Over There

[rex desilets]

Don't forget, Dave - I am the token Liberal around here, and I am really big on freedom of expression, even on privately operated forums.

As to accuracy - Lionel has been doing some very good work, if you don't mind cleaning up behind them. I have an FEF, and with a Lobaugh frame, USH drivers, scale wheels elsewhere, and nickel silver side rods from my patterns, it is way better detailed than my USH version. And I have converted a pair of Lionel PAs (lucky guy that got those from the auction has Overland drives and trucks) and if they were not plastic I would own a bunch of them. Superbly done!

Bob, you might be liberal, but you're rational about train models. Anyway, for those of us without machining skills, what you performed is beyond reach.
OTOH, I approve plastic diseasels.

[rex desilets]

Don't forget, Dave - I am the token Liberal around here, and I am really big on freedom of expression, even on privately operated forums.

Except maybe if they start busting YOUR chops, then it ain't such a giggle.

As for Lionel, I think they are searching for their market, and they are not quite sure who they need to please. It's not like back in the day when we were kids, and they were the 500 pound gorilla under the Christmas tree.There is mucho competition out there now!

It would seem, then, that Lionel should up their game.

[bob turner]

Back to politics for just a minute. I believe self-respecting liberals need to stand up for what they believe. I also believe there is room for principled conservatism, and I am currently doing pitched battle with a good buddy who is delighted that the CFPB is about to go away, along with the entire rest of the administrative state.

But I am delighted to be considered a moderate. Here is what I believe:

Health care should be available to all. You want a boob job, that's extra. Otherwise, socialized.

Education should be available to all. Those not qualified for UCSD Engineering or Harvard Law can receive training as welders or data entry clerks.

Corporations are not people. Shareholders are.

Abortion should be legal and rare. Contraceptives, and not Viagra, should be covered under a health plan.

There's more. But let me be up front - there are some aspects of socialism that make me uneasy. Aviation is one of them - I am three percent of all daily operations at the 11th busiest general aviation airport. Wanna know what my share of that would be if you, dear taxpayers, were not picking up the tab?

Dave - when you disagree with everything above, I will not get my feelings hurt. So far, we live in a country where folks can peacefully disagree.

[HONDO74]

Looks like we have thread drift into politics, One of my favorite subjects.

It would appear to me that in the very near future the color's on toy trains will be the least of anyone's concern.

When socialism and the green new deal kick in with the elimination of fossil fuels. General aviation is going to take a big hit. The climate warriors are already pushing to have air travel curtailed. It won't be that hard to give up the internal combustion engine for an electric car. How about all the people that own small propeller driven planes and jets ?

Free health care and free higher education along with a free guaranteed paycheck every month. I guess we will soon find out how socialism and the free lunch work. I am all for that.

Medicare for seniors is not free. It was paid for over the years and if you are on social security they take money from it every month for medicare and the medicare only pays 80% You have to cover the other 20% and there are deductibles also.

A lot of doctors won't take medicare patients and those that do will only take so many as they try to balance between what medicare will pay and private insurance. It will be interesting to see if they can get the unions to give up their private health care for Medicare for all.....

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Looks like we have thread drift into politics.....

We surely do not post much anywhere about model trains,

[HONDO74]

Looks like we have thread drift into politics.....

We surely do not post much anywhere about model trains,

This thread was not about model trains It was about people on another forum arguing about the colors on toy trains. It was about the people not the trains. People that play with toy trains can argue about anything, including politics.

[bob turner]

And that's the beauty of this forum - we do not try to censor each other.

Martin has a point - very little on trains. My larest ten wheeler got a cab and firebox last night, but why bother posting it if nobody responds?

[E7]

These "high end" models, given their prices, are advertised as scale. A bit of research would have revealed the proper color of the stripes and the engine number that goes with the crossheads. 3rd Rail enlists the help of knowledgeable folks to get their models right.Why can't Lionel & MTH do this?

Your first mistake: They're NOT models they're TOYS.

As for those knowledgeable modelers used by 3rd Rail, what about the shovel nose pilots on ALL the first run E7's. That style pilot would have been in the minority in the real world. Funny thing is, in their early ads they show a New York Central E7 with the correct pilot with coupler doors. Evidently, they don't pay any attention to their own ads.

For starters, where all the great, scale N&W J models?

I can only think of 2 attempts (and that was last century) by strictly 2 rail importers: Overland and Max Gray. The others were Sunset/3rd Rail and Williams. I wouldn't say any were great.

Yes the color of the stripe is off on the new Lionel......so is the middle rail.Why don't you give the middle rail carping a rest?

Why don't you make your 3 rail comments on the 3 rail forum?

If the 2-rail community was bigger than a few dissatisfied old farts, there might be a market for, say, replacement wheelsets to make a 3-rail model good for the perfection crowd. Or, better, Lionel could offer their scale models in both 2- and 3-rail.

As I mentioned above, why don't dissatisfied three rail old farts make their comments on the 3 rail forum? As for Lionel making SCALE stuff, how are they supposed to do that if they can't even get a color correct?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Looks like we have thread drift into politics.....

We surely do not post much anywhere about model trains,

This thread was not about model trains It was about people on another forum arguing about the colors on toy trains. It was about the people not the trains. People that play with toy trains can argue about anything, including politics.

Maybe true on thread, but not on forum.

[rogruth]

I'm as guilty as any but more m0del or toy train stuff would be nice.

[bob turner]

Talk about thread drift - I am not following this one, except possibly for the desire to shut down comments about the center rail.

So I shall return to politics:
The Greek just came back from the pharmacy with an ounce of Bausch & Lohm “saline solution.” Apparently salt water is $28/oz, and not covered by Medicare.

But that’s not the point - here is my point:

Most of us are politically conservative because we have it made in this society - enough bucks for the exigencies of life and enough left over for model trains. I think we need to worry a bit more about those who cannot afford salt water at $28/ounce!

Socialized medicine does work - we are almost alone in the western world with twice the cost and half the efficacy, when considering health care as a whole.

Don’t get me started on assault rifles. I am off to my tax- supported airport.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Most of us are politically conservative because we have it made in this society - enough bucks for the exigencies of life and enough left over for model trains.

That's a really strange cause and effect equation.

we are almost alone in the western world with twice the cost and half the efficacy, when considering health care as a whole.

Now you're just getting optimistic.

[robert.]

"The Greek just came back from the pharmacy with an ounce of Bausch & Lohm “saline solution.” Apparently salt water is $28/oz, and not covered by Medicare.



I think we need to worry a bit more about those who cannot afford salt water at $28/ounce!" Bob T.

Your wife is pulling your leg. She kept the extra $25.00 for pocket money. Rite aid has 12 oz for $3.50




https://www.riteaid.com/shop/bausch-lom ... gK-pPD_BwE

[bob turner]

Could be - she got it from Rite Aid. And it was a half ounce. She controls the finances, and I have no idea what she buys and for how much. I just say " can I buy an airplane? " and she transfers funds from somewhere.

[rogruth]

Could be - she got it from Rite Aid. And it was a half ounce. She controls the finances, and I have no idea what she buys and for how much. I just say " can I buy an airplane? " and she transfers funds from somewhere.

That's cool. My wife does too but when I ask if I can buy a Menards tank car she just laughs.