Among the "second tier" N scale manufacturers, who do you think makes good products, good enough that you'd buy more if they expand their product line? Names that come to mind are Deluxe Innovations, Red Caboose, Bowser, LBF, Con-Cor... there could be more that don't spring to mind immediately...
By "second-tier", do you mean quality, or do you mean size of company, presence in market, etc.? I consider Red Caboose and Deluxe Innovations to be "first tier", and I really like "Fine N Scale" products.
I guess it's a combination of company size, product range, general public awareness, that kind of thing. Bachmann, for instance, would qualify as a tier 1 company, because everyone knows about them and they have a fairly large product range. So product quality is NOT the defining criterion, at least not in this particular discussion. It's more about smaller companies that don't have regular product introductions, and often are overlooked in discussions, and perhaps buying decisions.
Definitely have DeLuxe Innovations on my list for this question. Their quality and details are superb. Boxcab E50
I would think none of these guys would be "second tier". More companies like mine would be, but as a former DI person, I would like to think of George and Co as in the "bigs". Kel
Trainworx. Hands down. Best cars I own. Tony Burzio San Diego, CA </font>[/QUOTE]Here's your chance 36 new DRGW cars coming this fall.
Actually, with the new locomotives coming out, especially the GP60 they just released, LifeLike is on my list. Some of their more recent spring-drive engines look pretty good too (although I have had the spring pop out of the driveshaft a couple times on one engine, their quality is showing steady improvement). BTW, I heard a rumor that LBF is on the way out again... Another modeler told me they weren't answering their phone last week. Wonder what reincarnation we'll see next.
It depends what they will come up with: If the road-name, quality and product fits my need I will buy from any company. (So Northern Pacific mid 50s will get my money ) My experience so far: Red Caboose: Excellent boxcars, great product DeLuxe: The boxcar is outstanding, the covered hopper a little crude around the end details and the ladders Cheers Dirk
ill go with the DI, i love those roadrailers, and i am waiting for the bn maxi-stacks. i have fifteen of them now, including, yes, the Virginia Wine collection. I have tight corners tho, I had issues with the flange hitting the bottom of the car, still love em tho.
By "bigs" I think you mean companies that offer more than one product area: Locos, Cars, Track, Structures, Scenery, Electronics, Accessories. That makes the bigs Atlas, Kato, LifeLike, Peco, Bachmann, concor, Model Power, Athearn. I've left out some of the european mfr's that could have better marketing in the US. I'm thinking of Kibri, Heljan, Ratio, that make great plastic kits. Nobody can do everything. There seems to be a shortage of new passenger stock & plastic structures. It would be nice if the mfr's would duplicate their HO lines in N.
Who? The Doctor of course. William Hartnell (1963–1966) Patrick Troughton (1966–1969) Jon Pertwee (1970–1974) Tom Baker (1974–1981) Peter Davison (1981–1984) Colin Baker (1984–1986) Sylvester McCoy (1987–1989,1996) Paul McGann (1996) Christopher Eccleston (2005) David Tennant (2005–?)
I have to admit that April May and June have been terrible months for me. Sales have been exceptionally bad dispite a reasonable level of traffic. I blame the price of GAS, electricity and insurance cost seem to be increasing dramatically. I paid over $2.40 / gal today at the pump in Maine. In NB canada, Gas is $0.999 / litre. Still lower that most of Europe. Disposable income fuels this hobby. The money is becomming increasingly rare. But it's not only the hobby sector being affected, All of my 5 online stores are registering record low sales. This is dispite the much wider variety of products and excellent feedback from my clients. I suppose that the LHS were like canaries and lots died when trouble started to show since they rely completely on disposable income. Let's hope it's not signs of things to come and that small manufacturers can ride it out without trying to cut eachother's ever decreasing share. Best of luck to all of you small manufacturers.
