Posted by WJAYW (64.12.116.138) on July 31, 2007 at 15:39:08:
I voted about a month ago for IHP producing scale sized IRT car bodies and watched as the debate developed. Interesting and valid points on both sides.
One thought was that guys wanting strictly scale are well-heeled brass collectors. Well, at least in my case and two others I know of who I've talked to outside of this web site, none of us happen to have any subway brass and although there are brass subway models out there we'd love to have, (and might at times wish to trade our first-borns for!), that is not going to happen in any of our near futures, either.
A BIT OF HISTORY: But we are still scale modelers. Years ago, we all regretfully turned our backs on Athearn in HO with their insistence in keeping unprotypical wide-bodied diesel units long after they were economically necessary and rejoiced when Rail Power began marketing a line of scale width and highly detailed shells; we could add a can motor and have truly scale width prototypical unit.
Atlas and other companies including Life-Like took notice and blew the scale HO market wide open, leaving Athearn in the dust. Belatedly, Athearn reorganized, bought Rail Power's dies and also made new models of its own in both a more affordable scale proportioned RTR line as well as upscale Genesis line of models. Scale modeling won and the result was better models for all.
PROTO 1K RETROFITS, A LESS SATISFACTORY IDEA: Buying Proto 1K IRT cars and then retrofitting them with new shells is not inexpensive! Based on some of his current listed shell prices, Mike may have to get about $50 to $60 per shell, (MY GUESS!). Together, with a guessed low cost of sacrificial PK 1 set at $125, that brings a four car cost to about $325 to $335.
In contrast, if IHP did scale sized R-12's, 14's and World's Fair Lo-V's and the other older cars that were suggested and instead of using the oversize PK 1 chassis, using the economical Bowser drive unit(albeit undersized with a 6'6" wheelbase) at a list price of $46.50,would result in scale-bodied sets costing from about $250 - $260 for a four car set. Modelers wanting a scale length 7' wheelbase truck would have several options, not limited to the under floor power of NWSL PDT's or Tenshodo SPUD's.
So , one could have a four car group, again based upon my estimated IHP price of $50-$60 each, of as low as $250 vs. an out of scale set fitting a Proto 1K chassis of $325, based on a good deal on a Proto set of $125.
Think about it, if cost is a governing factor (as it is to most of us), which is less expensive and also more to scale? It is not using the PK-1 chassis!
STRICTLY SCALE IHP BODIES WOULD BE A WIN-WIN FOR ALL!
So I hope Mike goes the scale route that we can all benefit by.
JAY