Those darn flimsy little orange plugs!

[Jim2903]

Yes, YES, YES!!!

EVERYONE should standardise on the Life-Like P2K tender coupling. 

Drawbar that gives a realistic distance between engine and tender, that works on toy train, 24 inch and less, curves and is a drawbar and electrical connection all in one.

By far THE best ever tender drawbar.  Period.

Mr. B., you listenin'?

[Jim2903]

I would ask you one question though, why would you put the loco back in its box when not running it? Why not just leave it on the layout? This is really the cruxt of my original point in this thread.

Would love to. But some of us don't have a permanent layout yet and would still like to run our locos from time to time.

[SteamGene]

Point One is that a small flat bladed screw driver is an excellent tool to begin moving the plugs out of their sockets.  Never, ever, pull on the wires.
Point Two is simply that some people have locomotives they can't run on their home layout or have no layout and run at a club.  Many find it necessary to transport locomotives back and forth.  The real solution is for the companies to go back to boxes made so that loco and tender can remain attached in the box.
Gene

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Jeff,

I understand that not everyone wants the same thing from the hobby. But that does not make the product wrong if it suits most of those in the hobby and the long established standards/conventions/practices etc.

No, it doesn't, but I wasn't questioning that. It just struck me that your post could be taken as implying that everyone should want things the way you like them. If I misconstrued, I apologize. No offense was intended.

I would ask you one question though, why would you put the loco back in its box when not running it? Why not just leave it on the layout? This is really the cruxt of my original point in this thread.

Simple. I have only a small, semi-permanent layout and a lifetime--well 45 years--of locomotives that need to be run from time to time to be kept in working order. I don't have the space to keep everything out of the box all the time.

[Atlantic Central]

Jeff,

Fair enough. And it just goes to show how differently we all view the hobby.

I have about 150 powered locos (that counts B units etc) but all have a purpose on the large layout I am constructing. It fills a 22' x 40' room and will have a mainline run of about 13 scale miles.

But I do not collect model trains. I only buy items needed for the theme of the layout. I don't own a UP Big Boy, PRR K4 or GG1, SP Cab Forward or GS4, or many of the other "famous" locomotives.

For me it is about building a minature operating transportation system, and while I own a lot motive power and rolling stock, they will all have duties and homes on the layout. And I don't model those railroads/locations or times in history - so I don't have those models.

I understand you situation, but the fact remains that the best and most detailed models in HO scale have never been designed for constant handling without significant care being taken - and doubt that will ever change.

One well known local modeler in this part of the country, who also collects quite a bit has display cases full of locomotives, floor to ceiling, on every wall of his living room - not to mention a large basement layout full of models. That is nice - for him. Even if my wife would allow it, and I can aford it, I would not want it.

Sheldon

[Atlantic Central]

One more thought on this - my layout is not complete, many models are currently in boxes. I try to minimize taking them in/out of the boxes as much as possible.

BUT, I have done extensive testing of my new control system with most of my loco fleet, I have hosted our local group night 4-6 times a year for many years and I always have a few trains running on the areas with completed track, I never run power saws or do heavy construction in the layout room with models out.

And I have yet to pull a wire out of a plug or damage a model getting out or putting it away. Why is that?

Sheldon

[Jim2903]

The real solution is for the companies to go back to boxes made so that loco and tender can remain attached in the box.
Gene

I'll second that as well ...

[Jim Banner]

The real solution is for the companies to go back to boxes made so that loco and tender can remain attached in the box.
Gene

How hard is it to cobble up your own box?  A cut-and-tape job made of cardboard will do the job.  Or go as fancy as you want.  Using wood, a friend made a carrying box that he sets on the track, then drives the locomotive into it.  Next time he wants to use that locomotive, he sets the box back on the track, backs the locomotive out, and is ready to run.  No disconnecting, no re-railing, no time wasted.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

I have about 150 powered locos (that counts B units etc) but all have a purpose on the large layout I am constructing. It fills a 22' x 40' room and will have a mainline run of about 13 scale miles.

Oy, what I could do with that kind of space. ...

But I do not collect model trains. I only buy items needed for the theme of the layout. I don't own a UP Big Boy, PRR K4 or GG1, SP Cab Forward or GS4, or many of the other "famous" locomotives.

