Large Scale Central

Polks

General Discussion
#121

Hate? Not me.

Back in the day, all I had was an LGB Mogul. Then I saw a GN U25B in a hobby shop.

Gotta have that! Cripe, I need about 40 or so Aristo cars. Got them. Now I need another U-boat. Got that.

Damn, those Fa’s look good. Got four of them ABBA. More friggen cars.

2 RS 3’s, 5 U-boats, 6 FA’s, 2 E9’s, 1 SD45, Several cabooses, etc.

Then came a C-16 and a bunch of Aristo-Delton classics (prolly a dozen or so.)

Now I have a 2-8-0 I’m going to bash a little (down to 1:32).

I don’t hate 'em.

But having said that, I admit I haven’t run any Aristo 1/29 for years, cause I found 1:20.3.

Most of it gone…sold or given away.

#122

John…isn’t it fun, giving stuff away to people that appreciate it, and will operate it…most pleasure I get is when I give something away…

#123

Jon Radder said:

I think all of us can agree that Lewis & company did a lot to enhance and promote this hobby regardless of what you may think of their products.

Spot on Jon! As a fellow businessman (not in our hobby) we are ALL in very tough and changing times. I’m very sorry to see this news.

#124

My only comment on the GR advertising, is that my daughter in law has a degree in business management and in discussions with her over the subject, her comment was in hard times it is wises to invest in advertising. Keep your product in full view of the potential customer, so when times pick up they are there ready to buy.

I think the issues with Aristo go far deeper than any of us here on this or any other fora will ever know.

I have a group of Aristo rolling stock and two engines. A little Rogers, and an E8. Neither have been run in a fair amount of time. I should dig them out and stretch their legs, but then again … 1:20.3.

I personally hold the same contempt for Bachmann that I hold for Aristo or any other company that produces less that top notch product, and then ingores/denies issues when presented. Bachmann, as stated above, seems to be getting the idea that loyal customers are not garnered by pretending issues don’t exist.

My tuppence worth…

Bob C.

#125

Careful, Bob.
You’ll be branded with flogging a dead horse, or hating everybody.

About anything from PRC anymore.
I know the disgust from working for what, a decade, and getting improvements, and some moron comes along with a good story and wants to help.

Yeah, there’s more to the AC story, and yer right, we’ll never know all of it.
A lot more is known than has been published, but purposefully not published.
If the Faithful are having issues now, their blood pressure would break the cuff.

Bottom line, nobody wants to see them go, for various reasons. The line will most likely continue in some form.
Track will probably be sold by another Kader outfit.

Navin holds Revo for now.
Looks like RMT was never owned by Polks, rather a marketing agreement:

http://cs.trains.com/ctt/f/95/t/170519.aspx

It really isn’t the doom and gloom some would have you believe.

TOC

#126

This just in…

http://www.aristocraftforum.com/vbulletinforums/showthread.php?t=20796

"Hi Everyone,
The website is back up. The sale email will be sent out tomorrow at 8am but I would like to give my friends on the forum a head start. With the sale you will receive an extra 40% off your order. Revolution items are NOT included in this sale. The coupon code is: 1935

We are out of 29351 and 29355 all ready. Sorry.

Thanks Again For Everything.

Scott"

So 40% off of everything that isn’t in stock? Or 40% of a purchase that ‘will’ be on the next container coming in November? I’m half surprised that this didn’t come before the announcement of the closing, but as an addition to the “we’re moving to a smaller warehouse” from a couple of weeks ago…

Is it 40% off MSRP, or 40% off street, or 40% off MAP? :wink:

#127

Oh, Geez, Craig.
There you go.
Now we’ll never hear the end of it from the Faithful Ones.
How did that old, old song go?
Nothing from nothing leaves nothing?

Probably some really good deals to be had.
All those folks who need to et the last bit before it’s…made by somebody else.

I’d be buying fuel tanks and power block bottom covers.
The ones that identify it as Aristocraft Trains in Joisey.
They can upgrade the next line to look like the old line and fool their friends.

I see Rocky is still looking for his hoppers. One guy bought the only Christmas 0-4-0?
Yer right, tho. 40% off what.
I’m certain one of the others with confound…errr…clarify the statement. Maybe another “interview” is in order?

#128

It’s a little late to make marketing suggestions, but you would think they would have a link to the store either in the post or on the forum pages somewhere. I was interested to look at prices, but not interested enough to type in the URL.

#129

40% off of what? Who knows what is actually INSIDE that container? How do you sell what you don’t know you have?

PS placed my order for a supposedly “in stock” replacement motor for my switcher well over a week ago, still waiting…

#130

Well, Victor. My first experience with AC parts was long, long ago, and not good.
Remember those first heavyweights? Milwaukee, weren’t they?
Picked up 4 or 5 of them…damaged in a house move…one end of one car gone, truck issues, detail issues, vestibule issues…I ordered parts.

