In article , :::Jerry:::: writes
It is down to time. Split chassis locos take a lot longer to assemble. Graham Hubbard once quoted me the number of split chassis locos Kader could assemble in a day and the comparative number of Blue Riband ones during the same period. The difference between them was considerable. I wish I could find the figures. I have got them stored away somewhere.
Today, the output of both Bachmann and Hornby is regulated by the amount of factory time they can negotiate with the companies in China who manufacture for them. They are granted a certain number of days a year and must make the best use they can of it. The quicker models can be made, the more they can get produced in their allotted factory time and the more they can get on the market to meet demand from modellers. After all, there is constant complaining from the public over the delays in models arriving and short runs when they do.
As for why some split chassis models are still in the catalogue; there has not been time to replace them yet but retailers are telling Bachmann that there is still a demand for them. Consequently they still turn out the odd batch to keep us satisfied. Often it is just one version offered to keep sales alive while the emphasis is on getting Blue Riband models out.
Pat