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Post by Brakie on Dec 2, 2014 10:30:58 GMT -8
I was just informed that the Chinese factory workers are scheduled to receive a 14% wage increase within the next two years. Some importers are trying to hold the current price structure for one more year, maybe two at the most, before the prices rise again. (I was also told there is absolutely no way production will ever return to the U.S.). And another delay will be when the Chinese folk start banging on gongs for the lunar new year. I suspect they will start shopping for another country that has cheaper labor or start selling engines with far less details then we are seeing today.. |
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Post by lvrr325 on Dec 2, 2014 11:03:39 GMT -8
I did have one engine nearly catch fire once.
A Bachmann On30 Forney; the decoder in it shorted, glowed white-hot in one spot, smoked, and quit. Had to argue with them a bit to get it replaced.
Guess where those were made?
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Post by Spikre on Dec 2, 2014 11:28:17 GMT -8
 RSD-5, on the latest RSDs has Atlas added a bearing to the last/3rd axle ? the earlier 3rd axles just float around and have been thinking of adding some tubing or a bearing that fits the sideframe to stabilize the 3rd axle. just wondering ? Spikre 
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 2, 2014 11:35:57 GMT -8
Hi Spikre--
Glad to be actually able to answer a technical question for once:
No. Just realized the other night that the third axle is just floating there.
I sometimes think the unwritten rule of model train production is "don't upgrade anything when it can still be painted in new schemes and will sell just fine".
That said, with Atlas's generally very high standard of painting and finishing, even with older tooling, they are indeed a very nice looking model, with nicer headlights than some.
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Post by bnsf971 on Dec 2, 2014 16:28:52 GMT -8
Consider also that the original Atlas HO RS-1 and GP7, the ones with the cast steel decks/frames, are excellent runners with smooth, low-current motors. Is that quality still available? |
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Post by riogrande on Dec 2, 2014 16:30:25 GMT -8
I was just informed that the Chinese factory workers are scheduled to receive a 14% wage increase within the next two years. Some importers are trying to hold the current price structure for one more year, maybe two at the most, before the prices rise again. (I was also told there is absolutely no way production will ever return to the U.S.). I expect you are correct, however, if production costs get too high, Athearn could look for another country where labor is lower. |
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Post by atsfan on Dec 2, 2014 16:36:38 GMT -8
I was just informed that the Chinese factory workers are scheduled to receive a 14% wage increase within the next two years. Some importers are trying to hold the current price structure for one more year, maybe two at the most, before the prices rise again. (I was also told there is absolutely no way production will ever return to the U.S.). Not sure what you source is. But if true, all it means is people will just buy even LESS product. All modelers I know are selling off extra, focusing on smaller eras to save the "need" for more trains, and buying fewer and fewer products. Athearn can keep jacking up prices to $10,000,000 per hopper. But nobody will buy them, nor pre order them. |
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Post by Partial_List on Dec 2, 2014 17:17:22 GMT -8
I was just informed that the Chinese factory workers are scheduled to receive a 14% wage increase within the next two years. Some importers are trying to hold the current price structure for one more year, maybe two at the most, before the prices rise again. (I was also told there is absolutely no way production will ever return to the U.S.). I expect you are correct, however, if production costs get too high, Athearn could look for another country where labor is lower. Or go out of business due to a loss of customers and bad business model... |
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Post by Chad on Dec 2, 2014 17:38:17 GMT -8
Or, we need to realize that prices will continue to increase as they have for decades on everything. To think model trains are immune to price increases I do not think is realistic. Now before some jump all over me noting that some manufactures have jumped 10% to 20% at a time consider this. With those increases we have no idea what the direct costs of the design and manufacturing has done. Also keep in mind we continue to ask for more details and road specific details.
I know in my industry prices have gone up each and every year while at the same time simplifying the manufacturing process. Inflation is a fact of life. Employees what raises, raw materials cost more, government regulations and fees add costs, on and on and on.
Just saying................
