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 Posted - April 25 2021 : 3:36:25 PM
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For those of you who don't know this guy, he has 100K subscribers and over 900 videos, all of which
deal with model train review in HO, OO, and O scale. He does mostly British range, but also does
quite a few important American range models, particularly Bachmann. He is independent, and his
reviews are fastidious, and sometimes breathtakingly harsh when he gets a piece of junk. He
pulls no punches. If a piece is particularly good, he is impartially positive about its merits.
Having been burned quite a few times when buying overseas models of British OO, I now will not
buy any product unless I see his review first. He has never steered me wrong. I don't just get
everything that scores high, I go by the aspects most important to me, such as mechanical
soundness and reliability.
This video is a parody of a man whom I have come to respect and enjoy immensely. I hope you
get a giggle, even if you don't follow Sam.
https://youtu.be/JNC3813r2HM
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Posted - April 25 2021 : 3:54:09 PM
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That's quite hysterical Chops! 
Aaron Anderson
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Posted - April 25 2021 : 4:38:13 PM
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I had trouble keeping a straight face while shooting this. I'd been awake
all night and had just gotten off work. Couldn't rest until I got it out of my
head.
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Posted - April 25 2021 : 8:00:28 PM
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LOL, this is too good, Chops!! I died at the final score.... 
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
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Posted - April 25 2021 : 9:32:41 PM
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I highly encourage anyone to look at this guy's YouTube Channel.
He really lays it on the line and scorches bad design and workmanship.
To find American pieces, all one has to do is enter a search term
for the American stuff, which is some Mehano and a bit of Bachmann.
His format was generally spoofed in the video, but he is much more
urbane and organized.
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Posted - April 26 2021 : 10:06:23 AM
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| this is very funny! Great job!
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 Posted - April 26 2021 : 4:39:45 PM
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Deserves a repeat performance Jeff.
As always well done and entertaining for us all.
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Posted - April 26 2021 : 6:19:44 PM
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| Bravissimo Sir Chops! That was eminently entertaining and after watching it I did look up Sam to see what you were parodying. Do another one!
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Posted - April 30 2021 : 4:05:05 PM
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Love the parody!
Sam may be knowledgeable about trains but dont take his word without questioning.
For example his attack on bearings while is true (bearings are a quality feature) is overexaggerated. Bearings dont do as much as he leads you to believe. I have a dozen Bachmann locos without bearings that have clocked HUNDREDS of running hours and still perform flawlessly. Yes, bearings reduce friction slightly, but more often than not, its nearly insignificant.
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed.
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Posted - April 30 2021 : 6:42:18 PM
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| Well, he also has an obsession about sprung buffers, too.
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Posted - May 05 2021 : 08:39:25 AM
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quote:Love the parody!
Sam may be knowledgeable about trains but dont take his word without questioning.
For example his attack on bearings while is true (bearings are a quality feature) is overexaggerated. Bearings dont do as much as he leads you to believe. I have a dozen Bachmann locos without bearings that have clocked HUNDREDS of running hours and still perform flawlessly. Yes, bearings reduce friction slightly, but more often than not, its nearly insignificant.
Originally posted by trainman280Â -Â April 30 2021Â :Â 4:05:05 PM
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This right here. I do think Sam is a little overly harsh in some areas at times, although I understand where he's coming from in those regards. Overall, I think he does a great job at what he does, and I would say he's definitely to be taken at least somewhat seriously when looking into buying especially a British loco. I will say, though, that most of my engines don't have proper bearings and still run perfectly fine despite that. Yes, as you said, proper bearings are a quality feature, but I can't really say I notice the difference in performance for the most part.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - May 05 2021 : 5:49:40 PM
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Well, given that models can vary in quality is a factor. For example, he
reviewed a Dean Goods from Oxford Rails that was almost inoperable.
They sent him a replacement, which he ran, and gave good marks. I
bought it, and am more than happy with it.
I have wanted a reliable Dean Goods since 1999. I had to wait that long.
I have paid a lot of money for several big name pieces, I'd rather not
say, but three guesses, and I got flamed like Creme Bruele. I appreciate
someone who has the independence to say, this one is a "no-go." Train
magazine model reviews are very, very tender on their paid advertisers,
and thus are of no worth at all.
I pay a premium for British range, plus exorbitant international
shipping, so getting a dud is bad news as it is often times cheaper
just to trash it than send it back, because I would have to pay another
round trip air fare to Britain.
So, Sam is not infallible, that's true of anything man-made, so I take
his word over blind chance, and so far his critiques are immeasurably
helpful in avoiding duds.
To that end, I do not buy a piece just because it ranks high. I buy it
if it demonstrates what I want, which is not so much detail as
overall mechanical reliability and smooth function. So, his bearing
commentary is always of interest, whether or not that makes any
difference. For example, I paid more for a Dapol product that had
the features I wanted and was considered more expensive, and less
detailed than a similar Hornby product.
I use Sam to avoid steaming crocks, and so far, so good. I even got
a Bachmann, that Duke Dog, and I swore I'd never touch a Bachmann
again at any price. Well, I paid a LOT for this one, but only because
Sam said it was a good piece, and it is splendid.
Goes to show that ALL the manufacturers, except maybe Rapido, which
seems to have a Gold Standard when it comes to QA, can have their
stuff come out badly, depending on the contractor and other unknown
variables.
I used to be quite critical of Chinese manufacture, especially at the cost
of US jobs, but having seen the video "How Model Trains are Made" (link is
in Loose Ends), I have since tempered my opinion.
It might seem that unless we are content to have cheap wooden
trains running on wooden rails made in the USA, then we have to
consider the manufacturer's pressures to get the product that we
all want, and it seems to be made in China or nothing.
To say otherwise would make me hypocritical.
No one is going to by a nice American made model if it costs $2000
or what is made in China and sells for $250.
All this just my opinion. Not seeking to prove I am "more right" or
anything else. Just shooting the breeze, only. I could very well be
wrong on all counts.
Edited by - Chops124 on May 05 2021 5:53:27 PM
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