Large Scale Central

Interesting Press Release

General Discussion
#1

It seems so many folks change jobs around, back and forth, passing through.

Michael Stevens moved through Kalmbach twice, Athearn, Walthers…

I could name many. Even Dick Maddox went from Bachmann to Lionel.

This one is one you needed to wait on the press release for:

Date: Monday, June 17, 2013 9:07 AM
To:

Subject: For Immediate Release: Terry Thompson Joins Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Good Morning,

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is pleased to introduce Terry Thompson as its new Vice President of Proprietary Products! Attached you will find a full press release with details on Terry’s new position and a quote from Phil Walthers regarding Terry’s arrival.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

Kara Yanacheck

Marketing Communications

Project Manager

It is going to be highly interesting to watch how this pans out. No longer will there be the same direct personal connections, at least until we see who the new publisher is.

I wonder (aloud) if this means we will no longer see LGB starter sets reviewed in MR?

It boggles the mind to think of the possibilities now open.

TOC

#2

WALTHERS

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc

. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3039 Milwaukee, WI 53201-3039

Corporate Headquarters: 5601 W. Florist Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218

414-527-0770 Fax: 414-908-9982 www.walthers.com

Model Railroad Equipment Since 1932

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Terry Thompson Appointed Vice President of Proprietary Products

June 17, 2013, Milwaukee, WI -

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is pleased to introduce Terry D. Thompson as its

new Vice President of Proprietary Products.

Best known in the hobby industry for his work at Kalmbach Publishing Co., Terry has served in a

variety of editorial positions, and most recently as Publisher of six Kalmbach publications, including

Model Railroader and Model Railroader Video Plus. He is also a past President of the Model Railroad

Industry Division of the Hobby Manufacturer’s Association.

In his new role, Terry will provide strategic direction for the company’s proprietary brands and

marketing teams in the areas of product selection and development, inventory management, promotions

and other marketing strategies.

“It gives me great pleasure that Terry Thompson will pick up where Michael Stephens left off in moving

the Walthers Brands to pre-eminence in the model railroading world,” says President Phil Walthers.

“Terry is uniquely qualified to develop our brands and will be a tremendous addition to the Walthers

team. His perspective, knowledge and wide range of industry experience will also benefit Walthers

many suppliers and the entire model railroad industry.“

About Walthers

Established in 1932, Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., is dedicated to manufacturing and distributing high-quality

model railroad equipment in various scales. Walthers carries over 100,000 products for model trains

from more than 300 manufacturers and supplies them to thousands of hobby shops around the globe.

Contact:

Kara Yanacheck

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. Marketing Communications Dept.

#3

Use to be a good place to buy stuff but no longer. By else where now. Later RJD

#4

I always found Walther’s prices to be on the high side over all the other suppliers. They usually had what they advertised, but usually you could locate it elsewhere at a lower price.

#5

It will be interesting to see how things fly at Garden Railways.

:wink: :slight_smile:

One less source of interference!

#6

Yeah, that was the interesting part. I could care less about Walthers, but the guy who left as over-all publisher at ClamBake…

I still wonder if this means no more LGB Christmas Starter Set reviews in MR.

Or no more input from specific manufacturers on magazine content.

I just made a call, no replacement named.

What is of even more significance, is the press release is from Walthers.

No press release from ClamBake nor Model Retailer e-zine.

Makes you think.

TOC

#7

Maybe it wasn’t supposed to get out this fast?

#8

J.D. Gallaway said:

Maybe it wasn’t supposed to get out this fast?

:slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Yep, that must be it!

:slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#9

Yeah, that’s the ticket!

Good Lord.

How about this, right from the official release itself, copied from the posting above?:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Terry Thompson Appointed Vice President of Proprietary Products

June 17, 2013, Milwaukee, WI -

I suppose today’s date and the annoying little phrase “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” means somewhere in the future, right?

I gotta get me some of them scrubbing bubbles emoticons, HJ. Or something.

TOC

#10

In effect, is the moniker PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS mainly a reference to LGB?

What other significant product does Walthers manage that has retained its own brand name and manufacturing system?

How much attention will be given to LGB that has been previously limted? What will be the expertise role from the most qualified LGB expert on our planet, Ron Gibson?

#11

Wendell Hanks said:

In effect, is the moniker PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS mainly a reference to LGB?