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Post by atsfan on Dec 2, 2014 17:55:35 GMT -8
Or, we need to realize that prices will continue to increase as they have for decades on everything. To think model trains are immune to price increases I do not think is realistic. Now before some jump all over me noting that some manufactures have jumped 10% to 20% at a time consider this. With those increases we have no idea what the direct costs of the design and manufacturing has done. Also keep in mind we continue to ask for more details and road specific details. I know in my industry prices have gone up each and every year while at the same time simplifying the manufacturing process. Inflation is a fact of life. Employees what raises, raw materials cost more, government regulations and fees add costs, on and on and on. Just saying................ Does it really matter? No. This is a hobby. Not food. Or heat. Or medicine. Or housing. Or a car. Or gasoline to go visit grand mom . Or a child. Nobody is asking for more details in 2014. This is discretionary income. Who cares why train prices will go up? People just won't BUY them. I don't go into a train store and see Athearn hoppers that have doubled in price (same car no more details) and gladly pay for them because I have no idea what the direct costs are. I don't care. I just shake my head and move on.  |
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Post by Chad on Dec 2, 2014 18:02:52 GMT -8
Or, we need to realize that prices will continue to increase as they have for decades on everything. To think model trains are immune to price increases I do not think is realistic. Now before some jump all over me noting that some manufactures have jumped 10% to 20% at a time consider this. With those increases we have no idea what the direct costs of the design and manufacturing has done. Also keep in mind we continue to ask for more details and road specific details. I know in my industry prices have gone up each and every year while at the same time simplifying the manufacturing process. Inflation is a fact of life. Employees what raises, raw materials cost more, government regulations and fees add costs, on and on and on. Just saying................ Does it really matter? No. This is a hobby. Not food. Or heat. Or medicine. Or housing. Or a car. Or gasoline to go visit grand mom . Or a child. Nobody is asking for more details in 2014. This is discretionary income. Who cares why train prices will go up? People just won't BUY them. I don't go into a train store and see Athearn hoppers that have doubled in price (same car no more details) and gladly pay for them because I have no idea what the direct costs are. I don't care. I just shake my head and move on. You are absolutely correct, this is discretionary income. So if prices get too high for some they will get out of the hobby or not buy. Some will have new stuff and others won't just like anything else. It does not change the facts as I stated. It just makes me wonder what people who want the best and have the prices drop expect the manufacturers to do. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2014 18:20:22 GMT -8
Or, we need to realize that prices will continue to increase as they have for decades on everything. To think model trains are immune to price increases I do not think is realistic. Now before some jump all over me noting that some manufactures have jumped 10% to 20% at a time consider this. With those increases we have no idea what the direct costs of the design and manufacturing has done. Also keep in mind we continue to ask for more details and road specific details. I know in my industry prices have gone up each and every year while at the same time simplifying the manufacturing process. Inflation is a fact of life. Employees what raises, raw materials cost more, government regulations and fees add costs, on and on and on. Just saying................ It's been almost a week without a good knock-down, drag-out "end of the hobby..." thread. Why, when I was a kid, you got TWO locomotives and change back from yer nickle! |
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 2, 2014 18:38:32 GMT -8
In my industry, heavy road and bridge construction, the actual, real rate of cost inflation here in the USA is an average of 8% per year for the last 10 years, as reported by one of the engineering magazines (10-year graph published every quarter)...even accounting for the big recession, which was only a minor cost blip in the prices of steel and asphalt.
The Chinese laborers that make our toys have demanded better pay (their version of a living wage), and that is factually much of the reason for the rather large cost increases we have been seeing. It is not purely greed on the part of the importers as some have alleged.
atsfan--My source is the owner of one importer that deals directly with China. The prices will hold at the current level until the 14% pay increase for the laborers kicks in. I just don't know the timing of that.
Absolutely, yes, when or if China becomes too expensive, they will move the production to a new province in China (there are areas still developing) or to another country entirely. Nobody I know is talking about changing factories any time soon. It's not on their radar.
But it happened with the brass models (with occasional very poor results).
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 2, 2014 18:55:06 GMT -8
Oh, and I must confess I did just buy the expensive Athearn hopper cars with the metal grab irons installed. They made the roadname I needed, and yes, I sold other stuff I no longer needed in order to help pay for them. The hoppers are great, it's the much more expensive engines I have not often had good luck with.
