Mike,
KISS in Germany has another wrinkle, there’s a deadline for the pre-order at a reduced price. 
oops–double post
John Bouck said:
I’m sorry, but that think is sitting way too high above the gearbox. A brakeman would have to jump 6 feet just to get to the running boards, and that’s a 1/29 brakeman! Sure there were a few steamies that had a lot of daylight between the boiler and running gear, but that one is ridiculous.
B&O E-27 class:
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/_forumfiles/consol2.jpg)
(http://www.aristocraft.com/temp/consolidation.jpg)
Hard to argue with that. I think they pretty much nailed it I’ve been hesitant because of the four blind center drivers. I’d want to know if it has the pulling power of the regular Mikado, because on my layout I’d probably replace the Mikado with the Consol
So let me see if I get this straight:
We’re supposed to pre-order an engine based on concept.
We’ll need to prepay when we preorder, so that the number of pre-orders has some kind of informational value, and not just a “ja-ja good idea” vote.
Then we wait until they’re good and ready, and take what we eventually get because we already paid for it… whether or not it resembles its concept art, engineering sample, “preproduction prototype” … and regardless of how it runs. At least we don’t have to worry about review samples anymore; the money will have long since changed hands, or it won’t exist to be reviewed. And the company doesn’t have to worry about quality, compatibility, or functionality; the important part, where the money changes hands has already happened.
And, if a promised project doesn’t happen at all, it’s our fault for not being willing to throw cash at vaporware.
No thanks. Gawd, I hope Lee Riley doesn’t read this.
If I’m gonna have to lay out cash at the beginning, I want to be part of the process. Kind of like Accucraft’s program where if a particular number of people are willing to buy something, they’ll build it … and even on a priority timetable … but you get to tell them what you want. You know, like a gearbox that actually works, and wiring that makes sense for what I do … instead of prepaying for a nebulous somethingorother, and having a bunch of stuff I wouldn’t have paid for if I 'd known rammed down my throat “for the good of the hobby.” Even on the current program it’s hard to know what you’re getting … on this program who speaks for the concerns of the people actually paying for the thing??
Matthew (OV)
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Mike,KISS in Germany has another wrinkle, there’s a deadline for the pre-order at a reduced price.
Hans-Joerg, same for Accucraft, including Accucraft DE, but not Accucraft UK. Best wishes, Zubi
The first instance of “pre-order” at Aristo came when we asked Lewis where the heck the new streamliner run was: the ones advertised on the back cover of Garden Railroader.
We waited a year after the ad.
Then only the Santa Fe set was made. When people complained, Lewis said he already made them. When it was brought to his attention that only one roadname was made, he finally admitted that he was not going to make the others, because they had not received “enough preorders”…
Never heard that from Aristo before, no disclaimer on the GR ad: “hey guys only fooling”…
Now, the excuse for the consolidation is he needs preorders for the consolidation…
unbelievable… now, if you try to hold him to his statement: he needs 10% interest… that will probably change too…
All of this is on the Aristo site… (for now, until they realize how all this looks)…
I really wish they would say: OK, we don’t have the money to make anything right now…
Talk to the “beta testers” who did not get their 3rd “free” receiver because they ran out because they gave them all to the “beta testers”…
It’s just becoming a credibility problem.
Regards, Greg
Terry A de C Foley said:Zubi said:What new Aster narrow gauge steamer might that be, old floon?
Aaah....... Terry, this sounds like a legitimate support for a decent project, but this year I devote my pocket money to support Aster's new narrow gauge steamer;-))) Such a chance may not happen again!! Best wishes from ZubiBest from Flatland
tac
www.ovgrs.org
Terry, That is just me, daydreaming… as usual;-))))), Zubi
Greg. Becoming???
Mike, the lack of flanges won’t affect tractive effort. So long as the drive train is equalized, the drivers will touch the rails and provide power. If it’s not, then only the drivers that do make contact with the rails will. Assuming this is same type of motor block as is on the mikado, I’d imagine it would have similar pulling capacity.
