I think the reason the big manufacturers make Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and Pennsylvania is because those are the names that sell well. Just think about it, those 3 railroads are undoubtedly the greatest of all time and most well known.
You're completely right about that, no doubt those are the 3 most well known names to the general public. I do think it would be smart for these model train companies to move more towards current road names, though, since I feel like the next generation of hobbyists don't have the same channels to learn about those fallen flags (no I Love Toy Trains, Lots & Lots of Trains, Extreme Trains, etc.)
While budget minded, (and occasionally way overpriced) I do have several Life Like Engines in my fleet. Their E units are heavy and are remarkable pullers. Also the Life Like GP20s are gorgeous! Especially in N scale.
One of the best engines I have is a LifeLike that I bought from you, and yes, it is a UP. As for the hair, yours is very "clam" compared to those of us that grew up in the 70's and had kids in the 80's during the "big hair" era. And for those of us fortunate to have met you, you are one of the nicest and friendliest young gentlemen I have ever met.
I played with both Life Like and New Bright when I was a kid and I think they're alright for beginners. Even though New Bright is all battery powered, I can at least give them credit for giving me my cheap hands-on exposure to the G scale world. I wanted to try LGB trains at some point, but I went with O gauge because I found Lionel more appealing especially the different non-train, train related merchandise they made back in the 90s. I have gotten back into HO while O gauge, but I have more of a preference towards European HO (& Brit OO) than the familiar American HO I started out. Back to Life-Like and even other HO starter brands, I see Santa Fe and UP can be both be very boring at times.
5:20 With the exception of the "Rail King" electric sets the rarest of which is the Pennsylvania flyer without the Remote control station and the separate rolling stock you can buy. You could even get a toy story box car! I think New bright was trying to compete with the big Hauler, they also seemed to be the first company to sell a More modern looking 2-6-2 steam loco in a set. New Bright sold expander packs for their battery sets that included a Station that talked, a operating grade crossing, and switches, and extra curves and straights. EZ tec also sold track packs as well for their earlier battery sets. Life like also sold 2 versions of a battery operated Set called smokestack express that was O gauge and appeared to use old Rivarossi And Pola Maxi European tooling. The wheels of the Loco were even metal as if it was supposed to be a track powered loco at some time.
Life Like is interesting because its what many of us saw as little kids in toy stores...along with Tyco. Also they use some historic tooling, I believe Penn Line. So early Bachmann, Life-Like, Tyco, all the trains made for all of them by Mehano. its all part of the 1970s-1980s HO scene. Of course Tyco as a rich history and ended up being a large Toy Company that made Mattel nervous enough to take it over.
An honorable mention could have been how the 3-pole pancake drives (though dreadfully awful) were great at highballin'. "Who needs a mag-lev? Watch this F7 Santa Fe run at over 200mph at scale......vroooom...."
What Life-Like did really well was was offer sets that didn't break the bank. Like you said, were they the greatest? No. Were their locomotives all world pullers and the most accurate? No. But they didn't have to be, they were a simple, "cheap" way to get into model railroading, and they offered some good bang for your buck. I'm also glad you mentioned both the Proto 1000 and 2000 lines Life-Like had, because, not only were they the more detailed and accurate line, it was also their high performance line as well! The Proto series are known stump pullers and on top of that, they're virtual clones of Athearn drivetrains, so much so, that Life-Like and Athearn parts are interchangeable on most models!
As someone who has a new bright train set, I 100% agree. I was gifted the engine and bought the track and cars separately. The train itself is fine imo but the main problem is the track. It's near impossible to find enough track to make a full loop for a decent price and when you do, the connectors are broken. I've had to modify the connectors so it won't break every time I set up the track
Your hair is great, especially since it's your own. I think I've seen you give a more positive nod to LL N scale more than once before in your videos. I absolutely love my Life Like N locomotives and often prefer them over older higher-end brands. As a DC runner myself, they often speed-match a wider range of locomotives for power consists. My best and most detailed N steamer is also a Life Like. I wonder if the team over at LL had actually been N scalers, so their HO offerings were a second thought?
