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 Posted - January 08 2013 : 10:26:45 PM
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Life-Like Trains was always one of my favorite model railroad companies. However, looking at their current offerings, many of their non-Proto products appear to have not changed a bit since the 1970s or 1980s. In fact, look at some of their current train set offerings:
Don't be fooled by the stock photo, but this train set uses HORN-HOOK COUPLERS, and if you replace the oval of Power-Loc track with your usual Code-100 steel (or even *ick* brass) track, you'll have a Life-Like train set from the 1980s!
It's like Life-Like's train sets are like the spiritual successor of Tyco's train sets. They even offer some sets that come with TWO trains instead of one:
...except it doesn't have switches or a "blocking switch" of some sort.
Then they also have some more full-featured train sets, like this:
Just set all of this up on a 4x8 sheet of plywood with a grass mat, get some additional track sections, building kits and landscaping material and you'd already have a great model railroad for starting out with!
If Life-Like is still going to make these "retro" electric train sets, they should at least replace the horn-hooks with knuckle couplers! In fact, Life-Like does offer "SceneMaster Knuckle Couplers":
These are designed for easy replacement of the horn-hooks, and with a bit of adjustment they'll also work with Tyco rolling stock!
(Just a demonstration)
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Posted - January 08 2013 : 10:59:26 PM
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Its seems as if Walthers is letting L-L/P2K go to nothing. There is several N engines them made in N scale I wanted. I looked in last year's catalog. Nothing was stock almost!
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 07:59:45 AM
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Lets face it guys....Life-Like was decent for a starters set, now that they produced "Proto-2000" and then the sale out to Walthers, and then Walthers taking the proto units into their own line, and allowing the rest....to well disappear, well.......Its easy to see whats happened here!
Walthers wants the income of the Proto-2000 line, and the rest doesn't sell much so..... Their allowing it to go out all on its own....As as as it is.....VERY well noticed whats going on!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid... 
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 11:40:15 AM
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It doesn't really seem like there's too much need to improve a starter set like that. Hornhooks are more durable than knuckles. When you're trying to introduce someone to model trains (especially a kid) you want things as simple and durable as possible. Not that it wouldn't be nice to see them come out with some new tooling though and maybe some themed sets to appeal to kids 
Just my two cents 
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 11:56:43 AM
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Life-Like is owned by Walthers now FYI 
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 1:02:25 PM
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I wonder if the Proto 2000 will ever return. If not, looks as if more Rivarossi N scale steamers will do! In HO, really don't care. I got there Y-class already in HO and love it. Always wanted it.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 5:52:19 PM
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Some Walther's "Train-Line" and Atlas' "Train-Man" are essentially ex-Life Like and ex-Bachmann-Plus respectively.
On the mention about the X2F HornHook couplers, while they do look awkward and bulky, they do serve a great purpose for beginners... reliable when pulling a long train.
If you measured knuckle couplers as a whole, if your traincars are of different make/brand, those knuckles are not 100% matching.
Is there a company that makes the type of knuckle coupler you see on tankcars?
HornHooks...
The other beauty about the X2F's is that they cover this problem the knuckles have. Bulky, but as long as those hooks have a springing capability, the height differences are remedied, no matter what brand made them.
Atlas, Bachmann, Athearn, Broadway Limited Imports... and TYCO...
The common denominator to these brands are that they are made in China in the end.
The quality of parts, plastic, metal, and realism have varied (exception to realism in BLI).
Lionel HO had some train cars that looked more real than today's offerings from LifeLike or Bachmann... LL bought some of those molds/moulds and sent the manufacturing to China... the same goes for the other "cheaper" model train brands.
Some manufacturers cut corners over the years, others remained the same... others seemed to just clean out the dies and molds/moulds.
The one main difference in model train manufacturing is that, while the toy'ish models and sets are made in the thousands, the upper quality and detailed sets and pieces are made only by the given demand for.
In Example: Canadian Model Trains! Their team of researchers really fine-tune every detail for perfection. Their blogs really give you the exact detail (literally & figuratively) of the work that goes into each piece being manufactured. Plus, they also include(d) their photographic evidence of workers assembling each piece... they went to China and photographed their trains and the Chinese working on them. They've had contests which includes finding and identifying "THE CONTAINER" of which the first "Canadian" offerings were in.
Where do you go when you buy model trains? Used or brand-new? Or Both!
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 9:43:28 PM
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Would it kill them to put a Santa Fe Bluebonnet engine in with the freight sets? I guess the red warbonnet sells better even though the red was usually the color for passenger service.
~CamdenLine
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Posted - January 09 2013 : 10:33:28 PM
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quote:Would it kill them to put a Santa Fe Bluebonnet engine in with the freight sets? I guess the red warbonnet sells better even though the red was usually the color for passenger service.
