Is this the best time ever for RTR models?

[neilkirby]

Changed my mind about cars! while a lot of things about cars are better, they are definitely not built with repair in mind. My first car (Escort Mk1) when the headlight bulb blew, it was bonnet up, wiring plug off, old bulb out, new one in, bonnet back down 2 minutes later. Yesterday I spent an hour and a half to change a light bulb on a Honda! IIRC when I changed the left one  a couple of years back official advice is to to release the radiator to be able to get at the back of the head lamp, but  I read a dodge was to prise down the inner wheel arch and access by feel.  which went ok , Yesterday  when I tried the same thing on on right hand side the tiny piece of plastic used to mount the bulb retainer had gone brittle resulting in it coming adrift. so the only solution was to take the whole unit out, So opened up the Haynes manual (don't get me started on them!). First stage remove the front bumper!?? :sclerosis:

 

Neil

[Chris M]

The 2012-2016 Honda Civic is pretty easy for light bulb changes. Renault Scenic requires a bumper drop. The thing about cars is that you expect 200k plus out of an engine and servicing once a year now but an Escort mk1 was about 75k on average for an engine and 6,000 miles between services, and they wouldn't start if there was a frost.

 

We won't know how long modern loco motors last for another 20 years or so. Rather like cars it is not possible to maintain the electric motors today like you could in the old days. We used to replace the brushes but now we have to replace the whole motor which of course you can't get as a spare. Its a shame the model railway manufacturers don't commit to provide spares for ten years after the end of production like car manufacturers do. Obviously that is unrealistic but I would have thought there was profit to be made from keeping a supply of the parts that are likely to wear out when a batch of locos are made and selling the spares at ten times what they cost to buy; just like car manufacturers do. I would be happy to pay say £20 for a motor that cost Hornby or Bachmann £2 if it kept one of my loved locos going. The cost is justified because parts would have to be stored, recorded, kept in good conditions and then brought out of storage for use and all of this incurs costs.

Edited November 20, 2017 by Chris M

[The Johnster]

This is a good point about motors; if we can't keep 'em running with new brushes and a good scrub up like we used to because they are now cheaper to produce and distribute than carbon brushes, then we need to be able to source replacements.  Perhaps a standard mounting is the answer?

 

The disposable model is a worrying trend, especially if the body cannot be saved; this where a modeller will have done any detailing, weathering, or repainting, and this will have to be re-done on the replacement.  I am old enough to be in the home straight as far as life expectancy is concerned and run mostly new or newish locos on a lightly loaded BLT with a short run, so I am hoping that my motors will outlive me and I won't have to worry, but it is a concern for younger modellers.  

 

I have an antediluvian Airfix large prairie which I have worked up into not a bad model over many years; it runs better than ever if a bit noisily and can hold it's own performance-wise with new locos.  But I would imagine that, once it's current carbon brushes give up, that's the end of the line for it, which is a shame, as I've grown rather fond of it!

[Steamport Southport]

This is a good point about motors; if we can't keep 'em running with new brushes and a good scrub up like we used to because they are now cheaper to produce and distribute than carbon brushes, then we need to be able to source replacements.  Perhaps a standard mounting is the answer?

 

The disposable model is a worrying trend, especially if the body cannot be saved; this where a modeller will have done any detailing, weathering, or repainting, and this will have to be re-done on the replacement.  I am old enough to be in the home straight as far as life expectancy is concerned and run mostly new or newish locos on a lightly loaded BLT with a short run, so I am hoping that my motors will outlive me and I won't have to worry, but it is a concern for younger modellers.  

 

I have an antediluvian Airfix large prairie which I have worked up into not a bad model over many years; it runs better than ever if a bit noisily and can hold it's own performance-wise with new locos.  But I would imagine that, once it's current carbon brushes give up, that's the end of the line for it, which is a shame, as I've grown rather fond of it!

 

You mean for spares?

 

 

Peter's Spares have most of them available and have even commissioned their own versions as replacements for outdated parts. I don't think we need to worry just yet.

 

 

 

Jason

[Chris M]

I do N gauge and whilst I know there are Farish spares around there is precious little in the way of Dapol spares.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...I have an antediluvian Airfix large prairie which I have worked up into not a bad model over many years; it runs better than ever if a bit noisily and can hold it's own performance-wise with new locos.  But I would imagine that, once it's current carbon brushes give up, that's the end of the line for it, which is a shame, as I've grown rather fond of it!

 Not a bit of it. Hang on to brush carbons from other electric motors, solder new piece on to the brass strip, shape and polish, run in, and there you are. (I am still using pieces from my parents 'Goblin' washing machine motor, which machine died in about 1968, and among other things had very chunky brushes.)