Quote Doddy from other web site…
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm interesting, but i dont think that could be true.
Aristo had R & D? Wow!!!
The economy musta really hit them in the pants. I’m not surprised sad to say. I suspect most of the majors will be in a holding pattern for a while. Bachmanns only new items are reworked old issues and they didn’t make very many to begin with. I read that all the Indys sold out. Aristo may have over reached with their techno-products and is now pulling back. I think they both made mistakes trying to impose proprietary stuff into their product that were unfriendly toward outside products. Thats a terrible way to win the hearts and minds of large scalers. Didn’t either learn anything when EPL tried pushing MTS on their products?
Well, if the head honcho, Scott Polk, can’t make it to the world’s largest toy fair in Nürnberg then … ahhhhh I get it, they will now be producing real models instead of toy trains. 
@ Vic,
At least MTS was at least marginally compatible with NMRA-DCC. At least one can take a LGB decoder equiped gizmo out of the box, put it on the track, re-config a few CVs and away you go.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOPSSS More info, when Manufacture undercuts dealers, Usually the Manufacture goes down.
Old school dies hard, but one thing remains constent.
HJ,
I think what Victor meant was at one stage LGB was only selling many locos fully equipped with MTS and sound.
The consumer said no thank you, so for awhile LGB went back to offering them sans the add ons but by then it was too late.
So much for “Revolution being better than DCC” and “Revolution will rule the World” eh?
My heart bleeds for Aristo. 
It is my understanding that the Revo is doing quite well. Sold out again.
Someone in the UK has said on another forum that Aristo will be doing no new product developement.
Not exactly what I’d call an official anouncement from AristoCraft
Ralph
Ralph.
It is my understanding that there are none available until August. With the North American summer season coming soon, that doesn’t sound like a booming product to me.
Selling out is a relative thing.
Also, 40% off direct sales looks like desperation to me. They run the risk of destroying dealer faith. Although still making money themselves.
I love how someone other than Aristo-Craft has made statements but nothing from Aristo-Craft its self. I have been an Aristo-Craft dealer for over 18 years and although news is sometimes slow in coming out don’t jump to any conclusion until you hear it straight from Scott Polk himself.
As far as the 40% off sale, it’s a “ONE DAY ONLY SALE” on February 29th, for “INSTOCK” items only, and you must us the Aristo-Craft on-line system to order your product.
Thats not going to shake my faith or confidence as a dealer especially if it helps them stay in busness.
Chuck
TonyWalsham said:What it sounds like is a lack of working capital problem. When you are "out of stock" on a good selling product for an extended time, it is usually for a lack of funds.
Ralph. It is my understanding that there are none available until August. With the North American summer season coming soon, that doesn't sound like a booming product to me.
Aristo spent a lot of money to develope the Revo and the PCC Trolley. As the Revo sells well, my guess is the problem is the PCC Trolley.
The PCC Trolley is the “Show Car” for the ECLSTS. As far as I know, the only show offering. In the past, they usually offer a “show engine” and a “show car”.
While the PCC Trolley is a unique product, how many Large Scalers in North America model an urban environment
Ralph
We all know how Forum posts are often scanned rather than read: I do it myself from time time. 
A read of the initial post made elsewhere only refers to development of sounds for the REVO; nothing more. But Aristo bashing is not uncommon there. However TATE has since clarified the situation on the Aristo Forum.
I haven’t looked into the leap year sale yet: but it I am sure many will take advantage of it.
.
The Revo stock situation is a repeat of the same type of problems they have had with every popular product (including track) that they have ever introduced. I think Ralph has it right - lack of capital. Also, it’s difficult for anyone to invest millions in stock for a product until the market is proven. Unfortunately because of contract manufacturing, response to demand is slow in coming.
I’ve cut back on my hobby spending considerably. I’ve had “close out sales” on a good portion of my collection to fund purchases of other train stock. Why should a manufacturer doing the same thing be cause for alarm? Perhaps Aristo is just responding in an appropriate manner to market conditions for the good of the company. Though I use little of their product I wish them well.
I do hope they continue to support the “Revo” as that is my chosen control system.
Bummer about the Revo with sound, if true. I was holding off buying any new RXs until that came out, but I may have to re-think my strategy. We’ll see what happens at York.
Mark: I’ve been selling off stuff in a couple hobbies to fund them. I’m a big pack rat and “gimme that” in my hobbies, but the economy and state of things is making me re-think that. Last year I traded my drop-bottom gondolas to Rodney for some switches. This year I sold off my LGB disconnects that I was saving for a “someday” logging line, just to fund some stuff for the RR.
Things have changed, and we, and manufacturers, have to change with it. To think that manufacturers have an endless supply of money to fund things is wrong. They’re affected by the vagaries of the economy, just like us.
TonyWalsham said:
HJ, I think what Victor meant was at one stage LGB was only selling many locos fully equipped with MTS and sound. The consumer said no thank you, so for awhile LGB went back to offering them sans the add ons but by then it was too late.So much for “Revolution being better than DCC” and “Revolution will rule the World” eh?
My heart bleeds for Aristo.
Thanks Tony, yes when EPL tried pushing MTS on their customers and they pushed back . I also remember Bachmann made some rumbling when they were about to release their DCC system that their future engines would only work with that system then must have remembered MTS fiasco and didnt do it. Now Aristo is trying it again with Revolution.
Attempting to coerce your customers to use only your system is a bad way to retain said customers.
I don’t think Bachmann officially said they were planning that approach.
One of their “consultants” was floating, and pushing, the idea of using brushless motors which would require a three wire connection to the on board decoder. This would have eliminated virtually every after market on board control system and forced LS’ers to re-equip control systems.
No matter what the real story is, Victor is correct. Bachmann were smart enough not to do it.
BTW, brushless motors are now so much the norm in battery R/C planes/boats etc, it is virtually impossible to buy after market brushed type ESC’s any more.
Victor Smith said:
I also remember Bachmann made some rumbling when they were about to release their DCC system that their future engines would only work with that system then must have remembered MTS fiasco and didnt do it. Now Aristo is trying it again with Revolution.Attempting to coerce your customers to use only your system is a bad way to retain said customers.
Aristocraft locomotives don’t require the Revo. The Revo will work on other brands of locomotives.
So, I really don’t understand your point
Ralph
Victor Smith said:
…Bachmanns only new items are reworked old issues…
Not in HO They just released a really nice Alco S4 (with sound) in HO scale. I know you meant large scale. This just gave me an excuse to post a photo of my new Alco S4.
TonyWalsham said:I don't know anything about the status of Aristo, or the sale/availability of Revo products. I'd just like to point out that having a superior product is no guarantee of immediate success; and by the same token, lack of immediate success does not necessarily mean the product is not superior.
So much for "Revolution being better than DCC" and "Revolution will rule the World" eh?
Ralph Berg said:Victor Smith said:
I also remember Bachmann made some rumbling when they were about to release their DCC system that their future engines would only work with that system then must have remembered MTS fiasco and didnt do it. Now Aristo is trying it again with Revolution.Attempting to coerce your customers to use only your system is a bad way to retain said customers.
Aristocraft locomotives don’t require the Revo. The Revo will work on other brands of locomotives.
So, I really don’t understand your point
Ralph
No they don’t require it, but they are pushing it very hard. That was what I was trying to say.
Their was mention in one of the posts that the latest AC offerings were set up internally as to only accomidate the Revo board. Other products won’t physically fit without modification . If thats true its a perfect example of a way of pushing the use of their own system whether you want it or not, it’s the only thing that fits the given space.