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Post by charlie on Jul 5, 2015 14:26:12 GMT -5
Hi Rob and Hans Being a big fan of AZL products, I just have one suggestion to make about all the products you release, especially about the locomotives. As all of them are based on real ones, wouldn't it be great to add some historical information on your website, like building date, renumbered date, retirement date, period of use, type:passenger/marchandise, eventually the area they were used, etc ? Guessing you have some of them. Is is sometimes hard to find such details, and being a purist, mixing up dates, type of consist ...is a bit frustrating  Anyway, thanks for all your great stuff and for listening ! Charlie |
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Post by domi on Jul 5, 2015 15:35:19 GMT -5
Yes, that would be a good idea.
Dom
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Post by markm on Jul 5, 2015 16:13:58 GMT -5
I agree. MTL has been doing it for years. I was very pleased with the Sunset Limited info AZL provided.
Although I have to been honest, I really don't trust anybody's research except my own. Also, I find era ends up very subjective. I recently watch a UP consist; SD70s, pulling boxcars built in the 1950s for a railroad that hasn't existed in over 30 years.
If you have something specific, I suggest you post a query here. Realize that there are some of use you have been in the hobby longer than the internet existed and the really good data is many times exists only on paper.
Mark
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Jul 6, 2015 2:54:07 GMT -5
We could, but it will have to be limited. That simply because of the time we have to our disposal. Build dates would be simple. Marklin have for a long time categorised the time periods their equipment belonged to. We may do something similar. Sincerely, Hans (AZL)
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Post by gerd on Jul 6, 2015 5:25:16 GMT -5
The problem with historical data is too the model has to have an actual prototype or close to be true. Even AZL is trying hard and they are one of the "better" brands they have fantasy models in their range. Do what is the historical data then worth?
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Post by markm on Jul 6, 2015 11:37:49 GMT -5
Hans,
Its seems to me the best we should expect from AZL manufacturer, the prototype id (Pullman plan # or such) period of manufacture and maybe a couple of fun facts. Beyond that I agree the road and regional details generally can fill a book. Speaking of which I have a book on the WP listing all rolling stock purchased or built, era, road # range and disposition. There seems to be very few roads that haven't a book (or books) written about them.
Personally, I enjoy doing the research and find the stories interesting. If anyone is interested I'd be willing to post some of the research I've done for my AZL products.
Mark
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Post by smr on Jul 6, 2015 15:40:01 GMT -5
Hans, Its seems to me the best we should expect from AZL manufacturer, the prototype id (Pullman plan # or such) period of manufacture and maybe a couple of fun facts. Beyond that I agree the road and regional details generally can fill a book. Speaking of which I have a book on the WP listing all rolling stock purchased or built, era, road # range and disposition. There seems to be very few roads that haven't a book (or books) written about them. Personally, I enjoy doing the research and find the stories interesting. If anyone is interested I'd be willing to post some of the research I've done for my AZL products. Mark Highly appreciated, Mark, please post your research. Karl is building a WP layout right now and may really enjoy your insights. Best, Sven |
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Post by markm on Jul 6, 2015 19:18:12 GMT -5
To varying degrees, I have readily available historic data for RDCs from WP, SP, ATSF; WP USRA Mikado; heavyweights on WP/DRGW, UP/CNW/SP. If there are other interests. let me know.
Mark
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Post by charlie on Jul 7, 2015 3:24:13 GMT -5
Hi all, thanks for your remarks. I also like a lot doing research...as was actually a researcher before, not in history but still The problem for me, there is either too many information on the net that are sometimes contradictory, or no information at all or very few and with no pictures. And 'search' option in a forum is not accurate. I agree that not all details have to be listed, but at least build date, renumbered date would be appreciated. If there is more it is very welcome! Thanks Mark for being willing to do research! Just an example for me, I bought a challenger and a big boy, the era I'm modeling is 1940-1955, maybe 1956 but not later. I took a caboose (steel) n°25037, built in 1942 as 3737, renumbered 25037 in 1959. I found this information too late, this is a bit out of my era and I would have preferred not to take it (I love it, this is not the problem). Sometimes you need to buy AZL products on the d-day to be sure to get it and no time to look for information! This is how I missed, and maybe lot of us, the CA1 wood caboose. I know I'm a purist, I like details, maybe too much ++ Charlie |
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Post by mrja on Jul 7, 2015 5:00:49 GMT -5
I'd be happy to see some proto photos of the actual road numbers released.
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Post by markm on Jul 7, 2015 10:36:03 GMT -5
JA,
I fully agree and I have links to many of the units. However most of the best images are copyrighted or aren't even on line. Having come from a career where we were always fighting intellectual piracy I will not post anything I don't know I have the right to.
Charlie,
I've found railroad research to me the most challenging I've done. Many times records don't match reality. Recorded memories (including my own) don't match either. Errors published in magazines have propagated through the decades. Fortunately, I have access to libraries in Sacramento and Berkeley and their primary source material.
Mark
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Post by charlie on Jul 7, 2015 14:15:00 GMT -5
Charlie, I've found railroad research to me the most challenging I've done. Many times records don't match reality. Recorded memories (including my own) don't match either. Errors published in magazines have propagated through the decades. Fortunately, I have access to libraries in Sacramento and Berkeley and their primary source material. Mark Sounds good  ! +++++ Charlie |
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Post by zdave on Jul 8, 2015 13:15:34 GMT -5
... I recently watched a UP consist; SD70s, pulling boxcars built in the 1950s for a railroad that hasn't existed in over 30 years... Mark I guess my z consists are more prototypical than I thought.  |
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Post by markm on Jul 8, 2015 16:53:08 GMT -5
Dave,
Personally, I think people beat themselves up too much for a prototypical era. Yeah, it's important to know that an SD70 has probably never pulled a caboose. But beyond that as the train routes go from trans-continental to locals, the equipment gets older and more varied. Also if you're modeling industry, it is common to have a fix set of cars assigned to a particular company for decades.
Mark
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Post by zdave on Jul 9, 2015 13:19:02 GMT -5
Dave, Personally, I think people beat themselves up too much for a prototypical era. Yeah, it's important to know that an SD70 has probably never pulled a caboose. But beyond that as the train routes go from trans-continental to locals, the equipment gets older and more varied. Also if you're modeling industry, it is common to have a fix set of cars assigned to a particular company for decades. Mark I enjoy discovering certain locomotives and rolling stock traveled the area I'm modeling but I don't get too hung-up on what I enjoy running on my layout. As you mentioned, the locals are a good example of showing you can find some fairly diverse make-ups. I believe you should run whatever makes you happy. |
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