This is kind of a ramble an I dont quite know where to place this so here it goes. I not only model american trains, but also european ones, what they classify as epoch 1, which goes up to right after WW1. I am working on a wartime layout, which goes from a typical german town, across the border and up to the front. I will have Pioneer troops rebuilding bridges and using narrow guage trains as well as a duel gauge station that goes into narrow guage as it goes towards the front lines. I have been hoping, and writing letters, and talking to reps of the companies who make narrow gauge in europe, to produce the correct engines and wagons. Its strange that 3 different companies will build their version of a steam engine, of which only a handfull were made, and painted in the neon colors of some museum train. or that they invest money in some Coca-Cola car that never existed, but they think that enough Coke collecters would buy their trainsets. 23,000 Brigadewagons were produced by war's end and they were used around the world and are still used today, but nobody wants to buildmodels of them. Another thing is that when I arrived in Germany in the 80's , anything that had to do with the military in general was shunned, and anything to do with WW2 was taboo. Now EVERYONE is jumping on the bandwagon and they cant make enough flackwagons and tigertransporters. Nobody seems to care about the poor Kaiser, and there is no correct engine for his narrow guage tracks. The little Eggerbahn engines that used to go for less than 10 bucks in the old days would work fine, but they are collector items now and cost a fortune. I could use BALDWIN!! engines as they were exported to France before the war and several were captured. So I guess to sum it all up is, do the customers have any influence in what is being produced in the US? How do they do it? Why cant it be done in Europe?
Well, sometimes we have influence. Sometimes we do not. In the past, I've written letters, or sent e-mails. Sometimes you get a generic response. Sometimes a human. Sometimes, nothing. There are responses which seem positive, and in the future, perhaps the idea takes hold. Other times, you get the impression that company has a predetermined course. So is not interested in hearing from anybody. All you can do, is try to get others of similar desires together, and try your best. Boxcab E50
I feel your pain. In another thread I talk about how pre-WWII modelers are all but forgotten by manufacturers. What we must understand is that manufacturers really are out there to make money...it is a business after all. They produce something that will generically fit many eras and leave it to the modeler to figure out the rest. Most of what I model I have to backdate from about the 1930s to the late 1800s. This is a challenge and the results are somewhere between fair and acceptable. BUT it is MY choice to model the era I do. If I don't like it, I need to model the era the trains are manufactured for. I suspect that modeling European NG in WWI is very similar. Look for what is out there that is: a) affordable, b) close to what you need and c) can be modified with additional parts and some time. Don't know what scale you are in BUT as I recall there is an article in the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette from the late 90s or early 2000 about modeling WWI European railroads (I think the one featured is in France). Anyway, if you haven't seen it and are interested I can get you the specific issue information. All I can say is hang in there. Someone, somewhere will eventually see the value in modeling the era you (and I) are interested in. Best, John
I read your post JCater, about nothing pre-war, and it kind of inspired me to write mine. There are quite a few Europeans who like American narrow guages. I can find shays and Baldwins and Porters. Just like there are Americans who like the whimsical look of old world trains going through villages of half timber houses , and mountains , tunnels and castles, there are Europeans who like the American logger railroads going across spindly curved trestles, or the whole wild west scene. Because narrow guage equipment is so small, there were a bit of trade of this equipment going back and forth across the Atlantic and other places. I have a reprint of an O&K catalog that was printed in English, and who had a factory in the US! My narrow guage is HOe, which everyone knows is cheating, I guess its HO2 1/2. There is plenty of mining, logging and industrial cars I can use as they never changed much in 100 years, and the European cars can be used in the US as they really are the same. Its the motive power that stumps me. Those little Roco loks are soooo close, but not close enough.
Wow...you really are in a similar situation to me. It may be that you will have to buy the mechanism ans chassis and then scratch build from there up. BTW, I looked for the article I mentioned and found that the sxale is large...equivallent to G scale here. BUT I think the guy scratch built everything. Anyway, good luck with it. Let us know how the search goes. I will sure keep my eye out for anything that might work for you too Best, John
Looking back at my post, I should have written that there was a trade in PROTOTYPE equipment. During the time before the first world war, there was German narrow guage equipment in South America, Africa, and Asia. The catalog I have is Orenstein & Koppel-Arthur Kopple, and they had factories around the world including the USA. Globalization is not new. This was the time of colonies. and which had had mines, plantations, or lumber industry, and so it was really the high point of Narrow Gauge. I will look around at the European On3 stuff, Although it wouldn't look right on the Colorado Narrow Guage lines, it could be used in smaller mining and logging operations, and would be accurate.
Aside from the article I mention there are a few books that might help you as well. The first is a really good book regarding American railways in Europe in WWI. It is called "Narrow Gauge to No Man's Land" by Robert Dunn (1990). If your French is passable, try also "La Voie de 60 Sur Les Fronts Francais de la Guerre de 14-18" by Ch. Cenan (1991). Finally, there are two broad-scale books: "Narrow Gauge at War Vol. 1 and 2" by Plateway Press 1987 and 1996. I do not know if these are even available anymore, but Abe books or similar rare book company might list them. Hope this helps! John
There are some folks here who do model HOe. Otherwise, most folks do a slight variant called HOn30. (Formerly known as HOn2&1/2.) But although there is more available than in the past, it still seems to have a fair population oriented toward scratchbuilding, and kitbashing. Not that other scales lack this latter facet. There is a tiny group of more purist modelers, who do HOn2. They are usually folks who own some machining tools, and have those skills. Who turn their needed wheels on a lathe, mill frames, cut gears, etc. That's true dedication. Fortunately, On30 has broken free. And has a major world wide manufacturer on board. I do like HOn30. Have followed Hayden & Frary since their early days. If I end up in a smaller space, as my future might dictate, then I may dabble in it again. Boxcab E50
Tools would be nice. I seen some of the stuff out friends on the Z scale side of the board do and I just shake my head. The scratchbuilding they do, I have it easy.
Gods of model railroading...really. Oddly, the only scale my wife has ever shown any kind of interest in...and that was quite minimal... John
They got some Maerklin Z stuff on sale over here in germany and my wife liked the idea of building one in a coffee table. Anyway I got an idea for a tool for all scale modelers to use and posted it on the Z scale board..check it out and see what you think of the Idea. I think it could revolutionize our hobby..
