Why is there such a lack of locomotive models?
I know Revell makes the Big Boy, and there are a few German locos out there, but there are soooo many other beautiful locomotives. I’d love to make a NYC Hudson, some colorful british locos, a pacific, 1800’s wood burning loco, T1, etc… Just seems odd that locomotives are skipped while there are countless ship, car, and plane kits.
I completely agree with you. I 'm not into the electric train layout thing but I would like to build a non working model of the " Harry Potter Hogwarts" train. Alas there is no kit for this aside from the $200 electric train set that I have no use for.
I couldn’t agree more. Trumpeter has really nice kits for a BR52 and BR86 but that’s about it. A few new subjects would be more than welcome.
My two bits.
Because they don’t run. That’s a thing with railheads, having been one for about 50 years.
Not sure why, since tanks planes and ships don’t much run either, but it isn’t a market.
OTOH, looking into paper models. There’s a lot of stuff available there in particular the more decorative items you mention.
Bill
Lack of demand, I’d say, probably going back to the emergence of plastic model kits to a mass market. If you wanted build airplanes and cars, or ships, the kit makers produced them. If you wanted to do something with trains, you turned to the model railroad hobby.
Monogram had the Hudson and the Big Boy in its catalog (pre-merger), but I only know about those from reading Graham’s book. I never knew of them when I was a kid, visiting my local hobby shop. That shop, by the way, also sold model trains. I dabbled in HO trains briefly, but eventually focused on building models.
I believe that the industry does believe anyone interested in trains does want to run them. That is model railroading.
Personally, I model all genres of vehicles and do like to build model locomotives. But I believe in general they do not sell well. The exception is “The General”, and I seem to have missed the boat on that. Every time it was available I waited to long, and the last time I saw one at a swap meet I thought the guy wanted too much. I guess I should check out ebay. I particurly like the very old ones, Rocket (which I have built), deWitt Clinton, and such.
Not a locomotive, but a popular train that runs today:
https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10630715
It’s a crazy expensive kit though. If they did a Yamanote Line, it might have a bigger draw to the anime/otaku crowd, as this is the train that loops around Tokyo to take us to Akihabara (aka Model Kit Paradise). The only times I rode the Chuo Line was to take a shortcut.
But regarding locomotives, there does not seem to be a mass market for kits.
Depending on what you’re looking for, there are plenty of dummy locomotives. They are not powered- no motor inside.
T e d
Hi,
I think that I;ve also seen a couple Airfix kits in the past too.
Pat
I loved the train sets when I was a kid - so fun. Later in life I have seen some exquisite kits from the train guys, particularly some of the brass locomotives but they are $$$.
Model railroading has always been mostly focused on locomotives, trackside structures, rolling stock, and what are called layouts. The best of those are elaborate dioramas, but the skill goes all over to include lego style track modules.
It’s a rich history. Older issues of Model Railroader Magazine include everything from DC elecrics to photography, machine tools for making parts, build your own pinhole cameras.
There was a period in US railroad design named the United States Railroad Administration that produced a series of standard designs during WW1. Those would translate well into models as the components were standardized and power/ weight/ dimension standards were set.
In a way because of that, model railroading might be seen to divide itself between operations (the NFL of that hobby), and stationary modeling.
Pause for popcorn. Model railroading has a deep history that has it’s basis in Europe but became popular with “train sets”. Lionel and Marx and Marklin and Hornby come to mind.
Stationery plastic locomotive kits usually are linked I think to museum shops. They can’t be made to run, but are good looking reminders of a preserved unit.
Again, there are a lot of beautiful paper models of Victorian era steamers, which the OP asked about.
Are these kits, or ready to place on layout?
Ah. Good point, Don. They might have grab irons to install and unpainted but that might be it.
T e d
Basically the powered version without motors or gear boxes.
The idea is to replicate trains that have multiple locomotives, without having multiple motors tha are hard to sync and provide unneeded power.
Bill
install running boards, brake wheels & brake hardware, grab irons & ladders, box cars may have separate doors. Then replace the hook & horn couplers with more prototypical Kadee type
tjen there are all the aftermarket resin white metal & PE hoohaws Paint & decals
you may want to stumble over to Kalmbach’s sister publication to FSM, Model Railroader (I think that’s the name).
Hi;
As the sitting president of a Train Museum, I get asked this a lot. I tell the questioner about the different Mfgr’s and the fact they do sell dummy engines,These are not cheap though and if you get into detail, well you are talking over fifty bucks base price.
There are some kits from Germany of German Locos and there’s a few really nice ones. The issue again is Price. Marklin does make Dummys, but again it goes back to what do you want to spend per unit?
Paper is your best shot.
I ask the same question but of fire trucks, specially vintage era ones from the 30s thru the 50s. Would love to have several of them.
I would love a big ladder truck with a monitor nozzle for aireal firefighting. Even an articulated one with a tiller cab would be really cool. I should add for the OP, a 35th scale modern diesel power unit would be AWESOME!