I just noticed on the Bachmann Facebook page a photo of a largescale Peter Witt Street car. If it’s anything like my HO models it will be a winner! I would post a picture, but I can’t copy-paste with Android in the forums like I can in the chat area.
Here’s the page from the Bachmann announcement…
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/sparkyjoe/_forumfiles/Witt-streetcar.jpg)
Do you suppose there is enough interest in another street car to warrant this?
All the other manufacturer’s make one.
Thanks Joe!
John, I think this will only help the Aristo PCC. i could see having one of each, but I sure wish the other trolley irems were in 1:29 as well. maybe this will encourage some new business in 1:29 traction? I can see an increase in indoor traction layouts in G scale as a result. it makes sense because the majority of 1:29 equipment is getting bigger, but basements are only so large
John Bouck said:
Do you suppose there is enough interest in another street car to warrant this? All the other manufacturer’s make one.
I was wondering the same thing John…Then again, I don’t see a lot of them showing up on ebay cheap so someone must be buying/keeping them. What amazes me is the number of desired prototypes that no one makes that would sell like hot-cakes. Why waste your R&D on projects already produced by someone else? Why not go for the un-served market?
Case in point…1/29 cylindrical hoppers.
Or how about the modern railrunner rapid transit DMU’s?
“how about the modern railrunner rapid transit DMU’s”
Did any of those get sold ? Never seen one out east !
Southern New Jersey uses them. They used to scoot past Pavonia Yard in Camden NJ when I was working out there.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Gtw_riverline.JPG/300px-Gtw_riverline.JPG
(http://www.newsworks.org/images/stories/flexicontent/l_ap03050502595x600.jpg)
I have never understood the decision making process to chose an engine or piece of rolling stock. Many times I think they put different pictures on a dart board and throw.
Terry
Not sure either. Well maybe Bachmann is going into streetcar/interurban so people can justify tight radius curves with relatively big equipment.
Who knows.
The street car is cool. Just not my thing.
My railroad couldn’t support a full-size streetcar so I “bashed” a full-sized one and powered it with an Eggliner motor.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/doug_arnold/_forumfiles/Fairplex.JPG)
There are a couple of things. One, it’s 1:29, which the real questions we need to ask is, why 1:29, and why now, since they’ve never done any 1:29 (on purpose).
Next is, they’re not “standard gauge”.
While three ostensibly are, one is absolutely not…ever.
LARy was from inception to demise 3’6" gauge.
Dart board may be closer than you think…and apparently an “in house” research, most likely centered around asking associated “experts”.
TOC
I’ll be curious to see if they offer the drive brick seperately.
…in case anyone is interested; the Toronto “Street car system”, or now, everyone is calling it “Light Rail”; is not 4’8 and one half inches…it is slightly narrower by a bit…I forget what that bit is…so, it could be called Narrow Gauge…
I mention this because B’man is producing one in Toronto “TTC” lettering and colour…
Along with a few others, this first offering gives an opportunity for gross speculation on future offerings in LS.
The whole market is closing down, it seems, with a lot of the problem starting in China. By looking about at all the speculation; one has to wonder why any manufacturer would even contemplate spending anything on new product. Would any existing giant, like Kader, even bother buying another line… A lot of hazing of Aristo goes on, but you won’t see anything from USTrains either, from what I hear…the only new product Mr. Ro has offered in the last six months is the giant auto carriers, that won’t even fit on the average outdoor pike. USTrains has never corrected the splitting gear problem, besides charging for a new axle with gear for about $5 pluss shipping…I have a bunch of split gear axles here in a bag, waiting for some brass tubing, to do a fix, that others can’t be bothered with.
Does anyone haze “Good old Charlie”…not very likely, but then Charlie, when approached by a question, just smiles, and smiles…never makes a comment.
The whole LS market has been overrun with giant locos, giant cars, and too many small pikes that can’t run them…and some clown still wants to produce a GG1, as if it is needed.
