Lima

Hmmmm, I can see it now...............

"You buya dis 60 or I brekka your legs - capiche!"

soz, I can't type in an Italian accent............... :-) Mick

Reply to
Mick Bryan
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...snip... =>John.

I've followed this thread with ineterste, since Lima's troubles illustrate a lot of the issues that plague model railroad manufacturing and marketing.

AHM (predecessor of IHC) imported Lima product back in the 70s - an Alco 420 IIRC. Decent body (looks ok from normal viewing distances), crappy mechanism. A couple years ago I bought a GWR diesel car made by Lima - again, decent body, crappy mechanism. But I have a sentimental memories of the beast, so I accept the shortcomings.

IMO Lima error was a willingness to produce to a low price point as demanded by the importer. The importer flogged the stuff for as long as possible, dumping it at ridiculous discounts once the initial investment was recovered. But Lima got a rep for bad product (as did Bachmann, who played the same game) The interesting thing is that the mould work on Lima's models is very nice - crisp and sharp. It's just that a lot of detail is left off, body contours aren't always right, and so on. IOW, it's the design, not the technology that's at fault. Pity.

Model railroaders will not buy newer, better models from a mfr whose product disappointed in the past. Model Power imported a couple of locos made by Roco

- same quality as Atlas imported at the same time, but most people just didn't trust M/P. Those locos now sell for a few dollars - a bargain. LifeLike got around their bad image by launching a new brand, Proto2000, to dissociate these better quality models from the junk they previously imported (and some of which they still sell.) Model Power is trying the same trick with "Metal Train", which looks to be somewhat better than what they've offered in the past, but it's too early to tell whether they can overcome their reputation. If they don't, they're toast IMO.

Lima apparently did produce better models for other markets - so I blame the importers for their bad reputation. After all, Lima was/is really at the mercy of the what the importer tells them about the market. IMO, their only hope (and Rivarossi's too, for that matter) is to spend the money to set up their own organisation and do their own market research in the UK and North America, and offer upgraded models - preferably with DCC built in. That's the coming thing. BTW, the latest runs of Rivarossi's US locos have RP25 wheels - something they could have done 30 years ago, except that the then importer (AHM) didn't give a s**t about that little improvement.

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

Err, maybe I'll buy a new motor then!

Reply to
Peter

The class 67 was a fair effort, tractive and running wise mine are equal to bachmann and Hornby and I like them, all 5 of them! A bit of work is needed on the bodies depending how critical you want to be with a model, but that is tru for the others too. So, 1 out of 50+ models is not bad!

Reply to
piemanlarger

In message , piemanlarger writes

Really? Have you done a chi-squared goodness-of-fit test on that? As I see it, 1 out of 50+ models is insignificant. All things considered, and in spite of the class 67, Lima are still crap.

Reply to
John Sullivan

The 67, with a shoddy drive mechanism that fell apart in transit and printed cab detail was the final insult :( That said, their 47 was superior to Hornby's... but still pants compared to Heljan.

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***
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*** Rich Mackin (rich-at-richmackin-co-uk) MSN: richmackin-at-hotmail-dot-com

And yes, I know the post timing is an hour off - blame ntl :(

Reply to
Rich Mackin

Better repeating the following....

UK Importer that requested that all UK imports be with G type motorm instead of the cardanic version on what was sold in contenental europem the last years of Italian French German and Swiss productions models run like greased lighting and are silent..... cost more, but G motors have been histore for European collectors for quite a while. Only the Toy range is sold with the G motor here.

do not grease!!! silicone spray at the most.

Lima is not that bad...g motors are old but your importer is at fault........ in any case, Lima and Rivarossi like Hornby are moving on to China too, so ..........

thats life

"John Turner" ha scritto nel messaggio news:ceorhq$psj$ snipped-for-privacy@newsreaderg1.core.theplanet.net...

Reply to
sds

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