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 3, 2014 7:15:37 GMT -8
Or, we need to realize that prices will continue to increase as they have for decades on everything. To think model trains are immune to price increases I do not think is realistic. Now before some jump all over me noting that some manufactures have jumped 10% to 20% at a time consider this. With those increases we have no idea what the direct costs of the design and manufacturing has done. Also keep in mind we continue to ask for more details and road specific details. I know in my industry prices have gone up each and every year while at the same time simplifying the manufacturing process. Inflation is a fact of life. Employees what raises, raw materials cost more, government regulations and fees add costs, on and on and on. Just saying................ It's been almost a week without a good knock-down, drag-out "end of the hobby..." thread. Why, when I was a kid, you got TWO locomotives and change back from yer nickle! I also like old mainly mid-1950's to early 1970's cars. Specifically Chevrolet full-size Caprice, Impala, Bel Air and Biscayne. The great recession took a heavy toll on the car hobby. Yet, its still motoring along(sorry for the pun). In cars you have the guy that will knock away at a "project" for years upon years if not decades. Then you'll have someone else that just buys completed turn key cars at the Mercum, Barrett-Jackson, etc. auctions and from private sellers. Then you have the guy that buys a car, a "blank canvas" and writes someone like Chip Foose $100,000 check to make it special. The car hobby rolls on. The one thing that has happened in cars that has not happened in trains is prices for the cars and the parts has dropped. The rare NOS parts are still expensive but have come down considerably from pre-2008. Likewise the parts companies selling reproduction parts, some of which are foreign made have reduced prices and seem to ALWAYS be having some promotion to cut the cost to the buyer. My e-mail box fills with offers from the parts companies. I don't know how they are making any money at times selling this stuff, but they must if they are still in business. That is where trains are different, we haven't seen the manufacturers or retailers get to a point where they have deal after deal just to get some sales. Maybe that day will come for trains, but as of right now, trains looks more solid than the muscle car hobby. |
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 3, 2014 7:56:26 GMT -8
You do see some blowout deals on model trains too, if you know where to look...but it's mainly at the larger shops that also have an online presence.
For example, when TTH decides that something (or too much of a given something) has sat in inventory for too long, they have a blowout sale.
sssshhh--little secret--sometimes they even "miscalculate" and sell the stuff for less money than they actually have invested in it, and I'm pretty sure the same has also happened at MBK (it also comes down to how badly they want to be rid of something--there's a point at which it is considered to be "dead money" and "let's recover what we can").
Smart buyers that watch websites can get good deals if/when they act fast at the appropriate time.
However, these blowouts seem to be decreasing as some of these shops are a distributor for ever less product lines (partly due to importer minimum monthly order requirements having been recently increased).
Then there's the aforementioned Athearn Reading green/yellow RS-3's that were presumably dumped in a sale not too long ago, and appear to have some real problems with things like trucks falling out, etc. So as always buyer beware.
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Post by mlehman on Dec 3, 2014 8:24:34 GMT -8
Car parts are different than trains. They're a fixed product, you don't go changing the appearance much, although sometimes the guts that aren't seen are updated with more modern technology. You don't go changing to a different style door handle or whatever every few months. In the industry, you know about how many units are still out there. A car is also a tangible and portable thing of value.
With trains, customers are always looking for something new, a new road name or number, or different paint scheme. How many are out there is guesswork in many cases. They retain some value, but have to be really specifically of interest to be collectible.
Basically any car that's 50 years old and still drivable has value. Trains, not so much. And the market for collectible car parts cantilevers off of the far larger auto industry, so can take advantage of a supply chain long used to running older parts in short runs as needed, to spec. With trains, every run is different and there is not much infrastructure in place beyond WYSIWYG.
Note that worker's wages are only part of the issue here. China also has a robust export infrastructure, business culture, and bottomless pits of labor. Labor costs tend to reflect the cost of living pretty well. Workers need more to pay for the basics of life. There is cheaper labor elsewhere, but doesn't come with the other prerequisites -- at least not yet. There is some work being done in Vietnam, for instance, scenery items. But I know of at least one project that went disastrously wrong in trying to manufacture in India about a decade ago -- and not a peep since. China is where it's at for at least another decade. And when change happens, it will very likely be Chinese companies setting up offshore labor anyway, so....
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Post by Paul Cutler III on Dec 3, 2014 11:00:10 GMT -8
John,
The truck falling out of an Athearn RS-3 is not a real problem, as long as nothing's broken. For pete's sake, remove the 4 screws, take the shell off and snap the gear cover back on. It's not that hard to do.
