Limited Runs and Full Page Train Mag Ads?

They ran the ads so they would know how many to make???

Considering it was a Kato model, the store probably could not get enough for all of their orders and any extra strock for 'walk-in' sales. Kato has announced engines and did not produce enough of very popular road names many times in both N and HO scale.

Jim Bernier

MrRathburne wrote:

The orders went in months ago and production has already finished and the units are on the boat before the ads even run.

On Mon, 07 Jul 2003 20:32:04 -0700, Jim Bernier shared this with the world:

Once again, I fail to see how making less of a product than the customers want is in the best interests of a business' bottom line?

I mean, the bottom line is the "reason" they are doing limited runs in the first place, isn't it?

Kent "one vote against limited runs, please"

yes I am afraid you are right. Not sure what this will do for newbies coming into the hobby. I found a BNSF unit via the mail now so we will see what happens.

Well, how many newbies are going to shell out $100+ for an engine? I know when I seriously got into the hobby in 1990, all my engine purchases were Athearn blue box (RDC's, F7's, SW1200's, GP9's), and that was because my father had Athearn in the 1960's. I didn't get my first Atlas for a couple of years into the hobby, when I found out what was junk and what was good. Last I checked, Athearn still makes blue box, and now you have P1K as well. So what's the problem?

Paul A. Cutler III

************** Weather Or No Go New Haven **************

As I said I am 'not sure' hence I don't know IF there even is a problem. But, Athearn blue box locos are getting much harder to find. LHS are closing at a regular clip (for a variety of reasons).

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 16:11:38 GMT, "Pac Man" shared this with the world:

Maybe, but that's not where I'm coming from.

When I got into the hobby, I found that one of the locomotives that I wanted was released as a limited run about two years before I knew that I wanted it.

What do I do? Spend months/years prowling E-bay, and pay more than it originally listed for?

My beef isn't so much about cost (although it is always important), but rather about availability.

Kent

A lot of distributors do this. However without going into details Walthers is not one of those. Walthers also does not offer any "steeper discounts" on any items. I can name several other sources that have substantially better pricing on Atlas, LifeLike, Athearn, etc. I use these sources first. When they sell out Walthers will probably stil have the items and then I have to pay their price. Dave

"MrRathburne" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

Rathburne, Its does seem that local hobby stores are closing but when I think about they have been opening and closing through out my modeling life. In my area some hobby shops have come and others have gone but there are more today than there were 25 years ago. We even have a trains only store with a great selection and good pricing. You've been there I think. It's Discount Trains in Addison (Dallas)Texas. I happened to have a handful of MR back issues here on my desk I had pulled the other day that had some articles of interest. The number of shops in the listings in the back are as follows. April 1955 - 162. December 1981 - 568. January 1987 - 588. Jan 2003 - 464. so it does look like they are in decline. But over all I wonder how many hobby shops/retail outlets are out there if internet and mail order stores are included compared to the total number of all outlets during the 80's or

90's? I know MR's subscriptions have declined but I wonder how many people total subscribe to at least one model train magazine as compared to the total back then? Maybe fewer stores would close if they used Discount Trains as an example at least for a store in a large metropolitan area. Specialized, Big Selection, Good Service, Good Pricing and Lower Rent. Their location is not exactly high profile as they are in a light industrial / warehouse type area on a side street by the Addison airport. I'll bet everyone who is into model trains in the DFW area and for many miles around ends up going there sooner or later. Of course buying habits may be changing too. I know mine have, Even with a great store like Discount Trains I spend about 50% of my train money with internet or mail order stores because its either less time consuming, much cheaper or they have something the LHS does not stock. 25 years ago I bought 80% or more of my stuff at the LHS and only bought elsewhere when that was the only way I could get something. By the way the selection of Blue Box kits, MDC kits, Accurail kits has declined at Discount Trains but the RTR selection is huge. Craftsman kits for rolling stock have completely disappeared. But then this is the summer so the selection of kits may grow a lot in September and October, but I think craftsman kits are gone for good except for special order. I also noticed quite a few built up structures on the shelves, something I have not noticed much of before. They still have quite a few structure kits though. Bruce

If every LHS was Discount Model Trains in Addisson, they would never close. Your are lucky. In an hour or two I can drive to some nice stores. All the ones closer than that are O guage.

