Norman Bourgault said:
Hi TOC and others;
- curious, why do you refer to yourself as Curmudgeon and post a dinosaur as your icon?
Not required to answer, just trying to understand the reference.
TOC…The Old Curmudgeon. You’d have to have been there to know. One lovely person, a really nice guy, too, named Ames, called me a dinosaur on MLS many years ago, most likely because I wouldn’t buy into his dcc carp (sp). So, I use a dinosaur. After this site got hacked, the one with a bloody decoder in it’s mouth went away, so this one works for now.
- why did the plastic on the first run of the Bachmann Shay trucks crumble?
what was wrong with the plastic to cause this?
One even more famous personage described to me the cause (not limited to early Shays) of worker bees cleaning up around the casting machines. If you put previously melted plastics back into the hopper without treatment, he explained, you get “regrind”. The plastic version of Zamac Rot. I’ve had a lead truck on a 2-8-0 do it, and some bits on a Climax. But that’s just the Gospel according to Howard. I wasn’t there. I do have boxes and boxes of Shay truck parts, mostly in zip-lock bags from separate jobs, that I have carefully saved over the years. I still have brand new boxes, top and bottom plates, things like that, and I can rebuild plastic trucks cheaper than new metal from TW. I prefer plastic as they are quieter.
That said, they do seem to have a good handle on it now. We still get the occasional moron who wouldn’t listen when Bachmann was fixing them for free, left them on the mantle, on display, years later, built the railroad, take them off the shelf, and lo, and behold, the trucks stayed on the shelf.
Guys:
Just checked again the latest restock pricing at trainworld for some specific locos of my interest:
Forney: 749.99
Olive Green 4-4-0 596.99
E&P 4-4-0 524.99
C-19 899.99
I paid 350.00 and less for the 4-4-0 locos. The Forney is neat but I will only buy at the 400.00 price range.
Isn’t the LGB one in your price range?
The LIVE STEAM Accucraft 4-4-0 initial production run was at around 1100.00 or 200.00 more than the Bachmann electric plastic body C-19.
Ridge Road Station and two other major mail order largescale dealers could no longer sell enough product volume at the old pricing level.
How will the present day largescale dealers fare?
TW is “monitoring” LS, last I was told. Since they depend upon volume, that is where you look to see what they’ve dropped or are clearing out.
Anyway you slice it, these Bachmann locos are still plastic injected molded models and they are not live steam brass models. I simply do not see sufficient locomotive product selling at these higher pricing levels.
The Bachmann C-19 at the present pricing level will sell to the Accucraft customer client base due to the vast price discount contrast with the Accucraft C-19 .
Like the “inexpensive” 1:20 freight cars Bachmann did, right? Ever compare them to Accucraft in price (if you can find them)?
Accucraft is a small production batch mfg…
Bachmann is a large volume production batch mfg…
There are not enough Accucraft clientel to purchase the large production volume of Bachmann C-19 locos.
When the Bachmann Forney was released someone posted their complaint on the Bachmann forum and let it be known that their new Forney was simply not affordable to that hobbyist.
A Forney type 2-4-4T version of the 2-6-0 Mogul of the former 2-4-2 Columbia loco would have broader appeal which could be released under the Bachmann Little Hauler line.
My guess is the Little Hauler line may be the banner under which Bachmann will release future broad market models.
The Bachmann Anniversary is the best deal in largescale but I have tired of the design. Something new in the same price range of the Anniversary would be great.
The 4-6-0 Anniversary looks really, really good with a BBT 2-8-0 drive under it and a Trackside brass pilot assembly. Makes coupler mounting a whole lot easier, too.
I hope that Bachmann produces addtional models under the Little Hauler line at the price range, quality and detail level of the Bachmann Anniversary.
A more adult version of the Little Hauler loco ( with tender ) having side rods and valve gear would be popular.
Basically a return to the old product line, such as the Columbia loco reconfigured as a 2-4-4T Forney, with improved reliable drives featuring metal gears driven with a metal worm will bring in new entrants to largescale as we once were.
Concentrating and producing mainly 560.00 (TrainWorld street price and upwards) Spectrum locos will not expand the largescale hobbyist base.
The existing largescale hobbyist base remember well the former product pricing and will only buy a Bachmann Spectrum loco a the current and increasing pricing levels if this is a “must have” loco as the K-27 and C-19 are for many narrow gauge hobbyists.
A mainline 1:29 scale PS-4 Pacific loco in the apple green with the gold tender lettering of the Southern Railway is a “must have” for me but for some reason Bachmann restricts itself to narrow gauge steam models.
As Kader, owner of Bachmann, also produces product for Aristo Craft possibly there is a contractual agreement that Kader will not produce 1:29 scale mainline locos under the Bachmann brand to not compete with Aristo Craft?
I don’t think you’ll see Bachmann/Kader do 1:29. Of all people, Kader knows exactly what the sales of both Aristo and USA 1:29 stuff is. They know what their stuff is doing. Interesting position to be in. The hobby is seriously shrinking. The number of actual large scale railroads is smaller than you could imagine. If you look at circulation of GR over the years, you might get some idea. If you try to see how many of those are really something other than armchair modelers, after your head quits hurting, you’ll see.
I’ve quit buying. I think my last purchase was a couple of flatcars from TW. I have equipment stacked all over if I need it. I dumped a whole bunch of stuff off last couple of years. I know folks who have tried to sell off stuff. There is no market. I bought a whole bunch of 4-digit LGB stuff, new in the box from an estate. I ended up giving the last of it away a year or so ago. Folks put out lists, no clue that they cannot take a Bachmann they paid $150 for 6 years ago and ask $250 because it’s rare and out of production…but I digress.
Locally, Bachmann freight cars go for 10-15 bucks if you’re lucky. I’ve seen 4-4-0’s and 2-6-0’s for less than $200.
If I see something used I need for parts, repair, I’ll buy it, but never new. I wouldn’t ever do that again.
I would never discourage folks from buying new. I would, however, point out that good stuff can be bought used for a lot less.
Buy a Connie, BBT box or just a NWSL gear, add your control system, and sound, couplers you desire, and you’re still a lot less than new offerings are.
Norman