I don't really consider myself a collector, either. I've just accumulated 15 computer paper boxes full of rolling stock over the past 45 of my 50 years. And I've never bought a car or a locomotive that I didn't intend to run--or at least use in a kit-mingling project.

I understand your situation, but the fact remains that the best and most detailed models in HO scale have never been designed for constant handling without significant care being taken - and doubt that will ever change.

I don't think anybody is disputing that. All some of us are wondering about is why the wire connectors can't be a little sturdier.

I'm sure you're not meaning to imply that only people with the wherewithal of space and whatever to construct their own railroad empires should be allowed to own and operate nicely detailed locomotives.

Your friend must have a very understanding spouse to accept floor to ceiling display cases on every wall in the living room.

[rogertra]

Sheldon wrote: -

"But I do not collect model trains. I only buy items needed for the theme of the layout. I don't own a UP Big Boy, PRR K4 or GG1, SP Cab Forward or GS4, or many of the other "famous" locomotives.

For me it is about building a minature operating transportation system, and while I own a lot motive power and rolling stock, they will all have duties and homes on the layout. And I don't model those railroads/locations or times in history - so I don't have those models."

You and me both Sheldon.  

I model the everyday and mundane.  Things you'd expect to see or could logically have seen in southern Quebec on a summer's day in 1958.  If it dordn't fit that time period and locale, I don't buy it no matter how tempted I may be.  Cute and colourful, well know or famous just don't cut it with me.  That goes for locos, rolling stock, buildings and scenery.

No John Allan, George Sellios or Malcolm Furlow type scenery for me.

[Atlantic Central]

Jeff,

I do believe the guy with the floor to ceiling display cases traded in the first wife for that very reason.

In my opinion, as someone with a mechcanical/electrical design background, if they made the wires/plugs any more heavy duty it would result in more operational problems from lack of fexability.

All I am saying is I think these products work fine, are well designed and well made, especially for their modest prices, and I have had no problem with them. Just accept that coupling and uncoupling the tenders is not a 3 second, wam bam affair - it takes a little time and patience. Buy a Bowser foam craddle and a small screwdriver or two and take your time - no problem.

Roger,

You should have seem the look on my wife's face years ago the first time I bought three of the same loco rather than three different ones - but now she gets it.

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

Jim,
I agree that a storage/transportation box is easy enough to build.  I think one can even buy the things.  My point is that the boxes used by Bachmann, BLI, Proto, etc are modeled after brass loco boxes, and for them, that made sense.  But Athearn and IHC have it right with a box where the tender follows the locomotive and it's easy, if necessary, to carve out a bit to make it easier to store them connected.  In fact, BLI's heavy USRA Mike is like that. 
Why make it necessary to reinvent the wheel?
Gene

[japasha]

One of the curses of smaller model railroad scales is the necssity for small, delicate parts.  However, most manufacturers use someone else to do the packaging. They don't usually know much about the product except that it has to get to the customer intact.

I model a few scales at once, HO, On3/30 and 1:20.3. My biggest complaint is that the HO boxes, even those for brass models, would always damage the model when removing it.  I have modified all of my boxes like that for coupler clearence and detail points.  I like the packaging the new Berkshire came in as it opens and allows easy removal and storage later. The one that was terrible is the packaging used on the GE44ton when it first appeared.

Sheldon, your empire sounds great, same for yours Gene. Any pictures?

I like the connectors Bachmann uses, while I would like the wires to be more supple, they would tend to break. A location above the drawbar would be much better as well. I usually connect teh locomotive and tender in a cradle and then put them on the track. Same for removal and storage.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Jeff,

I do believe the guy with the floor to ceiling display cases traded in the first
wife for that very reason.

Sheldon

Thank you, Sheldon. Bad day at work, here. I badly needed that laugh!

[richG]

Those darn little orange plugs no doubt are used in the computer industry and that will not change. Little devices have them and sometimes a little smaller.
I remove the plugs in my Spectrum 4-4-0 with a small jewelers screwdriver. Having worked with electronics and computers for many years, I probably have an advantage as I know the wiring and connectors are delicate.
I take my stuff to a local model railroad club in a commercially box made for transporting HO trains.
I am a 67 year old geezer with Not steady hands so I know I have to think about what I am going to do and move slowly. I do not hear as well as I use to and it is Not people mumbling.

Rich