I was browsing through the woo woo woo woo woo woo website and was looking at the new Atlas N Scale locos.I see for almost every one of the new Master Line locos, they state a limit of one per customer and that they only have a handful in stock. My question is, are locos being made even more based on orders with very few left over or just plain shorter runs? I can understand an etailer not wanting to stock so much inventory and only having a few extra of each, but don't quite understand why they would limit it to one per customer. Any thoughts???
With the reservation system now in place, they only build to orders received. In the case of some reatailers, they order extras for the folks that missed the pre-order deadline. I think this is MBKliens way of making sure there are no hoarders and lets everyone have an even shot at purchasing the locomotive.
I agree with David, Only a certain number made to keep pace with the demand only. woo woo woo and a few of the hobby shops preorder a few more to accommodate those whom might have missed but sure isn't what it used to be. The days of thinking long is now thinking wrong; because you end up missing out. :ru-wink:
I think its the Tonys Train Exchange Site that had an article on smaller runs. Pre 2000, locos seem to have been made in lots of tens of thousands, but now the typicalloco run is perhaps 4000. Most in the hobby say the recession of that year kicked sales in the rear and we have been more conservative since then, and the mfgs quickly realized that product sitting on the shelf was doing no one any good. Thus, the pre-order system. As Sharkman says, the mfgs only make what the retailers or wholesalers order. Many shops order a few extra for stock, depending on their sales history with certain roadnames, etc. Even Atlas or whoever might make a few more than ordered, but not many. I suspect IF they do, its because a paint run on the pad press works well to say, 300 units before needing to be shut down, and if there are orders for 270 of that paint scheme, it costs not a lot to make a few more. Just a guess. In the case of woo woo woo woo woo woo, I suspect it was their decision and not mfg.
I doubt I would by only one loco where a MU would be more appropriete. They should allow 2 per customer. Steam may differ but for more modern needs we need to be able to have muliple purchases. I wonder how many people do not order at all because of this. I know with DCC we can make just about any locos run well together but thats just me.
I thought that the limit of one engine per customer, was only the case with heavily discounted engines?
I thought it was due to the fact that woo woo woo Klien was no longer taking pre-orders on product so it is first come first serve on items in their listings. They are just trying to make sure everybody gets a chance to get the product. By the way, why would you buy two of the exact same loco when Atlas offers them in 2-3 road numbers? If you want multiples, buy one of each number. I can understand if people are wanting to renumber though.
So who needs more than one of a number when both Atlas and Kato are doing multiples? Maybe someone looking to make a killing on the Bay? Look at the woo woo woo stock numbers on the Kato locos - 50, 60, 70...as compared to Atlas' 5 and 6. This may give you an indication of who sells more.
Kato: woo woo woo stocks more of them than of the Atlas engines. or Atlas: their engines are almost sold out, the Kato ones are collecting dust on the shelves. So, what's true?
LHS I talk to say Atlas has the best pre-order system, allowing ordering of just what you want. If you recall, Kato has gone to some last minute announcing, so I think the LHS had to guess based on past orders or whatever and may be stuck with more Kato because of that system and maybe over expectations in this economy.
Well I've done it...When Kato announced their mid production SD40-2s in BN I ordered 10...since I've repainted some to back date them to pre white-face and have changed the numbers on all but one.
Kato production runs are bigger than Atlas. That why they have more. Plus the Kato engines being cheaper than Atlas they will sell every one of them.
I order multiples of each number from Kato to renumber. Used to do it with Atlas but then the raise there prices for old tooling so I just get one of each number produce plus they are a pain to renumber.
No business wants too much capital tied up in inventory, so I can understand the economics. But I am still much more likely to buy a loco off the shelf than to pre-order. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned (and fortunate to have a couple of local shops with decent N scale inventory).
I dunno about being cheaper...your average Kato unit is $100 to $125 now, and Atlas unit is $95 to $110. That is without decoders, as Kato doesn't offer too many locos with decoders from the factory.
And with New Haven, Chessie and the Rock in blue/white, I have little choice: it's Atlas, and not Kato...