I do have some Life Like locomotives in my N Scale fleet, some of them run quite well (Amtrak F40PH, 2x Union Pacific E8's) while others were a bit spotty in running (ATSF GP38-2, BN GP38-2). I've been meaning to repair a couple of those Life Like locomotives (the GP38-2's mentioned), but trying to find parts for them outside of a 'donor' locomotive is a little bit of a pain in the tail as some of the local hobby shops that I visited are too far away or closed down. Even looking for online listings for a suitable 'donor' locomotive for spare parts is a pain in the tail as they want far too much for it even before factoring in shipping costs.
I still have all my old Life-Like sets from my younger years. I do want to tune them up to bring them up to spec with my newer-nicer rolling stock though. Which means those talgo trucks and horn hook couplers have got to go. But they served me well. And you weren't kidding about variety, one of the Life-Like locomotives I have isn't even American, it's Australian-National.
@@WashingtonDistrictRailfan It's one of 5 Australian engines I have since my model railroad setup is going to be USA/UK/AU all in one. And of those 5 two of them are from an authentic Australian brand, Auscision.
I like how LifeLike sells a lot of variety of road names for starter sets. New Bright has ever since stopped making G scale trains to focus later on their RC cars. New Bright has had a lot of competition from mainly LGB in the G scale industry. New Bright train sets are hard to find nowadays. I agree with you on thinking LifeLike is better than New Bright.
Life-Like are quite good in N scale; they don't creep very slowly as Atlas and Kato can in my experience. I do have some of their passenger engines that run very well.
Great Video, Life Like Was Good Enough as A Starter ! Sadly The Prices Have Gone Through the Roof For Cheap Starter Sets ! I mean $400.00 for A Train Layout that Goes in a 4 foot Loop , ain' t Cheap ! Best Wishes 😊
When I Got Back Into Model Rail Roading I Started with LifeLike once I Started using lifelike haven’t Went to Any other Brand For Ho.then I Started Doin Nscale What should I Use then I Saw It I’m Goin Bachmann and I Love It.
👍👍 It's a good thing my friends and I don't live closer. We'd drop by and make you an offer you couldn't refuse for that mane of yours 😆 . Looks great . Great videos . . . ☘️ ☘️
now I want to test those Life-Like operating car sets with Bachmanns EZ track instead of the Life-Like track. Might be an accidental way to make operating a layout more fun being able to drop off and pick up cargo.
5:18 I think you meant to say EZtech XP anyway I like the like life drives much more than Bachmann drive of the same era, And I have found out it is actually possible To put a life like drive in a bachmann chassis
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Life like N scale was always a good bargain! Especially with the stream line C liners sets..
Not to mention, some of their higher end/later models were real hits, their EMD E units, and NW switchers, to name a few.
@ steam locomotives!
I think the reason the big manufacturers make Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and Pennsylvania is because those are the names that sell well. Just think about it, those 3 railroads are undoubtedly the greatest of all time and most well known.
You're completely right about that, no doubt those are the 3 most well known names to the general public. I do think it would be smart for these model train companies to move more towards current road names, though, since I feel like the next generation of hobbyists don't have the same channels to learn about those fallen flags (no I Love Toy Trains, Lots & Lots of Trains, Extreme Trains, etc.)
@ I have noticed Lionel has done a lot of limited run sets with the USRA 0-8-0 for many roads too, so maybe there’s a niche for that.
Accessories......... That KFC kit was my first building ever
It's a classic for sure!
While budget minded, (and occasionally way overpriced) I do have several Life Like Engines in my fleet. Their E units are heavy and are remarkable pullers.
Also the Life Like GP20s are gorgeous! Especially in N scale.
Life Like's N scale stuff is solid. That would be another positive for sure
One of the best engines I have is a LifeLike that I bought from you, and yes, it is a UP. As for the hair, yours is very "clam" compared to those of us that grew up in the 70's and had kids in the 80's during the "big hair" era. And for those of us fortunate to have met you, you are one of the nicest and friendliest young gentlemen I have ever met.
