 | | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Ben, Actually, Ben I agree with you. The ramblings below attempt to clarify my earlier statements. Just call me Chris; it feels weird to be called Mr. Masi. I didn't get my point accross well. Mindstorms was a success because it is a very cool (...) (25 years ago, 23-Jun-98, to lugnet.trains)
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| | LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Hello fellow railroad buffs, I just thought I'd share a little story with you that occurred to me today. Earlier today I went to a model train hobby shop to look for some decals to add to my recently completed EMD GP15-1 union pacific diesel (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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John Warren wrote in message ... (...) engine. (...) in (...) While (...) into (...) the (...) five (...) models (...) have (...) Wouldn't it be nice if a store like the Great Train Store carried the complete LEGO train line? The store is staffed (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) I recently had the opportunity to recommend a Lego train set. An older couple I know stopped by ealier this week wanting me to advise them on buying a model train for 7 of their grandchildren (siblings, age range 3 yo twin boys to 13 yo). They (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Mike Walsh wrote in message ... (...) all (...) played (...) While I was at the train show last weekend, I spent some time talking to a friend from church who also works at the store. I need to pay a visit there sometime, armed with pictures. I (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) I believe this story well illustrates the first of three attitude problems that LEGO trains face. IMHO, unless these attitudes change, LEGO trains will never be the future of model railroading. (Might want to get comfortable, this is a long (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) that (...) to (...) Been there, seen it done. I should ask my friends who are dealers if they would be interested, but I think they would run afoul of the next comment... (...) But (...) stay 100% LEGO (I'm guilty of this too), Model (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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I agree with a lot that is being said here, but I think the biggest problem is the lack of LEGO support. What I mean is that the models that everyone are so impressed with are our home-built models not the LEGO sets. LEGO is producing unexicting, (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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snip Until LEGO can produce a good line of attractive sets, get them in the stores, and advertise them nothing will change. Yep. The easiest way to do this would be to reintroduce the Metroliner, or something very similar, but in a different colour. (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) It would be interesting to hear from someone modeling N scale back in the 60's when it was considered a toy by the model railroad establishment. It would really help if the NMRA recognized us (BIG STEP). (...) My 4 year old and 2 1/2 year old (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Christopher Masi wrote in message <38384376.EDE1FF67@c...ne.edu>... (...) is the <snip> (...) Bend (...) impact (...) did (...) <snip> There is a great idea right there. Mindstorms and trains... people are doing it on their own, but LEGO could make (...) (25 years ago, 21-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) What exactly did you have in mind? The president already told the GMLTC that what we were doing was just as valid as what anyone else was doing at the NMRA convention and personally invited all of us to join the org. (...) Very unique. In (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Have Lego listed as a special interest group, for example. (...) Has anyone joined. Will be interesting to see how the membership reacts. (...) Did I suggest that there should or would be another supplier? No. It is simply a fact of life. Lego (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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All, I'll take a moment to disagree with Mr. Masi. If LEGO wants to push LEGO trains. They need one key item: a marketing angle. The days of building a better product and the customer will pound your door down are over. We live in a marketing driven (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) You are right. And that is only because we as AFOLs have decided that we will build with LEGO exclusively which, IMO, severely limits our bargaining power. They know we will keep coming back regardless of what they do. But that is *our* (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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People have suggested a Thomas the Tank Engine set, but there is one (...) Ben, I'm going to disagree with you here. Lego trains are made in the EU. The EU mandates that mains electric toys be labeled from 7 up (I beleve it is from 7+). This is (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Would we (...) dilemma. (...) that, (...) that (...) I must say, if someone like Mega Blocks started offering Lego compatible automated points or some of the other accessory items that the Lego train community has been clamoring for, I'd (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Some thoughts of mine: A few people have weighed in that no matter what, we should promote _pure_ LEGO modeling. I think this is a wrong opinion. So long as we promote a monopoly, we will get the service a monopoly creates. If Mega Bloks were to (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Great post, Frank. I'm a purist but if someone came out with the stuff on your "things I would accept" list (1) I would fall all over myself to get scads of them... I wish I had time right now to weigh in on this thread in more depth but in general (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) The ones I met during my shifts at The Fair were more bemused at what we had accomplished. I talked extensively with one guy who had already decided to look into LEGO trains as a cheaper alternative to the Lionel he currently collects, and as (...) (25 years ago, 22-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) I disagree. We are all here because we enjoy LEGO. Trains just happens to be one theme in the LEGO family. Why should we rush out and bring in non-LEGO material? For instance, I hear plenty of grumbling in .SW about the lack of blasters, but (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) <much good stuff snipped> (...) <more good stuff snipped> The GMLTC layout, if you haven't seen pictures yet, is about 13.5 feet by 19 feet. We estimate around 750,000 bricks. 