Two years later, I still didn’t have all the parts I needed…and sold them all off as-is.

Last experience with AC parts…and mind you, I was a dealer…stirrup steps for Classic Delton freight cars…phone call, voice message, e-mail, and FAX. It’s been two years and 8 months.

TOC

#131

I tried to get some of those new, improved frogs for the “wide radius” switch, I even was charged on my Visa, some three years ago.

Still waiting notice that they were put in the mail or FedEx or UPS or Pony Express. No response to phonecall, voice mail, e-mail.

But, hey, they mean well, don’t they?

It was only $4.00, so it really wasn’t worth my time to pursue.

#132

FYI All

I just ordered several items. the 40 percent comes off the order total. The prices listed on the web site show MSRP, then Your price. Your cart shows the Your price amount, when you go to check out you type in the promo code 1935 and your total will be reduced by 40% I got the NYC snowplow gondola for $41.40. I ordered a single dome tank car and while i was checking out I got a message that it was just sold out. No dash 9’s all sold out

#133

Curmudgeon mcneely said:

…
I’d be buying fuel tanks and power block bottom covers.
…

LOL :slight_smile:

#134

There’s gonna be a pile of 'em going for free in the trash on the dock outside Kader’s pretty soon.

#135

40% off sale. Exactly what is on sale and what is the 40% figure? Apparently, the prices on the site are NOW MSRP (they were discounted prices). When you place your order, 40% is taken off the total. In effect you are only getting the discount that was already applying before the LGB (oops, I meant Aristo-Craft) firesale, before they reverted all prices back to MSRP.

Time for all you Aristo-Nauts to financially support your FAVOURITE Toytrain company. As they say, put your money where your ,mouth is!!!

If you think you are getting a discount then buy, buy, buy. Your favourite master will be so, so happy. If you buy enough then maybe Scott can retire to Florida as well. Must be good train running weather down there.

#136

Tim Brien said:

40% off sale. Exactly what is on sale and what is the 40% figure? Apparently, the prices on the site are NOW MSRP (they were discounted prices). When you place your order, 40% is taken off the total. In effect you are only getting the discount that was already applying before the LGB (oops, I meant Aristo-Craft) firesale, before they reverted all prices back to MSRP.

Time for all you Aristo-Nauts to financially support your FAVOURITE Toytrain company. As they say, put your money where your ,mouth is!!!

If you think you are getting a discount then buy, buy, buy. Your favourite master will be so, so happy. If you buy enough then maybe Scott can retire to Florida as well. Must be good train running weather down there.

I see a large disruption in the space/time continuum coming. If any more of the Faithful figure this out, the implosion will be heard clear across the Pacific.
Krakatoa will be small peanuts in comparison.
Careful, Tim!

You did see all the BS on what would it take to save AC on their forums?
Remember with the RBB tried that?

Chapter and verse, these guys are following it right down to the letter.

TOC

#137

Tim Brien said:

Time for all you Aristo-Nauts to financially support your FAVOURITE Toytrain company. As they say, put your money where your ,mouth is!!!

Cool…So what are you gonna buy?

#138

David,
of cause I rushed to the website hoping to pick up a bargain. I was looking for a high quality, reliable locomotive to add to my mantlepiece collection and then I remembered, it was Aristo and NOT LGB that was having the firesale. I live in hope of those heady real, not imaginary firesale days back in 2006. Those were the days, bargain prices and German designed QUALITY. Now of cause with the Aristo-sale you only just get the supposed bargain.

I noticed on the first page of the firesale website the Annual 2011 Eggliner on sale. Is this a missprint? Do they mean an Annual 2013 Eggliner only the factory forgot to change/update the printing mask on the packaging. Perhaps it is a real genuine 2011 production, now that has got to be worth something.

Perhaps when the imaginary new container shipment comes in there will be more 2011 missprints and a whole new conspiracy theory. In reality, a company with its back to the wall and closing in two months is hardly likely to outlay capital on a new container shipment without the guarantee of assured sales to recoup the outlay plus a healthy retirement profit attached. Of cause, the new container may be clearout stock ordered some years ago and the manufacturer has issued an ultimatum to clear the stock in PRC.

As I stated previously, any spare capital will be invested in restocking the Revo range, not outlayed on stock made several years ago.

#139

Nothing is safe. You Revo guys should snap up as much as you can afford or find.
Who knows…what the future will hold.

#140

John Bouck said:
Nothing is safe. You Revo guys should snap up as much as you can afford or find. Who knows…what the future will hold.

:slight_smile:

John,

In a pinch one can always run Eurocrap.

:slight_smile: :wink: :slight_smile: