I find this news, and some of the things said here in relation to it, quite disturbing. One: It is a shame that we are losing Rivarossi. When I was a HO modeler, I had a few Steamers of theirs, I found them excellent. Two: I find the quaility and detail of todays "Big Three" N-Scale Manufactures, Atlas, Kato and Life-Like, Outstanding! Is there room for improvement? Sure, there always will be, but taking detail away isn't the answer. I think the way Atlas has handled this "topic" on their forum was even-handed. I don't feel they "blew anyone off", they could of been a lot more heavy-handed about the whole thing. Three: Remembering that I work in Retail, I ask this question. Are we under the thumb of Practicing Model Railroaders running these companies or are they the same kind of "Corprate Money Grubbers" that run the rest of the Retail World? Sadly, I think a little of both. It seems the Hobby isn't as important to most of these guys as making money. If the Hobby took Top Priority, we wouldn't be in want of anything, we'd have what we ask for and they would be ROLLING in Money! Instead, just like the kind of jokers that run the rest of the retail world, the bottom line is the focus. In my opinion, this is the WRONG way to do business! The Customers and the Employees need to be more important than the Shareholders. This is the way Sam Walton did business when I worked for his Wal-Mart Company, his kids are a different story. What...are we back in the late 1800's and the early 1900's? MONEY, MONEY, MONEY! At least most of what we have is of good quality. But the way the business side of the Hobby is run, for the most part, is still a joke ! To wrap this up...Things could be better, but they could be worse too! All of this is just my opinion, you can take it or leave it. Oh yes, one last thing to add here... "On the Eighth Day, The Lord Created the Santa Fe Railway and The Red Warbonnet!" [ 12 April 2001: Message edited by: Maxwell Plant ]
Its all true Brent, the problem is that Lobough, Varney, Mantua, Ulrick, Red Ball and Revell were all as close to their customers as we were to them, like Sam Walton. There wasn't enough of us to pay them a living wage and support the business costs in the rest of the world. As they all went out of business, died off, or were bought out, the investors who bought these companies, were after making the big bucks. They thought in terms of how many can be sold all over the world, not how many of us will buy one or two of each item. We all wanted something different. No money in it that way. The $20,000 to $30,000 it costs today to make an injection mold for a diesel shell, prohibits making too many variations to meet all the changes you guys want. Make a GP-9 mold, then change it to make a -2 and you are out of business of making any more 9's. You can't sell enough parts off one mold to pay for the mold. That's why you find so many paint schemes that are incorrect. What kid knows the difference, or cares? Its pretty, so he buys it. Rivarossi is only going to sell in Europe from now on, and have no imediate plans of even selling parts over here. You will soon see the same problem with China made stuff too I think.
Rivarossi as totally outdone themselves this time, selling their company. What a shame!! And just when I first heard of them back in "96"! Oh well at least their locos will be worth money in later yrs., especially their Big Boys. I went to a local hobby shop and the store owner told me they had Rivarossi's, so I go look and low and behold he has them. From the Challenger to the Front Cab driven steam loco, if i had some serious money I'd buy them all and put em on my future layout.
Will, that is exactly what I did. When the first of their articulateds hit the shop, I paid full price for it and stood in line to get it. $37.50 plus tax. It is still in the original box. The others and other brands of steamers were bought "while the getting was good", or I wouldn't have wasted my money on them, and neither would my dad. He never knew they were just cheap junk, that looked good. Go ahead and get them, then turn around and put good motors in. I suggest you make a deal on the original motors with John Patton to do the re-motor work, attach couplers, and do any detailing you will want. Then when you get your layout up, you will have a good running engine, not just a good looking poor runner. John is reasonable too. Contact him at: yellowstone10@hotmail.com He has over 10 years, repairs, re-paints, and specializes in Rivarossi equipment. Doesn't hurt to ask before prices go up, look at the cost of a 57 small block Chevy today!
Thanks to all who replied and expressed their sympathy. As for the destroyed locomotives fate, well after the USPS pays off, the locomotive becomes USPS property and goes to St. Louis. Periodicly (sp?) the USPS has an auction for these damaged items. So if someone needs parts for a AHM/Rivarossi Y6 hmmm My payoff money will probably be spent on decoders for DCC, whenever I get it.
AJy6b, I'd most certainly be interested in a parts loco of a Y6b if your willing to sell???? If you are you can reach me at my e-mail address at : yellowstone10@hotmail.com Let me know on a price and its condition. Depending on your asking and its condition i'll buy it flat no questions just for parts!!!!! I got one Y6b thats in need of parts so.... Let me know!
