Large Scale Central

Aristo to cancel all R and D?

General Discussion
#41

Ralph,

Looking at the shelves of my train storage cupboard I reckon I am an Aristo-Craft collector. I have 35 items of rolling stock (not including locos): none are shelf queens, they all get a run at some time during the week (weather permitting :))

Some, not all, of my 1:22.5 is now fitted with plastic wheels and stays in spurs but does not run. The metal wheels were worth almost as much as I would get selling the cars second hand. It was common, I understand, to see older type cars used for storage or MOW purposes.

#42
Mark V said:
I was under the impression the PCC was a fast sell-out no?
The second run of road names, plus at least two dealers having their own designs done, should point to reasonable sales I would think. The ECLSTS Show car is a PCC so you can judge for your self, if you can get to York MA, how they are going. I know there is some interest this side of the pond; but that does not include me. As far as I can see, this is a predominately a narrow gauge Forum, so it is not likely that very many Members have bought a 1:29 streetcar. Just my 2c.
#43
Alan Lott said:
Ralph,

I am an Aristo-Craft collector. I have 35 items of rolling stock (not including locos): none are shelf queens, they all get a run


Alan, You’re not a collector. A lot of people run Aristocraft trains. Some even run only Aristocraft.
A collector buys and doesn’t run. Most of the time they don’t even open the box. Collectors aquire for many reasons.
But most collectors look for items that will appreciate in value over time, even if they have no intention of selling.
Ralph

#44
Mark V said:
I was under the impression the PCC was a fast sell-out no?
Yes, Checking the Aristocraft online store, they show as sold out. So I am wrong about the PCC :)

So we have the Revo sold out, the PCC sold out, and loads of everything else sold out on the Aristocraft site.
It seems sales aren’t the problem. It may be, as HJ said, problems at the factories in China.
Ralph

#45
Ralph Berg said:
Alan, You're not a collector. Ralph
In deference to a guy who has a superb railroad Ralph I have to tell you that my wife would not agree! Admittedly I would not call myself a 'collector' in the strict sense of the word but I am frequently advised that 'you have enough trains already surely'. :)
#46
Alan Lott said:
I am frequently advised that 'you have enough trains already surely'. :)
Alan,

Count yourself among the fortunate…at least for the time being.

One day that “enough trains” may become “too many trains” :wink:
Ralph

#47

RE: the Aristo PCC trolley. I scrambled to buy a Boston MTA version when they were first released. I love the model…it is really well done. I do run it once in a while, but want to save it in that it is the trolley that stopped in front of my family’s store in Boston/ Green line.
Being new to the hobby, I am somewhat confused by the scale. It appears so much smaller relative to my other g scale locos/ even the Bachmann open air trolley.

#48

John,
We have models running from 1/20.3 to 1/32, all running the same track.
You’re PCC Trolley is 1/29.
The Bachmann Big Hauler line is somewhere around 1/22.5. The Bachmann Spectrum line is 1/20.3.
LGB is meter gauge, around 1/22.5.
MTH is 1/32.
Hartland Locomotive Works, Delton Trains and Kalamazoo trains are 1/24.

True standard gauge using our track would be 1/32. Three foot narrow gauge is 1/20.3
Confusing, for sure.
Ralph

#49

John;

To add to Ralph’s posting: The Bachmann and LGB trolleys are 1:22.5 scale. The Hartland Locomotive Works trolleys are 1:24 scale. Since the Aristo PCC trolley is 1:29 scale, it DOES tend to look a lot smaller beside the other trolleys which are currently on the market.

Regrettably, that was the deal breaker for me purchasing a PCC. Currently all my traction equipment is by HLW and at 1:24 scale. (I don’t count the rack locomotive, as it does not run in the street.) The PCC would have looked like a dwarf beside the other traction equipment - just the opposite of things in the real world.

Yours,
David Meashey

#50

Ah, PCC’s on the green line :slight_smile: I spent two years in Kenmore Square in the early 70’s. Rode on many a green line PCC. Coming into Haymarket Square (I think it was Haymarket) was somewhat like a Wild Mouse ride going through that sharp curve at speed.

#51
Ralph Berg said:
Alan Lott said:
I am frequently advised that 'you have enough trains already surely'. :)
Alan, Count yourself among the fortunate......................at least for the time being. One day that "enough trains" may become "too many trains" ;) Ralph
Ah yes ... unless it's something that pertains to a certain imaginary island off the coast of Barrow in Furness, in which case she wants me to get it ... then it's back to "too many" ... I put it down to changes in the phases of the moon :P
#52
Alan Lott said:
I am frequently advised that 'you have enough trains already surely'. :)
Very odd. You'd think they'd have got it by now; it's a simple enough concept: "There's never enough trains."

What makes it so difficult for them to understand? :confused:

#53

So…I am curious, why would Aristo produce such a popular model in 1/29 scale and not more like most of the others in 1/22-24?

#54

I’m guessing because all the “G-scale” they produce now is in 1:29.

#55
john papadonis said:
So...I am curious, why would Aristo produce such a popular model in 1/29 scale and not more like most of the others in 1/22-24?
John:

Most current production of large scale models of standard gauge trains is being done in 1:29 scale. Examples include Aristocraft, USA Trains and AML (the 1:29 scale arm of Accucraft). One manufacturer (MTH) builds in 1:32 scale.

Few commercial model trains are being built in 1:24 or 1:22.5, and that number is decreasing every year. As an example, Aristocraft practically abandoned their 1:24 lines in the last year, and the USA 1:24 stuff has been out of production for several years now.

Bachmann and Marklin (LGB) are about the only large manufacturers still working in 1:22.5 scale, and even those are really limited, with Bachmann only producing one type of engine, some toy-like open trolleys and a few cars, and Marklin working in what is commonly termed ‘gummi’ scale. The Bachmann 1:22 models have been in production for many years with some incremental improvements, but nothing really new, and Marklin’s Gummi scale trains are actually somewhere between 1:22 and 1:29, with little adherence to one scale across all products. And of course there is Hartland. They produce a very limited line of nominally 1:24 models, but they tend to be toy-like and have low adherence to scale fidelity.

Bottom line is that “. . . most of the others . . .” are actually 1:29 scale, with few in 1:22 and 1:24 scale. The PCC car is a solid addition to that scale.

Happy (Accurate Scale Model) RRing,

Jerry

#56

IF G gauge had started in the USA, then 1:29th scale would be the currect scale and the track would have been done ,RIGHT.

#57
Marty Cozad said:
IF G gauge had started in the USA, then 1:29th scale would be the currect scale and the track would have been done ,,RIGHT.
Sorry Marty :P If G-scale had started in the US, it would be 1/24th scale with the correct track. And your Diesels would be really impressive :D Twice the size of O scale and lot's of matching Die Cast ;) Ralph
#58

Not to mention lots of correctly scaled Dolls house figures and accessories.

#59

The more 1:24 is discussed, the more obvious that it would have been the best scale for large scale. Dual gauge trackage at 1:24 scale to model both the C&S and DRGW roads during their slow conversion to standard gauge. 1:24 scale narrow gauge models large enough for outdoor layouts, yet small enough for indoor layouts. 1:24 being the logical progression of double that of the O scale ratio of 1:48.

The only possible negative is the standard gauge models might have been too large.

Norman

#60

Which is why the rest of the World adheres to the correct 1:32 scale for mainline prototype.
Which of course is double S scale.