Tom,
I don't say you are wrong. No, I like the way you're doing things because
you have a lot of fun and at last that's what counts. I think there will be
always a basic line, at least to introduce newcomers to a companies other
products. When we take Bachmann, they could not have just the Spectrum line
alone. But where would they be without a Spectrum 2-8-0 ? Way behind. They
continued with their USRA Mountain, Rivarossi released it's superb 2-6-6-6,
Lifelike came up with a 2-8-8-2 that was called "the best plastic steam
locomotive so far" and Trix did the Big Boy. Other firms will have to
answer. And you are right - Mantua is out of the match, par example. I think
the marked will change, if it already hasn't. If we Burlington guys ever get
our stuff done? The recent super sellers where always good for many
different prototype roads. A Burlington design would maybe problematic in
that way. Time (and N-scale) will tell .....
Have a good time downstairs!
Florian Griessenboeck
> I agree there is nothing wrong with raising the standard, I could
> easily afford 3 or 4 engines of High Tech quality if I wanted to by buying
> from discount houses, but the thing what concerns me is that if the push
is
> so strong in this direction than the companies are going to start dropping
> their basic line and only cater to the protitypical modeler, and fine
tuning
> everything to be prototypically correct on all engines which would
> completely call for entire retooling of mold and dies then the cost will
go
> even higher, that is why we call it modeling, to start with something
basic
> and try to make it better, all modelers are serious in one respect or the
> other, such as the airplanes I do, my cousin does the same and don't care
> about wing seams showing he is more concerned with the thinning of the
paint
> not to hide the details, I'm the opposite, I fill and sand wing seams, I
> think everyone has their nitches, so hopefully one can find common ground
> and build from there, but I just don't want the hobby to get to the point
of
> everything being so fine tuned that the average guy can't keep up with it
> anymore. I agree with the point that modeling is more affordable than
allot
> of other hobbies because we still have options, I just hope we can keep it
> that way. Tom
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