I am sorry about the UP feud, and, i am putting it behind me, and i hope you will too. Lets just talk about model railroading, and railfanning

Sure thing, I just decided to put the nick name to good use. Yanky Doodle made fun of Americans to begin with.

[tmcc man]

Oh and yes that is very common, I have been running a garden railway set at an Arboreuteum, and the cars that it is pulling are Vista Domes, and it turns out that the PRR never had any of these cars. The set is a USA trains and the cars are as well. It is also because of the molds, and they just put roadnames on them. I also know a lot about garden railroading as well.

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: PandaBear: Yup. it's common. They do it because people (like me) will buy products in the livery of their favorite (and popular) railroads even if they never owned it, or just because it looked good. ..................... briefly was painted in prototypical Conrail Blue, but I showed the accuracy police my modeler's license and repainted it in CNW colors afterward to fit in with my layout's midwestern location. You go with what you like.

Great post. You hit the nail right on the head.

I do have a lot of admiration for the guys that want to be as accurate as possible in modeling their selected prototype. They just have to pass up buying these locos that their road didn't use.

For those of us who don't see much stuff factory lettered for our roads, and who play a bit fast and loose with adherence to prototype, we have a bit more leeway. I try to do what I can to stay close. For example, I ask myself, "Is that new loco I'm interested in buying a steam loco?" If the answer is "yes", then I move on to "And did my prototype road run steam locos?" Assuming we have a second "yes", I can go ahead with my purchase, secure in the knowledge that I'm at least roughly adhering to prototype practice.


Regards

Ed

[tmcc man]

And one other thing
how did you put the pictures, your name in the font, and the smilie in your posts?. I tried but have not been successful

[BRAKIE]

There are a lot of foolies out there especially in freight cars.However,since 90% of the modelers doesn't know the difference in freight cars such as a PS1 or PS2 or say a 5344 from a 5347 boxcar the manufacturers goes for eye appeal and sale ability..There are some companies like Atlas that does only correct road names for a given locomotive or freight cars.

[tmcc man]

hey,
can anyone tell me what a good starter set for DCC would be.I am thinking of going back into HO scale.

[Eriediamond]

I agree with the above answers but, why does a modeler buy a product before researching to see if it fits his needs or is prototypical for the road he's modeling? This is by no means a put down on anyone, just an observance here. Another question would be why would a company license a product they didn't have or why would a modeling company pay UP or any other company to produce a model that UP never had? I guess to answer my own question, my answer would be that everyone is making money!! UP for a locomotive they didn't have with the UP logo on it and the modeling company that sells it. I'm not picking on UP, there are alot of other prducts out there that are meant to represent certain companies that those companyies didn't have, not just locos and rolling stock. OK, I'm off the soap box now, Ken

[grandeman]

I don't know why they produce unprototypical models but I do know when they'll stop. That would be when modelers start researching their proto and quit buying the bogus products.

[pandabear]

Sorry, Grande Man. Ain't gonna happen. There will always be a market for units in the "popular" colors/road names, although they're usually limited to the lower to mid-level quality models.

[skiloff]

I personally don't care. The only restrictions I have with my models is that no two will have the same road number and that they have a road name to match what I model. Whether the real railroad used it or not, I just don't give a rip. If it looks good, I'll buy it.

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lotus098

I bought one of IHC's new UP hudsons, and now it turns out UP never had any hudsons. Why would a model company produce a model that has no prototype? Is this common?

It's quite common. Forty years ago, with a few exceptions, the only more or less prototypical models you could get were brass models. The rest were pretty generic. People either just lived with it or went to some effort to make the available models look more like the prototype.

For future reference, these were the roads that actually had Hudsons (although the Milwaukee called them Baltics):

Santa Fe
Baltimore and Ohio
Chicago & Northwestern
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
Milwaukee Road
Chesapeake and Ohio
New York Central (including associated lines like Michigan Central & Big Four)
Lackawanna
Frisco
Nickel Plate
New Haven
Maine Central
Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo (2nd hand from NYC)
Boston & Albany
Illinois Central (rebuilt from Berkshire)
Wabash (rebuilt from 2-8-2)

Canadian National
Canadian Pacific

Nacionales de Mexico

Note: The IHC engine is a freelance and bears no resemblance to any Hudson ever actually built.

Here's a picture of Santa Fe #3455:



Andre

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tmcc man

And one other thing
how did you put the pictures, your name in the font, and the smilie in your posts?. I tried but have not been successful

The forum code at the bottom of the page should be helpful, and the smilie list. As for the font it only shows up if you click to post a new reply instead of using the quick reply. Your signature, in your profile, also uses the forum code. If you click to quote me you will see the code used in my signature at the bottom.

QUOTE: hey,
can anyone tell me what a good starter set for DCC would be.I am thinking of going back into HO scale.

