Large Scale Central

Will the Big Three manufacturers survive the economic challenges

General Discussion
#21

Steve, my son;

 The USTrains wood reefers with the supposed wood frames and truss rods, and arch bar trucks, look kind of funny behind even a Geep 9/7....let alone a Dasturdly 9.......remember that that  kind of equipment was outlawed years ago for any interchange service.......and you would be hard pressed to find it except on a Colorado museum pike today.  They are rather Narrow Gauge looking in my book.

Now if you remove the truss rods, and equip them with more modern trucks, you might get some to believe that they are very short reefers in a late 50’s scene…

Ultimately, if you like it …run it and have fun. !!!

#22
Ken Brunt said:
Bruce Chandler said:
I'll continue to scratch build and bash. I could use some more rolling stock, but I see that the price for the Aristo-Delton trucks is up to $28. That kind of kills that for a good source.

I wish I had bought more of those AMS flatcars from Ridge Road when they were on sale. They make a great start for a boxcar.

I could use a few more cars, but right now I can do a good operating session with what I have, so there’s no pressing need to buy something.

I already have more locomotives than I need and I’m starting to think of selling one or two of them.

I really wish that there were some bigger drivers available to Barry - I’d love to have a BBT chassis with 4 48" drivers. I’ve decided that I like building on a good foundation, and the BBT drive is really nice.

My plan is to invite folks over to operate and spend money on beer and food to supplement the experience. :wink:


Name the time, I’d love to join ya…not that I need an excuse to visit ya…:wink:

Maybe some Saturday? I’m sure you don’t want to be coming down in rush hours.

#23

The “Big Three” will probably survive fine.
Your neighborhood hobby shop, maybe not.
The manufacturers will survive by not producing anything for a period.
This will make it hard on the retailers.
Ralph

#24

Surprisingly, considering my age(18) and my impending trip off to college, I’ve actually done enough work and saved enough to have some cash to spend.

Picked up a Bachmann K-27 the other week($650), looking into a few Accucraft #6s, and definitely ordering a few bumblebee AMS coaches.

Life is good :slight_smile:

#25
Robbie Hanson said:
Surprisingly, considering my age(18) and my impending trip off to college, I've actually done enough work and saved enough to have some cash to spend.

Picked up a Bachmann K-27 the other week($650), looking into a few Accucraft #6s, and definitely ordering a few bumblebee AMS coaches.

Life is good :slight_smile:


I rememeber those days: then I got married, bought a house, had kids and now have no money :slight_smile: I would not trade it for anything though.
Take advantage of the college days thats when I bought all my toys, climbing gear, kayak etc… Glad I did becuase once I got out the bills came with it (college loans :frowning: ). Just wish I was into G scale back then. Good luck.

#26
Shawn said:
I rememeber those days: then I got married, bought a house, had kids and now have no money :-) I would not trade it for anything though. Take advantage of the college days thats when I bought all my toys, climbing gear, kayak etc.... Glad I did becuase once I got out the bills came with it (college loans :-( ). Just wish I was into G scale back then. Good luck.
No college loans for me, I've managed to work myself into the highest-ranked college in town on a full scholarship. Not bad in this economy, I suppose...
#27

I’m more concerned with whether I"LL survive the economic challenges. My oldest child starts college this Fall.

#28
Robbie Hanson said:
Shawn said:
I rememeber those days: then I got married, bought a house, had kids and now have no money :-) I would not trade it for anything though. Take advantage of the college days thats when I bought all my toys, climbing gear, kayak etc.... Glad I did becuase once I got out the bills came with it (college loans :-( ). Just wish I was into G scale back then. Good luck.
No college loans for me, I've managed to work myself into the highest-ranked college in town on a full scholarship. Not bad in this economy, I suppose...
Wow you did very well with a scholarship. I wish I was able to do that. You deserve it. That just means more money in your pocket for trains. LOL
#29

Friend of mine just had his son join the Nebraska National Guard. $20,000 signup bonus, plus free tuition and the GI Bill-which is worth over a $1000 a month. Both my sons went through it also, not that big of a bonus though!

#30

quote… “Now look at the LOW prices at which the formerly highly sought after and highly priced LGB engines and rolling stock are being sold at on ebay.
There has even been give away pricing of brass locomotives through the mail order dealers.
The money “invested” in locomotives / rolling stock is not recoverable even for the “highly collectable and limited edition” items.
This is fine as long as we understood at the time of purchase that our trains are depreciating items.”

