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Post by edgecrusher on Feb 4, 2016 11:54:36 GMT -8
Did Walthers kill this whole line? I can't seem to find anything about it anymore.
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Post by atsfan on Feb 4, 2016 12:05:11 GMT -8
I see it in stores still.
Only N scale shows up on the website.
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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Feb 4, 2016 12:15:01 GMT -8
I think they may have blown them out 2-3 years ago, a friend bought about 100 of them. Had to have been cheap.
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Post by bnsffan on Feb 4, 2016 13:43:06 GMT -8
What are/were the cornerstone modulars?
Respectfully,
BNSF Fan
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Post by valenciajim on Feb 4, 2016 13:48:37 GMT -8
They were similar to the DPM modular pieces. As I recall, they were very expensive at MSRP. A couple of years ago Walthers blew them out at 70% off.
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Post by Christian on Feb 4, 2016 15:19:34 GMT -8
A search on Walthers for "discontinued out of stock" lists most of the parts for both scales.
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Post by edgecrusher on Feb 4, 2016 16:06:10 GMT -8
Wow, I completely missed that. It seemed like a pretty good system, aside from the MSRP. I wonder why they canned it.
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Post by valenciajim on Feb 4, 2016 19:32:15 GMT -8
Lack of sales probably.
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Post by stottman on Feb 5, 2016 1:42:41 GMT -8
It was a good system, but part of the problem was that foundation/base, walls, and wall cap/roof were all sold seperate which naturally causes problems and increases the cost.
Nothing like having all the wall pieces in the world, but no wall caps.
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Post by Christian on Feb 5, 2016 3:58:32 GMT -8
Modular parts are one of those great ideas that doesn't work very well without a lot of supporting materials. Look at Lego. Totally modular and you can get the parts by the piece. BUT, the sales are in kits of parts with pictures of projects and directions.
Walthers, DPM, GCLaser and others have sold parts and modules which are on the market for a while, then quietly go away except for dusty stock on dealer shelves. Cost is high because of packaging, stocking and all that business stuff. Prototype modeling needs don't favor generic parts. But mostly, (I'd hazard a guess) they don't sell because most of us can't see bags of parts hanging on a dealer's display and visualize a model. Note that Walthers offered boxed structure kits of their modular parts in both scales which seemed to have sold pretty much like their regular structure kits. I wonder if plan books and kits of parts would have sold better?
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Post by stottman on Feb 5, 2016 9:44:47 GMT -8
Modular parts are one of those great ideas that doesn't work very well without a lot of supporting materials. Look at Lego. Totally modular and you can get the parts by the piece. BUT, the sales are in kits of parts with pictures of projects and directions. Walthers, DPM, GCLaser and others have sold parts and modules which are on the market for a while, then quietly go away except for dusty stock on dealer shelves. Cost is high because of packaging, stocking and all that business stuff. Prototype modeling needs don't favor generic parts. But mostly, (I'd hazard a guess) they don't sell because most of us can't see bags of parts hanging on a dealer's display and visualize a model. Note that Walthers offered boxed structure kits of their modular parts in both scales which seemed to have sold pretty much like their regular structure kits. I wonder if plan books and kits of parts would have sold better? I am a prototype modeler, and my last layout it was even a single block in San Francisco; I used modulars from all those you mentioned. It was allot easier then kitbashing or scratch building, especially when the modular walls are close enough. Thats the great thing about them, is that you can build a building that is actually large enough to be a rail customer. As opposed to a standard Model RR building, who would be lucky to fill a UPS truck once a week. |
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Post by grahamline on Feb 5, 2016 12:02:12 GMT -8
It was usually less expensive to buy a Walthers building kit, rearrange it to fit the needed space, and warehouse the unneeded parts and accessories.
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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Feb 5, 2016 17:05:35 GMT -8
Modular parts are one of those great ideas that doesn't work very well without a lot of supporting materials. I am a prototype modeler, and my last layout it was even a single block in San Francisco; I used modulars from all those you mentioned. It was allot easier then kitbashing or scratch building, especially when the modular walls are close enough. Thats the great thing about them, is that you can build a building that is actually large enough to be a rail customer. As opposed to a standard Model RR building, who would be lucky to fill a UPS truck once a week. Be careful. That Close Enough doesn't fly on this forum  |
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Post by valenciajim on Feb 6, 2016 9:17:44 GMT -8
Close enough may not fly on rolling stock, but for buildings, I'll bet it does. Most buildings large enough to have rail service have to be selectively compressed in order to fit on a layout.
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Post by stottman on Feb 6, 2016 12:12:01 GMT -8
Modulars are the easiest (and cost effective) way to build a 18"x40" building.. Some can be kitbashed from Walthers stuff, but that gets expensive. Especially when you only need the front wall from the kit.
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