Just got a look in the Walthers website, and Athearn's Genesis covered hoppers are supposed to come out in June 2002 at- get this- $34.95 a pop. Now granted, there's gonna be some detail not seen in their regular covered hoppers, but for this hobbyist, 35 bucks is a bit much- especially when in a group situation, most all the covered hoppers (Athearn, Accurail, Proto2000, Atlas) tend to blend together in a unit grain train. For me, 35 bucks buys two P2K hoppers, a package of Kadee couplers, and some weathering chalk (and perhaps some metal wheelsets). I'm sure the discount outfits will offer them for less, but I can bet your bottom coinage that your local hobby shop will be hard-pressed to do that!
If you want to stop the nonsense, don't buy. Unfortunately for the hobby, there will be enough buyers to keep this stuff going up and up. Oh, well...
Since I'm not a "rivet counting" modeler, the one nice thing I can say about the Atheran Genesis line is that its making the regular Atheran stuff cheaper. I just switched over from N scale, and just bought an Atheran dash 9 for 1/3 the price of an N scale dash 9.
I've stopped buying new stuff completely. I will just run what I have and buy used stuff or older models at train shows. I have set my limit at $3.00 for an Athearn car and won't spend more than that. Athearn, in particular, has been raising prices at a ridiculous rate. They have been raising prices on their older stuff at a much faster rate than inflation. For cars that they haven't changed anything on in 30 years, except the price. I picked up a bunch of stuff a few months ago at a show. Most of the boxes had original prices of $2.95 on the box. I don't know exactly what they are going for now but I believe it is around $6.95.
It's still possible to buy some decent stuff without breaking the bank, you just have to be patient and alert when the possibilities come along. Most of my diesels cost me less than $40 each, even my AC4400's. Just shop the sales, closeouts, and internet stores. The most I've paid for a car was $12. Usually I pay $4, and my intermodals cost me $3.97 for a pack of 5! Add to the cars some new wheels, lights on passenger cars (I installed myself from scratch), weathering, loads, and such and you can turn that "poor" car into a very realistic looking model. For a kid that grew up on the old Lionel running aroung the Christmas tree, it sure looks a lot better. On the locomotives add some weight and tune them up and you get a smooth running and reliable unit. For me this "extra" work is part of assembling the models. It's part of the hobby for me, tinkering to get everything to run "just right". For those of us that just want to run the stuff right out of the box, more money is needed I guess. Mark
Thread Title: "Seein' as how" Mrs. Kitbash hangs onto my wallet pretty darned tightly, I dare say I wont be having any conflicts between desire and finance when it comes to $35 covered hoppers. -Kitbash
I feel yer pain, brother, I feel yer pain! Like I said before, you can get LifeLike P2K covered hoppers for a darn sight cheaper, either RTR or in kit form, plus Kadees and weathering stuff, and come up with decent-looking hoppers (actually, better-looking than the regular Athearn hoppers). As for me and my house, we'll stay with the "old" Athearn, MDC and Accurail.
And with that last remark, you've hit on a sore spot with me about N scale- the price of locomotives. I currently have an N scale layout at home, but run my HO scale goodies at my local club. All I can say is that N scale stuff is getting more plentiful as time goes on. (just not fast enough for me, I guess )
I'm not a rivet counter, but I appreciate the detail and quality of the new Genesis freight cars. I have a few of the 60' boxcars, and they are terriffic! I paid around $15 a car, and consider them well worth it. They come properly weighted, with metal wheelsets and knuckle couplers. All that's left to do is weather them. For people that don't have the time, or patience to put that much detail into a freight car (like me), they are perfect. The RC plane world had a similar gripe when ARF's (Almost Ready To Fly) first came out. People said they were too expensive, and "real" modelers build there own. Now, years later, the ARF market is the fastest growing segment of the hobby, and has opened the door to countless people who would have otherwise lacked the time and skill to participate. I for one, am cheering Athearn Genesis on. I will continue to buy their products and support their commitment to "raising the bar" on the quality, and super detail of their locomotives and rolling stock. There will always be builders out there scratch building, buying craftsman kits, or super detailing lower cost kits. There is room in this hobby for everyone. For those of us who don't share the same passion for building and superdetailing their own models, the Athearn Genesis line is a godsend.