Origianlly posted by: Watash --------------------------------------------- Will, that is exactly what I did. When the first of their articulateds hit the shop, I paid full price for it and stood in line to get it. $37.50 plus tax. It is still in the original box. The others and other brands of steamers were bought "while the getting was good", or I wouldn't have wasted my money on them, and neither would my dad. He never knew they were just cheap junk, that looked good. Go ahead and get them, then turn around and put good motors in. I suggest you make a deal on the original motors with John Patton to do the re-motor work, attach couplers, and do any detailing you will want. Then when you get your layout up, you will have a good running engine, not just a good looking poor runner. John is reasonable too. Contact him at: yellowstone10@hotmail.com He has over 10 years, repairs, re-paints, and specializes in Rivarossi equipment. Doesn't hurt to ask before prices go up, look at the cost of a 57 small block Chevy today! -------------------------------------------- I know all about John & what he does, he's a good guy who knows how to help those who need it most. "He never knew they were just cheap junk, that looked good.", That's a good moto if you ask me , yeah they are good trains to look at upclose & at a distance. Rivarossi was one helluva company, their locos looked like the real thing, & still are.
I knew how Rivarossi was made since I started repairs and YES they are cheaply made but what other company competes with them???? IHC comes close but still no where near. The newer loco's made by Rivarossi are in fact good in detail and in running capabilities!!!! This is sad to say but, I have one BRASS loco and my Rivarossi's will in fact run with it or even out run and maybe out pull it!!!!! My FACTORY Rivarossi runs smoother and everything compared to my BRASS loco!!!! Don't get me wrong though my BRASS Shay runs good YES but not quite as good as my Rivarossi loco's do...... We all spend alot of money on loco's made by different companies and thats not only in one scale but ALL scales and some of us that got the chance to own a BRASS loco knows the difference in them from the plastic. Everyone I know used to say that BRASS is the best. Well I have to disagree to that!!!! I mean yeah BRASS looks great compared to some but you put that BRASS loco up to a good detailed plastic loco once then tell me about it once!! They both look good but I'll bet money that the plastic one runs better!!!!!!! Why pay a high price to get the same looks on a loco in BRASS when you can get that plus a good, strong running loco for alot less money?????? And depending on the buyer he can take time out to detail it how ever he wants to the 9th degree, then when its done he looks and says "Hey how do you like my work compared to the expensive brass thats made today" And when someone else looks at it its like.....WOW nice craftsmanship and good looking. Then pull a BRASS loco off the shelf and compare then and they look alike then once you put them on track and they run but the one thats custom runs better then the BRASS one does then you say thats "QUALITY WORK" And to realize that you only have $2,200.00 in that BRASS 2-8-8-4 EM-1, and that Big Boy you bought made by Rivarossi was only $200.00!!!! Plus the expense of fine detailing it, which might be an additional $100.00 to $150.00. To make that Big Boy a 2-8-8-4 EM-1. I'll buy Rivarossi just to customize or even to repower just because the name of BRASS is suppost to be better and in fact its not anymore then the next loco so I wouldn't have to pay more for less!!!!! I'll pay less and get more and do the work myself, then I know what exactly what i'm getting Even if I have to do alot of work to get it. This is the manufacturing process's of today that needs better "QUALITY CONTROL" [ 19 April 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Hi Guys, I'm new here and couldn't help but notice some of you were talking about the good old days, I just want to say to some of you newbies that Rivarossi has been around since the dark ages, those big boys and Y6b articulateds have been around since the 60s, that technology is over 30 years old, and yes, they were cheap then, the retail has always been high on these engines, but they were always on sale via AHM, when I was a kid I picked up a big boy at Caboose Hobbies for $18.00, and my best friend at the time picked up a cab forward for $18.00 at Woolco, ahh yes, the good old days.... We did do a lot more modeling in the 80s by the way, and where did someone get off saying that it wasn't that great, it never ceases to amaze me that in the model railroad press, you see these guys with ready to run model railroads that they have had custom built, then they call themselves model railroaders, yeah, right.....
Welcome aboard Gary, To all of us thats here let me be the first to welcome you. I build my own everything from locomotives to cars to the land or realastate it all runs on! The ready to run stuff took the actual model railroading away from all of us! For the ones that want to do the modeling and scratchbuilding ourselves. But yes again to the ready to run stuff their is some decent stuff out their if your willing to pay the price for it. If you build your own or you buy ready to run items in its own sence your still a model railroader either way you go. I can honestly say I do alittle of both and get good results at both. I enjoy kitbashing (where you take a ready to run and make it your way) just to se if I can make something that to be the best and make it better! Its the challenge that gets me!!!! And I get what i'm after if it takes a month I get what i'm looking for or I get what I want that loco or car to do...... It does it when i'm done Welcome to our family of modelers, Gary..... [ 22 April 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Hi 7600EM Thanks, I didn't mean to come off so strong, I just get a little insenced at some of the stuff I see out there today, I too buy a little ready to run equipment, but I don't have a ready to run layout, I too make the necessarry changes to get what I want, being in O scale, I have to scratchbuild as well, mostly my structures...
