Large Scale Central

Store closing

General Discussion
#1

Wholesale Trains in Horseheads , NY

Closing Announcement
Last day is August 29th
Noon August 29th will be the last day to place an order on the website. Back Orders and Pre-Orders furnished to us on schedule from our vendors through the first week of September will continue to ship as arrived with all services to be discontinued as of Septmember 9th 2016.

After an exhaustive effort to offer the business for sale now for quite some time for merely the cost of it’s assets (no real estate) and even though this business can be located anywhere we have been unable to find a buyer in this economy. NYS Regulated health care costs, mandatory minimum wage demands and a list of regulations that never seem to end have made it easy for us to make the decision to retire.

I didn’t like their mailorder, but if they had something I really wanted it was hour away.

I bought my first starter set from they.

Tom

#2

Sorry to see another shop closing up.

But you are right about their mail order service, it really sucked

going way back!

#3

Oh no! I bought stuff in the past thru them, never had a problem with mailing. The last time I looked recently I was wondering why their stock was so low, this explains that. Sad to see them go.

Has anyone else noticed that the supposedly LHS killing internet mail-order sources for G scale are drying up as fast as the LHSs they are killing?

#4

Damn. They were one of my go to sources when I wanted something. I needed some LGB parts back when I started, and they were the only place I found them. I placed a web order, and the parts were in my hands before the week was out.

So we are now now down to just a few online sources, and Trainworld is thinning out their large scale stock. Soon we will be back-ordering what we want, and hoping that it will arrive before Christmas.

#5

Yep, I just went to their site and it has a big notice of closing their doors. This really sucks. It’s where I got all my LGB 1800 switches from and I need more. We seem to be going backwards in this hobby instead of forward.

#6

deleted

#7

Harvey, there are always those who prophesize doom and gloom. I certainly hope you are wrong.

#8

If anyone is looking for a source on LGB I have been dealing with Dave Taylor at Rhineland Trains.
His website isn’t the best but if you contact him he responds quickly.
https://www.rhinelandtrains.com/

#9

Thanks for the link Vincent. I great new source for LGB switches at good prices.

Chuck

#10

Is it the economy or is it that the train hobby is fizzling.

Depending on who you listen to (and which way your politics lean) the economy is booming or at least they are telling us it is…

While traveling several years ago we were in the area of Wholesale trains and stopped by to check out their fine shop.

Another one in upstate NY, I can’t remember the name but it was more like a museum than a shop and was right next to a double mainline of track. The shop used to be a station but it burned down a few years back.

Trains are a tough sell in todays electronic age as we all know and ours are very expensive to get started in. If I remember the areas where this store was located was a bit depressed so if fewer buyers were coming into the shop and their online prescence was not good sadly the writing was on the wall.

Trainworld was the most shocking because they were always on top of the online market.

It is sad to see another shop close up.

#11

I thought this was an interesting (though depressing) article on model RR’ing in general, in the WSJ.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/end-of-the-line-for-model-trains-aging-hobbyists-trundle-on-1455157546

I like this quote:

By creating model railroads, “you learn carpentry,” said Mr. Mei, 62 years old, who runs a motorcycle-parts business in Phoenix and spends 20 to 25 hours a week with his trains. “You learn electric. You learn painting. Kids today, they have skill in one thing—that’s a videogame or a smartphone.”

I totally agree. When I started in HO, and due to my way-overly-ambitious layout design (which took over my folk’s garage), I felt compelled to learn, for example, building the L-girder framing shown everywhere in Model Railroader. Attempted to solder, sculpt, all kinds of things. Now that I’m back into it, with the garden layout, the need for constant learning is multiplied (gardening, resistance to the elements, etc.)

My kids, though all artistic, don’t have much interest in learning manual construction/mechanical/electrical skills. They are all, however, adept in things digital – like Mr. Mei said. And I can’t fault them for that.

