Large Scale Central

Polk's GeneratioNext

General Discussion
#21

Parts are hit or miss when the need will arise, where a new release will (if there aren’t major flaws) gain enough cash to make plans.

After the 2-8-0 fell off the tracks they needed an old fall back, hence the 0-4-0 and the mystery container; eggs and PAs? I’m a speckulating again!

I have a hunch the old stock was used to pay off Scott and give him a stake. Unfortunately backers wanted better… so he must clean that up so his investors have a clean plate and the we will see what PNG will be.

I’m done… again.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

John

#22

Umm… I can come up with several improvements for it… easy…

The newer version is not better than the original one in my opinion.

Greg

#23

Next years build challenge. Take apart all the old stock and then for next years build challenge we can do a “lets see what you can build with this mess”

#24

John, one additional driver for the 0-4-0 was to put the socket in it, the Revo was making Aristo money, and getting all locos with a better drivetrain and the socket was paramount.

I don’t think the old stock was to “pay off scott”, rather a millstone around his neck, a legacy from his uncle that hey had to pay for.

I don’t think Scott got squat from the Aristo shutdown.

Greg

#25

Perhaps a ‘Take it or leave it’ offer and with no other options, took it. The Chinese may have insisted it be moved before another Polk could order from them…

No matter the method, as explained in our emails from PGN, it wasn’t desired. Also previously was mentioned the over head hurt.

Oh, the socket, was that in the tender? Mine came without a tender… has the back porch coal bin.

Funny choice of words; ‘one additional driver’ would make a 0-6-0 or a 0-5-0 no?

I pity Scott and wish him the Best. Navin got the Money maker… it seems.

John

#26

Oh yeah, that is definitely what happened, Scott mentioned that… he was held hostage… and too bad, since he really was a “new” company.

The new 0-4-0 has a socket in the tender and I believe a multi-pin connector between the loco and the tender.

Is yours a new style with the new gearboxes? I did not think any were sold without the tender.

Navin has been loyal to Lewis for years, it’s natural he got to run what is left of Polk Hobbies.

Greg

#27

Yea, I can see both sides of that. Scott shouldn’t have been saddled with having to buy the NOS Aristo stuff if he didn’t want it. And I can see where the company in China would see Scott as Aristo, even though he actually isn’t Aristo now.

I do like the idea of him just buying the stuff and then having Trainworld blow it out for a few percent over Scott’s cost. That would move the stuff out of the way and open up the pipeline. But since we do not know what that stuff is, it could be stuff that just ain’t going to sell that fast. And I am sure that Trainworld doesn’t want a container full of stuff that is going to just sit and suck dust.

But, maybe Scott could negotiate, you know, Scott buys X amount of this stuff when the factory produces a run of somethings he does want. Then over the course of how many runs, they end up selling all the stuff to Scott, who fire sales off that stuff, and in the end everyone gets some of what they want.

#28

The 2x2 BB drive has several things that can be improved, and the recent changes are not an improvement in my opinion, they should have stayed with the sprung axles.

Going to the non-adjustable tapered wheel/axle combination which is also not sprung was an evolutionary step backwards in my opinion.

I’ve got other improvements, but don’t want to further derail the thread.

Greg

#29

My derail is a short siding… My 0-4-0 came in a starter set w/ 2 Sierras and no tender. It was old, I got the free replacement drivers… I ordered a tender online and it took a year to get it from a BigTrainStore…

.

Good Luck Scott.

John

#30

OK, so you have the old version, old drivetrain, no socket. The stuff being sold is the new stuff. Lewis thought sales would be great, but moreover another easy to use, plug and play platform for the Revolution which is still selling well.

(you could almost take a paranoid view and say that Scott was forced to help supply the market to Lewis for the Revolution by absorbing all those 0-4-0 sets) (Thanks Uncle Lewis)

Greg

#31

I got that post too. My BS detector went into high alert. It’s still on.

#32

What post John?

Not at all clear who or what you are replying to.

David, the only problem with your idea is that no one in their right mind wants to invest $100k for less than 5% return. So, unless Scott has a whole bunch of money already somewhere that is not paying interest, it probably will not happen. No investor wants to go for under a 5% return.

Greg

#33

Greg, I agree that a 5 percent return on investment is not attractive usually, but if that would clear an obstacle to new production it might be worthwhile. But some questions I have are 1) is there a market for that much old product even at those prices, and 2) are there dealers, including Trainworld, that would be willing to take on that merchandise, and 3) how would those dealers pay for it (consignment, straight up-front payment) so when would Scott’s company get the money? Again, blowing out the stuff at just over cost might be feasible, but I have questions.

