Right of Way Industries

Did you get the berk in the red hall? 

On a whim a couple of years ago, I bought mine from the original owner and it was only displayed. It is currently in my show case as well. Overall, a fantastic model!

Berkshirelover726 posted:

Did you get the berk in the red hall? 

Yes

Sid's Trains posted:

Berkshirelover726 posted:

Did you get the berk in the red hall? 

Yes

I was eyeing that myself. Glad you got it. 

ROW D&H designed to run Dummy-Dummy-Power unit next to the rolling stock.

ROW Santa Fe Alcos.  Designed to run with the non-powered A unit leading.

ROW Erie Lackawanna Alcos

Lionel "R", ROW and Z4000 transformers.        John in Lansing, ILL

Berkshirelover726 posted:

Sid's Trains posted:

Berkshirelover726 posted:

Did you get the berk in the red hall? 

Yes

I was eyeing that myself. Glad you got it. 

It was there in October and I had bought some stuff from the people before. They had reduced it more and even more for me so it was a no brainier for me. Great locomotive.

rattler21 posted:

Their ABAs in Santa Fe and D&H livery are absolutely stunning. John in Lansing, ILL

Yeah, I have seen them before but never bought a set due to higher prices on them.

Bill Benson and his Right-of-Way crew offered an outstanding product: locomotives, rolling stock, signals, and power supply. No question about it. Their transformer is still regarded as the most powerful and perhaps the finest ever made for the O scale/gauge segment of our hobby.

Yes - I have a few of their locos. Great stuff. Though less accurate than his other offerings, his endearing PRR T-1 "articulated" 4-4-4-4 was a pioneer, and I found one a few years ago for a good price (sound was gone, but it runs) and snatched it. Weaver, etc., it's not, but can the Weaver take almost toy-train curves? Nah.

I have some of their GG-compatible track, maybe a couple of switches; some plastic rolling stock.

ROW was an early loss to 3RO, and still an under-appreciated outfit.

(BTW, I finally found the ROW C&O Kanawha (Berkshire) last year. Is it the only accurate C&O 2-8-4 in 3RO?) 

Allan Miller posted:

Bill Benson and his Right-of-Way crew offered an outstanding product: locomotives, rolling stock, signals, and power supply. No question about it. Their transformer is still regarded as the most powerful and perhaps the finest ever made for the O scale/gauge segment of our hobby.

Yeah, I also have one of their signals, sound box car, coal cars, and two of their transformers.

D500 posted:

Yes - I have a few of their locos. Great stuff. Though less accurate than his other offerings, his endearing PRR T-1 "articulated" 4-4-4-4 was a pioneer, and I found one a few years ago for a good price (sound was gone, but it runs) and snatched it. Weaver, etc., it's not, but can the Weaver take almost toy-train curves? Nah.

I have some of their GG-compatible track, maybe a couple of switches; some plastic rolling stock.

ROW was an early loss to 3RO, and still an under-appreciated outfit.

(BTW, I finally found the ROW C&O Kanawha (Berkshire) last year. Is it the only accurate C&O 2-8-4 in 3RO?) 

Yeah it's sad that they went out of business. They maybe amazing product and I'm pretty sure their Kanawha is the only prototypical one on the market.

Sid's Trains posted:

Berkshirelover726 posted:

Sid's Trains posted:

Berkshirelover726 posted:

Did you get the berk in the red hall? 

Yes

I was eyeing that myself. Glad you got it. 

It was there in October and I had bought some stuff from the people before. They had reduced it more and even more for me so it was a no brainier for me. Great locomotive.

I looked at it at both shows also. Just looking for different stuff. I mainly collect the 726 and 736 berkshires but I'm looking at a few others to add to the fleet. 

I don't think anyone mentioned the C-16 Dockside which Right-Of-Way produced:

Tom 

MNCW posted:

I don't think anyone mentioned the C-16 Dockside which Right-Of-Way produced:

Tom 

Oh yeah, they were nice little engines.

If anyone wants to purchase a Rowi PRR T1, my email is in my profile. The locomotive has very little run time and the sound works.

Never look at ROW at York or any train show, they left a bitter taste in my mouth. R.O.W. made some cool stuff back in the day but also cheated allot of people in the end.

Glad they are gone. 

Dave

I'd like to have one of the early 2-6-6-2s, but they don't show up for sale often, and they are still holding most of their original price. 

MTH has done a couple of issues of the C&O Kanawha with the domes in the correct position.  It's full scale in length.