I use DC, but these look good:http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/245-ZEP
I here this works and is simple, and it comes with a fully equipped loco in many road names, it isn't very fancy, but then it is Bachman. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-44906
However if I got into DCC, I would most likely use one of these.
http://www.digitrax.com/menu_startersets.php

---

So what about the Athearn Genesis Mikado, is it a good model, or did UP not have any light Mikados either?

---

James [C):-)] Uncle Pete Wants You!

The loud, the proud, the UP fans.

[cefinkjr]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lotus098
So what about the Athearn Genesis Mikado, is it a good model, or did UP not have any light Mikados either?

EVERYBODY had light Mikes --- or, at least, it seems that way. I'm no expert on UP steam but it seems to me that I recall an article in MR a few years ago about detailing the Athearn Mike to more closely match UP prototypes. I think the most obvious change was adding a bigger stack.

As for why anybody would buy a model lettered for a road that never owned one, I've got another reason that nobody above has mentioned. I have frequently bought such orphans when a properly lettered car is not available or to get that car for my own freelanced road. It means an extra step in removing the bad lettering but sometimes you gotta do whatever it takes. When I go this route, I usually ask the LHS which version they are least likely to sell. Otherwise, I feel guilty that I'm keeping you from buying a model "that just looks good" to you.

Chuck

[Anonymous]

I found a picture of one, of course I thought, EVERYBODY had hudsons too.

[tmcc man]

i am just seeing if this works.

[jimrice4449]

How's your latin? Caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. EVERYBODY fudges to one extent or another (Has anybody seen an HO model w/ working air brakes?) The manufacturer tries to mximize his tooling investment. The MRR has to decide if he's going to use an engine he likes but that his prototype didn't or is he going to mix prototypes in order to run an accurate model. I've opted for the latter. I think nothing of pulling a heavywieght psgr train powered by a Southern Ts-1 Mountain across the platform from the SP/RI Golden State. I insist on prototypical accuracy within the train (a UP eng requires a UP caboose, etc) and I stick fairly close to the 1945-55 era but beyond that anything goes. How else could I get to run a GG-1 powered Broadway Limited and an SP Daylight? Ultimately it is our own responsibilty to set our own parameters and become suficiently informed to operate in them.

[tmcc man]

lotus it is not working. i put it in between , and it is not showing up

[dgwinup]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jimrice4449

How else could I get to run a GG-1 powered Broadway Limited and an SP Daylight?

How about a GG-1 in UP colors?

LOL

Darrell, quiet...for now[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tmcc man

lotus it is not working. i put it in between , and it is not showing up

First of all make sure the adress for the image is only to an image, no text! Also make sure you have a space between you [img] code, hope you get it figured out. Some companies don't set you post pictures. I tried to post a picture from Photoswest, but it has text not just a photo.

[Anonymous]

I did it too! I bought one of these a while back before I learned that UP never had any such locomotive. I also got the free 0-8-0 switcher that came with it at that time. Ooops! UP never had one of those either! [banghead] Oh well, live and learn. IHC in particular regularly takes every model they make and label it for almost every roadname in existence. They do this with their locomotives and their passenger cars. You can purchase one of their eight car sets that could be nearly correct for one road and get another set labeled for another road where none of the eight is prototypical. As has already been stated, if you're looking for accuracy in your models, do your research first. If you just like the looks of the model and want one, go ahead and get it, then get ready to excercise your modeler's license.

[twhite]

Aw nuts, and here I was just about to buy the IHC Rio Grande Hudson! Oh well--
(Just kidding, folks)
Tom [:P][:P]

[IRONROOSTER]

This is pretty common in steam locomotives because it's too expensive to develop separate models for each different road. But, frankly I don't see what the problem is. If you like UP and want a Hudson for it - why not? I see nothing wrong with tweaking history a bit to include locomotives or cars in your favorite road. I remember several years ago when Walthers came out with steam locomotive decals for Conrail - some people were outraged beyond belief, even though Walthers clearly advertised it as something different.

There is certainly nothing wrong with staying strictly to history if that's what you enjoy, but it's up to you know what that is and to decide how strictly to adhere it.

Personally, if I ever find a camelback in S scale, I am going to have one for the Ma&Pa even though they never did own one.

Enjoy
Paul

[Billba]

I bought a Mehano mikado decorated in SP Daylight colors just because I liked the color scheme. The companies will make what sells. The more they produce, the lower the price gets over time. The economies of scale can even apply in hobbies.

[dinwitty]

call it a manufacturers way of "freelancing"

IHC is inexpensive, like what Rivarrossi is/was,
but they have deep flanges, their stuff looks good, but there is that quality crimp
I;m sure they will run great, but I am beyond that style. IE compare Rivarrossi 2-8-4 vs LifeLike.
You know what I will buy and willing to pay a little more.

[Anonymous]

because a lot of modelers still don't care, if it's in their road name they buy it, modelers who do know their roads roster avoid the fakes, some will complain it's wrong but, know your equipment when you make your next purchase.