Having said that, prototypical or not, that boiler sits high over the drivers, and I suspect that will be something of a turn-off for some. Flipping through Model Railroader’s “Locomotive Cyclopedia,” there are plenty of 2-8-0s whose boilers sit lower to the drivers. One has to wonder if Lewis has gotten some bad vibes based on his choice of prototype, and is looking for an “out.” Who knows? Personally, even with the possible bad vibes, I think it’s got enough going for it to where I’d push forward with the project. It definitely fills a much-needed niche. Like Vic, I’d be very tempted if I wasn’t so “narrow minded” at this point.
Later,
K
I bleeve the intention was to make a ‘universally popular’ model, after all, apart from the USA, the loco was used all over Europe post-war as part of the rebuilding of the shattered european railroad infrastructure - as I pointed out, they even ended up here in UK, where we have the smallest loading ague of ALL European countries.
AFAIAA, there are at least six, maybe seven, still running here in England on various preservation lines around the country. That alone would make it a popular model over here, notwithstanding the rather odd 1/29th scale as far as the die-hard Gauge 1-ers are concerned.
Do a search for US Army transportation consolidations and you’ll see what I mean…I’m off for a day’s target shooting, me.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
PS - my pal Dzhon just called me to say that the Google Earth street-map camera car is beebling around the next village!!!
<<Having said that, prototypical or not, that boiler sits high over the drivers, and I suspect that will be something of a turn-off for some.>>
I thot I was alone! Thanks, K.
No one but a B&O fan would like that model.
I’m torn, actually. I’d prefer something along the lines of Huntington & Broad Top #38, since it ran one valley over from the EBT–and later, right behind my house in upstate NY. (Alas, it left before I moved there, though I have a photo somewhere.) On the other hand, Great Granddad was a brakeman at the B&O’s Locust Point yards, where I’d bet this loco would have been a familiar sight. There’s a very big part of me that wants to get one just to properly paint and letter as homage–maybe even (dare I say) leave it track power to bring to train shows.
The other thing to remember is that models take on a different appearance once they’re painted. A proper coat of paint may very well visually tie the boiler to the drivers better. It definitely fills a much-needed niche in the market, and I hope it does quite well.
Later,
K
I also think it’s very high–I was just pointing out that A: they didn’t just re-use their existing molds, and B: they did model it very close to an existing prototype.
Kevin that makes sense about the drivers–thanks
Lewis has made a new post explaining what he meant and locking the thread
I like it…I think. The boiler height does look a tad silly, but this has been pointed out as clearly correct. I would strongly consider a purchase as it is a size that would work very well for me. But I must see it “in color” before I choose to buy. I was looking to buy LGB’s last offering in steam but sadly that never materialized, this looks like it might be a good substitute.
I applaud Aristo’s efforts in bringing something new to the market.
It is nice they are considering something that two or three others are not selling already.
I would agree they have done a nice job.
Ralph
Well, nothing until next year, the Consolidation, the PCC, the smoothsides, the rest of the streamliners, the 0-4-0 live steamers, the live steam rogers… I could go on, but my fingers are tired.
These are not expensive 1 in 100 locos of museum quality hand soldered together of brass… these are injection molded inexpensive locos… using the same drive train and electrics…
I don’t have to pre-order an Athearn F unit… but Lewis says that’s the way all HO is… I must be wrong.
Gimme another cup of that Kool Aid…
Greg
Good thing it’s a prototype model.
IF the tender is correct, the back of the cab roof is too high on the model.
Counterweights on #3 driver WAY wrong.
Firebox, front lower corner, nowhere near to correct.
Ashpan?
What IS that big rectangular piece between the bottom of the boiler and the frame just behind the cylinders?
Cylinders too high off the rail (probably need to be for front truck swing on R-1), and, compared to the real thing, whatever is that bracing under the cab and behind the #4 driver?
Hopefully piping will be corrected in the production unit.
All-in-all, not too bad for a styrene mock-up.
Not a prototype, lewis says:
“The product shown at the York Show is the final version from the molds. These are test shots, not hand built models and the molds are made already. What you see is what you’re going to get.”
Regards, Greg
Is it just me, or is the cross head above center on the driving wheels?
Steve Featherkile said:Steve, It seems to be...;-))) Well, this of course will not matter, unless they try to relase it as a live steamer!!;-))))), Good luck, Zubi
Is it just me, or is the cross head above center on the driving wheels?