Bill

#34

Greg Elmassian said:

What post John?

Not at all clear who or what you are replying to.

OK Greg, here goes the full Monty:

I’m refering to the original topic of this thread, the post that Fr Fred, myself and others received from Scott Polk earlier this week.

It’s quoted verbatim on page 1 of this thread, and I repeat it here:

…

Hi Everyone,
Hope you are doing well. Wanted to give a quick update on production and possible production.

Currently there is track being made. Brass items are in production now as the factory waits for the SS material which will then allow them to make everything else next month. It should be delivered, hopefully, in August. I’ll send a list of what is being made following this email.

Trains. You have to remember that we brought in 2 containers of old merchandise that was left at the factory. At this point we are still being held up by items that were ordered by AristoCraft 4 years ago. They are items that we really don’t want to start with so we have be trying to resolve how we can get around it. Once this is handled we will start producing trains.

Our business plan still holds strong. It has just taken a little longer then we expected. Believe the rumors if you want but the mess that was left in China is bigger then what has been left to believe. We are set on cleaning it up and moving forward.

Thanks,
Scott

…

If I get mail from anyone remotely associated with Polk my BS radar turns on, Greg. A few decades of experience with their flawed products, their excuses and prevarications have got me to the point where I’m not going to believe anything from that direction on blind faith.

To borrow an Americanism, let’s just say I’m from Missouri. Scott may be a straight shooter, but when he starts to blame other people, as he has done in this post, with “the mess that was left in China is bigger then what has been left to believe”, he is acting much as the old man did with his refusals to accept responsibility and denying the quality issues we repeatedly brought to his attention. I’m afraid Scott, whether he is like them or not, is associated with the Polks. It appears that he may be following the leader in an undesireable fashion. I’m wary as heck. He’s going to have to prove himself in deeds, not words.

I thought the topic under discussion was Scott’s post. I apologize if I left things a little unclear. So, Greg, I hope this clears things up.

#35

Greg,

I agree with you entirely. I doubt Scott has gotten any significant funding.

A few years ago when he was first starting his new company, he hit up a friend for a loan. According to Gary the conversation went like this: G: What were the sales of Aristro for the last 5 yrs? S: I am a new company. Those sales are not pertinant to the future.(me in other words. Lewis ehither did not make the books available to Scott or they were so dismal that it would have hurt Scotts request.) G: what collateral do you have? Who owns the intelectual property? Molds? S: Lewis owns the copywrite to the plans drawings etc. Kader claims ownership of the molds as they made them. G what else do you have for collateral? I will use that to purchase inventory. That would be the collateral. G: You will have other operating expenses. When you sell the product and use the returns for operating, what guarantee do I have I will get my investment back?

It sounded like Scott was asking for a no collateral personal loan. Thus, the reason Lewis or anyone else would be skeptical of loaning him any significant funding. But just my opinion.

#36

Thomas, I think you and I are thinking the same way. I’m not trying to be negative, just realistic, Scott has most likely tapped the investment money he has, so simply suggesting “buy all the outstanding stuff and sell it for cost” is probably not workable, at the best not easy.

Funny statement about the last 5 yrs of sales not pertinent, I can sure “get” saying “we are a new company and are going to do better”, but the last 5 years sales are important to gauge market demand, and how much money is out there.

John, when you come back on the second page, after tons of replies, it was not clear you were responding to the OP, just wanted to be sure who you are “replying” to, thanks for the comeback, and I agree that it becomes worrisome if Scott uses the same “techniques” as Lewis did.

But, it’s clear he’s getting beat up by Kader/Sanda Kan, and really, my heart goes out to him. So wary, yes, willing to cut the guy some slack, yes.

Regards, Greg

#37

Sometimes, having the same family name is not a bonus…I say cut him some slack, BUT…doing his disapearing act after/during the ECLSTS, didn’t do much for customer faith. It was a move in the right direction to send out this latest message to others, who DO NOT DO FACES BOOK…now he may realize that there are others that need to be remembered as potential customers…

I will not speculate, but I await future news…and hope it can be good, for the hobby, and his sake too.

Fred Mills

#38

Funny Greg, When you didn’t specify which John, I had to triple check you direction, not my spur…ok.

John

#39

Sorry! I was hoping that posting right after him it would be clear, but you are right, it was not unambiguous. I’m so used to seeing Totalwrecker…

Greg