|
|
Post by mgwsy on Feb 7, 2013 17:16:57 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by antoniofp45 on Apr 7, 2013 21:26:51 GMT -5
Beautiful shots! Brings back memories, but of course when I lived in that neck of the woods, EP5s, FL9s, and "Washboards" were cruising up and down these rails. Neat seeing the classic Budd "M" body style cars running. I have to admit that to me the new block-shaped Kawasaki "M8-things", while energy efficient look more like Lego rejects from a godzilla movie, lol 
|
|
|
|
Post by backshophoss on Apr 7, 2013 21:35:59 GMT -5
An engineer freind of mine refers to the M-8's as Edsels,due to the
"skyline" casting on the roof that extends back from the upper headlight.
|
|
|
|
Post by antoniofp45 on Apr 14, 2013 19:27:31 GMT -5
Good observation! An engineer freind of mine refers to the M-8's as Edsels,due to the "skyline" casting on the roof that extends back from the upper headlight. |
|
|
|
Post by mgwsy on Apr 15, 2013 7:32:09 GMT -5
I would love to see models of the M2/M6 cars but so far no luck and I am patiently waiting for someone to make a decent model of them. I know they were in IHP's plans and IMW made a crude model but nothing available at this time. I know I would want 2 sets of 6 to 8 cars.
|
|
|
|
Post by antoniofp45 on Apr 28, 2013 18:59:04 GMT -5
So ironic.. About 25 years ago I was at a model train show and met a gentleman who had a set of 4 beautiful HO "M" series cars. I don't know who made them or if they were brass or plastic. I regret not getting more info then. Which cars were called "Cosmopolitans"? I've forgotten but I think the Cosmos' were M2s, which were pantograph equipped. Is this correct? I was a kid back then in the 70s and to me.....they were all oversized, sleek looking subway cars. I would love to see models of the M2/M6 cars but so far no luck and I am patiently waiting for someone to make a decent model of them. I know they were in IHP's plans and IMW made a crude model but nothing available at this time. I know I would want 2 sets of 6 to 8 cars. |
|
|
|
Post by backshophoss on Apr 28, 2013 20:39:58 GMT -5
The entire M series are refered to as "Metropolitans" whem the M-1's were designed,
the "Cosmopolitan" name with the M-2's might have been used to make the state of
Conn happy or some "bright" idea from the "mad men" at GE.
|
|
|
|
Post by fl9m2026 on Mar 24, 2014 1:57:47 GMT -5
So ironic.. About 25 years ago I was at a model train show and met a gentleman who had a set of 4 beautiful HO "M" series cars. I don't know who made them or if they were brass or plastic. I regret not getting more info then. Which cars were called "Cosmopolitans"? I've forgotten but I think the Cosmos' were M2s, which were pantograph equipped. Is this correct? I was a kid back then in the 70s and to me.....they were all oversized, sleek looking subway cars. I would love to see models of the M2/M6 cars but so far no luck and I am patiently waiting for someone to make a decent model of them. I know they were in IHP's plans and IMW made a crude model but nothing available at this time. I know I would want 2 sets of 6 to 8 cars. They were brass and imported by GHB International. I almost bought a set, but at the time they were pretty pricey for my salary. Now I wish I had splurged and bought them. I've seen them on eBay a few times in the last 20 years, but they always go for astronomical prices. GHB was also going to import brass models of Washington DC's WMATA Metro subway cars (the original 1000 series cars built by Rohr in 1975), but it never happened. |
|
|
|
Post by acelaphillies on Mar 24, 2014 13:35:11 GMT -5
So ironic.. About 25 years ago I was at a model train show and met a gentleman who had a set of 4 beautiful HO "M" series cars. I don't know who made them or if they were brass or plastic. I regret not getting more info then. Which cars were called "Cosmopolitans"? I've forgotten but I think the Cosmos' were M2s, which were pantograph equipped. Is this correct? I was a kid back then in the 70s and to me.....they were all oversized, sleek looking subway cars. They were brass and imported by GHB International. I almost bought a set, but at the time they were pretty pricey for my salary. Now I wish I had splurged and bought them. I've seen them on eBay a few times in