I played with both Life Like and New Bright when I was a kid and I think they're alright for beginners. Even though New Bright is all battery powered, I can at least give them credit for giving me my cheap hands-on exposure to the G scale world. I wanted to try LGB trains at some point, but I went with O gauge because I found Lionel more appealing especially the different non-train, train related merchandise they made back in the 90s. I have gotten back into HO while O gauge, but I have more of a preference towards European HO (& Brit OO) than the familiar American HO I started out. Back to Life-Like and even other HO starter brands, I see Santa Fe and UP can be both be very boring at times.
great job' keep up the good work be blessed in this new year we look forward to your post we are G scale started in Ho thank you your the best
5:20 With the exception of the "Rail King" electric sets the rarest of which is the Pennsylvania flyer without the Remote control station and the separate rolling stock you can buy. You could even get a toy story box car! I think New bright was trying to compete with the big Hauler, they also seemed to be the first company to sell a More modern looking 2-6-2 steam loco in a set. New Bright sold expander packs for their battery sets that included a Station that talked, a operating grade crossing, and switches, and extra curves and straights. EZ tec also sold track packs as well for their earlier battery sets.
Life like also sold 2 versions of a battery operated Set called smokestack express that was O gauge and appeared to use old Rivarossi And Pola Maxi European tooling. The wheels of the Loco were even metal as if it was supposed to be a track powered loco at some time.
"You're running the train the wrong way!"
Long hood forward:
My last layout used nickle silver life like power loc track and it served me very well. Adding feeders definitely helped
Life Like is interesting because its what many of us saw as little kids in toy stores...along with Tyco. Also they use some historic tooling, I believe Penn Line. So early Bachmann, Life-Like, Tyco, all the trains made for all of them by Mehano. its all part of the 1970s-1980s HO scene. Of course Tyco as a rich history and ended up being a large Toy Company that made Mattel nervous enough to take it over.
An honorable mention could have been how the 3-pole pancake drives (though dreadfully awful) were great at highballin'.
"Who needs a mag-lev? Watch this F7 Santa Fe run at over 200mph at scale......vroooom...."
What Life-Like did really well was was offer sets that didn't break the bank. Like you said, were they the greatest? No. Were their locomotives all world pullers and the most accurate? No. But they didn't have to be, they were a simple, "cheap" way to get into model railroading, and they offered some good bang for your buck. I'm also glad you mentioned both the Proto 1000 and 2000 lines Life-Like had, because, not only were they the more detailed and accurate line, it was also their high performance line as well! The Proto series are known stump pullers and on top of that, they're virtual clones of Athearn drivetrains, so much so, that Life-Like and Athearn parts are interchangeable on most models!
As someone who has a new bright train set, I 100% agree. I was gifted the engine and bought the track and cars separately. The train itself is fine imo but the main problem is the track. It's near impossible to find enough track to make a full loop for a decent price and when you do, the connectors are broken. I've had to modify the connectors so it won't break every time I set up the track
I had a train set back in the 70’s it was a figure eight with a high hood locomotive and a dummy engine as well it was a Santa fa set
Your hair is great, especially since it's your own. I think I've seen you give a more positive nod to LL N scale more than once before in your videos. I absolutely love my Life Like N locomotives and often prefer them over older higher-end brands. As a DC runner myself, they often speed-match a wider range of locomotives for power consists. My best and most detailed N steamer is also a Life Like. I wonder if the team over at LL had actually been N scalers, so their HO offerings were a second thought?
0:28 They think your hair looks bad?
You would be amazed how many comments on that video talk about how I need to learn to comb my hair or cut it. Lol.
