The best and worse of Trainfest 2012

I am sure by now most of us knows whats has been announced at Trainfest this year, but how about what manufacturers have to say. the best was Woodland Scenics the staff that was present was really getting a crowd by letting
people try scenery had a great time with them and learned a lot in 10 minutes. Kato with the new station and spending the extra 5 cents for proper brick detail. blueford and fvm keep brining out the models very receptive to the crowd. Athearn has some new ideas for n motive power but nothing to go forward yet. The worst and I mean they ticked me off was Walthers, I was told we will not see anything that HO has that doesn't sell well. I told him flat out they need to really reconsider their stance, we can build the larger buildings in a smaller space. I was told n really doesn't matter. And I told him then my money will go else where no matter what they release if that is how they treat loyal custermers. Okay off my soap box feel free to add on.

 

Another problem with Walthers is that they price the kits in the stratosphere where most N scalers will not venture. Then... Walthers plays the massive discount game to lure buyers and burn the hobby shops that stocked up on some kits. It they just just priced everything where modelers can afford the kits from the beginning... then maybe they would see that N scale MATTERS.

 

The only N scale I saw at the Walthers display was those SW1200s. I did hear a major N scale manufacturer say that Walthers is one of their biggest distributors. While I appreciate their carrying N scale, I wish they would put more into their own product line.

I spent about 1/2 and hour at the Kato display. The E5 looks better in person than in the Kato pictures. I also discussed the market and Kato operations. (They pretty much validated my theory that they were able to do the Silver Streak Zephyr with minimal investment relative to tooling a whole new train.) They did mention that Kato HQ is into commuter cars because that is a big seller in Japan. Also, more traction tires for Mikados should be coming.

I'll mention this here but will post on the Narrow Gauge Forum later. The Blackstone HOn3 track with Kato Unijoiners is really very nice.

ExactRail hooked me up with one of their 2008 ExactRail boxcars. Their new wheels, if they are anywhere near as nice as the HO scale wheels on display, will be stunning in N scale.

Intermountain seemed really receptive and seemed like nice people you could talk with. Maybe that's just me.

I hadn't been to Trainfest in a few years. (It was a much easier drive when I lived in the Chicago area vs the Washington D.C. area.) I am glad I made the trip.

 

I was at Trainfest Saturday for most of the day with my son and had a chance to speak with one of the Kato family members at the Kato booth. He asked several questions about what railroad I model and why (PRR, I'm from NJ). I told him I purchased a Broadway Limited set and he asked if I also purchased a GG-1. I told him that I didn't since I don't model the overhead wires, but did purchase the E-8's. Then I mentioned it would be nice to see them make an E7 in PRR or offer more paint schemes for the E-8 (keystone only) and a K4 4-6-2 as well. I told him that many modelers use their Japanese prototype 4-6-2 and kitbash this into a K4, but that it would be a whole easier if they just made a K4. I told him that I own many Kato models and enjoy them. He thanked me and shook my hand. He even asked several questions of my son who also has some model trains, one of them being a Kato Sante Fe F-7. All in all, it was a very pleasant conversation with Mr. Kato.

I also had a nice conversation with one of the people at the M.T.H. booth. They have no plans for N scale at this time, but they have discussed it. He indicated that some of it is a matter of being able to offer additional features in an N scale model to separate them from other manufacturers. The smaller size of N scale makes it challenging, but not impossible. I was encouraged by what he said. I believe they wil eventually get into N, but it may be a few years.

The Athearn rep said that they were just trying to get their N scale stuff back into production after changing factories in China.

Bargains of the day - Lombard Hobbies - Bluford SP offset side hoppers $6 each (yes - $6). The don't fit my era, but my son bought 2 (with some encouragement from me). They only had SP. They also has FVM Milwaukee Road passenger cars for $16 each (not many left when I left around 4 pm). They seemed to be selling pretty good based on when I first stopped their table around 11:30 and when I stopped by later to get the SP hoppers.

Scott

 

All I noticed was basically not a thing in N...either reruns, or reannouncements of stuff announced over a year ago.

 

Don't forget the "We announced this and waited 30 days and then cancelled the item and did not bother to tell anyone". I understand you need a certain number of orders to make a production run viable but if there is a way to screw up an N scale offering Walthers will sure find a way. I pre-ordered several of their new items and only one has come to be built. I refuse to preorder anything from them now. If they come out with something and I like and I may just order it when it arrives. But it is going to have to fill a hole I need, like the Q GP-20.

 

I made my first trip to Trainfest. I loved the Dayton N Trak set up and seeing all the layouts. The Lionel war train with tanks was my favorite as I will be doing the same in n scale next year.

The Athearn folks confirmed the ship timing on the big boy and challenger re-releases as Feb-Mar and they were glad to get things back out into the market. I was glad as I have a number on order between the two engines. the Kato NW2 locos looked great. And it was awesome to meet some of the folks I do business with on this site and online.

