Here is a list of all the postings Another JohnS has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.
Thread: What is the truth about "Tich"and "Minnie"? |
28/12/2010 21:26:30 |
Posted by John Stevenson on 28/12/2010 17:51:39:
"The problem with clubs is that they need public running to pay rent.Anyone running an engine like Tich will only block the track up and prevent a 'paying' engine from taking it's space.Clubs know this and that is why they are against these engines.John S."
Interesting point - where I am located, passengers only ride on the ground level tracks due to insurance reasons, leaving the elevated track(s) free for those without the means of pulling the public.
Not having taken Model Engineer for a few years, the "Little LEC" was a very pleasant surprise when I discovered it about a month ago. My own opinion - take it for what it's worth - is that the "pull the passengers" locomotives are petrol (gasoline) as steam locomotives tend not to be as reliable nor as quick to get going. (find any "Live Steaming" magazine from the past 5 years and look at the pictures and do the count yourself).
Quite possibly there are a group of people out there that would rather "build and run", than "pull the public" - if so, I wonder how clubs in general tend to handle this group? I do know of a couple of clubs that now do not allow the public - but this is on the west side of the Atlantic - I don't know what clubs in Britain and the Continent do.
Another JohnS
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21/12/2010 21:16:51 |
Regarding a Tich; It is a great little locomotive.
I built one, started when I was a teenager.
It can pull 2 adults quite easily on *level* tracks. (I have a picture somewhere of me at Winnipeg, pulling 400+ pounds around their track)
It has the endurance to go around the Waushakum Live Steamers track in the USA (I know, because mine did) (youtube the track, if you want to see what it is like)
It can fly as cabin baggage (I know, because I have done that a few times)
It can go alarmingly fast, in fact, Tich seems to like flying along, just like LBSC says in his book.
However --
It does take skill to fire, and you can not run all day, because things need cleaning. I don't find that to be a problem, because I generally don't really like just driving, but I really like the challenge of keeping the locomotive going! The first few times I was NOT successful at firing; it does take concentration.
It is small, light, inexpensive. Each to their own - too bad those who have not mastered the art of firing one or just love sitting all day going in circles keep putting it down - because it really is fun.
Our local club track has some REALLY steep but short sections, so Tich will not pull me around here anymore. Mind you, my 2-8-2 also has issues with the transitions between grades, so it will not go around the track either! (the track needs work...)
JohnS.
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