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Post by edlloyd on Apr 10, 2024 21:51:58 GMT
I think we have reached a point in model trains that is at the end of the road. There really isn't anything left to do to a train anymore. No new bells and whistles. Everything is done in my opinion. I don't know what the makers can do with their new stuff other than raise the prices more and more. I for one used to like all the smoke and bells and whistles but pretty much anymore I am just as happy to find a quality old train. The whistle is still nice but I can live without all the smoke. The smoke units seem to be just another thing that goes bad. Is it me or do you guys feel the same way? Maybe it is just my taste in features is changing. I really just want a good looking train to run without breaking and be reliable. As more and more of the trains today need repair it is going to be harder and harder to find someone to fix them. Or it will get really expensive to repair them. What do you think?
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Post by Joe Saggese on Apr 10, 2024 22:02:21 GMT
I like older trains. I just turned 62 so the smoke, bells, and whistles annoy me now  |
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Post by runamuckchuck on Apr 10, 2024 22:37:21 GMT
I think we have reached a point in model trains that is at the end of the road. There really isn't anything left to do to a train anymore. No new bells and whistles. Everything is done in my opinion. I don't know what the makers can do with their new stuff other than raise the prices more and more. I for one used to like all the smoke and bells and whistles but pretty much anymore I am just as happy to find a quality old train. The whistle is still nice but I can live without all the smoke. The smoke units seem to be just another thing that goes bad. Is it me or do you guys feel the same way? Maybe it is just my taste in features is changing. I really just want a good looking train to run without breaking and be reliable. As more and more of the trains today need repair it is going to be harder and harder to find someone to fix them. Or it will get really expensive to repair them. What do you think? Since the majority of new motive items seem to be retreads of engines both steam and diesel previously available from one importer or another; the main sales pitch is either different road names, better tooling (both of which are fine by me), and new operating features/software. Open or view on line any catalog and you see it on mostly the higher end items, the you have got to get the new upgrade path version sales pitch now with blah blah blah. The more sophisticated/complicated the engine the more things there are that can go wrong with them. And you are correct, with fewer and fewer servicing dealers it is more difficult to have things repaired regardless if under warranty or not. I have nothing against the razzle dazzle of the latest next big thing such as real wheel slippage on the upcoming TriPlex, however it darn well better work and that goes for the rest of the engine capabilities as well. Simpler if not better has fewer things that can go wrong. Wind up trains anyone?
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Post by Traindiesel! on Apr 10, 2024 22:43:57 GMT
Hmmm, I don’t know of anything that doesn’t get more expensive as time goes on.
I’ll be 67 this summer and I love all the bells and whistles! Especially the steaming whistle and cylinders and the swinging bells! I don’t know what else could be added as I’m not a product engineer but if they make it and I like it I might buy it.
Back in the early 1980s I almost switched to N or HO scale or gave up the hobby altogether because I was getting bored with post war/MPC O gauge trains. Then command control arrived in O gauge and it reignited my passion. Plus the closer to prototype engines and rolling stock from K-Line and MTH had me all in.
Im sure there is a chip to be inserted in our heads to operate the trains on the horizon. I wonder if I’ll still be around to see that! Not sure if I’d invest in that technology though. 
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Post by steveoncattailcreek on Apr 10, 2024 22:47:53 GMT
Mmm, well, I'm still fascinated by what can be done to add realism to our 'toy trains'. So far, I've avoided diving down the modern command control rabbit hole -- not ruling it out somewhere down the road, but for now I'm focusing on trying instead to teach old toys new tricks. So far, most of my efforts have been in the mode of attempting to replicate the effect of venerable tech, like my version of the Marx "Twin Trains" set, but at some point I hope to try my hand at some DIY animation, etc. Stay tuned . . .
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Post by Adam on Apr 10, 2024 22:59:23 GMT
I am sure there are new ideas out there. One thought is how could we interface differently with our trains. How could virtual reality, which is becoming more and more capable, become part of our model train experience? How could we feel more like we are part of our miniature worlds?
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Post by firewood on Apr 10, 2024 23:25:58 GMT
The gimmicks are the gimmicks I guess - they don’t interest me as my mechanic’s brain only sees additional complexity to cause trouble down the road. That said, I run modern O gauge conventionally and shop the secondary market - probably a contradiction, hah! I’m just glad I was able to get my Williams locomotives when I did.
