Is Walthers ignoring N scale?

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Lastly, Tim told me that the "quick survey" on Walthers site was a good media to reach the "brass" and telling them what we would like to find.
<hr></blockquote>

Gosh, I sure hope so, otherwise I killed 2 hours fillin' 12 of them out for nothing!
My requests were for stuff already produced in HO, I hope that will get rid of any 're-inventing the wheel' thoughts. Probably costs as much to re-tool for N Scale as HO anyway but hey, what have we got to lose! I think everybody should fill some of these 'surveys' out. Walthers will never know if we don't tell them! And it dosen't cost anything but a little time!

2slim

 

Well I am jumping in late into this discussion, but... I have had my fill of red brick structures of whatever type. I am more into the modern era and enjoy buildings that reflect this reality. Walthers is one who has been committed to modernizing their goodies (especially in HO).

N scale is more of a contemporary scene. I don't have to tell you that steam in N scale is scarce, and the choices limited. This doesn't bother me as I love today's trains and modeling them, but I know it does bother some.

As contemporary modeling companies reflect the larger cars and engines in real life (like the SD90's and Auto-cars), our scale begins to look more like HO. An SD90 is just about as long as an HO earlier diesel, but not as high. Since the manufactures are beginning to clue in, that for many of us, modeling stuff out there today is where it is at; unit trains of intermodal, grain, coal, etc is fun to watch. I suspect we are going to see more, not less, in contemporary engines and goodies. For example, commuter trains and modern Amtrack stuff, will begin to filter down into N scale, where I think they will be more happily received than in HO scale.

I think Walther's will reflect the growing trend to contemporary modeling in N and if they do that, I will support them (purchase).

 

Pity that "Walley World" (a.k.a. Walthers) can't get together with Kibri, Vollmer, Faller or Pola to produce a series of high quality good fitting American prototype kits. Most of the modelling I have done has been for European railways and it's such a pleasure to sit down and build a European model. Those companies, especially Kibri make kits that practically "fall togther" and yield super results. Some of the newest ones even have factory weathing already applied!

[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: swissrhb ]</p>

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by swissrhb:
Pity that "Walley World" (a.k.a. Walthers) can't get together with Kibri, Vollmer, Faller or Pola to produce a series of high quality good fitting American prototype kits. Most of the modelling I have done has been for European railways and it's such a pleasure to sit down and build a European model. Those companies, especially Kibri make kits that practically "fall togther" and yield super results. Some of the newest ones even have factory weathing already applied!

[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: swissrhb ]<hr></blockquote>

NOW THAT'S CHEATTING!

 

I, too, have to admit that I am disappointed that Walthers is not forthcoming with much in N-scale; but modeling goes on.... A lot can still be done with a little "engin-u-ity." Here is just ONE of the Walther's mill buildings in this picture of my N-scale layout, but I still have a pretty impressive looking mill!

 

Rett, that's a nice looking scene you have. Who made the chip cars? I would like some for my paper products industry, but haven't seen any that can be modified to fit the early 50's.

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Alan:
swissrhb, I can vouch for the quality of the European kits you mentioned. They are superb! We used several on a continental layout at our club several years ago (HO scale), and the only problem with structure kits was which ones we had to leave out - the choice is huge!<hr></blockquote>

Yes, I totally agree Alan. In fact, this was one of the major factors that led me to choose European model trains over U.S. Prototypes for my personal interest. I know this next statement may open up can of worms here at the board but I beleive that European railroading in general offers more variety than the U.S. Railways do. Perhaps that would make an interesting topic on it's own someday

I still think it would be a great idea for Walthers to team up with a European kit manufacturer to offer some QUALITY U.S. prototypes. In many cases I believe it wouldn't take much more than re-tooling the roofs and supplying decal sheets for U.S. signs and markings.

 

In europe, there are more countries, hence variety. In North America, particularly Canada and the USA, what we lack in variety, we make up for in "awesome." When my son and I went railfanning to Jasper Alberta on the VIA, there were some European, Australian, and New Zealand railfans. They were all amazed at how long the trains were through the Rockies and Canyons of British Columbia and Alberta. It is not at all unusual to see a train 170 cars long there.

