This is just a little something to run up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes (I don't think I would, but I'll keep an open mind). It's about some train sets advertised through the Hawthorne Village Collectibles site that are On30 scale, similar to Bachmann starter sets (possibly manufactured by Bachmann for Hawthorne?). Here's the links to relevant parts of the Hawthorne Village website: Christmas Express Train Set End of a Perfect Day Express Train Set A quick run of some numbers makes these seem like they're being offered at bust-out retail plus more, plus shipping - so they seem unlikely as prospects for raw materials to make into anything like Colorado & Southern, D&RGW, Virginia & Truckee, etc. And also too expensive to buy just to run around the Christmas tree once a year. Hawthorne's "pay as you go" installment plan would soften the blow, especially to those unfamiliar with model railroading. No, I don't plan to buy any of this, but I admit they look kinda neat. Any opinions? comments? criticism of me for wasting your time, LOL?
It's funny you mention this, Jim. My wife got me a christmas gift (which I can't see till frickin' christmas!). It's not the one you described, but along those lines. It's an On30 train set but in a wolf theme. I'm a huge wolf fanatic. It's a steam loco of some kind and comes with about 4 cars...so I've been told. It all lights up and aparently it looks very nice. Not exactly the kind of thing I would put in an actual layout but it'll look great on top of my tv with a weathered track with a bit of weeds and such growing in around it. I'm hoping my tv will be big enough to accomidate a loco, tender and four cars in On30 scale. If not, gonna have to by a bigger tv...lol.
http://www.collectiblestoday.com/ct...8&endeca=true&srchexpr=wolf+train+set&abbr=wl This is (hopefully) a link to the set my wife got for me. What I'm getting is the loco and tender and four cars. Looking forward to it. I guess I have no choice.
Lorne, that must be some TV you already got! The 2007 On30 Annual magazine has an article starting on page 28 by George Riley where he makes a 3ft by 5ft layout in On30 --- with continuous running and the possibility of running two trains at the same time !!!!! in 3x5 !!!!! So if your TV is big enough, why not? Those sets on the Hawthorne site are nice looking, but too pricey for me - and it would almost be blasphemy to alter them. It'll be interesting to find out what you're getting, in the fullness of time, at the appropriate juncture, etc, LOL.
LMAO. I didn't mean I'm going to run the train on my TV. Just have it sit there so I can admire it during commercials. My TV is a 48" widescreen so it MIGHT be able to sit there. The wife decided to get this for me because of my fondness for trains and wolves. Seemed like the perfect gift. At the time, though, I was into HO scale and never gave any thought to On30. In fact, I didn't know anything about it at all. It was a fluke that I got interested in On30 and THEN found out this train set was in that particular scale. Turned out nicely. Jim, you were mentioning the fact that it would be blasphemy to change these trains in any way. HELL YA!! As far as I'm concerned, these kind of trains are for show only. The fact that they actually run is just a bonus. It comes with that EZ track which I don't really like so that'll no doubt get used up by the kids one day. They all have a fascination for trains. Come to think of it, we all do exept the wife...must be more of a guy thing. When you get this set it comes with enough track for a basic oval and a power pack. They say it's a $70 value which tells me it's the absolute cheapest they're willing to add to this set without it costing the price of your first born. For layout purposes, this isn't very suitable. For display and possibly an heirloom...not bad.
Okay Lorne, I finally get it now about the TV. Nice-looking "wolf set", more general use instead of only Christmas. I'm still wondering if Bachmann is making these or involved somehow. According to my calculations, if a person gets into one of these deals for "four issues", enough to get loco/tender, combine & track, coach and power pack, and a second coach (same or similar to Bachmann starter sets) the price would total about $320 US including shipping. I'm no expert, I don't know if it's art, but I know what I like. I wouldn't go out looking to buy one of these for myself, but as a gift it's a definite "keeper".
Those are Bachmann trains. I picked up the Christmas set on sale a long time ago. Runs like a champ and I'm not above repainting it. I bought a kit for a whale back tender, will use it instead of the one that came with the set. I'll make it a freight tender, use it with the Christmas engine and pull my freight cars with it. The engine isn't too gawdy and a simple matching color with Reno Northern on it, with the flat cars should be cool looking. Greg Elems
Good good good! Glad to hear there's Bachmanns under those spiffy paint jobs. Anything that helps their On30 revenue will tend to increase the odds of good things for On30'ers coming from Bachmann at reachable prices down the road.
I'm wondering if this is a deal Bachmann is making with Hawthorne to get the On30 line out there and noticed. If so, it looks like On30 might be as big as HO or N one day. It cetrtainly is easier to model if it's a little more lax then HO and N. The latter scales tend to be more restricted to prototypes than On30. I can see good things happening in the next few years.
IIRC it was around 1998 when Bachmann brought out these trains. Boy if they had been around in the 70's, I'd have never collected Lionel. You can do so much with them. Whether it's prototypical or whimsical they are neat trains. Greg
I actually received one of these in a box of other stuff I bought from a guy who was getting out of the hobby. It is an engine and tender painted in an All American theme. The engine runs well, but the body etc. is a basketcase and I will be repainting it. The sets are really cool, especially for a collector. I am not a collector and really would not have use for them. I do like the thematic idea: Halloween, Christmas, and McDonalds! John
so I am confused by their payment plan thing. and when they are showing the loco in issue one, 1st car & track in issue 2, etc. what is that about??? sorry, I never do payment plans, etc. Anyhow, is the total price $69 for the set? as in loco, cars, track & transformer? as most of the Bachmann on30 sets sel for $125 & up that would be a good deal. can I just buy the train set all in one, no payments?
looking at it some more, I think you end up paying like $69 X3 = $207. OUCH! I saw the same Train sets in Bachmann Christmas decor on sale a couple weeks back for only $125.