It seems that with these street cars, we’ll see a bunch of people running them roundy-roundy, with the trolley poles reaching for the invisible wire…just like the already produced GG1’s of the past…
Real old, true Model Railroaders of the past; would have welcomed the opportunity to run a trolley system, with that overhead wire, actually working…and would be cheering the new B’mann offering, to run with the Aristo PCC’s, and the other great models of traction, and Interurbans…but the latest crop just run them round and round, or back and forth, as animation in their garden, with pretty little churches and multitudes of little figures, to impress their collector friends…right out of the box.
But…they do purchase them, so I guess, that as long as they are having fun, they are supporting the few manufacturers in this slowly dying LS segment of the hobby of Model Railroading.
There are still a great number of Outdoor Model Railroaders, with good sized fleets of rolling stock, in the old and almost never talked about, 1:22.5 scale. We are not part of the newer and more “In” group of “Exact Scale” out-of-the-box model railroaders. Most of us have as much as we need, so are not a market to interest any manufacturer these days.
But…these same manufacturers with old moulds in that scale, could, at a rather low cost, produce a few additions, to try to pick up a modest income. How about an RPO from B’mann to compliment the old J&S Coaches, Baggage and Combines…I’d be good for two… I still have a few box car kits that I do a bit of work on, and get ready, during the long Winter months, for the Spring.
Others could possibly find that some of the stuff that is not being produced any longer, would be of interest…how about putting out "Pre-Production lists…prepay…to prove that you will purchase…(I wonder why Aristo hasn’t done this with the Ore Cars…they might sell like hot cakes (Or…upside down cup cakes)…Anything has to be better than the reworked old Lionel/USTrains offering, or the crap ore cars from Piko (Ex MDC)…too bad that the old LGB ore cars aren’t being produced at a price that the average non-collector could afford…they were the best of the lot…as far as ore cars go.
The B’mann “Wood” ore cars are great, but they are not for the SG, semi-modern modeller, and I don’t see them in production any longer.
…just some thoughts, without meaning to bash, or haze anyone…I hope there are a bunch of good people out there, still enjoying the hobby, and sharing with friends…
Fr.Fred
A well reasoned thread from Fr. Fred.
Living on the eastern side of the Atlantic I often feel that many only see things from a North American perspective.
Bachmann sells well in other countries besides the USA: the UK is an important part of their portfolio. Generally speaking our back yards, over here are small, but somehow I feel that there must be many Stateside railroaders who also have small areas in which to build their layout. These type of cars fit well into small areas and can often be accommodated indoors or in a basement. Some wonder how Bachmann decides what to produce. I believe it is sales in their other scales (and they sell far more in other scales than large) which are a pointer to their production decisions.
I am sure that most folks new to the hobby start in one particular vein but, as time passes and they get more experienced and knowledgeable, extend into other areas of the hobby.
It is often said, although I am glad I never purchased one, that a starter set is the way to get into the hobby. It seems to me that these type of cars fit well into that category.
Fred… you seem curious, or cannot understand why Aristo gets “hazed” and USAT does not.
Mainly because USAT never denies that there is a split axle problem. Charles Jr. or Sr. NEVER says that they NEVER have problems. They never cry that they cannot ship product because they don’t have money.
And they don’t do it PUBLICLY.
So, if you tell the truth and don’t spin things into unbelievable rationalizations you don’t get hazed. Isn’t that the credo for how people are treated and perceived in life?
I can provide tons of links online on the Internet to Aristo “spin”… Try to get that “on” USAT.
All brands have things to improve, but NOT ALL brands deny virtually any negative issue with their products.
Greg
Greg; my son…just read what I wrote…“Charlie when approached with a problem…grins, and grins, and walks away…” never says a word…quite a difference from other people who are said to open their mouths, and put their feet, way in too deep…constantly…
Sometimes trying to appease the masses, causes more trouble than saying little…
Communication with customers, is an art…and not often mastered by the well meaning…
Case in point…the PR disaster of the president of the MM&A railroad, just recently, even a few years after he won a reward of being “Railroader of The Year” (He has finally been muffled…!!)
Human beings often make great mistakes, but dragging them through the mud, time after time, only makes some people feel good for a short time…maybe it’s time to move on and hope for something more positive to dwell on…
…maybe it’s time I shut up too…!!!
Fr.Fred