And look at the large engines UP run, and have run, historically. And consider all the large steam, Big Boys, etc. So Europeans have more variety in their toys, we have larger toys with less variety.

But did I say nothing can beat a long grain train with multiple lash ups, snaking its way through the Fraser canyon over the Cisco Bridges? No, I'm not prejudice...lol!

 

Hank,

The woodchip cars are produced by Deluxe Innovations. The chip car loads were produced by Hay Brothers.
http://www.railaction.com/haybrosnloads.html

[ 20 October 2001: Message edited by: upguy ]</p>

 

Well to sum up this thread I will pass on the results of a sales track that we have been trying to get done in our spare time at the hobby shop. Our figures show that in the past 10 months, N scale sales have out sold HO by roughly a 3 to 1 margin. This was done in a rather un-scientific manor by tracking ordered stock only, using sales amount figures. We figure that HO & N prices are pretty close to the same on track, locos & cars. We did not figure O & G scale into this as items are exponentially more expensive in these scales. This estimation did not include stock already on hand before last January. I can attest to stuff in HO scale at our shop that has collected dust for years such as old Athearn stock, Older cheap locos and building kits that just keep getting dusted and re-arranged. Being a Hobbytown USA franchise, we were required to stock a certain amount of Athearn, MDC etc. The owner of our shop figures that Walthers Cornerstone kits in N scale are constantly moving. It's the expensive bigger HO kits like the Ford factory that rarely even get a look. I realize that this is just us in the northeastern Ohio area, but I can't help but wonder if Walthers is staying with a "what works for now" atitude and is afraid to make a real commitment to N scale modeling. (As an afterthought, I might be responsible for about 1/4 of the N scale sales in that store alone).

 

I wish Walthers would re-release old structures or come out with new ones. Choices are slim nowadays.

 

When LifeLike was LifeLike, I thought they were the Athearn of N scale. I was totally impressed first in late '80's when they came out with a lot of N scale locos, quiet, 5 pole smooth runners, although inexpensively built and sold. Lots of overproduction dropped prices even more. But the stuff kept coming and coming, stuff we needed and gave us enough to run or to even modify.

Then along the line they changed frames from the old plastic gook filled worm boxed locos to the state of the art split frame, 5 pole skewed armature, all wheel pickup all wheel drive flywheel diesels, and I was hooked!!!! Couldn't have been better.....

I think it started with their SW, and I have a couple then on to the GP20, and I have a few, and everyone since. Then they come out with the Berk and Mallet, jewels into themselves.

When Walthers bought them out, many speculated that the N scale avalanche would cease, and I hoped it would continue, only this time even more deeply funded, but as much as I hoped, there is this little negative guy inside me that told me those soothsayers were right, and unfortunately they were.

Let me go on record as saying I miss the sound-free affordable Berk, 0-8-0 and Mallet, the FM diesel set, PA's and on and on, as I know eventually as N grows phenomenally after this recession, Walthers will see through the HO mask and start coming out with some of their outrageous locos from their old lovable Lifelike.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

 

There are a few Walthers structure kits slated for re-release soon:

Turntable 4/2011
New River Mining Co. 6/2011
ADM Grain Elevator 6/2011
Western Flood Loader 6/2011
American Hardware Supply 6/2011
Machine Shop 6/2011

Not a big list but there are a few that I will snap up. Jamie

 

I think this may be one of the most kit bash-able structures I have seen. I have seen it on many layouts and usually there are small differences in the way structure was completed or located on the layout. I plan to get one, too, as I need an abandoned hillside mine.

 

No they do not 'ignore' N scale... but they do not favor it.

They have been getting better at releasing some new items over the past few years since this post originated. They are slow to re-release several items probably due to slow sales. Many of their HO structures would be nice to see in N scale, but, they must feel that the investment in tooling would not be repaid in a reasonable amount of time.

I particularly miss the few structures from the 1990s that have been retired and not re-run. Even a more recent 2000's structure has not been re-run.