All good points Bob and I am throwing this out just for discussion mostly for another project for Scotts E6’s.
At roughly $300 a car, I don’t think you will get the riveted detail you correctly pointed out. On the flip side, there are now MP E6’s with no real consist to pull. So the options for engine owners are as follows:
1: Buy this set and understand the details will have to be “close enough” with correct paint. You at least have something to pull with the E6’s
2: Build your own in brass or plastic if you have the time, talent and money as going this route will probably cost more than $300 per car.
3: Do nothing and wait to see if someone manufactures a set with more or acceptable level of detail.
4: Sell your engine’s and move on to another railroad to model.
In my case, and I am only speaking for myself, I am ok with “close enough” on the details on Streamline cars so long as the paint is correct. I do believe that correct paint is more important for my visual concern as an operator. If the details were spot on and the paint was not accurate, that would cause me more concern. Of course, correct paint AND correct details would be the best, but as I said, you will be much more than $300 per car in cost.
The last E6 run has some really nice engines produced with no passenger cars to haul around (IC, C&NW and UP) just to name a few. While there is another option for the C&NW cars (build your own from a kit), there is not an option for all the others, unless you operate ATSF, SP, NP, PRR or Milwaukee Road - I may have missed a few.
Where this brings us to today is, we as consumers of Scotts products might have a chance to purchase a less than perfect/accurate set of cars for our engines at a fairly reasonable price but will have to live with the understanding that there are some limitations. I’m hoping that there are more people with this same line of thinking so this and other projects can move forward and not get stalled due to lack of customers.
Charlie