175 or so feet of track, three different independent rail lines (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) I still will respectively disagree. If we refuse to use anything non-LEGO, my prediction is that we will NEVER get much if anything from the list? If we grant TLC a total monopoly (which is what you are proposing) on this type of toy, we will (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Mostly I agree, BUT.... (...) <snip> (...) Not more, not less. Just a different type of creativity. I've expounded on this before: what we do is work in a medium and we, when we stay "pure", are working within the limits of the medium. My goal is to (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Well, if we follow John Neal's ideals, you should figure out how to build the bridge with LEGO string, and give S@H a call right now and order all that peneumatic tubing. Oh, and get rid of those decals (and listen to Larry cheer). (...) And (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Larry writes: (...) Oh come off it Larry! I'm getting so sick of this stupid argument. Hmmm, let's see, you say using decals is totally wrong but using string and tubing is fine because lego makes it. Well gee Larry, explain to me why every (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) 500? 500 kits for some of the UK manufacturers would be a massive run! Lockley only built something in the order of 500 coaches in 50 years! (admitidly, that is building, not kit) But still, that level is much higher than what it takes if (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Agreed. (...) Perhaps, but somehow I find decals an excusable exception. They have so many applications <sorry> other than trains. Think Joe Davenport and his farm, etc things. I don't think that they lesson the purity concept in the same way (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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<Much Snipping> (...) is (...) buy (...) This also is on the slippery slope but... with apologies to Brain Williams The line on non-Lego parts to me has always been two criteria. a) Is it close enough to an accessory that it's not a specialty of (...) (25 years ago, 23-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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(...) I bet it's closer to even money, if you compare to the good HO, not the junk. Lego in never junk, even if we don't always like the design. I have spent a few thousand on both N-scale and LEGO in the past 5 years and I feel I get at least as (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) I'm sensing a little hostility here... (...) Well, no, I don't believe I said using decals is totally wrong. I just said that one cannot make the argument that one is totally pure if one uses them. This hobby, when we are considering it (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) I'd agree with Jim here too. Even in the 'live steam' scales, the cost of modeling something in relation to the space it takes up is relatively constant. The average is $2-3 an hour for the hobby of model railroading. That's not to say that (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Jim Rorstrom wrote in message ... (...) junk. (...) a (...) at (...) the (...) Well, the cost depends very much on whether you require all the scenery to be LEGO pure. The GMLTC layout would be far more expensive to create than a similar quality HO (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) If you were sensing any "hostility" it was just a little bit. :^) The "come off it phrase" is like saying "give me a break". While reading my last comment you must imagine me grinning and speaking sarcastically. That's just my way of replying (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Sorry Frank Deeppockets Filz, (you always outbid me on eBay!) but there is at least one other who is making modules - me. I am trying to get people in California to have an LTC here, but have been too busy at work to really push it right now. (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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I'm going to toss in a few more pennies out of my pocket, I am not a lego purist. I cut up lego to get it to fit. I use RS switches, and Tech 2 powerpacks. I use PVC pipe for Pnumatics. I have a battery box that has had major sugery done to it to (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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Mike Poindexter wrote in message ... (...) other (...) more (...) at I don't ALWAYS outbid you... I looked at an auction just today which you had bid on which I didn't bid on... (...) push (...) not, (...) until (...) What is your cost per module (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Now youv'e done it, you mentioned the "M" word. Dare I mention Apple. I have stuck with them through the the good, the bad and the ugly. Like them or hate them it is difficult to argue that they haven't been true to their purpose "Think (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Yeah! I did a search of Lego lots not bid on by you and chose one of them to try and get. It looks like you found that one, too. Sigh. At least I have TRU and Kay-Bee. (By the way, the model team 5561 is on sale there for $40 and has 6 white (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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I can't believe that you work in such an esoteric industry (walnuts) and you're allergic to the oil! Talk about ironic. How are you set for large baseplates? I picked up 66 of the 15x15 grays when I was in Ottawa for 5.99 CDN each plus taxes. I plan (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) You shouldn't taunt us like that. My name is Michael (you could call me Mike). I need two of them for modules (nowhere nere the scale you all are talking about..1 baseplate=1 module for me). Michael (aka Mike) (URL) (you could look here to see (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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| | Re: LEGO trains...The Future of Model Railroading?
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(...) Larry, you don't know the half of it. I am not allergic to the oil, but rather then entire scope of all that are walnuts. I am allergic to the trees, the pollen, the hulls and the nut kernals. I work in the nut business full time and live (...) (25 years ago, 24-Nov-99, to lugnet.trains)
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