I knew of that Randolph too, but I thought the one involved in the panty raid was more colourful, and would contribute to this thread in a finer way…
The one from the flicks, I’d forgotten about, just to prove he was a forgettable charactor, for me, anyhow…!!!
Fred Mills said:
I knew of that Randolph too, but I thought the one involved in the panty raid was more colourful, and would contribute to this thread in a finer way.....The one from the flicks, I’d forgotten about, just to prove he was a forgettable charactor, for me, anyhow…!!!
He also played Sergeant York, who single handedly captured of killed nearly 200 Germans in WW I.
Yes, Bruce…I just sold all but one each of my ANS, 1:20.3 cars to Doug, as it is far too delicate for practical use out of doors.
The ones I’m keeping are for display use only…
Just storing the stuff seems to damage it. Keeping it in the shipping boxes is asking for parts to get knocked off.
The B’mann stuff is the same…
All of it is beautiful rolling stock; but the level of detail has got to the point of being impracticle for any type of operating use. Just handling the stuff causes breakage. How can you store it without handling it. Keeping it on the rails out of doors is not wise, and the trackage needed indoors would be more than the average person would have for any type of fun operation outoutdoors, with the number of cars you would require.
Indoors, is not practicle unless you own a barn or some such building.
The display I hope for will include a Connie, one each of all the cars and a B’mann van. I hope to have it protected from dust, as dusting the cars just asks for parts to fly off.
Well, I have two of the AMS boxcars: one lettered for the J&B, the other the Northland. One AMS gondola, one AMS tank car, and one Bachmann hopper. Oh, and an AMS caboose.
I think some of their parts are still laying on my right of way. You’re right, in that they are too delicate for my rough handling. I might be tempted by one of the new tank cars, but I’ll have to see it first. I find that I enjoy the building more than buying a ready-to-run.
That is my complaint about even the USAT stuff, the details keep falling off. I am forced to walk the tracks after each session just to pick up black plastic parts. No easy task when the ballast is GN dark gray/black basalt.
Then I have to try to figure out where the stuff came from and glue it back on…
Grrrrrrr!!!
Yes…USTrains stuff is slowly falling into the “Too delicate to operate” catigory…too bad, but the averge Twit has been demanding all this detail, and now has it, on the ground all along his track…!!!
Heck, if it ain’t too obvious, I just leave the part off. 
Bruce Chandler said:He's Dead Jim!
Whatever happened to Randolph Scott?
The Bruce Again said:"Whatever happened to Randolph Scott, riding the range alone? Whatever happened to Gene , and Rex, and Roy , and Tex, and the Durango Kid? Whatever happened to Randolph Scott his horse plain as could be...... Whatever happened to Randoph Scott has happened to the Industry......."
and the Randolph Scott reference was just because the title of the post reminded me of an old Statler Brothers song... which I happen to have, of course.
Fred -
The same things are happening in most every hobby.
I used to be active in Amateur Radio - Although I never built any transmitting equipment (most of the old-timers did) I built plenty of home brew accessories and antennas. Today, everyone wants instant gratification. Buy it ready made (and un-repairable I might add) and use it today.
My son Matt is active in the RC boat and car hobby. When I was into it 20 years ago you couldn’t buy RTR (Ready to Run) - everything was a kit. Today it’s hard to find kits. Because Matt showed some skill in building his own boat, the local hobby store hired him to work on the repair bench. Most everyone coming through the door is afraid of a screw driver - and forget a soldering iron :o
I blame the parents. I can see some of it in myself. When my older son was little I was working crazy hours and didn’t spend a lot of time with him sharing my skills. As a result he’s not very mechanical. Matt, on the other hand, grew up at a time when I was working from home 3 days a week. He learned about motors, cars, electronics and such from hanging out with me. Now he’s a know-it-all.
Us old farts need to show the youngins how it’s done and share the gratification of running something you built yourself. The reason we do it (make and/or fix our own stuff) is because the satisfaction that comes from seeing a project through is much better than the fading instant gratification of using an RTR product.
JR
Jon Radder said:
Fred -The same things are happening in most every hobby.
I used to be active in Amateur Radio - Although I never built any transmitting equipment (most of the old-timers did) I built plenty of home brew accessories and antennas. Today, everyone wants instant gratification. Buy it ready made (and un-repairable I might add) and use it today.
My son Matt is active in the RC boat and car hobby. When I was into it 20 years ago you couldn’t buy RTR (Ready to Run) - everything was a kit. Today it’s hard to find kits. Because Matt showed some skill in building his own boat, the local hobby store hired him to work on the repair bench. Most everyone coming through the door is afraid of a screw driver - and forget a soldering iron :o
I blame the parents. I can see some of it in myself. When my older son was little I was working crazy hours and didn’t spend a lot of time with him sharing my skills. As a result he’s not very mechanical. Matt, on the other hand, grew up at a time when I was working from home 3 days a week. He learned about motors, cars, electronics and such from hanging out with me. Now he’s a know-it-all.
Us old farts need to show the youngins how it’s done and share the gratification of running something you built yourself. The reason we do it (make and/or fix our own stuff) is because the satisfaction that comes from seeing a project through is much better than the fading instant gratification of using an RTR product.
JR
TOC
The industry is all in China…even Mexico is loosing out to the Chineese.
I even remember “Cowboy Bob”; even he moved to china to try to find a good horse…!!!..then there was Tom Mix…
Well, I haven’t given up on the younger generations…
My son showed absolutely no interest in things electrical or mechanical. Oh, I could occasionally bribe him to help me maintain our automobiles, or fix things around the house, but he showed no interest. He had no interest at all in model railroading.
Imagine my surprise when he joined the Navy and became a Close In Weapons Systems Fire Control Tech, maintaining the shipboard 6 barrel 25mm Gatling gun. He has to know electronics, radar, robotics, hydraulics, micro-miniature repair, and probably some other stuff that he would have to kill me before he could tell me… 
The day he made Second Class Petty Officer, he was pulled off Mess Duty, made work center supervisor, and fixed two problems with the guns that had everyone else stumped.
Yep, I’m a proud Papa. A surprised papa, but proud, none-the-less.
<The day he made Second Class Petty Officer, he was pulled off Mess Duty>
Whatsa PO2 doing on mess duty? That was for the newbies and boots: E2’s.
TOG
Shucks, the only time I ever did mess duty in the Air Force was when someone paid me. When I did that I was always assigned to the supply room. Passed out canned goods and cooking supplies plus all the roast beef sandwiches I could eat. That was in '62…$10 a day…
John Bouck said:
Whatsa PO2 doing on mess duty? That was for the newbies and boots: E2’s.
TOG
He will be a Chief, soon. I gotta loose some weight and get a haircut (I think I’ll get the one cut that is just behind the left ear :lol:) so I can put on my kackies to go to his initiation.
…loose SOME weight…:lol:
“He will be a Chief, soon.”
Give the new Chief a “Congrats” from an old Chief and thank him for his service. You should be one proud Papa.
In my case, since any tinkering I do has to be done on the credenza behind my desk… I do a lot less tinkering than I’d like. Ethan’s interested in R/C planes. I’d love to build one with/for him, but he’s 250 miles away. Our first experiment was not entirely successful.
Yup. Used to build R/C planes with balsa, epoxy, super glue and yellow wood glue, paint, engine, radio… Not now. Alas.
I started out that way in airplanes. My brother and I use to build them out of balsa covered with modeling tissue and doped. Back then (early 50s) we flew control line or free flight. My last plane was mostly basswood, light ply and mylar for a skin. It was R/C. Still have it in the garage though it’s not flown in 17 years.