Hobby Shops in Tough Times

[RobertInOntario]

There is a shop in the next town (30km away) who specializes in motive power and rolling stock. He gets in anything that features a Canadian road name. The last time we chatted he was saying it is unbelievable how anal people are getting about the prototype. He says he has guys ordering product, then bitching at him because the manufacturer did not make it "right". Wrong style of headlight, grab irons in the wong place, vents not positioned exactly right.
Personally, my layout is set circa 1900, on a line with very few photos available. To me as long as it gives the "feel" of the era, it will work. No sense being anal and counting rivets, I want to run trains and have fun.

Will,

I had a ATSF Rivarossi Pacific. About a year ago, I kit-bashed it into a CNR J-class, more or less. I can still improve and tweak this, as and when time allows.

For a CNR J-class loco, it has all sorts discrepancies -- the domes are in the wrong places & wrong shape, etc., some of the plumbing and wiring is incorrect and the cab should be converted "winterized". However, when it sits on the track and hauls a rake of green CNR coaches around the layout, it sure looks like a CNR Pacific! As you say, I think I've captured the look and feel of a CNR train. (I posted pics of this on the "Z" forum.)

Rob