I don’t know how far I’ll be able to go with my non-digital operation. We’ll see I guess. I watch and listen to my HO scale friends programming and talking about DCC, JMRI and whatever the latest acronym is - it doesn’t spark my curiosity at all. I’m starting to fall down tinplate rabbit-holes and other non-high tech stuff, but so far my O Gauge adventure has been the best bang for the buck. Building, operating and modeling using the KISS principle is my thing, not so much the technology.
Dave
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Post by firewood on Apr 11, 2024 0:17:09 GMT
I am sure there are new ideas out there. One thought is how could we interface differently with our trains. How could virtual reality, which is becoming more and more capable, become part of our model train experience? How could we feel more like we are part of our miniature worlds? Railroad-style operation is one way to do it. It doesn’t have to be complicated - switching a few cars with the drawing-pin couplers using a skewer to uncouple can be quite satisfying. I’m aware of a few English layouts decades ago that ran clockwork tinplate to timetables! Fast clocks and dedicated dispatchers are a serious way to do it, but we don’t have to go that far. The famous John Allen’s Timesaver layout or an “Inglenook” switching puzzle are different ways to get some operating interest. You can have your best passenger set doing loops while you figure how to get that car at the end of the siding out. (All very low-technology!) See this link for ideas: www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/index.html Dave Attachments:
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Post by runamuckchuck on Apr 11, 2024 1:11:33 GMT
I am sure there are new ideas out there. One thought is how could we interface differently with our trains. How could virtual reality, which is becoming more and more capable, become part of our model train experience? How could we feel more like we are part of our miniature worlds? Adam, who needs AI when you have imagination? Many of us are way ahead of whatever AI could offer and it's free. Just ask Willie Wonka!
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Post by Adam on Apr 11, 2024 1:28:38 GMT
I am sure there are new ideas out there. One thought is how could we interface differently with our trains. How could virtual reality, which is becoming more and more capable, become part of our model train experience? How could we feel more like we are part of our miniature worlds? Adam, who needs AI when you have imagination? Many of us are way ahead of whatever AI could offer and it's free. Just ask Willie Wonka! I don’t disagree. I was just responding to where else the manufacturers could go with technology in our hobby. I’d rather stick with the basics myself. |
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Post by edlloyd on Apr 11, 2024 1:47:34 GMT
The gimmicks are the gimmicks I guess - they don’t interest me as my mechanic’s brain only sees additional complexity to cause trouble down the road. That said, I run modern O gauge conventionally and shop the secondary market - probably a contradiction, hah! I’m just glad I was able to get my Williams locomotives when I did. I don’t know how far I’ll be able to go with my non-digital operation. We’ll see I guess. I watch and listen to my HO scale friends programming and talking about DCC, JMRI and whatever the latest acronym is - it doesn’t spark my curiosity at all. I’m starting to fall down tinplate rabbit-holes and other non-high tech stuff, but so far my O Gauge adventure has been the best bang for the buck. Building, operating and modeling using the KISS principle is my thing, not so much the technology. Dave I have just entered into the tinplate rabbit hole. Only time will tell how it turns out. lol. I will be posting my first set on my YouTube channel later this weekend. Stay tuned.
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Post by edlloyd on Apr 11, 2024 1:49:38 GMT
I like older trains. I just turned 62 so the smoke, bells, and whistles annoy me now For me the smoke, bells, and whistles are nice the first 5 minutes. After that I'm done. That's what is nice about watching train videos. lol.
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Post by azdutch on Apr 11, 2024 5:44:06 GMT
They could figure out a way to make the smoke black, perhaps.
There is a lot of room for innovation in signals. Does anyone make a scale semaphore or crossing gate? I'm sure there are a lot of other accessories that have not been done in accurate, scale versions.
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Post by superwarp1 on Apr 11, 2024 11:46:33 GMT
Trains that respond to voice commands, bet that's coming and with the demise of the remote for the smart devise it would be easier than ever. Sound, while Lionel's sounds are the best there is so much room for improvement. Scale remote couplers, still holding out hope for that one.
So much that can be done we haven't even thought of yet.
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Post by Country Joe on Apr 11, 2024 14:24:39 GMT
I like older trains. I just turned 62 so the smoke, bells, and whistles annoy me now For me the smoke, bells, and whistles are nice the first 5 minutes. After that I'm done. That's what is nice about watching train videos. lol.
My only beef with post-war engines is their lack of good speed control. They seem to run fast or faster. I prefer to run trains in the 20 to 40 scale miles per hour range.
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