I know this has been covered many times and many places. But is there any current word on what is happening at Polk Hobbbies. With Scott going to direct sales, dealer inventory is almost ‘0’. If one looks at in stock at Polks, it is pittifully empty with only a few engines available and I probably have more rolling stock in my inventory than they do. Scott has been have huge sales(old inventory reduction) to meet payroll. There is no indication that he has reordered anything.
I understand we will be able to purchase a sound card in the near(?) future but there will be almost no software for it. It will be very generic. Bsically what was in their old tenders. Can some one correct me if I am wrong here on either rebuilding of inventory or the sound card.
Nope, although it appears that some of the long out of stock track is dribbling in.
The sound card is a Revolution receiver that has sound added, not a standalone sound card, is supposed to go for $50 more than the stock revolution. I’ve seen it before, I even have a video of it, but that was some time ago, so the real thing when it appears could be different.
Since the stock revolution is out of stock, I would not hold my breath for the sound option this year… they will be luck to get the Revolution back in stock this year, with all the things that have happened, loss of the LCD supplier, loss of some critical part, and the latest, the company that had the mold for the throttle went out of business, or lost the mold, or whatever.
Greg
There is a lot of “change” right across the MRR hobby, with relatively few positive things happening.
Two of which
Remote uncoupler from Massoth for LGB couplers
And the remote uncoupler from Kadee that is in development.
Everyone is freaking out that if Aristo has trouble the whole gauge is going to collapse, thats nonsense, sure things are hard for 1/29ers, but they are not the whole gauge. I think there are alot more postives than negatives going on right now Bmann Lil Big Hauler line Bmann C-19 Bmann Stirling Single (Emily) Accucrafts Dora (Little Ripper) Piko 0-6-0 Piko Tee Express and other things in the works, So aside from Aristo,
(http://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2009/7/18/128924459807896116.jpg)
Yes, Vic… it all depends what your models are based on. There’s stuff from “G - wie Gummi” to real models to toys. The pickier one gets the slimmer the pickings!
The whole hobby has taken a beating from the economy, both here and overseas. If the downfall of Lehman(LGB) didnt take G scale out, Aristo falling down wouldnt either. G is expensive, so with less $$ to go around for hobbies, less of it selling, add to that the factory shake ups in China, rising costs of raw material ect. I do the repair work for the local hobby shop, so I get all the news from the owner on the trials and tribulations of the model train manufacturing business. All scales are suffering issues getting product to market, from cork roadbed, Atlas track to high doller locomotives. I wish all the manufactures well, and really wish Aristo would make the EMD SD9 they talked about a few years ago, shares the same basic trucks as the SD45 and my SP line is screaming for some black widow units with full light packages!!! I would preorder a pair in SP Black Widow if they ever bring back that project!
I noticed in the latest Garden Railways mag, the “Directory of large-scale train retailers” is only 1/2 page. I just checked a 2007 mag, where it was 1 1/2 pages. They are either now gone or can just no longer afford the ad.
Victor Smith said:
Everyone is freaking out that if Aristo has trouble the whole gauge is going to collapse, thats nonsense, sure things are hard for 1/29ers, but they are not the whole gauge. I think there are alot more postives than negatives going on right now Bmann Lil Big Hauler line Bmann C-19 Bmann Stirling Single (Emily) Accucrafts Dora (Little Ripper) Piko 0-6-0 Piko Tee Express and other things in the works, So aside from Aristo,(http://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2009/7/18/128924459807896116.jpg)
Not everyone is Freaking out Victor…
Del Tapparo said:The back pages have gone down alot, Most likely due to the enormous fees they charge for ads and a BIG decline in dealers.
I noticed in the latest Garden Railways mag, the "Directory of large-scale train retailers" is only 1/2 page. I just checked a 2007 mag, where it was 1 1/2 pages. They are either now gone or can just no longer afford the ad.
As far as Aristo is concerned, My opinion is what goes around may have come back around… Time will tell ?
I have stocked up on the repair parts I might need in the Future. You folk might want to do the same.
As my Grandpappy once said, out with the old and in with the new USA Trains dash 9 sweet…
By the way can anyone suggest to me what to do with the 1000.00 worth of Aristo SS motor blocks I bought that are Useless ?
Scott promised replacements over a year ago to me and still nothing… live and learn Gentlemen Live and Learn.
SAY LA VVVVVV I should have know better than to believe the Polky speak.
I cant believe they actually put these things on sale on there web page, buyer beware, buy one and try it 1st. most likely you
wont be getting any more of them.
"I cant believe they actually put these things on sale on there web page, buyer beware, buy one and try it 1st. most likely you
wont be getting any more of them."
Last edited by Nicholas Savatgy (August 31, 2012 16:01:35 MST)
Have you had poor performance from these same blocks? I was considering some for street cars. Please advise the rest of us who may be considering ordering.
Thanks,
Wendell
My two cents: Printed magazines have fewer advertisers in a “directory” now because of that internet thingie that all the kids are talking about these days…
Maybe. I was in biz for a long time…it was important to have a spot in the mag, even a 1/6 page (smallest), so folks knew where to look for that internet thingie.
When biz is bad, the LAST thing you want to do is cancel your ad. Make it smaller, maybe, but don’t cancel it!
I still get calls from folks with old magaizines.
Well, that’s a good point. As a newbie, I am looking at the magazine to recognize vendors, and, of course the references and advertisers on this site.
Wendell Hanks said:
"I cant believe they actually put these things on sale on there web page, buyer beware, buy one and try it 1st. most likely youwont be getting any more of them."
Last edited by Nicholas Savatgy (August 31, 2012 16:01:35 MST)Have you had poor performance from these same blocks? I was considering some for street cars. Please advise the rest of us who may be considering ordering.
Thanks,
Wendell
This should give you a good ideal !!!http://www.elmassian.com/trains/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/aristo-motive-power/new-ss-wheels-and-motorblock-changes
Wendell, what’s wrong with the motor blocks you bought?
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
There is a lot of "change" right across the MRR hobby, with relatively few positive things happening. Two of whichRemote uncoupler from Massoth for LGB couplers
And the remote uncoupler from Kadee that is in development.
Have you seen the price of these new couplers? 79 EUROS per pair…exchange that for dollars…
Ross,
It’s an item for those who are not so “handy” and like a ready to install solution. 
I ordered two of the aristo blocks with stainless wheels, to install in an RS-3. They were completely useless–they were so badly out of gauge, and had such small flanges, that they derailed every three feet, even on straight track. When I opened them up to see if there was a way to fix them I found they both had cracked axle inserts.
Some people report good results with them, but they were a completely useless waste of money for me
Hey Mike! Good to see you posting.