The main reason I never sought R-O-W, is that they don't coast when the power is cut.  The lack of a flywheel combined with rubber tires makes for bone-jarring stops.  No possibility of installing PS2/PS3.  Also, the worm gear is affixed directly to the motor shaft.  Which means if either the motor or the worm gear wears out, you will have to source an exact replacement.

Totally agree about the transformer.  Right-of-Way were groundbreaking when new, and the size (somewhere between traditional O and full scale) was very appealing.  But unlike Williams Crown Edition (made by Samhongsa), their brass steam locos weren't built using the best accepted engineering practices.  For that reason, I would pick a Williams brass Mikado or Camelback over one of these. 

My $.02.

david1 posted:

Never look at ROW at York or any train show, they left a bitter taste in my mouth. R.O.W. made some cool stuff back in the day but also cheated allot of people in the end.

Glad they are gone. 

Dave

Not to start anything, but I know nothing of this issue. Any real info?

Really - Just curious.

david1 posted:

Never look at ROW at York or any train show, they left a bitter taste in my mouth. R.O.W. made some cool stuff back in the day but also cheated allot of people in the end.

Glad they are gone. 

Dave

I understand what you mean, but I wouldn't let that beat at you.

palallin posted:

I'd like to have one of the early 2-6-6-2s, but they don't show up for sale often, and they are still holding most of their original price. 

 

Yeah, I have one that I got for a extremely good price from a shop in Ohio. Nice runner.

Ted S posted:

MTH has done a couple of issues of the C&O Kanawha with the domes in the correct position.  It's full scale in length.

The main reason I never sought R-O-W, is that they don't coast when the power is cut.  The lack of a flywheel combined with rubber tires makes for bone-jarring stops.  No possibility of installing PS2/PS3.  Also, the worm gear is affixed directly to the motor shaft.  Which means if either the motor or the worm gear wears out, you will have to source an exact replacement.

Totally agree about the transformer.  Right-of-Way were groundbreaking when new, and the size (somewhere between traditional O and full scale) was very appealing.  But unlike Williams Crown Edition (made by Samhongsa), their brass steam locos weren't built using the best accepted engineering practices.  For that reason, I would pick a Williams Crown Edition Mikado or Camelback over one of these. 

My $.02.

I totally forgot about the MTH models. Also I understand your feelings about having no flywheel. I am a person who really runs their trains and I don't care if it's command control or conventional. Personally I slow the train down by lowering the power slowly and that gives me the effect I like. 

D500 posted:

david1 posted:

Never look at ROW at York or any train show, they left a bitter taste in my mouth. R.O.W. made some cool stuff back in the day but also cheated allot of people in the end.

Glad they are gone. 

Dave

Not to start anything, but I know nothing of this issue. Any real info?

Really - Just curious.

From what I know, they were going to be making diecast  or some other locomotive. They took deposits and in the process the manufacturer went belly up and also screwed Right of Way. Bill Benson then closed the company and took the deposits. That's the story I have heard.

palallin posted:

I'd like to have one of the early 2-6-6-2s, but they don't show up for sale often, and they are still holding most of their original price. 

 

Are there any price guides one could reference for valuation?

As those who have followed my comments in the past know, I love ROW locos, especially since their original prices plummeted 10 years or so ago.  I have 4 of their articulateds --each with two Pittman motors-- plus two others including their fascinating Shay.  Yes, they have no flywheels and aren't easily convertible to the 21st century.  And it's very difficult to find repair parts.  But, if you like O gauge brass, they are the best deal in town. I saw an excellent C&O 2-6-6-2 on the table for $700 at a TCA show last Sunday (original price in 1990 was $1200), but it was still on the table at the end of the show.

Lew Schneider

D500 posted:

david1 posted:

Never look at ROW at York or any train show, they left a bitter taste in my mouth. R.O.W. made some cool stuff back in the day but also cheated allot of people in the end.

Glad they are gone. 

Dave

Not to start anything, but I know nothing of this issue. Any real info?

Really - Just curious.

He went bankrupt leaving people who had items on order to lose their money.  I was fortunate as the items I had on order I had charged on a credit card so I was able to get my money back.

Neal Jeter 

david1 posted:

Never look at ROW at York or any train show, they left a bitter taste in my mouth. R.O.W. made some cool stuff back in the day but also cheated allot of people in the end.

Glad they are gone. 

Dave

A few of my friends lost some engine that were in for repair which were never seen again. I also am glad they are gone.