I do have some Life Like locomotives in my N Scale fleet, some of them run quite well (Amtrak F40PH, 2x Union Pacific E8's) while others were a bit spotty in running (ATSF GP38-2, BN GP38-2). I've been meaning to repair a couple of those Life Like locomotives (the GP38-2's mentioned), but trying to find parts for them outside of a 'donor' locomotive is a little bit of a pain in the tail as some of the local hobby shops that I visited are too far away or closed down. Even looking for online listings for a suitable 'donor' locomotive for spare parts is a pain in the tail as they want far too much for it even before factoring in shipping costs.
You had me at KFC.
😅 😂 🤣
I still have all my old Life-Like sets from my younger years. I do want to tune them up to bring them up to spec with my newer-nicer rolling stock though. Which means those talgo trucks and horn hook couplers have got to go. But they served me well.
And you weren't kidding about variety, one of the Life-Like locomotives I have isn't even American, it's Australian-National.
I completely forgot they made those Australian GPs haha. That's so cool you've got one!
@@WashingtonDistrictRailfan It's one of 5 Australian engines I have since my model railroad setup is going to be USA/UK/AU all in one. And of those 5 two of them are from an authentic Australian brand, Auscision.
Very enlightening Thanx !
Thanks for watching, John!
I like how LifeLike sells a lot of variety of road names for starter sets. New Bright has ever since stopped making G scale trains to focus later on their RC cars. New Bright has had a lot of competition from mainly LGB in the G scale industry. New Bright train sets are hard to find nowadays. I agree with you on thinking LifeLike is better than New Bright.
Life-Like are quite good in N scale; they don't creep very slowly as Atlas and Kato can in my experience. I do have some of their passenger engines that run very well.
Life like is like Lima, simple and easy, and sets with lots of accessories.
Good info!
Great Video, Life Like Was Good Enough as A Starter ! Sadly The Prices Have Gone Through the Roof For Cheap Starter Sets ! I mean $400.00 for A Train Layout that Goes in a 4 foot Loop , ain' t Cheap ! Best Wishes 😊
I have 2 sets of Life-Like GO Transit(Rare)F40PHs. Waaaay before Rapido was a thing.🚂🇨🇦🙋
When I Got Back Into Model Rail Roading I Started with LifeLike once I Started using lifelike haven’t Went to Any other Brand For Ho.then I Started Doin Nscale What should I Use then I Saw It I’m Goin Bachmann and I Love It.
👍👍 It's a good thing my friends and I don't live closer. We'd drop by and make you an offer you couldn't refuse for that mane of yours 😆 . Looks great . Great videos . . . ☘️ ☘️
now I want to test those Life-Like operating car sets with Bachmanns EZ track instead of the Life-Like track. Might be an accidental way to make operating a layout more fun being able to drop off and pick up cargo.
I have a couple lifelike train sets
“Life Like is better than New Bright!”.
Me: you forgot about the New Bright Holiday Express. Those are NOT cheap!
Hey man happy new year I hope you had a good Christmas I got a Lionel Train set O Gauge Willy Wonka set
The KFC is the only accessory I bought but I only paid 8.99 when it was new
Hi Washington District Railfan & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Washington District Railfan & Friends Randy
5:18 I think you meant to say EZtech XP anyway I like the like life drives much more than Bachmann drive of the same era, And I have found out it is actually possible To put a life like drive in a bachmann chassis
New Bright makes a number of those battery sets too but EZ tech is another awful one haha
All I wanna say is new bright had more features than eztech, "I carry all of these companies, Except for EZtech"
I've been wanting a lifelike honestly do you know where i can find some?
The guy that owns this very video channel owns train stores he can hook you up... ....
Come on by my store! I sell Life Like engines for $5-7 and cars for $2-4. I also play the drums. 😆
@@thomasyunick3726 🙂🙂
@@WashingtonDistrictRailfan thank you very awesome indeed I love trains and the drums too.
True and funny... I approve!
Thanks for watching and for the compliment!
I don't like traction tires on locomotive wheels. It can be made as cheaply as possible, but if doesn't have traction tires then it better than most.
Lifelike N Gauge anyone?
I have the kfc