PECO Announces Bullhead Track for OO

[Roy Langridge]

They won't sell, non prototype gauge, check rails too short, blades not tapered, crossing angle all wrong, don't have to make them, open the box and they work, commercial point motors fit them, no PCB to cut and I bet they will be reliable. Won't sell.

 

You are quite right, I will not be buying the eleven that my layout on hold is waiting for

 

As to cost, I am expecting north of £30 and will consider them worth every penny. I had planned a big P4 layout, but trouble with my fingers is making fine work much harder. These are a blessing for me.

 

Roy

Edited September 25, 2017 by Roy Langridge

[Mark Saunders]

They won't sell, non prototype gauge, check rails too short, blades not tapered, crossing angle all wrong, don't have to make them, open the box and they work, commercial point motors fit them, no PCB to cut and I bet they will be reliable. Won't sell.

Those locomotives won't sell the couplings are too big, the pancake motors, horrible yellow paint and wheels that have more flange than wheel but most people have a cupboard full of Lima!

 

Somebody must have bought them!

 

Mark Saunders

[Colin_McLeod]

.....check rails too short....,

How about this turnout at Limerick Junction?

[BlackRat]

A turnout at Limerick junction,

Was odd and should never function,

A Peco model like it,

Some say ,Ohhhh it's sh*t

I'd build my own but no compunction.

 

Sorry, I'll fetch me coat x

Edited September 25, 2017 by BlackRat

[newbryford]

How about this turnout at Limerick Junction?

20170925_122829.jpg

20170925_201157.jpg

 

Flatbottom rail.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

[LBRJ]

Isn't that the purpose of a forum?

 

It would be better not to post in a topic if you are not happy with others responding to it in their own way. There is the blogs section on RMweb if you prefer to have control of the subject and how the conversation around it develops.

 

regards,

 

Martin.

 

 

Yes the idea of a Forum is to let each have their say

but I am not sure that a continually repeated claim the OO is perfect 4ft 1 inch  gauge track makes any sense to anyone

 

I would always give you some credit for inventing Templot to help the dimensionally challenged work out track things but..........

[No Decorum]

How about this turnout at Limerick Junction?

My word! An Irish steam locomotive burning coke!

[chris p bacon]

but I am not sure that a continually repeated claim the OO is perfect 4ft 1 inch  gauge track makes any sense to anyone

 

 

I note that some don't seem to like the idea they're modelling 4' 1"and it took me a while, but I get it.  

 

It's all about the proportions against the gauge. If everything was to scale except the width between the rails then it would look like narrow gauge.

 

At present I have no need for any and unlikely to in the future, but I do think Peco have made a good job of it as they got rid of that awful stamping for a blade, I'd use them if I could. Regarding price I posted after last years Warley show that I thought price would be somewhere around £25-30 each.

[Dungrange]

I am not sure that a continually repeated claim the OO is perfect 4ft 1 inch  gauge track makes any sense to anyone

 

It does to me. 

 

Yes, like everyone else, I pretend that it represents a 4' 8 1/2" prototype (we are big kids playing with toy trains after all), but to get the track to 'look' right when the track gauge is wrong, means adjusting the other proportions and Peco have finally decided that the best way to achieve the desired 'look' is to create a reasonably accurate scale model of 4'  1 1/2" gauge track.  It looks like they have made a good job of it too.  However, to most people, including yourself, it doesn't really matter what it is, it's what they pretend it is that matters.  What it actually is, only matters to the track designers at Peco and others with a similar interest in track or making track.

 

Of course, I probably shouldn't state that I'm going to have a go at building my own points as a scale model of 4' 0.6" track - yes, I'm going to lay the rails just 16.2 mm apart and still pretend that it represents prototypical 4' 8 1/2" gauge track.

[Rowsley17D]

Monk Bar Model Shop in York have advertised a two-day Peco event at which they will have the bullhead turnouts (to be fair they do say TBC - to be confirmed though.)

 

http://www.monkbarmodelshop.co.uk/

[Godfrey Glyn]

I gathered from staff at the PECO shop yesterday that a sample of the packaging for the points had been brought down to check the barcode so they cannot be too far away now.

 

I suspect Monk Bar will be holding their PECO day in October at the earliest.

Edited September 26, 2017 by Godfrey Glyn

[coachmann]

Yes, like everyone else, I pretend that it represents a 4' 8 1/2" prototype (we are big kids playing with toy trains after all),

Speak for yourself...

 

Building a scale model of something doesn't make it a toy.

