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TTC Subway Train Miniature Models

TTC12

TTC12

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Hey everyone,

I was recently thinking about the New York City Subway, and I took a visit to their website, I found out that they sold scale models of previous train models they operated, they light up and move!

I was thinking it would be awesome if the TTC did this for their trains, especially a Gloucester model, other models would be one for the M series, another for H Series 1-4 (since they are similiar), One for the H5, one for the T1, and one for TR. I think it would be awesome! Ofcourse It would be expensie to make electric ones, so I would be fine with the 'novelty' type one.

http://www.transitmuseumstore.com/

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what do you think, I'd buy set or two....
 
Those models are Life-Like Proto 1000, so the quality should be very good. But, I think this is a job best left to them (or possibly Rapido Trains). I'd buy them though...
 
Hehe, I didn't mean doe the TTC to manufacture the models themselves, but some other company, I realize this could be a more of a dream than a reality...
 
Not going to happen. Simply not enough people would buy them to make it worthwhile.

You can't compare Toronto to New York - there are a whole lot more people, and therefore a whole lot more modellers. Its the same reason why it makes sense to do models of UP prototypes but not CN.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
George's Trains (now unfortunately located up in Markham), has HO scale PCCs with the TTC livery. I received one for Christmas along time ago, and unfortunately their made by Bachmann which I've always found to be pretty cheap - cheap cheap, not inexpensive cheap. The ones I have only the rear bogies were powered, and they made an awful grinding noise when they ran.

All in all, they are an available TTC model the only ones I know of - that are powered anyways.


Just a quick google search brought up this retailer who has alrv, clrv, pcc and trolley bus models with TTC livery and some other Canadian transit vehicles:
http://www3.telus.net/trolleybus/Pricing.html#133
 
YEah i want a model Of the toronto rocket and t1 h seriesthat would be awesome
 
I know of two in East York, but am unsure about their TTC stock. Also both stores are more general hobby stores as opposed to being model railroad-centric.
John's Hobbies at Woodbine and Danforth
and Hornet Hobbies at O'Connor and Vic Park.

The only other model railroading store I know of is in Mount Forest, which is a bit more of a hike than Markham. ;)
 
The one in Mount Forest is pretty nice, but I think that's about it for the 416.

There's Credit Valley Railway Company in Streetsville and Panther Hobbies near Dundas and Wharton Way. Both are accessible by Mississauga Transit.
 
George's Trains is supposed to be getting a run of custom-painted Bowser all-electric PCC cars at some point this year. They are far higher quality than the Bachmann cars, but also far more expensive too. They were also looking at getting a run of the Con-Cor air-electric PCCs as well, but I don't know what has become of that. These would only be available at George's.

There are actually lots of stores in the GTA - it just so happens that most are outside of Toronto. Hornet Hobbies and John's Photo-Hobby are the only ones in Toronto proper. George's is actually reasonably easy to get to (68A to 14th Ave., 4 minute walk west to Alden) compared to the rest. The others are Modeller's Choice in Hamilton, Trains on Brant in Burlington, Crossbuck Hobbies in Pickering and Dailey Hobbies in Whitby.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
Miniatures by Eric and CustomTraxx made models of the CLRV; currently it looks like only CustomTraxx has kits for the CLRV in stock:

http://www.trolleyville.com/customtraxx/V-Other/V-Other.html

Smaller companies like this and brass manufacturers are the only ones likely to make models of TTC vehicles. Only high-quality, low-number runs can be made by model companies for a profit. Nice as it would be to have regular production runs available!

@ Andomano: I have an older Bachmann PCC in Toronto colours; is it just me, or is the body hoisted far too high up? You'd need a high-level platform to board one of these cars if they were real!

I was sorry to hear that George's retreated to Markham. I'll miss the downtown store.
 
Hah! Too true about the height of the body, but like I said, Bachmann stuff is cheap! I've never been satisfied by any of their products.


George's Trains may be "easy" to get to, but if you're originating your trip in Toronto, you'd need to pay doublefare for crossing the border. You can't deny that it was much easier to get to when it was on Mt. Pleasant although parking was always scarce.

They did a good job on the site-selection as they chose a location right beside heavily used tracks.
 
The site selection was the easy part--they bought out someone going under :p

For me it's easiest to get to Credit Valley. Even though I'm in Cambridge, I still go to the dentist I had in Mississauga. It's easy to extend the trip a little bit to Streetsville. And they're only a block away from another busy railway line.
 
I have two shells, and they are alright. It more-or-less captures the appearance of the real thing, but there are some serious flaws with the shell.

I had brought them to the attention of Eric and sent him some photos, but I never got any feedback from him so I don't know what's become of it.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
Considering the way the technology has progressed over the past couple of years, it may be time for a group like the one proposed (which I have not joined, but am keeping an eye on) to look at 3D Printing.

Like I wrote before - there will never be enough people who model trains in and of the Toronto area to justify a project like an H1 or a CLRV in ready-to-run plastic by a company such as Bowser, but with the advent of places like Shapeways and i.Materialise correct model kits of those two vehicles - as well as many more - are now a possibility.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
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