Large Scale Central

It's Official, Hell has Frozen Over!

General Discussion
#1

Hell has frozen over, the Fat Lady has Sung, the End is Nigh!!! :open_mouth: It must be… Today… my WIFE gots… wait… ready… are you sitting down… HER OWN TRAIN SET!!! :open_mouth: yep, she found a circus train set for sale on deep post xmas discount while shopping at work during lunch, at TJ Max of all places. I picked her up tonight cause she needed my car to pick up some large items she had bought and had on hold there. While there she told of it, I looked said it was a junker Keystone/BuddyL/Heritage set, but she asking me questions about other circus set, I told her about Bachmann’s and LGB’s, I even stopped at Allied Trains (she works on the west side) to show her some LGB stuff, but she freaked at the LGB prices and kept talking about it and talking about it and so on… I just said, you really want me to buy it dont you? So here’s my wifes set…

Now she wants me to start looking for animals and “circus folk” , be afraid, very afraid… :open_mouth: What the heck, she’s happy ! :smiley:

#2

Vic,

Be afraid alright! :lol: :lol:

If I’d be you, first thing I’d look for is a very large pickle barrel … because … oh man you’re in a pickle! :lol: :lol:

I can hear it: “Honey could you please fix this engine for me, it just doesn’t run right” :lol: :lol:

#3

Honey, will you paint it purple with pink pinstripes…:smiley:

If I were you…I’d be veeeeeery afraid…:stuck_out_tongue:

Oh, and turn down the radio…:wink:

#4

Vic,
if just running around in circles then it will be alright (until the demon gremlins attack - most maladies are fixable - except the sound if and when it fails)). If considering operation through switches then get your catcher’s mit out for you will be doing a lot of picking up. These things succumb to the forces of gravity repetitively.

#5

Yeah Tim, I know all about the quirks of these Buddy L/Heritage engines. I was able to tweek the one I had to run pretty good on the flat layout but it had issues on the test torture track I built for the planned over and under layout so I sold it.

Now I’m back to square one again. :wink:

At least I’ve already been thru the learning curve with this engine and know where to start with it. More tweeking, adding some weights, find some clowns for crew…

#6
Victor Smith said:
... find some clowns for crew...
Ummmmmmmmm ...
#7
Chris Vernell said:
Victor Smith said:
... find some clowns for crew...
Ummmmmmmmm ...
Chris, it's the shrinking that is the problem. :D :D
#8

Victor-
Since your posting, have you (wife) run the set?
Apparently, “Keystone” is another boxing of a Buddy L set – are the same foibles there?
What of the dollar value – you didn’t indicate what the cost was - TJ Max is definitely NOT in the train business.

As to Allied Trains, gulp, I considered the original (before the sale and relocation) simply a museum -a wonderful place to see products and appreciate those who have the funds to pay retail plus.

In short, is the “Keystone” a reasonable “starter set” for those who want to spend only X to find out the interest of a family member?

Thanks,
Wendell

#9

Hi Wendall
Nope havent run it yet, cant even run my own stuff till I can get the new layout wired up, but I would suspect it will have all of the shortcomings the Bloody L had with no improvements. Likely good for the Christmas tree, but unknown for outdoor use. i was able to get my Bloody L to work pretty well on my level outdoor layout, but it had issues with the grades I was planning for so I sold it. Once I can open the set, then we’ll see.

As for Allied, Give them a another chance, they are under “New Managment” in a smaller store next to the older one, so far only LGB for large scale, at full retail :frowning: I got some low priced used stuff thier last summer but its all gone now.

#10

Went to 3 differnet TJ’s to find this damn train… NONE , So next December I have to set a reminder to take my wife and 8 yr old to TJ Max, there’s no way she can tell him no, he loves circus trains… the plotting begins…

That smoke stack has got to go though, you had better bash that thing to be respectible cause you know she’s gonna ask you to run it on your layout for her friends!

#11

I just googled the Keystone Circus train set, This G Scale electric circus train set is a true collector’s item. Only 2500 were made! you better not bash it after all.

#12

The previous incarnation, Buddy L, was a limited edition of 1000, yet Trainworld darn near couldnt give them away…so I think it bashability is quite safe, besides its my wifes train, she likes the way it looks as is, so I tweek performance, but cant do anything much else to it.

#13
Victor Smith said:
The previous incarnation, Buddy L, was a limited edition of 1000, yet Trainworld darn near couldnt give them away...so I think it bashability is quite safe, besides its my wifes train, she likes the way it looks as is, so I tweek performance, but cant do anything much else to it.
I saw the thing at Winners, TJM's branch in Canada, before Christmas. $275, as I recall. Thought about it briefly -- She Who was interested. In the end, after looking fairly closely at the stuff in the box, I reckoned I could get a better set for less money, if I'm ever in the market for a set.
#14

Tell her it needs to be pulled by a real nice engine that you’ll buy!