Is $30 for an Atlas Gondola a Rip Off?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are serious about buying one, Caboose Hobbies has them for $12.00, pre order as the cars are available after March 29th. You should really learn how to search the 'Net.

know it is a long link. If this is just a Rant, then continue on.

r

For hand made Japanese brass models of special freight cars and cabooses, the price range is closer to $100 or more.

Tool and die for casting a plastic HO scale model body runs what today? $25,000? So just to pay for the cost of the tool making for the model you would have to sell about 900 or so of the cars at $30 just to pay for the tooling to make the plastic body. This does not pay for the parts, advertising, labor, raw materials, etc.

Unfortunately, right now the model railroad industry is generally set up for two different processes: plastic casting and hand made brass. Plastic casting is an OK way to go if you expect to make thousands of something, because of the cost of making the tooling for the casting. The less of something you expect to sell, the more you have to charge to pay for all of that. The handmade brass option is good for a few people who want a very specialized model.

CNC machining is usually a good way to go for intermediate production level parts in many industries, but in the model railroad world generally the market demands very intricate details, which means a lot of machine time per model.

So, your best bet if you want to see cheaper well made models is to get more people involved in the hobby, so that the cost for producing the tooling to make models can be spread out among more buyers.

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I don't see $12 for the $30 Atlas car? Is that what you are saying is available?

Joe Tubesock:

What you don't realize is that this gondola is sold filled with 750mL of Beam bourbon.

*hic*

Cordially yours: Gerard P. Presidnet, a box of track and some L-girders.

Here is the link. You have to pre order.

the link does not work go to HO scale don't worry about roadname select freight cars select Atlas Model Railroad Co. click Go Scroll down the page and you will see the Thrall gondolas for 11.99.

r

Folks:

Sad, isn't it? Some people don't care about quality. They're just after cheap Thralls.

Cordially yours: Gerard P. President, a box of track and some L-girders.

Sad, isn't it? Some people don't care about price. They're just after expensive Thralls.

Wikipedia. Read it and weap for our future.

This says the list price is $16.95. Atlas says it is $30.00? Is this link for the Trainman version?

Wikipedia. Read it and weap for our future.