I echo some of the sentiment on Walthers. While n scale doesn't sell as well as HO, I just wish they would offer at least 1 new structure annually in their Cornerstone series from the HO kits....like the Ethanol plant. Use HO to figure out what sells well, then offer up at least a couple of the top sellers in n. Doesn't sound like they have any interest in doing much new in n. Well, at least they are starting to re-release kits this upcoming year.

Overall, I was glad I went.

 

Walthers-ugh, I really think they should sell their loco and freight car tooling, and stick with structures. Too bad, they have some decent tooling, that looks as though it is as good as retired.

 

I forgot about the staff at Exactrail. I had a good time talking with Dave and spent a few bucks at their both. And I also agree about their wheelsets. I was told N scale would NEVER see the ethanol plant because it did not sell as well in HO. I tried telling the rep that we just don't want buildings N scale needs industries. The auto plant was another no go.

 

I also echo the sentiments about the big catologue place. They made a fairly decent midsized sawmill in both HO and N. However all the other facilities that can go with such a structure they only make in HO, like the chip bin and loader, and other sawmill related structures. Nary one of the accessary structures is to be found in N. And I have never ordered anything from them that half of the order ends up being unfilled. And forget parts for LL. And it is not the economy, they have been this way for years. A lot of the other firms mentioned here, that produce N scale items, do a good job of representing the range of thier wares at these events and a quite willing to listen to suggestions from the potential customers unlike the big catologue business that shows up with a selection of HO and large scale stuff and doesn't want to even talk about N scale.

 

I don't know who has been doing the market research for Walthers; or, even if they do any kind of market research before venturing into a project. It almost seem like they have a bunch of people that brainstorm an industry or city building over a few beers and then go into production in HO before they think of the potential market.

I think that the size of HO... while a fairly good compromise between 'O' scale and 'N' scale... doesn't lend itself well for the large industries. I don't know how many HO clubs can fulfill the amount of order needed to make a particular structure project feasible... but... even if there are 1000 large clubs... they may not have the HO scale real estate to accomodate one. I agree with you Joe... large industry is far more viable in N scale than in HO. Our problem is the market share is 1/4 the size of HO and perhaps the likelyhood of a club or individuals to have enough N scale real estate isn't viable either.

The cost of the kits has become prohibitively expensive for many individuals... so the sales are probably reflecting that too. Its very likely that the sales are tracking the downsizing of middle income family finances. Walthers has to try to be profitable with their products... otherwise they would be out of business... so they are pricing to try to make money. I don't know how successful they have been over the past 4 years... but... I do know they've had to blow-out lots of products at very low or negative profit margin. Its no surprise for the regret they may have to make any new N scale products... when their 'bread and butter' HO products may not be earning them enough to support the smaller N scale market.

It may not matter what the size of the models they design will be... if the market is not supporting their business model... they will probably lean towards HO until they are sure an N scale product can be expected to sell well enough to cover costs.

 

A perfect example as the steel mill series . I can't imagine the amount of space it would take have the steel mill complex of stuctures complete with the Hullett unloaders. N Scale IS the medium for modeling large heavy industrys PERIOD. I believe that nature does abhor a vaccuum , I think that someone will step up and grab this market share. We have nice stuff from N Scale Architect, JL models, GC laser and a host of others to replace what is lost, the only issue is , how much do we want to pay ?

(PS, there is always scratch building)

Randy

 

John-

I have scratchbuilt one of these bunkers in N scale as well as a trailer loader and a chip car loader. When I made these I also made duplicate pieces so I can maybe someday make resin cast masters and sell them as kits. I have toyed with this idea and kicked it around for a couple years now. I have also contimplated with the recent new technology of 3D printing to make the kits that way too.

Ryan

 

Atlas has the same attitude too. I was told by a rep at PSX 2004 when inquiring about the possibility of them building a chop nose version of the GP7/9, to basically pi$$ off! He told me flat out that there was no market for the loco and not many RRs had them! WHAT????? I explained that the tooling would be essentially fairly cheap since the sill, walkway, and the long hood could be used for both high and short hood models. He then told me that Atlas had no desire to do the model PERIOD!!! Now with the SD 42/26 coming out in both high hood and short hood versions it would cost Atlas even less to make the model as they could use the short hood cab and glass for a short hood GP7/9.

But hey I am only a comsumer so what do I know right?

Ryan

 

You explained to Atlas about tooling? And they didn't want to listen? That's amazing.

And no, you can't use the short nose of the SD24 for the GP9 except for maybe the SP units, but then you can't use the long hood.

Jason

 

Ryan, the issue with a chop nose GP7/9, is most of them are not EMD factory jobs, they are home built units.

Some RRs just cut the noses down, which isn't that hard to do in N with the stock unit. Others used a sloped nose from EMD, which you can use an SD24/26 or GP20 nose.

A chop nose GP7/9 isn't a hard kitbash.