I too think mobility in where people live has gone way up, and that reduces the opportunity for a layout – of any scale (well, HO and up I suppose). And as the article mentions, seems like people today just don’t have the practical connection with 1:1 trains like they did a half century ago. Also, after the G-boom of the 90’s and 00’s was in full swing, perhaps those sales went to an older clientele, with that market being now substantially saturated. Taken all together, maybe it’s not surprising that G is declining, with or without the larger economic trends.

===>Cliffy

#12

Chuck Inlow said:

Thanks for the link Vincent. I great new source for LGB switches at good prices.

Chuck

I have bought a few LGB euro passenger cars and other items from Dave. He even helped get me a warranty replacement on a new LGB reversing unit that I cooked on my first try hooking it up!

#13

I bought a lot of stuff from them over the years and never had an issue. That is bad news. At this rate we need to go back to the old ways and build what you want. Ebay is always an option and G scale swap and shop on FB is another source.

#14

Regardless if they were good or bad business people, this is still a sad event. There have been far too many closings and sad to see. Dennis

#15

One of our inside story contributors, Vic Smith, noted in another topic thread:

"Considering Bachmann has shelved the Spectrum line, USA is in a holding pattern along with everyone else. With Crest closing and the sluggishness of the G market, I’m not surprised either. "

Any further information on Bachmann’s G Spectrum line and their plans?

Does this mean termination of their “G Spectrum” Shays, and assorted Spectrum steamers? How long before this termination, to whatever degree it is, shows up at TRAINWORLD or anyone still carrying Bachmann G in any quantity?

I wonder if Bachmann mfg. has a sizeable backlog of product in their warehouse. My guess is the ever present three-truck Shay that listed for $1,300 and is available for under $400 is because of an excess.

#16

Wendell Hanks said:

One of our inside story contributors, Vic Smith, noted in another topic thread:

"Considering Bachmann has shelved the Spectrum line, USA is in a holding pattern along with everyone else. With Crest closing and the sluggishness of the G market, I’m not surprised either. "

Any further information on Bachmann’s G Spectrum line and their plans?

Does this mean termination of their “G Spectrum” Shays, and assorted Spectrum steamers? How long before this termination, to whatever degree it is, shows up at TRAINWORLD or anyone still carrying Bachmann G in any quantity?

I wonder if Bachmann mfg. has a sizeable backlog of product in their warehouse. My guess is the ever present three-truck Shay that listed for $1,300 and is available for under $400 is because of an excess.

You forgot to add “thoughts” on the subject.

Perhaps if there is an excess for under $400 then someone could do a review on one when acquired from Trainworld.

#17

Good idea - see the Reviews.

#18

Wendell Hanks said:

One of our inside story contributors, Vic Smith, noted in another topic thread:

"Considering Bachmann has shelved the Spectrum line, USA is in a holding pattern along with everyone else. With Crest closing and the sluggishness of the G market, I’m not surprised either. "

Any further information on Bachmann’s G Spectrum line and their plans?

Does this mean termination of their “G Spectrum” Shays, and assorted Spectrum steamers? How long before this termination, to whatever degree it is, shows up at TRAINWORLD or anyone still carrying Bachmann G in any quantity?

I wonder if Bachmann mfg. has a sizeable backlog of product in their warehouse. My guess is the ever present three-truck Shay that listed for $1,300 and is available for under $400 is because of an excess.

Spectrum has not been terminated (yet). Kader has sidelined any further new Spectrum line production due to unsold NOS still sitting in the warehouses in China. I suspect the Big Hauler line is also on hiatus until they sell off the NOS as I suspect there is probably alot more Big Hauler stock than Spectrum. The low prices are a reflection of the slow market, once the NOS is sold off enough production should return, but at the last BTS I was told (not confirmed) that Spectrum production was finished for good and that Bmann would only focus on the Bug Hauler and Thomas lines. Only time will tell if the Spectrum line restarts or is eliminated.