This is the Readers Digest versions to reply to a few people here: For Art Armstrong- Model Railroading is BY FAR not a contest for me. It IS me taking care of my own without depending on or hoping that others make something that I want, and spending time writing MANY emails that still will most likely not get want I want made. Pennsy S Models was born directly from this list and as a result of the constant "I wish we had...." I wanted an X29 BADLY. I and some others here have an X29 as a result of me "following that dream". But it came at an amazing personal and financial cost and commitment that is still ongoing. Further, I am still doing it with making the custom parts I want for my modeling. http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm I have brass parts in hand for everything on that page (except the HO stake pocket) and more coming. While the X29 is not the most expeditious S project to ever hit the rails, at least I can say I DID it. Further we are not done yet! There are more projects to come.
Hundreds of coupler emails later and we are no closer to anything new then 1 month ago. Until the idea becomes very intimate with the checkbook to pay FOR IT, it is all just excessive and mostly annoying fluff. So, a contest and/or stressful FOR ME? No way - not a chance. It is just me getting it ALL done for ME - not talking about it. For Dave ctxmf74- I just don't agree with you that a 2 x 2 photo is all that it takes to push people away from S. I give the curious more credit then that. You are your own proof that conversion can and does happen in spite of the Hi Rail coupler presence. For Rhett Graves Hang in there Bunky! This aint nothing but a little ole spirited family discussion. I say draw your coupler in Solidworks. It will be an enjoyable exercise no matter what happens with it. Yes I will help you if you want to get it made. But my process is not overly cost effective in terms of MASS production. It is good for a couple hundred pieces for personal use. You will get some duds as well that must be bought. As Ed K mentioned metal casting is a better and more accurate production method which is significantly more expensive. Knowledge of that would be more of a Jim King thing then me. And finally as a general parting comments... Do I believe that if all of the rolling stock offered by SHS DPH and AM were offered in scale only with the Hi Rail wheels and coupler in the box that their sales would suffer? Most definitely I believe that. It would be drastic enough difference that the SCALE faction would not be able to pick up the sales drop even if you include the perceived attraction of attracting newbies from other scales. In short we ALL would suffer. I fully and totally accept the fact that many things would NOT exist if it were not for the Hi Railers buying the products. Changing Hi Rail wheels and couplers is a SMALL price to pay for getting new products produced. I have spent extensive time table sitting for Downs Model Railroad. I have seen the Hi Rail customer. I am unfortunately generalizing here but: They Don't Go to the NASG convention Go on trips tours or go to the banquet. They will go to an NASG convention if there is an open to the public sale day. If he has $100.00 in his pocket he will pay the $5.00 at the door and WANT to walk out with $95.00 of new (to him) trains. He will not even stop for lunch. I have seen THIS many times! For the Flyer only fan I have personally witnessed this. I was with Russ Downs YEARS ago at a Greenburg's train show. Russ had the absolute best table to ask for. If you walked in the door and kept straight you would have hit his table. There was an AF only dealer right behind us. I was trying to get someone I knew at the time to stop and see Russ' stuff - trying to get him out of his AF only habits. He BOUGHT something from the AF dealer right behind us. But he NEVER saw us or ever associated DMR as AF compatible rolling stock, ALL of which was on the table with the Hi Rail coupler. So there is further proof that the perception of compatibility is with the individual person not the coupler on the car! None of the above makes them wrong - just different then us. Big deal! Just keep on buying so we all can benefit! Thank You, Bill Lane Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1988 See my finished models at: http://www.lanestrains.com Winner of the 2007 Josh Seltzer NASG Website Award Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale! Custom Train Parts Design http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded (Trading is MUCH preferred) http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls ***Join the PRR T&HS*** The other members are not ALL like me! http://www.prrths.com http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society It's FREE to join! http://www.prslhs.com Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