the last 20 years, but they always go for astronomical prices. GHB was also going to import brass models of Washington DC's WMATA Metro subway cars (the original 1000 series cars built by Rohr in 1975), but it never happened. fl9m2026, You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about brass models so I will ask you a question that I have been wondering about for a while. I am pretty informed about the general process of making an injection-molded plastic model, but I will admit that I know very little about brass. What is it about brass that enables the manufacturer (or importer) to be able to produce the model much quicker than a plastic locomotive? In other words, you usually will see a brass model of a new locomotive before the plastic manufacturers are able to make their tooling. Also, what enables brass importers to produce many of the "oddball" pieces of equipmnt and in much smaller quantities than plastic manufacturers? Thanks for the info! |
|
|
|
Post by mgwsy on Mar 24, 2014 14:02:33 GMT -5
You have to remember with brass models there are no molds that have to be created as most of the bodies are photo etched brass sheet and parts are lost wax castings. So unlike plastic models that need complicated molds cut which cost a lot, brass is easier and quicker but more labor intensive. Price is also high as most brass models are made in batches of around 10 - 300 of a model depending on roadname and road number. I have some kits for locos in PE brass and the time consuming part is soldering everything together. As for detail variations its much easier to change a cad drawing for the photoetched body vs changing a steel mold for a plastic one. Here is a kit for a European Narrow Gauge loco.  |
|
|
|
Post by acelaphillies on Mar 24, 2014 14:19:08 GMT -5
Thanks for the explaination, that really helps to clear it up for me. That picture tells a lot as well. I can definitely undertand how it would be much easier just to modify the CAD drawing for a certain locomotive rather than change an entire tool.
So are most brass models assembled by hand and that is the costly part? I always wondered if it had to do with the brass vs. plastic costs, but labor would make sense.
|
|
|
|
Post by fl9m2026 on Apr 6, 2014 15:17:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the explaination, that really helps to clear it up for me. That picture tells a lot as well. I can definitely undertand how it would be much easier just to modify the CAD drawing for a certain locomotive rather than change an entire tool. So are most brass models assembled by hand and that is the costly part? I always wondered if it had to do with the brass vs. plastic costs, but labor would make sense. Yup. All that I know of are hand-built. The limited runs of certain models and the ability to literally make any loco, car (and any variation thereof) especially in the "niche" groups (like commuter, subway and streetcars) as well as the fact they are made overseas by skilled craftsmen all help to contribute to the higher price. |
|
cab4
Member
Posts: 149
Primary Railroads: Conrail, NJ DOT, Amtrak, SEPTA, NJT
|
Post by cab4 on Apr 8, 2014 21:12:52 GMT -5
I wish I could get some M2s as well. I was thinking of doing a New Haven Module for our NEC modular club. A friend of mine sent me a box of awesome stuff, one of which was a GE Operators manual for the M2 cars. The few times I've ever been anywhere near any "Metropolitan" region trains, those M2 cars featured pretty prominently in my memory, and on my trip to Grand Central Terminal, they were using the M8s as air conditioned "waiting rooms" to enter the "parade of trains" exhibit.  |
|
|
|
Post by backshophoss on Apr 8, 2014 22:53:41 GMT -5
You have good useful books there,good reference material,take good care of them!!
|
|
cab4
Member
Posts: 149
Primary Railroads: Conrail, NJ DOT, Amtrak, SEPTA, NJT
|
Post by cab4 on Apr 9, 2014 15:55:37 GMT -5
Yup! I go out of my way to keep them in good shape. I try to share them when practical, since I know people have questions and my books have the answers. Its not every day you come across some of these operator's manuals either. That is only just a few of a large number of railroad manuals I got with it, on top of the collection I had already amassed myself.
|
|
