I would really like to see a section for what we want in as far as models whether it is locomotives, details, buildings, track, layouts, etc. For excample I need load tiedowns for flatcar loads. If Kadee can make such fine coulpers it should be no sweat to make working tiedowns.
Where on this site can I submit a question and hope it gets published in MR?
See the “Contact the Magazine” section at:
http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=contact&id=28
Mark
You could glue string to flat car loads to simulate tiedowns. most if not all freight cars have metal weights under the floors. recessing a magnet in the bottom of the load will hold it in place.
We want… …a shrubbery.
If you look on the Walthers web site in the Super Detailing section, you can find most anything, probably including what you are looking for.
Hi!
I believe there is some merit to “Banjo’s” idea. I suspect we all have our “wants and needs” when it comes to the Hobby. That’s made pretty clear when someone posts a “what car/loco/structure do you want manufactured?” question, as evidenced by the replies.
It would be nice if there was a special section for that, broken down into sub categories of type & scale. Who knows, maybe the manufacturers would give it a look see periodically and address the most popular requests! Ok, I’m dreaming here, so I’ll get back to the real world.
But seriously, I often wonder how the Athearns, Proto, Atlas, Cornerstone, BLIs, Bachmanns of the world determine what they will offer next!
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
For many years MR’s more-or-less annual lists of what hobbyists were looking for tended, in part, to direct the manufactuers. I recall particularly the years of requests for the DL-109 and the HH600/660, which eventually came to fruition. But this was as a result of undoubtedly hundreds upon hundreds of requests spread over many years. I very much doubt a simple thread here with some small number of requests for diverse items would have any impact whatever on what the manufacturers might make…especially since it seems to be the manufacturers that are choosing what they want to make nowadays, rather than heeding hobbyists’ requests.
CNJ831
It would be nice to have a section of the forum set up as “wish list”. It would be a convenient place for us to post our various ideas, and for manufacturers to take a quick pulse on what the market (or at least the slice of it that we represent) is looking for.
As for working tie downs, I think Ben’s pointed out yet another area where modeling and operating tend to be at odds with each other. Us operators like to have removable loads to simulate the car actually hauling something from point A to point B, then returning empty to point A when the job is done.
Gluing in the string, or otherwise permanently attaching the load to the car prevents that from working. I work in N scale, so I can overlook some details, but tiedowns are pretty obvious. One way I’ve gotten around it is to build a skid under the load, and extend some of the skid out to the edge of the car where a tie down would be attached.
Then I glue the tie downs to the skid, making it more a part of the load, and not attached to the car at all. It’s a little bit of slight of hand, but it works, at least in N scale. HO and up you probably need to be a little more creative.
Lee