Bowser Loco Kits

[nkp_174]

I fail to see the logic behind Bowser's reasoning as expressed to Bob C. If they are continuing the manufacture of RTR locos, they'll need the PARTS to make them....The very same parts that go into making up a kit....Yet, in a kit, they don't need to make the investment in LABOR that a RTR loco requires. Quite the contrary....You can stick a higher markup on the kit parts, yet keep the kit itself much cheaper than the RTR.....There is nothing more expensive in this country than labor....

Their RTR isn't steam (aside from a dockside). They offer di-evils and freight cars RTR.

I have flirted with getting one of their kits for years, but the deficiencies have always prevented me from doing so. The two most interesting locomotives for me are the USRA 2-8-2 and 4-6-2. The problem is this: the Mike has the wrong valve gear, needs new gearing and a new motor, all new detail parts (for the NKP), a new cab, a new tender (for the NKP), and is more difficult to kitbash than a BLI or Athearn. For the pacific, I don't care that the boiler is wrong...as I'd be replacing it for a non-USRA NKP pacific, but the price is a little steep to junk everything but the wheels and frame. It makes more sense to start with either a sound equiped BLI or a cheaper Athearn pacific...which is also easier to kitbash. Despite these deficiencies, they look like fun.

I wish that Bowser, MDC, and Mantua would have gotten their acts together and brought their technology out of the 1950s. The diecast boilers are fine, but how about getting the details correct? How about a gearbox and motor? For these reasons...I'd love to get my hands on one of their 0-6-0s...which is what I'd want for the price.

I'd love to see them take their inventory of fine brass detail parts and drivers, and offer some new kits with etched brass frames, pewter or resin boilers, cabs, and such...and modern mechanisms. For budget, I'd prefer to see mashima motors rather than the Falhauber and Maxon motors I really love. PSC's $18 gearboxes would be perfect for the drives.

Here is what Railmaster has done with the formula of modern kits: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.railmaster.co.nz/gallery/sn3gallery.htm">http://www.railmaster.co.nz/gallery/sn3gallery.htm</a><!-- m -->
Here's a British manufacturer:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://website.lineone.net/~cbwesson/">http://website.lineone.net/~cbwesson/</a><!-- m -->

Bowser could take their 2-8-2 parts, offer the correct valve gear, fix the cab, and then turn around and also offer an H-5 2-8-2. With BLI's post settlement slowdown, they won't be coming out with as many new items...and most are not happy with MTH (whom "won" the settlement) whom is far $$$ than a quality, new Bowser kit would cost.