Mike D posted:As long as there are those among us that expect diecast products, we will have to deal with this issue. I don't understand the aversion to plastic. Plastic doesn't corrode, it's durable and it is cheaper to make. Sorry to hear about your issue. I think many of us have been bitten by the zinc pest from time to time.
Split shells from body-mounting screw holes in postwar diesels, cracked shells from minor falls, melted shells from electric malfunctions, inferior structural integrity, etc.
Aside from a pair of sideframes on an old Williams Train Master and a pair of trucks on a diecast MTH reefers, I have never had major problems with any of my diecast trains. I have had many more problems with plastic components.
Plastics came into being for toy trains because they were originally cheaper to make and easier on tooling. They also held find detail better. All of which has been offset by the fact that plastics are no longer inexpensive, diecast tooling is no longer expected to last through hundreds of thousands of uses, and hobbyists expected separately applied fine details instead of cast-on details.
Diecast isn’t just perceived to be better. It is superior.