I disagree with the above statement as MTH One Gauge Big Boys that sold for less than $1,000.00 a few years back are now bringing around $1,300.00+ on Ebay and it’s the same with the MTH One Gauge GS-4 S.P. Daylight…infact the Espee GS-4 is fetching over $1,400.00.

A set of 3 MTH One Gauge S.P. Daylight Passenger Cars that originally sold for $300.00 brought around $450.00 just a few weeks back on Ebay.

A set of 4 Great Trains Amtrak Superliners recently sold for close to $700.00 on Ebay.

So I guess that it all depends on what your into as far as what prices the market is bringing these days.

#31

Be careful with predictions of a bright, sunny future.
Couple of years ago, some thought EPL would never fail (well, there are still some who think that, I guess).

There are manufacturers who have been at the doors of bankruptcy/forced sale several times, only to be bailed out at the last minute.

Nothing has changed.

Except the sugar daddies are fewer and further between.

After the issues with the LS from Botch…errrr…Bachmann of late, my guess is the rug has been yanked from under production until, oh, 2010 at the earliest.

Some things were “in process”, and were sent through, but that’s just a guess.

Economy hurts manufacturers, so does marketing, and QC issues sour the taste for existing consumers.

Ever wonder why this time around on LGB bankruptcy it is so quiet?
Ever wonder why not even any press items on it?

Ever think about who might be negotiating for the entire batch?

Hmmmm.

There are other things on the horizon, just watch.
It could get very interesting.

#32

Dave you thinking about buying LGB?
Thaat wouldbe great but do ytou have room at your place?
:wink:

#33

Geoff, that is a very good one!

TOC has been submerged often enough, he’s not looking for more.

#34

No, naught moi.
NFWJ.
But, when this latest issue arose, I suspected right off, and sure enough.

Instead of QC, it will be CQ.

#35
Curmudgeon said:
Ever wonder why this time around on LGB bankruptcy it is so quiet? Ever wonder why not even any press items on it?

Ever think about who might be negotiating for the entire batch?


Dave,
do you mean “Ever think about who might be negotiating for the entire botch…”? Maybe the same company that picked up Sandra Kan for ten cents in the dollar (around $8 million, lock, stock and barrel? That would give the term Quality Control a new meaning, like maybe Quality out of Control.

#36
Bruce Chandler said:
Ken Brunt said:
Bruce Chandler said:
I'll continue to scratch build and bash. I could use some more rolling stock, but I see that the price for the Aristo-Delton trucks is up to $28. That kind of kills that for a good source.

I wish I had bought more of those AMS flatcars from Ridge Road when they were on sale. They make a great start for a boxcar.

I could use a few more cars, but right now I can do a good operating session with what I have, so there’s no pressing need to buy something.

I already have more locomotives than I need and I’m starting to think of selling one or two of them.

I really wish that there were some bigger drivers available to Barry - I’d love to have a BBT chassis with 4 48" drivers. I’ve decided that I like building on a good foundation, and the BBT drive is really nice.

My plan is to invite folks over to operate and spend money on beer and food to supplement the experience. :wink:


Name the time, I’d love to join ya…not that I need an excuse to visit ya…:wink:

Maybe some Saturday? I’m sure you don’t want to be coming down in rush hours.

Sounds good to me. No, rush hour down there is the pits…:wink:

#37

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!

#38
Tim Brien said:
Curmudgeon said:
Ever wonder why this time around on LGB bankruptcy it is so quiet? Ever wonder why not even any press items on it?

Ever think about who might be negotiating for the entire batch?


Dave,
do you mean “Ever think about who might be negotiating for the entire botch…”? Maybe the same company that picked up Sandra Kan for ten cents in the dollar (around $8 million, lock, stock and barrel? That would give the term Quality Control a new meaning, like maybe Quality out of Control.

Hey Tim,

You mean KingKong from Hongkong?

And then we’ll get a virtual train that doesn’t really move, it just creates the impression. :wink: :smiley:

#39

Give that man a Kewpie Doll!

World domination of the model railroad manufacturing process!

If it’s all built to Crap Quality, who is to complain if one cannot compare said quality to anything else?