Is this a sad story?

L

lester perry

:( Yesterday my wife and I just took a ride, we occasionally do this, just loaf & stop where ever we desire. I stopped at a LHS a rather large one. They just happened to be having a 20% off everything sale. I purchased NOTHING. Last week I went to another LHS a new one just down the road from me, I purchased NOTHING. My wife seemingly puzzled asked me why I didn't buy anything yesterday, this never happens with me. I said didn't see anything I wanted. Should I see a doctor or something?
Les
 

eightyeightfan1

Now I'm AMP'd
One year..I went to the BigE Train show in Springfiled Mass, and came home with...NOTHING!.......No, It really happened!...Empty arms...Full wallet.....
Be lucky.....You could have the model railroaders disease"Everythingbutwhatiwenttogetitist"
Very contagious.....
 

interurban

Active Member
Lester, Lester. Lester, tut, tut, tut! :(

You are in deed ailing for something, You should take three modeling pills at night so you can dream about your empire then take three memory pills every hour untill you get to your LHS with wallet open.

That should do the trick. :thumb:
 
L

lester perry

shaygetz said:
...could be ready for some scratchbuildin'
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Tried some kit bashing / scratch building a couple months ago, enjoyed, satisfied, Yes. but still LHS problem.
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dsfraser

New Member
It's not your problem — it's their. I haven't bought anything but magazines, paint, and other building supplies from my LHS for almost a year. they don't have anything I want.

That's not to say that there aren't things I want! There are eight or ten locomotives I would buy in quantity if they were available, but they aren't. I would buy twenty or thirty sets of GMD steps if they were available, but they aren't. I'd buy a half-dozen full-length handrail sets for SWs, but no one makes them. I'd love to see some more Eastern or CCF or NSC rolling stock, but it's not out there. I'd dearly love to see some decent Canadian cabooses (vans), I need a dozen or more, but they ain't out there. Simply put, the manufacturers aren't scratching my itch, and I'm not going to buy stuff simply for the same of buying.

I may be a special case. I model Canadian railroads, which on the whole are very poorly served by US manufacturers. No surprise. We art the proverbial wart on the elefant's ass. But I can't help thinking that if Kato produced a decent model of a GMD-bullt CN SD40-2(W), which became quite common on US lines, they'd have two components (the GMD steps and the Comfort Cab) that could be incorporated into many other GMD-built GPs and SDs.

So I scratchbuild. I kitbash. I make my own resin parts. I buy from manufacturers who cater to my interests, and I ignore the rest, which is almost everything based on US prototypes. I'd like to give them my business, because it would save me time, but they don't produce the things I want, so we both lose out.

[rant]
Canada is bigger than the USA. Railroads have played a pivotal role in establishing my country, and are still very important to it's continued prosperity. Fairbanks-Morse locomotives were built here by CLC, and differed from their US counterparts. Alcos were built here by MLW, and differed from their US counterparts. EMD locomotives were built here by GMD, and differed from their US counterparts. It galls me to see model manufacturers take a US prototype and dress it up in a Canadian scheme, pretending it is accurate, when it doesn't even come close.

They're all guilty of this — Kato's so-called CP and BCR SD40-2s are UP locomotives in drag. Athearn/Horizon has recently announced a "BCRail" RS-3, based on the old MDC shell, which is accurate for only two of several hindred Canadian RS-3s (and the road numbers are wrong). Hobbycrap Canada took the Atlas RS-10, dressed it up and offered it as an MLW RS-11 and RS-18.

These things go for $200 a pop here, without sound and DCC. Sorry, but if you mnaufacturers are going to advertise it as a Canadian Locomotive, you'd better deliver the goods! And they don't. So I don't buy them anymore, unless I can get them for half price. then I'll buy them, knowing that I have to spend time and money fixing them, adding aftermarket parts, and repainting them.

The CN and the CP are two of the largest railroads on the continent. I am critical of US manufacturers who release so-called "Canadian" models that are nothing more than US models in drag. I am critical of Canadian modellers who settle for second-best. We deserve better, but as long as complacency rules, it will never happen.

There are far too many "train-drivers" in this hobby, and far too few "modellers". Harrumph!

So I don't buy much anymore, because I refuse to use my dollars to endorse mediocrity.
[/rant]

Cheers
Scott Fraser
Calgary, Alberta
 
This is truly a sad story Lester. I find myself on the other side, usually getting more than I planned to spend. Even when I don't see anything that strikes my fancy, I can always count on Woodland Scenics scenery products, especially since my LHS is over 30 miles away and I hate to waste a trip. If it helps, I will send you my shopping list to get you out of your funk!
 

cidchase

Active Member
There are far too many "train-drivers" in this hobby, and far too few "modellers". Harrumph!