Yes, they are. Try finding an Athearn GP38-2 undec, or an undec SD40-2 w/pre-1980 Chicken Wire (or any other flavor) and just remember they only came out with those a couple of years ago.

Also, go to the Walthers site, and do a search on them. A lot of the blue box engines are in status "discontinued when sold out."

MrRathburne wrote: : As I said I am 'not sure' hence I don't know IF there even is a : problem. : But, Athearn blue box locos are getting much harder to find. LHS are : closing at a regular clip (for a variety of reasons). : : "Pac Man" wrote in message news:... :> MrRathburne wrote in message ... :> >yes I am afraid you are right. Not sure what this will do for newbies :> >coming into the hobby. I found a BNSF unit via the mail now so we :> >will see what happens. :> :> Well, how many newbies are going to shell out $100+ for an engine? I :> know when I seriously got into the hobby in 1990, all my engine purchases :> were Athearn blue box (RDC's, F7's, SW1200's, GP9's), and that was because :> my father had Athearn in the 1960's. I didn't get my first Atlas for a :> couple of years into the hobby, when I found out what was junk and what was :> good. :> Last I checked, Athearn still makes blue box, and now you have P1K as :> well. So what's the problem? :> :> Paul A. Cutler III :> ************** :> Weather Or No Go New Haven :> **************

Our LHS still have a lot of blue box but I really think the coming trend will be RTR. I was in a large hobby shop in Texas that I frequent about three times a year. He is discount and does a temendous business in all scales. He is also trains only. He used to have a long row of Athearn blue boxes which contained everything they made. I noticed that was almost half RTR boxes from Athearn now. Shows a definate trend

I don't mind the RTR line, but they seem to be moving away from doing undecs. I do note that their SD50 RTR release is to include undecs, though. At least that is a start.

EppersonJohnR wrote: : Our LHS still have a lot of blue box but I really think the coming trend will : be RTR. I was in a large hobby shop in Texas that I frequent about three times : a year. He is discount and does a temendous business in all scales. He is : also trains only. He used to have a long row of Athearn blue boxes which : contained everything they made. I noticed that was almost half RTR boxes from : Athearn now. Shows a definate trend

Thank you for clearing that up. It is possible, then, that what I am running into are individual retailers who are either discontinuing carrying the blue boxes (whether Athearn is or not), or that have been misinformed.

Dave Henk wrote: :>Yes, they are. Try finding an Athearn GP38-2 undec, or an undec SD40-2 :>w/pre-1980 Chicken Wire (or any other flavor) and just remember they only :>came out with those a couple of years ago. :>

:>Also, go to the Walthers site, and do a search on them. A lot of the blue :>box engines are in status "discontinued when sold out." : : No problem finding the GP38 undecs. Both shell versions ae also available. My : Walthers dealer software shows them in stock (therefore the Web site should : have as well). Few chicken wire SD40-2's in any flavor are available but all : the other variants are (snoots, pre & post 80's, and Q fan). Note that beside : Walthers I see these available on a couple of other distribution sites I can : access directly for stock inquiries. Walthers list 23 undec loco variations : currently available. The only engines being phased out are the older an or fat : bodies such as PB, U30's etc. The passenger cars, cranes, and a few other blue : box kits are being discontinued in favor of ready to run versions. I still sell : a reasonable amount of the kits and an increasing amount of the RTR. Some folks : that probably would not have started model railroads do so with the RTR. A : decent percentage of these do gravitate towards kits such as Proto200 and : Intermountain and detail additions. : I have gone into shops and have heard that the Athearn Blue boxes are being : discontinued by Athearn. This is not so and shows lack of information on the : part of the store owners. Athearn sent E-mails to store owners on their mailing : list stating what the changes were going to be. Mostly it was weeding out kits : and certain roadnames that were no longer selling well. : : Dave

I think Atlas is coming out with a U30C?