BLI Lightning and Thunder

[chicken45]

I actually thought this was a joke at first.

http://www.broadway-limited.com/1598lightningandthunderaccessoryforany-scalelayout.aspx

[bbussey]

They should put more effort into the intricacy and functionality of their models instead of these gimmicks.

[C855B]

 

Lionel layouts never had it so good.

I think they've gone off the deep end. I will say one thing in their favor, business-wise - electronics are cheap to produce, and they have hundreds of Chinese fabrication houses to choose from, versus a half-dozen makers of fine models. This gives them a new, easy-to-produce, high-markup product to generate cash flow. Good for them. Now use that profit to do real models, will ya'? Sheesh.

[davefoxx]

They should put more effort into the intricacy and functionality of their models instead of these gimmicks.

Agreed.  But, for every one of us that views these products as gimmicks, there's probably at least nine other hobbyists lining up to buy and install these effects on their layouts.

DFF

[bbussey]

I don't begrudge them exploring this path.  But it would be more palatable if they cared more about their models that are supposed to be prototypical — such as the K7 stock car shell basically being a solid block of plastic, stirrups included.  It's not as if their products are at the Atlas Trainman price point.  If they want to make Lionel-style toys, they should price them accordingly.  If they want to produce scale models, they should put more effort in the design.

[C855B]

... If they want to make Lionel-style toys, they should price them accordingly. ...

They have. Have you shopped for O-27 stuff lately? Yikes. MTH's lock on the brand is serving them well.

[Dave V]

As a meteorologist I really want to be excited about this but I'm not.  I see a gimmick and I see R&D resources diverted from more N scale steam.

I just think that outside of Halloween haunted house themes this would be very distracting.  Thunderstorms are common enough over central PA in the summer that it could be used on my JD, and even more so in the high country of Colorado (where, by my late September/early October timeframe snow and hail are as likely to fall as rain in thunderstorms).  But after a few sessions I think it'd get very old very quickly.

[Bob Bufkin]

With all the small electronics available I was wondering why the thing is so big.  And I agree with the remarks about it being a gimmick and put your money into better quality locos and cars.

[C855B]

Interestingly, as much as this child-like approach bugs me, I don't see it taking much away from modeling R&D. You don't need to be a machinist, CAD artist, or RR historian to pull together the resources for sound-based products, especially if they're not directly connected with a (small) model. The water tower and this new lightning thing, f'rinstance.

Clearly, one of the bosses at BLI has a thing for sound. And as I alluded earlier, sound is a high-profit feature, whether in or out of a model. It's mostly fluff to us, but if it's serving to finance model RR products, that's fine, we're not obligated to buy it. I just wish their whole sound schtick wasn't crammed down our throats. I would have liked to have picked-up a pair of the Centipedes in UP for their historical significance, but the sound premium kept the money in my wallet.

With all the small electronics available I was wondering why the thing is so big.  ...

Off-the-shelf consumer electronics packaging. No magic here, no sophisticated design. This product was probably concept-to-manufacturing in a weekend.

[eric220]

It comes with a button, a real nice Broadway Limited Button!

Sold!

[djconway]

Coming soon a circus train?  Shades of the 1958 Lyonel geraff car.

[thomasjmdavis]

Call me when they figure out how to make it rain without shorting out the locos and flooding my basement.

[chicken45]

I like it, and would probably buy it if I had everything else I wanted. I do hope this was a quick and dirty project to generate cash flow.
But damn that stock car does NOT look good. I'd love to know the thought process that drove that design.

[coosvalley]

But damn that stock car does NOT look good. I'd love to know the thought process that drove that design.

N scale of the 1960's called, they want their stock car back! 

Coming next, Mosquito and black fly sounds for the deep woods scene on your layout!...Pre order now!

[bbussey]

Interestingly, as much as this child-like approach bugs me, I don't see it taking much away from modeling R&D...

Have you seen the N scale stock car yet?  Looks like a promotional piece you'd get in a cereal box.  Or, one of the Hallmark ornaments.

I guess what also irks me is the attitude that the crap stuff will sell regardless.  No concern over the fact that the model is a design regression.  My face-to-face in Kansas City is what really soured me on the company.