Page 8 - May June 1998

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A couple on their own would be lost among a more mundane roster. Barry says even his “normal” cars that have been fitted with improved grabs and other details, don’t really show up much in the general hodge-podge of rolling stock.
So, what should our attitude be to great- ly improved RTR offerings at a substan- tially higher price? It’s a little like the brass loco argument. Most modellers, in steam outline certainly, aspire to brass locos - one or two among a fleet of less- er types? Or an all-brass roster, but using less locos than would be afford- able with a plastic or diecast fleet? There are certainly many examples of brass being collected rather than used but, where they do form the mainstay of a working roster, what do you put behind them? After all, Athearn and MDC freight cars aren’t that bad but behind a £300 custom-finished Berkshire they are a bit outclassed. (And of course, Kadee car aside, there have always been brass freight and passenger cars too.)
So where does the Kadee car fit into the hierarchy of things? I would place it with the modeller whose locos and cabooses have always been given greater atten- tion to detail, brass or not. That mod- eller will often have taken either a base RTR car or a decent kit and lavished some time and money on it, maybe fit- ting etched roofwalks, better trucks, grabs and steps. By the time you do this you start to approach the cost of the Kadee car, the latter having the advan- tage of being right in the first place. (Rod Welch and I came across just this situation some years back when we were altering and detailing die-cast Mantua Pacifics - it was fun, but often no more economic than a second-hand brass bargain - and whatever you did to it, it would never be brass.)
Finally, established American-outline modellers with sizeable collections should consider the position of the per- son who, though maybe a newcomer to our corner of the hobby, is already a serious and skilled modeller. They have the benefit of starting from scratch, and that is a great time to build up a state- of-the-art collection. It might take longer, due to economics, and in some cases even due to assembly time, but I certainly wish I’d started my 1970’s N scale days like that. Instead, from the readily-available products of the time, I accumulated a collection that was 15% good stuff, 35% usable with varying degrees of blood, sweat and tears, and 50% junk!
Red Cards at Rainhill...
Steve Park advises that some members entering the Rainhill Meet were verbally
bers (now lapsed). Can any- body help with the current whereabouts of Shaun Waite (previously at Photographic Section, Cyprus Engineering Unit, RAF Akrotiri, BFPO 57, and/or John Mayne, 105
Grasmere Way, Linsdale, Leighton Buzzard, BUCKS. LU7 7QL.
The BOD would be grateful for any infor- mation about these persons.
Lost at Rainhill...
At the April Rainhill meet, Roderick Welch left behind a box containing a Metroliner car and two H&M panel con- trollers.
If anyone took them home, please contact Rod on 01452 830962.
The South East Division...
...reports increasing interest with a record of 24 attendees at a March meet in Three Bridges. Friendly relations have been established with Crawley MRC, with exchange visits under way. An invi- tation was received to run modules at the Erith club show in Jan 1999, so “cor- ner” construction is under way. More quick-assembly module kits were ready for sale to prospective module builders, complete with screws, hinges etc, and pre-drilled to aid those who might be carpentarily-disadvantaged!
Anyone needing details to join the merry band should phone Peter Wilson on 01892 750122.
Bill Hutchings...
...phoned to say he has seen “Liquid Nails”, a product often mentioned in Model Railroader, on sale in the UK now, in the DIY chain “Great Mills”. It seems this is a useful material in various modelling projects.
Tom Ingrams...
...needs dimensional data from proto- type sources, regarding the roadbed construction, loading gauge etc. for the NYC and the big Western road.
Contact on 0181 850 8868.
NWSL’s newsletter...
...stated they had great trouble now get- ting decent and economic motors from Sagami’s new management. They tried an American manufacturer and were quoted a deal that would result in each motor costing the modeller $240! However, another (so far un-named) Far Eastern maker is coming on line with good quality motors for them.
Is Kadee’s boxcar too good?
An interesting point was raised by Barry Bennett in the Midwest Central’s newsletter, connected with a review of the new Kadee boxcar. He asks, “Is this car too good, and consequently too expensive, to be of use as a ‘fleet car’?”
Ken O’Shea...
...will be presenting “O scale modular” at the Ulverston meet and would like to ask for volunteers prepared to help with dismantling at the end of the meeting (he also thanks those kind enough to help last year). He asks why few O scalers north of the River Parret seem interested in joining in the modular scene. Surely making a module is no harder than building a layout?
Ken feels that over the years he has seen some brilliant O scale modellers, both inside and outside NMRA, only to find them fade away due to lack of help. He says, “My main reason for joining the O scale modular group was to have the company of other O scale ‘Modullars’. So all you unsociable O scalers, come and join us!”
Potential helpers and allies please contact Ken on 01752-491536
Trams to Dartford...
Does anyone have, or know of, an exhibitable TRAM layout that could go to a show at Dartford, Kent to be held on 30/31 January 1999?
If so, please contact Tom Ingrams on 0181 850 8868.
Further to exhibiting...
Is any reader working in Proto 87 in American outline? If so, and you have anything that can be exhibited (e.g. rolling stock, laid trackage, diorama etc.) and would like to push the American/NMRA cause at “Scaleforum” in September...
Please contact Keith Webb on 01494 528973.
Steve Park...
...reminds members that goods ordered from NMRA HQ attract import taxes from Customs & Excise in exactly the same way as hobby shop goods. We have no special dispensations in that regard, and Customs are very well versed in what we all get up to! Expect added costs on parcels exceeding about £18 in value. Some may well get through unnoticed, but that is just luck due to volume of traffic.
Library...
The Region has been having trouble get- ting the return of certain Library books and videos loaned out to two ex-mem-
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ROUNDHOUSE