American garden "railroads"
- Hancockshire
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American garden "railroads"
I see soooooooooooo many videos on youtube of American garden railroads and I can honestly say, why? The reason for that is they don't use live steam locos. Could this be because of money worries? Perhaps not, electric G-scale trains cost more than £500 a pop and many live-steam locos cost less like the mamod SL1 (or similer) and the roundhouse Millie, Bertie and (an American flavoured loco) Sammie. Also, I saw this video that was filmed at an American show and they were advertising a NEW power supply called BATTERY power that we've had for years. And also they've got the Accucraft Ruby which is an American based G-scale loco for less than £300. Can anyone put me out of my misery and tell me why.
- andysleigh
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dont know my self. But i cant stand the stuff.
All the plastic
the sounds
all the foreign stock, buildings, infact i dont know of any british stuff for LGB etc, but hey, just as well, i wouldnt like to see a nice british loco make from plastic going round lgb track.
32mm 16mm narrow gauge live steam- the one to rule them all
All the plastic
the sounds
all the foreign stock, buildings, infact i dont know of any british stuff for LGB etc, but hey, just as well, i wouldnt like to see a nice british loco make from plastic going round lgb track.
32mm 16mm narrow gauge live steam- the one to rule them all
I expect it may well be to do with the fact that the LGB electric range has plenty of US-outline stock availible. (Though they have recently released one "British" loco, the Corpet Louvet Cambrai - IIRC one was running on the G-scale society range at Stoneleigh.)
However, it must be pointed out that many people do prefer electric operation to live steam. It may be because they don't like having to spend time preparing the engines. It may be because they would rather be signalmen than drivers, running multiple trains or performing complex shunting operations, both of which are more difficult with live steam (especially if only one person is present). It may be that their line has an indoor section and the "domestic authorities" don't want live steamers leaking water and oil. It may be that the operators just aren't steam fans, and there aren't very many "live diesels" availible!*
The point is different people want different things from their garden railways. This also applies to different choices of scale/gauge, raised vs. ground level, Mamods vs. other engines, and many other things. So live and let live!
*Not that a diesel engine has life, IMHO...but each to their own.
However, it must be pointed out that many people do prefer electric operation to live steam. It may be because they don't like having to spend time preparing the engines. It may be because they would rather be signalmen than drivers, running multiple trains or performing complex shunting operations, both of which are more difficult with live steam (especially if only one person is present). It may be that their line has an indoor section and the "domestic authorities" don't want live steamers leaking water and oil. It may be that the operators just aren't steam fans, and there aren't very many "live diesels" availible!*
The point is different people want different things from their garden railways. This also applies to different choices of scale/gauge, raised vs. ground level, Mamods vs. other engines, and many other things. So live and let live!
*Not that a diesel engine has life, IMHO...but each to their own.
I'm sure I will be corrected on this but...
I believe that SM32 is a fairly recent addition to model railways, and although you can now get a few live steam locos much of the rolling stock and buildings are kits.
Go to ebay and do a search on SM32, and then do a search on g scale, you will see that there is far more stuff for sale for g scale (generally electric LGB type stuff). So I think they just got there first in terms of garden railway, and there is more available that you don't have to build yourself.
Personally I have enjoyed building a few buildings and painting a few people, but there are plenty that just want to buy the final product and get running.
I believe that SM32 is a fairly recent addition to model railways, and although you can now get a few live steam locos much of the rolling stock and buildings are kits.
Go to ebay and do a search on SM32, and then do a search on g scale, you will see that there is far more stuff for sale for g scale (generally electric LGB type stuff). So I think they just got there first in terms of garden railway, and there is more available that you don't have to build yourself.
Personally I have enjoyed building a few buildings and painting a few people, but there are plenty that just want to buy the final product and get running.
- MDLR
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If you consider 30-odd years to be "fairly recent" then yes. I'd agree there was very little R-T-R until Accucraft started doing their stuff, but now the range is getting ever bigger and we're actually getting to the stage where it's possible to buy a "train set" which can run straight out of the box.Chris wrote:I'm sure I will be corrected on this but...
I believe that SM32 is a fairly recent addition to model railways, and although you can now get a few live steam locos much of the rolling stock and buildings are kits.
However, in my view it's much more fun (and better value) to buy a selection of IP Engineering Eezee kits and build your own!
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It's purely taste, some people prefer big trains like that, I can see the attraction of G scale myself, it's like having a 00 layout where you can easily do lots of shunting, but on a larger scale. I just happen to prefer 16mm because I currently have enough time to build models of the sort of thing that goes past my front door.
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- andysleigh
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because mr t will shoot me with snickers bars if i dont like themSillyBilly wrote:It's purely taste, some people prefer big trains like that, I can see the attraction of G scale myself, it's like having a 00 layout where you can easily do lots of shunting, but on a larger scale. I just happen to prefer 16mm because I currently have enough time to build models of the sort of thing that goes past my front door.
Why do people like Snickers? I hate them, but you may like them.
lmaoandysleigh wrote:because mr t will shoot me with snickers bars if i dont like themSillyBilly wrote:It's purely taste, some people prefer big trains like that, I can see the attraction of G scale myself, it's like having a 00 layout where you can easily do lots of shunting, but on a larger scale. I just happen to prefer 16mm because I currently have enough time to build models of the sort of thing that goes past my front door.
Why do people like Snickers? I hate them, but you may like them.
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- Hancockshire
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MuzTrem wrote: It may be because they don't like having to spend time preparing the engines. It may be because they would rather be signalmen than drivers, running multiple trains or performing complex shunting operations[/size]
Yes but, preparing a loco is where most of the fun is because you somehow feel mentally connected to the miniature machine.
- Hancockshire
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track doesnt need to be cleaned for every single run at all, every couple of days is the norm (I used to run electric)Hancockshire wrote:Also, the track would need to be cleaned every single run, and they've solved the problem by using battery power but, because battery operation is new there, it's more expensive. It's just too confusing
what if you wanted to run an american mainline
mainline american livesteamers cost a bomb!
if I had the space that american lines need to look good I would run american electric.
A steam propelled life-style.
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- andysleigh
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- Hancockshire
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