Originally posted by CamdenLine - January 09 2013 : 9:43:28 PM
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They do have the F7 Bluebonnet on some freight sets, as pictured way above. I'm almost certain some of the classic red Warbonnet F-series locomotives were used for freight. Or do you mean the GP38-2? Life-Like had quite a few sets from the '70s until a few years back with Bluebonnet GP38-2s...
But then again, the red Warbonnet GP38-2s are probably supposed to be the Superfleet line of freight engines...
Plus, we ARE dealing with the company that brought us a Union Pacific F40PH (along with a Warbonnet Santa Fe F40PH, but Bachmann beat them to that.)
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Posted - January 10 2013 : 12:26:26 AM
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Personally, I never went for the low end L-L stuff...or Bachmanns either. As far as "low" sets/trains go, I'd put Tyco over the other 2 ANY TIME. If I get a "lot" from ebvil bay because I wanted one or 2 items, I take out the low end stuff that works and donate it to a train museum near KC, so they can sell'em to buy fuel for their GP-9.. The only low end L-L items I put any faith in is the docksider, and their 4 axle pax cars, cause they are a lil shorter that others and they work better on 18" radius track....I've never owned any Proto 1000 trains, so I dont kow much about them. P2K stuff is a lil pricey for me right now, as well as a lot of the Bachmann trains. I've had a couple of their "silver series" cars and that was an improvement. Nope, I'm not a big Life-Like fan..
caboose 1
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 Posted - January 10 2013 : 06:36:53 AM
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You wonder WHY I prefer the old horn-hooks? With Kadees you gotta adjust all cars so they fit with each other  & BLECK!!
Seems to me Life-Like is becoming as cheap as Tyco once was
quote:| ...except it doesn't have switches or a "blocking switch" of some sort. |
or for that matter a caboose! 
Edited by - microbusss on January 10 2013 06:38:10 AM
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Posted - January 10 2013 : 08:53:29 AM
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Here are some sets from Bachmann and Life-Like that I CAN recommend for starting a model railroad:
For Bachmann, I think the Golden Spike may not be a bad start. It has a 63-by-38 oval of the E-Z track with a siding (sounds like some of Tyco's 1970s sets!), the classic Bachmann UP GP40 (I think they improved it a bit), four freight cars and caboose, a magnetic uncoupling ramp thingy for the siding, the Plasticville "Suburban Station" building kit, a signal bridge, and several unpainted figures, signs and utility poles. That would be enough to get started on a model railroad.
There is also the Iron King, which is like a steam version of the above set, but with a 47-by-38 oval of track with no siding. But this is probably why Bachmann offers those E-Z track expander sets...
If you want to get started on DCC, then the "Digital Commander" train set is a good idea.
This would also be recommended if you're using a Standard-DC layout; you can just use the included locomotives and freight cars and control pack on your existing track! I'm actually thinking of getting this for my layout some day...
From Life-Like, if you're starting out, I'd recommend the Rolling Rails, Trans-American Express, Freight Runner, Diesel Driver, Super City Elevated Rails or Freightline U.S.A. The latter three would be perfect for starting a model railroad on a 4x8 sheet of plywood and stuff.
I know for a while, Life-Like has offered train sets that also include elaborate landscaping, like the "Mountain Run" from the late 80s/early 90s, and several others. Not counting Super City Elevated Rails, this would be the norm for any train set they offer with more than one locomotive and power pack...
Here they really go all-out. They go with an elaborate figure-8 layout with an inner circle for the other train, along with trackside shanty building kits, railroad crossing, vehicles, signs and utility poles and all the landscaping material there.
That was discontinued a while back in favor of the City Express:
This is pretty much the Super City Elevated Rails set, except the freight train is Union Pacific and includes a bi-level auto carrier car and caboose, and the Santa Fe passenger train has another car, along with additional building kits, the flashing storage tank operating accessory, "Used Car Lot" SceneMaster set, signs and utility poles and all of the landscaping material shown. They're both quite elaborate, if you ask me.
Too bad Tyco never offered landscaping material for their model trains. Maybe that's one reason why they were losing in competition to rivals like Bachmann and Life-Like? (My "Layout Expander System" manual does mention various scenic accessories being available at hobby shops, but no manufacturer names are given, so you would probably wind up using Woodland Scenics products, or at least Bachmann and Life-Like's scenic offerings of the time...
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Posted - January 10 2013 : 09:29:37 AM
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quote:Is there a company that makes the type of knuckle coupler you see on tankcars?
John
Originally posted by zebrails - January 09 2013 : 5:52:19 PM
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Actually, YES! They are the "Shelf" couplers........ Kadee #118's and I'm not sure of the newest number with the whisker springs...BUT the #118's are being replaced by them! I think the replacement is #119's!
THEN McHenry, OR EZ-Mates also offer a "Shelf" coupler for tank cars!
These are type "SF" couplers, but the removal of the top or lower "shelf" will make them, into type "F" or type "H" couplers for other uses!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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