Bored with steam

Sat Feb 23 23:02:05 EST 2019

 Ken: I used to think I had to scratchbuild because I couldn't afford brass. Then I found out I could do custom work for others, charge reasonable fees, save my money, and buy brass, with less labor than I would have used to scratchbuild. But that was before brass got so expensive. And I can't believe what plastic costs now - even cars! So now I am back to kitbashing (and "bottom feeding" on ebay for things to bash) I also bought engines that would be good starting points, such as a Bachmann C&O H4 as a starting point for a Z1a. But I still haven't done the first one. But I have accumulated a lot of starting material. Maybe someday! But for us kitbashers, there is a lot more N&W appropriate material than there used to be, particularly tenders.
Jim Nichols
    On Saturday, February 23, 2019, 5:43:15 PM CST, NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:  

   On 2/22/2019 9:56 AM, NW Modeling List via NW-Modeling-List wrote:

Sometimes the manufacturers are just missing the point.

I may catch some flack for this, but so be it. In my opinion, I think it's much more accurate to say that sometimes model railroaders are missing the point!

I'm more of a Southern Ry. modeler, but I've always had a love for steam of all sorts, and my chosen prototype had enough ties with the N&W that I need some N&W steam as well. Add to that the fact that I go by the back side of VMT several times a week (one of the perks of being an engineer at NS!), and I'm firmly in the camp that wants a better variety of small N&W steam.

If you think the situation is bad with N&W steam, it's even worse for Southern. If it's not a USRA prototype, you can't get it unless you buy brass. There has never been an accurate Southern Ry. specific steam locomotive made in plastic, or any kit form. Since I know a bit about the subject, and since I know a few people who know a little bit about such things, I looked into the possibility of manufacturing a limited run of accurate SRR locomotives. There's one specific prototype which, like the M, gets brought up every single time people start clamoring for an accurate SRR locomotive. If you're going to make a go of it, that's the prototype to chose. We ran the numbers. Then we ran the  numbers by the people who said they wanted a model. They laughed at us. "You could just but a brass model for that price!" Very true. But that's what it would cost to manufacture and distribute, without even giving a thought to profit.

The sad reality is that the number of people who would actually put their money where their mouth is simply does not justify the expense of manufacturing an accurate steam locomotive model for a relatively small (compared to PRR, UP, SP, ATSF) regional railroad which has an very small active group of steam modelers. Realistically, if somebody were to make an accurate M class in HO scale, they'd probably sell less than 100 of them. Even if they could keep production costs down to $100,000 for the entire run (which I doubt), they'd have to sell the models for $1,000 apiece just to break even. To get them into the more reasonable $250 range, and to turn a profit, they'd probably have to sell closer to 1,000 locomotives. Do you really think there are enough people out there with cash in hand ready to buy 1,000 HO scale Ms? I don't.

Now, I'd love for somebody to prove me wrong, but in my experience dealing with this subject over the years, it's a case of "I want XYZ, and somebody should make it!" But then somebody tries, and they go broke because everybody's XYZ is slightly different, and "For that price, it ought to be exactly what *I* want!"

My advice for those who really want an accurate XYZ and don't want to buy brass for whatever reason is to scratchbuild it. And yes, I've taken that advice. I'm one of relatively few active modelers today who have heavily kitbashed and scratchbult steam. You'll learn very quickly (or very slowly, depending on how fast you work!) why these things cost what they do. For me, it's the only way to get the models I want, and I enjoy the process and the challenges. But it does limit what I'm able to have, because I can easily spend a year on a single locomotive.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's reality as I've come to see it.

Ken Rickman

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Kenneth Rickman
Salisbury, NC ________________________________________
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