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Subject: 
Re: YOU be the designer
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Tue, 27 Apr 1999 16:17:37 GMT
Viewed: 
1807 times
  
On Mon, 26 Apr 1999 19:27:13 GMT, Larry Pieniazek <lar@voyager.net> wrote:

Here's a thought experiment.

Suppose you wanted to design a train set that would be good for drawing
**USA** newcomers into trains. What would you put in it?  How much would
you target it costing? Realise that the pricing/profit has to be about
the same margins as we have now, no fair saying "I think a 6 car
Metroliner like set at 49.95 would be great", because that's too easy.

Hmmm.  I'm not a trainhead by any stretch, so let's see what I come up
with.

I envision an Old West train, done right.[1]  It would not have to be
prototypical, but the more prototypical it is, the better.  I'll describe a
configuration, I hope I don't make anyone cringe too badly.  The train
should have a black steam engine, green/brown passenger car, green/brown
freight/mail car and a red caboose (well, maybe the caboose could be
green/brown as well).  A small black coal tender would be good, but
probably beyond budget.  There should be good detailing, possibly some
exaggeration of features, such as an over-large smokestack (inverted cone,
of course).

For the cars, the brown elements should evoke finely finished wood
components, with a rich natural finish.  The green should be used for
painted components--the roof, the frame.

Engine required elements:
- open-back engineer's station
- large, spoked wheels
- piston rods on wheels (could these connect two sets of wheels, what with
  the wheelsets having to be free to turn?)
- cowcatcher
- bell
- inverted-cone smokestack
- 6x24 wagon plate for the base.  At least enough length for two
  independent wheelsets.

Passenger car elements:
- Large windows (well, duh)
- 6x20 footprint.
- at least 4 rows of bench seating (bench=2 seats side-by-side)
- front and rear entry platforms
- Removeable roof

Freight & Mail car would include:
- Stowage compartments along one side, passage on other
- Clerk's desk in back
- mail bags
- 6x20 footprint
- removeable roof

Caboose elements (I'm running out of steam here):
- Cupola
- table & chairs
- 6x16 base
- removable roof

The set would also include:

- 16 curved tracks, to make a circle.
- 4 straight tracks
- Speed regulator

I *think* this could be done at TLG's typical piece count & price level for
the train sets.

Suppose you wanted to design it to pull mainstream model railroaders in?
Would you change the design any?

Yes the design would change to grab mainstream model railroaders--it would
have to be fully prototypical.  Both in individual car design, and in the
train configuration.

Now suppose you have an 8 set budget which you can spend any way you
want (starter sets, accessory packs, buildings, etc). What sets would
you put in it?

What if it was a 20 set budget?

Let me get back to you on these.

Steve

1 - The 3225 is OK, but the engine and cars are too small.  They say to me
"toy train!" (as in a plastic toy for a two-year-old to push around the
floor), but they don't have the "cuteness" factor that should go with these
types of toys.

2 - You know, the more I look at 3225, the more I think "Someone did a
really great job designing a beautiful small train in red and black, and
then the corporate marketing hacks 'improved' it, probably dropping one or
more cars, and adding those awful tipper and flat cars."



Message is in Reply To:
  YOU be the designer
 
Here's a thought experiment. Suppose you wanted to design a train set that would be good for drawing **USA** newcomers into trains. What would you put in it? How much would you target it costing? Realise that the pricing/profit has to be about the (...) (26 years ago, 26-Apr-99, to lugnet.trains)

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