Dang, Scott, did you get up to early, or stay up too late??? :D :D

Let's be consistent here! If you're really a "modeller", then scratchin'
and bashin' is what you're all about! So why complain that the mfg's
aren't doin' it for you? :confused: :confused:

Seriously, I do understand your upsetness; they could spend put forth
just a little more effort in research, but their economic fact is, they just
don't have to. 90% of us aren't concerned about those road-specific details,
7% know the difference but don't do anything about it (buy regardless),
2% modify to suit, and 1% can't read anyway :D :D
(Figures made up by Whackypedia)

I do what willie does, I like to go and look, even tho' I don't need anything;
but a package of LPB's usually comes home with me :thumb:
 

brakie

Active Member
Lester,No there isn't anything wrong with you..You see I have done that several times.
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
brakie said:
Lester,No there isn't anything wrong with you..You see I have done that several times.


Yep! Me too. Sometimes the availability of funds and items that appeal to me do not occur at the same time. Hey, this means you're a discriminating modeler! :thumb:
Ralph
 

Pitchwife

Dreamer
Lester, there is only one sure-fire cure for what ails you, go to ebay and search "model trains." Be forwarned though, the cure is extreemly addictive. :( I know, because I don't go there any more (OK, I TRY not to go there (too often) :rolleyes: ). You can then go to your LHS and tell them what you have been doing. Hopefully this will give them the impetus to bring in items that will get you to leave your money with them rather than on line. :D :D
 

toolman

New Member
Hi les, don't feel bad I have done it a number of times, gone to the model railroad shop and walked out with out buying anything, even used old issues of model railroader and model railroad craftman mags. I haven't touched my layout in about 6 months. I can run operations with my car system, I made up samples of different ballast and I want to make up more, to give a reason to go to the train shop and buy the various types of ballast. I have buildings to complete and detail, cars to weather. Last week I did buy something for my layout, I stopped off at an wal-mart and bought 3 of those 1/87 cars that are being sold. I am going to buy more, I hope this would break the ice.
 
L

lester perry

I still run trains almost every day. I am still working on scenery & some wireing. But no desire for new stuff.

Les
 

dsfraser

New Member
cidchase said:
Dang, Scott, did you get up to early, or stay up too late??? :D :D

Maybe a bit of both.

Let's be consistent here! If you're really a "modeller", then scratchin'
and bashin' is what you're all about! So why complain that the mfg's
aren't doin' it for you? :confused: :confused:

I said it was a rant, eh? It's also one of my pet peeves. Every GP and SD built in Canada by GMD, and there are lots of them, has steps that differ from those produced in the USA by EMD. Every model of a "Canadian" GP or SD offered has US-style steps. Decent locomotives go for $200 a pop here. Replacement steps tack another $25 on to that if you buy the brass ones, and they don't look that great (to me). It takes hours to scratchbuild new ones from fiddley bits of styrene, sixteen steps per locomotive, and I'm tired of having to rebuild them. The first few times it was modelling, and bearable, but now it's just tedious. I'd much rather not have to do it, and I figure that for what these things cost today, I shouldn't have to. At least not every time.

Heavy sigh.

Cheers
Scott Fraser
 

2slim

Member
Les,
I have had similar experiences at my LHS. I just use the money I would have spent there to pay down my CC balance so that when I do find something, (usually online) I can order it. I do buy magazines if they have content I'm interested in at the LHS. As far as paint and glue that can be hit or miss, last time I was in need of a bottle of boxcar red paint ended up ordering online as none of my LHS's had it.

2slim
 

cidchase

Active Member
I said it was a rant, eh? It's also one of my pet peeves.
:D

Honestly, Scott, I agree with you. :thumb: For the most part I can't tell the difference, but I do think it's pretty cheesy to slap on some red paint and a decal and call it good, especially when so many modellers can and do discriminate
between road details.

One of my pet peeves is the lack of an accurate floor (or any at all)
between loco and tender. Where's my LPFireman s'posed to stand??? :(
But I have several IHC's, and ya get what ya pay for, I guess. :sleeping:

Hey Lester, I went by Southbound Trains the other day, and came home
empty-handed!! (Of course, it was closed at the time. At least now I know
where it is!) :D
 
L

lester perry

The real trick is not to have a "Dog House" in the first place....
I like that but the real trick is to have a train in the dog house.
Les.
 

dsfraser

New Member
interurban said:
Where are you Located in this great Country of ours Scott Fraser?

I live in Calgary, Alberta, center of CP in the West, home of Trains & Such, the best hobby shop in Western Canada, and home to a million of the best people in the world.

Cheers
 
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