What does everyone have against lifelike?

[rayw46]

This is a rather strange thread; why does everyone hate Lifelike?  It's like the old joke, "This guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, 'Doc, everybody hates me.' the Doctor says, 'Don't be silly, you haven't met everyone yet.'"  I haven't, and have no intention, of reading 5 pages of complaints and some compliments by a very small percentage of the model railroad buying public because personally, I've never met a Lifelike I didn't like...life.  Whatever.

Ray

[Geared Steam]

This is a rather strange thread; why does everyone hate Lifelike?  It's like the old joke, "This guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, 'Doc, everybody hates me.' the Doctor says, 'Don't be silly, you haven't met everyone yet.'"  I haven't, and have no intention, of reading 5 pages of complaints and some compliments by a very small percentage of the model railroad buying public because personally, I've never met a Lifelike I didn't like...life.  Whatever.

Ray

...and is why this post died 2 years ago, but was "re-born" by someone yesterday reading really old posts.

[rayw46]

This is a rather strange thread; why does everyone hate Lifelike?  It's like the old joke, "This guy goes to a psychiatrist and says, 'Doc, everybody hates me.' the Doctor says, 'Don't be silly, you haven't met everyone yet.'"  I haven't, and have no intention, of reading 5 pages of complaints and some compliments by a very small percentage of the model railroad buying public because personally, I've never met a Lifelike I didn't like...life.  Whatever.

Ray

...and is why this post died 2 years ago, but was "re-born" by someone yesterday reading really old posts.

That's what I get for not reading dates and all the posts (which I seldom do with these multi-page monsters where all the answers are going to be, for the most part, the same).  Check out the first post at the top of the page and the quilty party shall be revealed.  Wait a minute, I'm posting too; I guess we're all guilty on this page.

Ray

[Don Gibson]

I CAN'T SPEAK FOR "EVERYONE", but their 'Entry' into the market were 'Proto 2000 'GP'-20 /GP-30 engines.

They copied Athearn's BB chassis - using a better motor, directional diode lighting, more detail, better paint, and 'non horn-hook plastic 'knuckle' couplers.

 - MAYBE you should ask Athearn?

Those of us with minor skills, replaced the couplers with Kadees, and axle gears with better plastic.

[wjstix]

I think the point really is, why spend $30 on a Life-Like toy-grade engine that in a few years you're going to embarassed by, when for not much more you could pick up a decent engine from say Atlas Trainman, that you'll be running someday for your grandkids??

[SteamFreak]

Old threads never die...

[Tjsingle]

   Life Like Proto series are great, but the normal cheap line, is poorly put together, one motor for most locomotive and the paint sometimes fades.

[emdgp92]

I have a pair of HO scale LL engines (well, P2K really) and they run great. Both (a GP7 and an E8) weren't all that expensive, considering that Kato and Atlas were *much* more than the $50-60 I paid for them.

When LL came out with their BL2 all those years ago, and I noticed the massive price increase, my reaction was "are you *bleeping* kidding me?" Up until then, they were well-known for selling inexpensive engines and somewhat-crude structure kits. In fact, I still had that bias until I got the previously-mentioned engines. Changed my thinking overnight :)

That's not to say that LL stuff doesn't have its uses. Many times, after the cars are repainted, fitted with metal wheels/Kadees, etc. they actually work very well. They're also great for trying out new techniques or materials. Why screw up a prized creation?