Features - make the new purchase interesting.

[atom3624]

OK, two things have been obvious the last 18 months, and that is:

1. The competition has become pretty fierce the last 24 months.
2. Hornby is looking at adding the features.

I love these 'gimmicks' - I've always loved the working fans, which many dislike, to actually despise on the larger diesels.

I've been browsing YT a lot lately, and seem to be looking at a lot of O-gauge 3-rail American sites - some layouts would consume a 'normal' British house and then some!!

One I've just seen not only had 'firebox glow', but ashpan glow. Wouldn't this be a relatively easy thing to introduce, at least in comparison to some of the other features we're told to expect?

This is something which would certainly add to the realistic nature of a 'steamy' - and also assist in the reality of why many Heritage operators cannot operate in times of drought for risk of lineside fires.

I know, many of you will say, there's already too many, let's get the prices down a little, but I thought it may be of interest.

Al.

[LesXRN]

A feature I'd have liked would be corridor connection accessory packs, maybe made from very soft black foam type material.

The thing I'm most looking forward to though is my pre-ordered Black 5 & Scotsman with steam.

[Bulleidboy]

A feature I'd have liked would be corridor connection accessory packs, maybe made from very soft black foam type material.

 

 

@LesXRN - Corridor connections are available from third party suppliers - I have some somewhere, but have never fitted them.

 

 

[Yelrow]

Atom, hi, have you looked at MTD locos .i have 2 , both 00, DCC Prosound, sound includes Cab Chatter, expensive , but build quality excellent. Out of interest, sound works on DC, as well.

[Brew Man]

A feature I'd have liked would be corridor connection accessory packs, maybe made from very soft black foam type material.

@LesXRN - Corridor connections are available from third party suppliers - I have some somewhere, but have never fitted them.

I too have a bunch of bellows lying about and I too have not fitted them disappointed_relieved. One day I will though wink

 

 

[Fazy]

The more features you add the more cost, no way round it,

mind some of the high end American model are just amazing to look at. However they make Bachmann top range prices sound cheap. So it’s really down to customers what do you want bells and whistles or affordability.

[atom3624]

Hi Yelrow, yes, it was the MTH locomotives I believe, watching Eric's Trains I think. Another top level appears to be Lionel 'Vision' range.

Typical price seems to be around US$2k !!

Talking of bellows, I'm in the same club!! When I restarted collecting model railways perhaps 5-6 years ago, I purchased a load of these as well - never fitted!!

Al.

[81F]

I would really like a DCC operated slip coach and a working Dynamometer car that would transmit data to a PC.

[What About The Bee]

Hi Atom

Eric recently reviewed a "Big Boy Superset" in O gauge Vision Line. The list price of that set was $4499.99 or £3542. Just a wee bit more than Hornby Dublo.

Hi 81F

You wrote "Working Dynamometer" car with connection to a PC. Call me +1 on that.

1) Working load cell on the front of the car, so as to be able to measure applied tractive effort.

2) Working load cell of the rear of the car, so as to be able to measure the frictional drag of the consist.

3) Velocity via an encoded axle.

4) Accelerometer, single axis arranged longitudinally. Measure applied acceleration. Stephenson's Dynamometer intrigues me!

5) Bluetooth connectivity.

Yes, I am +1

Bee

[atom3624]

Hi WatB, I saw that Big Boy Superset - wow!!

Big in every way.

I can't get over how big the wheel flanges are, yet there's never a mention, just normal practice.

Al.

[What About The Bee]

For the benefit of those who wish to see Eric's review of the Big Boy Superset:

Just skip beyond Eric singing at the very beginning. A wonderful singing voice it is not.

Atom - Every scale involves some sort of compromise to make it work. Even 7¼" Live Steam has compromises. I am continually confronted by the OO Squish for our narrow track in my CAD designs. So I am not bothered by the size of the flanges for Lionel O scale models.

Unless one is to make life sized "models" to run on miles and miles of actual rail, there will always be a compromise.

At the locomotive manufacturing facility I worked at, there was an internal spur rail network, since the locomotives had to be moved about. Before delivery, the locomotives were test run on a 4 mile length of track. Straight out, along the mainline, straight back. Call it an end to end layout, with an interconnection to the mainline for delivery. That is as close as anyone could come to layout without compromise.

Bee