I thought this would be a good topic on what your spending habbits are like.
I was looking through the adds in GRYs mag . I was looking at the 1:32 scale products coming out and remembered that I had always wanted a U.P. Big Boy.
And the price for one did not look bad.
But I know when I was at the ECLSTS I walk by the MTH booth some many times and even smiled at the guy but never stopped and looked and even thought of buying any of their products simple because they look smaller than my 1:29 scale.
Now I ask myself? …Self , does scale really matter?
I don’t care how far apart the rails are , or how large the rails or wheel flanges are; most photos I talk about the proportion of how things look to make it realistic or not.
Again, does scale matter?
Personally I want a tool that works and works well. Thus I support Aristo Craft because those engines ,PULL. I work my trains.
So if i do buy a Big Boy I want it to pull better than most of my good engines.
Even the price of USAT Big boy is high, but if it pulls, and runs great is that worth the price tag?
See where I’m coming from.
Even if a MTH dash 8 looks good , does it pull?
I personally hate the photos in the adds, but thats just me. It turns me off from a toy like photo.
I don’t like 1:24th people , but have had to settle for 1:32 because of cost and I just have a hard time putting money into ,people. ( plastic ones that is) [Wink]
Now my buildings are 1:29 because they are all scratch built. Thats because I’m cheap.
My bridges are what ever looks good and in proportion with the engines simply because I’m going after what I want and something that will hold up . I have almost 75 ft of bridges on the RR which meant alot of dirt work to make each one fit the scene that its in.
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? [Smile]
Disclaimer: I may change my views without notice to don’t hate me for them.
Since some think I have an obsession with scale (in LS it is 1:22.5), yes, it really matters to me!
I’ve modeled the RhB in HOm for long enough to be used to good (as in accurate) scale products. If others think it’s close enough when there are three or four different scales in the same LS product, fine. Just don’t try to convince me that it is a model of the prototype!
I avoid scales, they tell me I’m fat and that bums me out!
Scale is realitive to whatever looks good and works good and only YOU can answer that. If a visiting MTH Challenger has ever been run on your layout, did it pull a string of heavyweights or 1/29 freight cars? did it look good? the BB will only look better as its larger. I cant help more that to offer that thought.
The only challenger that I saw run on its home RR . Had troubles with the tender staying on the track and the LGB computer system was having troubles because of dirty rail and no one else could run it because you had to know how his settings was.
They spent more time bending over it than running it.
HERETIC!!! Say ye not evil against LGB! 'Tis a perfect being, always running and always right, yea verily shall always be it the solution to the ills of the garden![swg][(-D]
Ok, back to scale. Marty, if you like it, buy it! I also like Aristo and USAT becuse those engines DO pull, and DO work great. I have yet to have any trouble with them. Sure, they don’t look quite scale when pulling B’mann cars, but who says they always have to? Surely you can modify your operation scheme to exclude certain rolling stock. I found that if you run the “non-scale” cars to the rear of the train, it’s not very noticable that the engine in smaller/ larger than the cars. It comes down to what makes you happy. Personaly, if I had a UP big boy, I would be very happy indeed, and certainly find a way to run it!
Hey Marty,
My concern has always been will it be WORTH the money??? If it does not run well then it is a waste to me. I run both Standard and Narrow gauge outdoors with 1/24 buildings. Puts me in the middle of things. So for me Scale is really not a big issue. Buy what you like and like what you buy! Later eh…Brian.
The only scale I care about is the one I weigh myself with.
As for not knowing weather or not the locomotive runs well; that’s what product reviews are for. It would be nice to FINALY see one of these locos reviewed in GR.
Scale is important to me, only due to wanting a dual gauge representation side by side. If I was where I am now 1 year or more ago I would be bashing a 1:29n3 mogul instead because it would simply get me there easier but still look right.
Ask Mth if they’ll bring one out for a long train drag or a rotary plow test this winter[:D] I’m sure they would love the photo opp on getting away from those toy train looking photo’s[;)]