| |
In lugnet.trains.org, John Neal writes:
>
>
> Jonathan Reynolds wrote:
>
> > In lugnet.trains.org, John Neal writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > > How fast and in what direction the growth will occur will depend highly • on
> > what
> > > > LEGO comes up with. I'm sure they have heard our desires, their degree • of
> > > > action will govern our growth. Regarless, as long as LEGO train clubs • continue
> > > > to grow, LEGO train as a serious hobby will continue to grow with our • without
> > > > LEGO's cooperation - provided they do not cut the product line entirely. • And I
> > > > very much suspect they will not.
> >
> > Clone Brands - are you listening?
>
> BTW, the above is Ben speaking, not me:-)
>
> > If LEGO do abandon model trains altogether (save for some token • intergalactic
> > attempts at wheeled ICBMs)
>
> ROTFL
>
> > then the natural course of events will lead to
> > supply=demand. If the basic principal of the element-built model is as good • as
> > our support suggests then it's only a matter of time....and the weaker Lego
> > become in this field the more chance there is of a good quality competitor
> > sneaking in.
>
> I don't know if it would be a competitor, but an opportunist. Right now • someone
> could come in and produce Bettendorf style trucks to fit LEGO track gauge and • I
> buy'em in a heartbeat. Same goes for Blomberg trucks. Howa 'bout some • knuckle
> couplers? You betcha. What about compatible track with wider turns and
> motorized points? DCC?-- some are *already* using them. This type of stuff • is
> by nature "non-LEGO" and frankly it really wouldn't matter to me at all. I'll
> still use LEGO bricks to build the bodies, but hey, anything else goes in my
> book.
>
> -John
>
> > As has been stated on other threads, you only have to look at how much shelf
> > space the likes of TRU are giving clone brands. Personally I would like the
> > future to stay with Lego but market forces will of course prevail.
> >
> > Jon
I've been deciding where to enter this discusion, and I think that the place
is here. WAMALUG has at least one of us who is using DCC for train projects,
(Tom Cook). The roll-out for it was this past weekend at our GAT's display,
and it was pretty cool. It's a modification to the motor set, and that's about
all I know about it.
Some purist would say, "EEEEWWWWW," but I've never been one to look down my
nose at anything that could enhance a good model.
Some of you may have heard me in the past in RTL in my ignoble attempts to
support some clones, (not all mind you, but some, and only if the pieces have
a deffinate enhancement to the look of what I'm creating,) some of you have
not. I'm for doing what ever will advance my particular cause at the moment,
whether that cause be looks, or playabilty, or as often as not both.
As it is now, #4561 has a motor/body mount for it's engine that is totally
unusible for any other model than the one shown, (i.e. it cannot be extended
and have that engine "work" right). [OK, I'll explain that a bit further;
building a body of any train component/wagon plate out of just Technic pieces
and staying in the 6 wide realm that matches the current LEGO standard, is
just awkwardly ugly and unstable.] One would have to do what I did
and "create" a new wagon plate for the rear bogie plate and truck, as well as
modify the front to allow proper movement of the motor unit in YAW. (BTW, the
mount will still work in the way it was intended to work, that is, just plonk
down on the motor, but it will take a few more bricks to secure it as well as
it was designed to do.
What's my point? As in the past, if LEGO cannot construct it, and I can't find
any other good solution, I'll create it myself. Just as some have done with
RCX, and now with DCC for trains. If it looks good, and it works, why not? If
as some fear, LEGO Train will stagnate to it's doom or as others fear,
disappear completely, then I for one will do what I can to keep it as alive as
possible.
I could probably live with a MB train set. I could even learn to love a MB
train set. But only if my first love forsakes my needs.
Rich
|
|
Message is in Reply To:
27 Messages in This Thread:
  
 
 
- Entire Thread on One Page:
- Nested:
All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:
All | Brief | Compact
|
|
|
|