At 15 bucks, yes, I agree the Genesis boxcars are a decent buy. But 35 for a hopper?!?!? C'mon now................ As far as almost ready-to-run, the car kits out there (Athearn, Accurail, MDC) are easy to put together- the more cynical would call them "shake-the-box". Atlas' cars are about the 15 to 20 dollar range, abd RTR, but all share a great detail, metal wheels, and lok sweet in a consist. I'm not against the Genesis line at all, but I do have an issue with the prices heading for the stratosphere, regardless of maker.
Many years ago I bought a computer from my employer. It was a state of the art XT, which means a small Intel chip, about 33mhz. It had a whopping 16meg of ram on it, and a monochrome monitor. Everything on the screen was a dull orange color. It even had a 5 1/4" floppy drive. I paid a ton of money for that thing, just to play Tetris. Nowadays, that same amount of money buys me a 2Ghz Pentium 4 with 512meg memory and all the bells and whistles. And I can still play Tetris Classic. My point is, today the price may be $35. Soon, it may be a third that. But, if we express interest in them at a reasonable price, the other manufacturers will be forced to do what Athearn Genesis is doing. Giving us better detailing, more accurate, true to scale models for our hobby. Then, we will all be much better off, and you can't put a price on that.
I have to agree with Bob and the others... I'm a craftsman to the very end, I know how these RTR stuff is put together and what it costs and $35 for one car is rediculous! They make these cars "cast them" in parts ship them to God only knows where pays a nickle "5 cants an hour" to have them assembled and then have then packaged, and shiped back to their "casting factory" and then put a $35 price tag on them and think that they will make a great amount off them... And sure granted that they will for those who don't have the time to do their own work or likes the RTR stuff to their own fansy.... But for this ole kitbasher, craftsman, designer, home-made job maker, I'm not paying that type money just so it rasies the price of the cheaper ones... I pay between $4 to $10 for a car... and I have sank $12 in a few cars and even more then that for passenger cars but for a regular frieght car for $35 is crazy... They got dollar signs in their eyes! I like to be a craftsman. It gives that car or loco more meaning. You take care of it better. You spent the money to buy it, plus the detail for on it, and you spent your time putting it together... When say you pass it down in years to come it will be extra special to the boy or girl that gets it. their father made it... This is how I see it and when I build them. I do it to last.... And besides that, I like the challenge of it all. Keeps my mind working and fresh for other projects that might come to mind and need thinking through.... But take that the wrong way... I don't have a thing against the RTR stuff, I just have to cringe at the price of it. And then think of how its going to co respond to the cheaper do-it-yourself kits... All I have against any of it is just that... The cheaper craftmans kits are going to go up in price because of the RTR more detailed stuff... I seen a shop advertising the new Athearn Genis line SD-70 for a whoopin $229! And when I went to the shop they were sold out! So I know their going to make money at it. I have nothing against them making money.. But I learned to live the old way, you have to earn that money..... not have it handed to you on a silver platter, and thats more or less whats going on here... And when you have finaces and all to take care of first and formost, what does that leave you with to put into your hobby? Not alot thats forsure.... Specially us guys on a buget... [ 10 April 2002, 09:04: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
As it was mentioned earlier, vote with your dollars. Manufacturers will make what people buy. As a modeler, O don't detail my own cars. I buy the best looking cars I can and run them. Notice I said the best looking cars I CAN. The $35 cars are a CAN'T for me. I'll buy a cheaper car with a little less detail and made do with that. I can't be satisfied spending as much on a car as I do on an engine.