Edited September 26, 2017 by coachmann

[No Decorum]

Many years ago, my mother told her sister not to call them “toy trains” because I didn’t like it. My aunt, being my aunt, proceeded to call them exactly that. I talk about my “toy trains” in a deprecating way, before anyone else does, but a recent visit by my four-year-old grandson convinced me that they are anything but toys!

[Rowsley17D]

There was a time when "toy" meant "small" and still does in dog circles. The Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway was regularly referred to as a "toy railway".

[Dungrange]

The Oxford English dictionary definition of a 'toy' is "an object for a child to play with, typically a model or miniature replica of something."  

 

Anything that uses a different scale for the distance between the running rails and the length of an item of rolling stock, such as a 00 locomotive, can't accurately be described as a true scale model, because it isn't.  It may however be accurately described as a 'finely detailed model' or a 'finely detailed miniature replica' of something that runs on the real railway.  That fits the latter half of the above definition quite well.

 

The Oxford English dictionary definition of 'play' is to "engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose".  My interest in railway modelling is purely for enjoyment and has no serious or practical purpose whatsoever, so I think I can definitely describe my activities as 'play' - a skilled engineer who makes working scale models of a live stream locomotive I definitely am not.  However, I admire those who have the requisite skills.

 

I agree that many of today's models are not 'toys' for young children - especially four year old grandchildren - but that doesn't cease to make them grown men's 'toys'.  My wife usually winds me up about my 'scale models for adult collectors' since that is what Bachmann have printed on many of their boxes, which she finds funny.  Thankfully I'm not one of these people who are easily offended, so I don't care too much what others think.

[Roy Langridge]

The Oxford English dictionary definition of a 'toy' is "an object for a child to play with, typically a model or miniature replica of something."  

 

That is being a little selective. You have ignored the definition in the very same dictionary that says "An object, especially a gadget or machine, regarded as providing amusement for an adult."

 

Roy

[Budgie]

The Oxford English dictionary definition of 'play' is to "engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose".

Don't tell that to a professional musician.

[davefromacrossthepond]

Or a NFL player. 

[Dungrange]

That is being a little selective. You have ignored the definition in the very same dictionary that says "An object, especially a gadget or machine, regarded as providing amusement for an adult."

 

Roy

 

Well, are model railway locomotives not 'objects' that are providing enjoyment for adults?  I don't see why a 00 locomotive is any less of a 'toy' than a games console or any other 'gadget' or 'machine' that can be regarded as meeting that particular definition.  All the above definition highlights is that it's not just children who play with 'toys', which is the very point I was making.

Edited September 26, 2017 by Dungrange

[Dungrange]

The Oxford English dictionary definition of 'play' is to "engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose".  

 

Don't tell that to a professional musician.

 

Or a NFL player. 

 

Well, the Oxford English dictionary does provide other definitions for 'play' including to "perform on (a musical instrument)", to "take part in (a sport)" and to "represent (a character) in a theatrical performance or a film".  However, none of these relate to railway modelling and the concept of 'playing trains'.

[Roy Langridge]

Well, are model railway locomotives not 'objects' that are providing enjoyment for adults? I don't see why a 00 locomotive is any less of a 'toy' than a games console or any other 'gadget' or 'machine' that meets that can be regarded as meeting that particular definition. All the above definition highlights is that it's not just children who play with 'toys', which is the very point I was making.

Sorry, I didn't mean my post to be critical, rather to support yours. Looking back I could have worded it better.

 

Roy

[Trog]

As I mentioned earlier, we may not have appreciated just what a leap into a new market this could be for Peco. There are going to be modellers buying these turnouts who haven't bought a single thing from Peco for 30 years.

 

And where might it lead? Peco can't go longer with their existing geometry, and a bullhead inside slip on their existing 12-degree geometry would look absurd. Any bets on the next in line:

 

1. curved versions of these turnouts.

 

2. a longer B-7 turnout.

 

3. 1:7 diamond-crossing and slips.

 

Martin.

 

That is still compressed (perhaps need fully so) as by far the most common bullhead lead used in sidings is the B8.

[N15class]

Or a NFL player. 

 

Ahh rugby in bubble wrap.

[AndyID]

Ahh rugby in bubble wrap.

 

Unfortunately all the upholstery in the world doesn't prevent damage to the brain, but that's really going off-topic. BTW, what was the topic again?

[Clive Mortimore]

Open the packet, place it on the baseboard, fit the point motor, attach the other tracks, wire up the frog/crossing Vee, run the trains........far too much faffing around, won't sell.