http://www.americanmainline.com/
It appears that AML no longer will be offering live steam models…or at the very least, they have no current models available. I find this surprising since the 0-6-0 was such a great running model. Apparently sales disagreed.
Maybe they could be consolidating all the future live steam models back under the Accucraft banner. That would allow the AML brand to focus on modern electric only trains like the GP60. That would make things less confusing.
Shows that those who model in standard gauge live-steam prefer the more usual and correct Gauge 1 scale of 1/32nd.
tac
Ottawa & Gleep Valley RR
If you go to their stock tab they still list the live steam but as pre order. That tells me they are still producing them. I would think they would say discontinued or something.
Shawn (napkin builder) Viggiano said:
If you go to their stock tab they still list the live steam but as pre order. That tells me they are still producing them. I would think they would say discontinued or something.
I wish they were producing them. It seems that 1/29th is mostly a ‘modern era’ railroading environment. The K4 didn’t sell that well, and I heard they had very few orders for the Dreyfuss Hudson.
What annoys me is they don’t cancel the plan when there are few orders. I waited 4 years for EBT #12 because they couldn’t get 25 pre-orders. The money for the Hudson is in the bank collecting dust, and could be used to buy some other loco if they would just either set a date or kill the plan.
I personally know of at least four people here in UK who would have bought the Dreyfuss Hudson - IF it had been in the correct scale of 1/32nd to match all the other 1/32nd scale live-steamers they already had.
And that is out of an audience of only around twenty-five fellow Gauge 1-ers…there ARE around three thousand of us here in UK and elsewhere, like Canada and USA, who prefer the correct scale/track ratio.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Apart from the keen operators who have been inculcated since birth for 1:32nd scale mainline models, there is a sizeable collectors market for top end (as in expensive) models specifically for display.
They simply will not buy them UNLESS they are the proper scale. All collectors of fine scale models, no matter what scale they collect in, prefer the correct scale for the gauge. Out of scale models simply have no appreciating (or even holding) value.
Yes, I know Aster early on made some (slightly) out of scale models, but when they did that is all that was readily available for operators and they were mostly Japanese prototype.
Tony has it right on both counts - the collectors want models that fit with their pre-existing collection scale. This for the most part, will be 1/32nd, since prior to the arrival of Mr Polk and his ‘wow-factor’ scale, large scale standard-gauge models tended to conform to the Gauge 1 standard scale of 1/32nd.
However, in recent years, there seesm to have been a major shift toward 10mm to the foot scale here in UK - something that has been taken on board by an increasing number of modellers and suppliers - TenMille is just one such brand. The various Barratts make their kits in both scales, as does Keith Cousins.
As for the odd-scale Aster models - namley 1/30th-isg, well that is easy to explicate - Japanese Railways run on Cape Gauge track - 3ft 6in - and are therefore ‘scaled’ accordingly. The wonderfully impressive C-62 ‘Hudson’-style locomotive in 1/32nd scale looks VERY small indeed by comparison with even a K4, as, of course, it is in reality. In fact, it reminds you of the kind of loco you might see running on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch railway, rather than the mighty little loco that it really is. There is also the pressing matter of the track - Cape Gauge is only around 33mm in 1/32nd scale…almost the same as 0 gauge…clearly such a little loco would need its own track.
It would also, cough cough, look less impressive than a corresponding Western model of the same kind of locomotive - say, the CPR Royal Hudson. And THAT would never do to the face-saving Japanese railway-modeller.
In Japan, only the Shinkansen runs on what the rest of the world calls standard gauge - 4ft 8.5in.
tac
Participant Principale - Fedération Amicales des Ballons Gonflables et Dirigibles Sauvetages de Mont Flarpe
tac Foley said:
I personally know of at least four people here in UK who would have bought the Dreyfuss Hudson - IF it had been in the correct scale of 1/32nd to match all the other 1/32nd scale live-steamers they already had.
And that is out of an audience of only around twenty-five fellow Gauge 1-ers…there ARE around three thousand of us here in UK and elsewhere, like Canada and USA, who prefer the correct scale/track ratio.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Tac,
No argument that 1/32nd scale will attract more live steam folk than 1/29th. When the Dreyfuss Hudson was announced, the 1/32nd crew were promised an alcohol fired Hudson of their own - but when the ‘future’ list was published again (it comes and goes off their website) recently, it had a non-streamlined J1e in 1/32nd. I note it isn’t on the website today (but anSP pacific P-8 and a northern MT-4 are? Why are they being developed before the 1/32nd Hudson?)
As someone said, you might as well ignore what Accucraft says they plan to produce, and wait and see what actually arrives!
IF they made the loco that Aster SHOULD have done, either ATSF #3751 or the SP&S #700 - BOTH running in excursion service - instead of the stuffed and mounted GN S2, they’d be doing many folks a real favour, IMO [of course].
Me, I’m waiting for my CPR-style cars to arrive…but not holding my breathments.
tac
Président - Association Amicable pour le Récherche pour encourager la préservation des Habitations Inconnus de la Grenouille Grenoblaise Monopédale [AAREPHIGGM]
I think there is far too much “reading into” what is showing or not showing on the site at the moment.
I’d ask Fred or Cliff directly before guessing.
Right now it’s clear that AML is embarking into diesel for the first time, and this is the main focus to getting the GP60 out, and, if successful, closely followed by an SD9.
The work involved to do this is much longer term and higher investment than a live steam, when you think about the investment in molds and brand new power trains.
Greg
I just received a B&O 0-4-0 with slope back tender. A great looking locomotive.
I have the H0 Rivarossi model - since 1967, in fact. It has the number 96 on the cabside, does yours ,too?
VERY tempted, me, I have to admit - the thing is just so cute.
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
Mine has 99 on it. If I knew how to post images on this forum I would post a pic.
robert fritch said:
Mine has 99 on it. If I knew how to post images on this forum I would post a pic.
Robert,
You have to store the photo online, then the rest is easy. Go to the last Forum (“testing”) where you will find lots of threads of people experimenting and asking for help!
Greg Elmassian said:
I think there is far too much “reading into” what is showing or not showing on the site at the moment.
I’d ask Fred or Cliff directly before guessing.
Right now it’s clear that AML is embarking into diesel for the first time, and this is the main focus to getting the GP60 out, and, if successful, closely followed by an SD9.
The work involved to do this is much longer term and higher investment than a live steam, when you think about the investment in molds and brand new power trains.
Greg
On the site at the moment there are NO live steam locos. From various conversations, it seems there is little demand for 1/29th live steam.
Pete Thornton said:
robert fritch said:
Mine has 99 on it. If I knew how to post images on this forum I would post a pic.
Robert,
You have to store the photo online, then the rest is easy. Go to the last Forum (“testing”) where you will find lots of threads of people experimenting and asking for help!
That’s what I thought. I like to do all of my photo management via my own storage. I’ll need to look into it. Thanks.
Aristo did two 1/29 live steam engines. Not sure how well they sold. My Mikado runs fine, some do and some don’t, it seems.