What other significant product does Walthers manage that has retained its own brand name and manufacturing system?

How much attention will be given to LGB that has been previously limted? What will be the expertise role from the most qualified LGB expert on our planet, Ron Gibson?

I guess it is “wait and see” time. Since the whole Märklin shebang was bought by Michael Sieber it remains to be seen what moves are in the offing. Basically how will Spur1 and LGB fit into their plans. A number of the new Spur1 and LGB items have been pushed farther out (2014 instead of 2013). The Euro customers seem less than thrilled (going by the posts on the fora) with what is happening or more likely actually not happening.

It will be very interesting to see how the RhB Allegra turns out - anything even remotely like the E10 and it will not be pretty.

#12

Wendell Hanks said:

In effect, is the moniker PROPRIETARY PRODUCTS mainly a reference to LGB?

What other significant product does Walthers manage that has retained its own brand name and manufacturing system?

How much attention will be given to LGB that has been previously limted? What will be the expertise role from the most qualified LGB expert on our planet, Ron Gibson?

Walthers is the exclusive North American importer & distributor of many brands, in many scales.
Their wholesale business dwarfs their retail sales.

“Proprietary Products” most likely refers to the many Walthers owned & manufactured brands.
Ralph

#13

What I meant was, from Kalmbach’s point of view.

How about we just sit back and wait and see what happens. Because unlike you guys, I have no clue what this all means… whats different?

#14

Yes, JD, it is wait and see time.

Problem is a few have a hard time waiting, we know that there’s a two or three months lead time for MR and GR. My guess is by about Christmas we’ll have a fair idea which way things are drifting, on the Kalmbach and the Manufacturers fronts.

:wink: :wink:

#15

No-mater what happens, there seems to be a “Fault” in marketing at Walthers. It doesn’t mater whether it’s LGB, or Bachman, or even Aristo; There are a bunch of people who are not interested in so-called “Starter sets”. They would just like to be able to purchase regular equipment, at reasonable (NOT collector) prices.

I would like to be able to purchase at least two (Not going to influence any trend in sales) LGB ore cars; but are they available…no. So where can I obtain equipment that should be a standard on the market ? Ore cars may not be a good example, but heck…who needs more “Coke Cars”…there are a few of us that actually purchase equipment for operating our railroads.

It’s fine to promote the hobby with starter sets, but supplying the standing market is important too.

There are still a few of us that operate model railroads, using 1:22.5 equipment. Gee would it ever be nice to see an RPO to compliment the LGB, or B’mann passenger car fleet…but NO…all we get is the "STARTER SET crap, along with this new and improved B’mann line of stuff that makes the old “Big Hauler” line look like museum quality models.

Where is Walthers in this big train show…just fading away with another bunch of “Starter Train” junk…or of course the standard Coke and Hershy trash…

They tell us that Large Scale is dying, but what are they marketing that entices anyone to purchase ?

Large Scale is not just for TOYS…it also has a group of real MODEL RAILROADERS involved…try catering to them too, and not just in 1:20.3 scale…and please, remember that collectors are NOT the only ones purchasing model railroad equipment.

#16

End of rant

#17

Gees, Bob; only 80 more postings and I’ll hit 3000…do I get a gold star…!!!

#18

Walthers, of course is only one of many Distributors of model railroad equipment in North America. As distributors; they do influence the market. They can purchase in quantity from any one of the major manufacturers, and obtain a great LOW price. Whether they ever pass the low price on to the people who are the MODEL RAILROAD market, is a big question.

Aristo, in the hope of retaining some of the “Distributor” profits, has seemingly tried to cut out distributors, who stopped buying inventory, and expected Aristo to act as their inventory, and shippers, but claiming their profits. The customer, at the retail level should have been in a position to benefit…but do they…?

The whole model railroad market is in upheaval and uncertainty. Along with the North American economy, it doesn’t lead to anything stable for the lowly hobbiest.

I’m no expert in this stuff; and I look to those that claim to know, to set us all straight…in the mean time; where can I obtain LGB ore cars (The best NA ore cars on the market), at a reasonable (Not Collector’s) price…I want to run the buggars, not look at them. !!!

#19

…I guess my rant wasn’t quite over…and I gained a bit…less than 80 'till I hit 3000 !!

#20

Well Fred you wasted a couple of post that did not count. Now now you did more to get to the magic number. Later RJD