Was this the guy who required deposits on some kind of F unit and everyone got burned? I thought I read he got in trouble with the law and died maybe about 15 years ago

The lack of flywheels is a problem for me because at shows we sometimes let the kids run our trains.  All of the remotes have a "Dir" button that cannot easily be disabled.  Even if I wanted to hack the controller, the old CAB-1 had that weird acceleration feature... if they spun the knob hard to the left, the speed could drop off quickly enough to buckle the train.

It's not just Right of Way... Even some of the MTH Proto-1 steamers didn't coast very well.  Once my PS1 Hudson was pulling a 7-car passenger train at high speed.  A kid hit the direction button and the sound was horrifying.  I thought for sure it threw a rod or stripped a gear.  NOT blaming the kid, just poor design.  Teeny-tiny flywheel, poor gear ratio with not nearly enough RPM.  In a lot of ways the postwar 773 with NO rubber tires, a two-start back-drivable worm, and that big, free-spinning armature was more robust and fault-tolerant than a top-of-the line product that cost $1000 in 1996.  So much for progress!

Cincytrains posted:

Was this the guy who required deposits on some kind of F unit and everyone got burned? I thought I read he got in trouble with the law and died maybe about 15 years ago

 

I have heard the getting in trouble story as well. It may be a combination of those two stories. I don't know the true one. I was basing it off of other forum members posts.

Ted S posted:

The lack of flywheels is a problem for me because at shows we sometimes let the kids run our trains.  All of the remotes have a "Dir" button that cannot easily be disabled.  Even if I wanted to hack the controller, the old CAB-1 had that weird acceleration feature... if they spun the knob hard to the left, the speed could drop off quickly enough to buckle the train.

It's not just Right of Way... Even some of the MTH Proto-1 steamers didn't coast very well.  Once my PS1 Hudson was pulling a 7-car passenger train at high speed.  A kid hit the direction button and the sound was horrifying.  I thought for sure it threw a rod or stripped a gear.  NOT blaming the kid, just poor design.  Teeny-tiny flywheel, poor gear ratio with not nearly enough RPM.  In a lot of ways the postwar 773 with NO rubber tires, a two-start back-drivable worm, and that big, free-spinning armature was more robust and fault-tolerant than a top-of-the line product that cost $1000 in 1996.  So much for progress!

I understand your point, but I have seen one example of a timko motor in a right of way engine if it's a big enough issue.

I thought it was an F40PH they were supposed to produce?

VistaDomeScott posted:

I thought it was an F40PH they were supposed to produce?

I have always heard it was some engine with a f in the designation. I have seen f units the most and with the products that they had produced and what was popular at the time, an f unit makes sense.

Cincytrains posted:

Was this the guy who required deposits on some kind of F unit and everyone got burned?

It was an F3 or F7, I believe. Bill got screwed by his overseas supplier after he had advanced them the production money (advances from customers). Everybody, including Bill and his business, got burned. Bill is, I believe, still alive and kicking.

MNCW posted:

I don't think anyone mentioned the C-16 Dockside which Right-Of-Way produced:

Tom 

Best little Dockside ever produced in O. There's not even a close second. I could still kick myself for selling the B&O version I had.

Allan Miller posted:

Cincytrains posted:

Was this the guy who required deposits on some kind of F unit and everyone got burned?

It was an F3 or F7, I believe. Bill got screwed by his overseas supplier after he had advanced them the production money (advances from customers). Everybody, including Bill and his business, got burned. Bill is, I believe, still alive and kicking.

Interesting, thanks for the information.

Allan Miller posted:

MNCW posted:

I don't think anyone mentioned the C-16 Dockside which Right-Of-Way produced:

Tom 

Best little Dockside ever produced in O. There's not even a close second. I could still kick myself for selling the B&O version I had.

 

One little bonus, I forget how many were produced (maybe 500?). Anyway, the number that was assigned to mine when built by Right-Of-Way falls in the range of numbers that the B&O had for them (#96-#99).  I have #96.

Tom

MNCW posted:

Allan Miller posted:

MNCW posted:

I don't think anyone mentioned the C-16 Dockside which Right-Of-Way produced:

Tom 

Best little Dockside ever produced in O. There's not even a close second. I could still kick myself for selling the B&O version I had.

 

One little bonus, I forget how many were produced (maybe 500?). Anyway, the number that was assigned to mine when built by Right-Of-Way falls in the range of numbers that the B&O had for them (#96-#99).  I have #96.

Tom

Neat

What I had ordered was a Norfolk Southern GP-60 with a set of RoadRailers.  I was able to get my deposit back since I had charged it on my credit card.  He had the model at York one year and that's when I placed my order.  He used to set up a large layout in the Gold Hall.

Neal Jeter