Why the price difference?

[JoeS]

I am hoping someone can exlpain the price difference in certain items that seem almost the same mechanically. Specifically, the marklin mogul in Denver Rio Grande is priced at around $300 bucks. But other 2-6-0 loco's from marklin are priced in the $130 dollar range. Ok, there is the tender in the mogul...but why such a huge difference for basically a loco with the same mechanism? Am I missing something here? I mean if the mogul was priced at $130-$150, I'd have 2 by now. I just don't get it. Anybody esle notice this and wonder?

[pray59]

Yes, that's bad math. I hope someone would make an RTV mold and spincast us up some shells for the blackened marklin mechanisms. I have 3 German Moguls, and 7 BR 89's that I want to make shells for.

I wonder if we can talk GHQ into casting us some shells? I would be willing to invest in such a project.

Then we only have to paint up a shell and those red wheels to get a FAIR price for a small steamer.

Marklin seems to be in a Catch 22 where they have to price the US mogul 3 times higher than the German one to make a return of investment, yet by pricing everyone out of the market, the never sell enough volume to afford to reduce the cost. What they need to do is sell a USA Vacation Fun Set!

-Robert :D

[eagleman]

Part of it is because the shell is handcrafted brass construction as was the Casey Jones set.

[david f.]

i think it just has to do with the value of an exceptional rocky mountain railroad. seems like the right thing to do.
dave f.
canon city, colorado ;)

[JoeS]

That's funny David! :D I think Robert is on to something though with someone making american shells for the mech. Seems like a good approach. Paul, I didn't know it was a brass construction, that could expain the cost.

[Jay Gould]

The Micro-Trains (three numbers--somewhat unique appearance for each number) Southern Pacific moguls of a few years back were even more expensive ($400 plus, I believe), and that was because the shells were brass. That explains part of the high price, at least!?! The thing is, they did sell out---pretty hard to come by nowadays.

[JoeS]

Oh I know, I am one of those with a MT mogul. I love it. That is my point. I'd like more moguls, but the price is so steep I really can't afford or justify it within my budget. However 100-150 can get by every now and then. 300 plus is hard to come up with in one chunck. So I guess I get envious when I see the German 2-6-0's priced to sell, and anything American costs at least 2 times as much.

[Ztrains]

I've looked, more than once, at some of the Nn3 white metal loco shells and thought about using them in Z...

A better way around this might be to create a new mogul master (or similar small shell) and cast that in resin, then weight the resin shell.

This is the method Z-Panzer uses:
http://www.ztrains.com/pages/closeup/panzer/panzer.html

Using a "squish" mold may work:
http://www.alumilite.com/howto.cfm?ID=6

There are many fillers that can be added to resin to give it a really good metal look. I also believe that resin casts may pick up more detail than the white metal.

There are so many hard resin formulations out there that it might work well.

John
http://www.ztrains.com

[JoeS]

John, those models do look very good! If someone were to make a shell like that for a mogul, I think they would sell. I know I would learn to paint.

[pray59]

I wish I had the time to invest in researching the project, as I believe that casting replacement shells, and maybe a few etched brass details like siderods and condensation tubing would yield a very nice locomotive kit.

We could really use shells for Heavy Pacific's, Heavy Mikado's, USRA 0-8-0's and 0-6-0's, and of course the Moguls and 10 wheelers.

If all these loco shells were available, I think we would start seeing a lot more converts from larger scales, and a lot more manufacturers would take notice of, and start offering Z Scale products themselves.

-Robert ;)

[Ztrains]

I've just sent an email off to Andy of Z-Panzer asking him if he'd consider producing a small NA steam shell that would fit a Marklin 88051 chassis.

I'll post back with his reply.

The 88051 seems a good choice as almost everyone seems to have one, and if not, they're inexpensive enough.

John
http://www.ztrains.com

[pray59]

That's good news John, I hope he agrees to make us one. I did buy 3 of the shells that Graham? made for the 0-8-0, but they do not come close to fitting, so they sit in my junk box.

-Robert

[John Bartolotto]

Ron Ruddel from London Bridge Toys in PA will do metal spin casting of a loco if you send him the master.

London Bridge Collector's Toys, Ltd.
16 South 3rd Street, Emmaus, PA 18049
Phone: (610) 967-6887 Fax: (610) 967-6887
E-Mail: lbct@londonbridgetoys.com

If someone took the Marklin Casey Jones loco shell, redid it into another loco version and casted it could that person legally sell the "new" loco shell?

John Bartolotto

[pray59]

Now that is an excellent idea John. If I could find the time, I would do it this week!

I have to pencil in such a project. The Casey Jones mechanism is a very smooth runner, and an old 10 wheeler would be a real good choice for such a shell, especially since the 8899x mechanisms are now available in 5 pole blackened versions. Add etched brass details, and it could be a real nice kit!

-Robert :D

[John Bartolotto]

Sent the master off to London Bridge yesterday. Ron Ruddel is going to see if he can spin cast it for me.

I will let y'all know IF (big if) it comes out fairly good and IF (big if) I can legally sell this "new" loco shell.

John Bartolotto

[pray59]

John, is this for that 4-4-0 American that you were talking about? I had seen your 8899 shells up for sale on ebay, so I figured you had a new shell?

Tell us more? :D

-Robert

[John Bartolotto]

Robert,

You got it. It is for my 4-4-0 American loco project (follow the photos that I posted under Z_Scale_2 photo section: John Bartolotto's Photos/American 4-4-0 Locomotive Project). I'm modeling the NYC&HRRR circa 1880-1890s in Western NY, Rochester area. I was going to use the RLW loco kits on a Marklin 8899 but they didn't look like what I wanted, so I tore apart a Marklin Casey Jones loco and reshaped it into an American 4-4-0. Shell came out pretty good for my first ever attempt at doing something like this. I need several American 4-4-0 on my layout since they were the most popular loco during the era I am modeling. And since it is based off of the Marklin Casey Jones shell it is an easy pop-off one loco shell and pop-on the new one. I can purchase Marklin 8899's at a lower cost then Marklin Casey Jones's and save a ton of money equipping my entire loco fleet. I'll keep y'all up to date as to what I hear from Ron Ruddel on the spin casting. Should be about 4 weeks.

John Bartolotto