Auxiliary Water Tenders- Why Diecast?

I think they look better with the die cast steam locomotives. 

More dead weight to be pulled, but what is the effect on "straight-lining" on curves?

Really big engines pulling really long trains.  If the tender were plastic they probably would derail unless there was weight added.

Another question might be why a line of diecast freight cars.  Never have understood that one.

But the first car behind the tender is still plastic so as long as it's decently weighted it shouldn't be a problem. 

In my opinion a die cast aux tender is there to complement a die cast locomotive such as (but not limited to) a Challenger or BigBoy.  For me it completes the loco and can add some nice play value to whatever your running.  Although you can add electronics and some other nice features to a plastic tender, the effect isn't really the same to me.

I think the weight is an important feature.  You don't want a light car at the front of the train, and I suspect that's the primary reason they're mostly diecast.

I agree re: weight. I have a couple of 3D-printed UP AWTs mounted on Lionel metal frames and they are still so light that they can be pulled off the rails by the trailing rolling stock if it's any significant number of cars. 3rd Rail made some brass AWTs a while back which are only just heavy enough to avoid this problem most of the time. I don't believe that they have any lead ballast but I have considered putting some in the plastic ones.

colorado hirailer posted:

More dead weight to be pulled, but what is the effect on "straight-lining" on curves?

I believe what you are referring to is String-lining. That results from having light car(s) running ahead of heavy cars. If you had a light AWT pulling a bunch of heavy diecast hoppers, potentially you would be at risk of derailing the AWT (String-lining).

And THEN there's the issue of trying to back up a heavy train with that plastic tender wedged into the fray.......

So besides a train of die cast hoppers, I just don't see the point. Any normal freight car is plastic. 

When it comes down to it, I'd just like a plastic version for $100-150 instead of die cast for $400.

As a manufacturing process the die cast may be easier to detail and add more to it. 

Um . . .

The reason that Steam and electric are die cast metal and Diesels are plastic is nothing more than that's the way Lionel, and now MTH, has always done it.

There is no other reason.  It would be cheaper to make steam and electrics in plastic - but would you buy a plastc Big Boy?

For me, it has to be metal, and usually brass, or wood.  Plastic is for toys.  Just a personal hangup.  My favorite freight cars are Lionel's #715,716, and 717.  I can tolerate the 714 only because it came with the set.

All opinion.

bob2 posted:

 Plastic is for toys.  Just a personal hangup. 

All opinion.

No, Plastic is for highly detailed scale models...to numerous to mention! Fact, not opinion!

I'm with you Will. I asked the same question years ago!

So what you guys are saying is if I run a die cast N&W A with a die cast auxiliary tender, the auxiliary tender won't string-line.

If I don't use an auxiliary tender, then the plastic car right behind the regular tender is likely to string-line anyway.

With this line of thinking, the plastic car right behind an auxiliary tender is likely to string-line anyway as well.

The solution is to add weight to a plastic car. Assuming Will's numbers at $150 for a plastic car vs. $400 for the die cast, I'd go for the plastic. I'd rather the weight be added at the factory but could spare the 15 minutes it would take to add the weight myself for the $250 savings. I don't make $1,000 an hour like others do.

I'm not sure the $400 cost of the item has to do with the material it is made of. I think the real problem might be with numbers. A regular freight car can sell and run on any railroad. An Auxiliary tender is run behind engines of a specific railroad. This brings the numbers of potential auxiliary tender sales down which raises the price of the car in any material. 

If you have a long enough consist, you need to put the heavier and more stable cars in the lead, that also applies to real 1:1 trains as well. 

No question the heavier cars need to be up front. But, properly weighted plastic cars are used behind engines and tenders in long trains all the time. It's just a strange notion that the auxiliary tender has to be made of die cast because of the weight.

bob2 posted:

Um . . .

The reason that Steam and electric are die cast metal and Diesels are plastic is nothing more than that's the way Lionel, and now MTH, has always done it.

There is no other reason.  It would be cheaper to make steam and electrics in plastic - but would you buy a plastc Big Boy?

For me, it has to be metal, and usually brass, or wood.  Plastic is for toys.  Just a personal hangup.  My favorite freight cars are Lionel's #715,716, and 717.  I can tolerate the 714 only because it came with the set.

All opinion.

No Corvettes for you huh? 

I like die cast every thing...for model trains. Corvettes can be fiberglass though.

Big Jim posted:

bob2 posted:

 Plastic is for toys.  Just a personal hangup. 

All opinion.

No, Plastic is for highly detailed scale models...to numerous to mention! Fact, not opinion!

I'm with you Will. I asked the same question years ago!

I'm inclined to agree with Bob2 on this one...and and he did say "All opinion".

Also, I think you meant to say "...too numerous to mention!"

Mark in Oregon

So they can charge more for it. Aux water tenders are glorified boxcars with a light in the back. Certainly not worth as much as a Railking diesel but costs about the same.

Scott Smith

So why are you not insisting on plastic Big Boys and GG1s - and J1e Hudsons?  I agree - plastic takes sharper details.

We 2-railers got a drop-dead gorgeous 0-8-0 in plastic for $12.99.  The brass equivalent at the time was $350.  Both are still available used.  The metal version is still way more valuable, if not quite the early order of magnitude.

I would buy a Lionel PA in a heartbeat if it were good zamac.  Since it is plastic, I shall be happy with my sand cast PAs.