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Post by Judge Doom on Dec 3, 2014 11:53:53 GMT -8
John, The truck falling out of an Athearn RS-3 is not a real problem, as long as nothing's broken. For pete's sake, remove the 4 screws, take the shell off and snap the gear cover back on. It's not that hard to do. Some Chinese assembly worker doing 200 of them probably didn't snap the cover down enough on the 172nd one. The unit will run like that and could easily be missed by QC, but when you get it and pull on the truck, or if it gets jostled around in the box while being shipped...pop goes the weasel. |
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Post by atsfan on Dec 3, 2014 12:41:14 GMT -8
More excuses for very expensive but broken products.
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 3, 2014 13:00:21 GMT -8
Car parts are different than trains. They're a fixed product, you don't go changing the appearance much, although sometimes the guts that aren't seen are updated with more modern technology. You don't go changing to a different style door handle or whatever every few months. In the industry, you know about how many units are still out there. A car is also a tangible and portable thing of value. With trains, customers are always looking for something new, a new road name or number, or different paint scheme. How many are out there is guesswork in many cases. They retain some value, but have to be really specifically of interest to be collectible. Basically any car that's 50 years old and still drivable has value. Trains, not so much. And the market for collectible car parts cantilevers off of the far larger auto industry, so can take advantage of a supply chain long used to running older parts in short runs as needed, to spec. With trains, every run is different and there is not much infrastructure in place beyond WYSIWYG. Note that worker's wages are only part of the issue here. China also has a robust export infrastructure, business culture, and bottomless pits of labor. Labor costs tend to reflect the cost of living pretty well. Workers need more to pay for the basics of life. There is cheaper labor elsewhere, but doesn't come with the other prerequisites -- at least not yet. There is some work being done in Vietnam, for instance, scenery items. But I know of at least one project that went disastrously wrong in trying to manufacture in India about a decade ago -- and not a peep since. China is where it's at for at least another decade. And when change happens, it will very likely be Chinese companies setting up offshore labor anyway, so.... Few people use their classic car as everyday transportation, unless you live in someplace like southern California, Arizona and Florida where some do use a classic as a daily driver. The point is that classic cars, boats, old tractors, jet skis, ATV's, motorcycles, heck some people collect Lawn-Boy lawn machines and restore them! Most everything listed above is a discretionary spending item and they may have felt the great recession effects more than trains, because they are so much bigger in starting price and upkeep. The thing is most experts will say to the man and woman that discretionary income for the middle class is shrinking. Collectibles which can more fickle than trains due to changing popularity has shrunk. Just about every pastime has been affected except for maybe sports. Seems college football, college basketball, MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL can't count all the money. My cable package has about two dozen sports networks. The one major sport that has been hit by the recession and seen stagnant viewership and shrinking sponsorship is NASCAR. What does this mean for trains? I think trains will be okay for a while even with some small price increases. If Athearn were to announce the Amtrak EMD SDP40F in both pointed and blunt nose tomorrow but the price would be an MSRP of $325 for sound and $225 for DCC ready, my guess is they'd have little problem selling out the run. Even Walthers with their "named trains" has been pushing the price since the original Santa Fe Super Chief was released in about 2002. At that time the "so and so" Walthers was asking.....GASP......$39.95 LIST for ONE passenger car.....They didn't have too much trouble selling out the run, may have been some stragglers like RPO's and the tail car but the sleepers disappeared and then commanded a king's ransom at shows and e-Bay. Now Walthers price is $79.98 and higher PER car and they've had little problem selling out. Still cheaper than brass. So don't blow taps for the hobby yet, even with the wage increase. Because as Jason Sharon of Rapido stated a few years ago when this topic came up, the price of LABOR in these models is really small so it would stand to reason that even a 14% wage increase isn't going to sink the good ship model railroading. |
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 3, 2014 13:02:09 GMT -8
Truck falling out not only problem with RS-3's. Screws that have no threads on them (one would think a worker that has even half a clue would actually see the screw has no threads before installation--I know I caught that stuff back in the day when working in a train factory)...and cosmetic issues that cannot be easily fixed by the purchaser.
As atsfan said "expensive but broken products"...or just plain defective.
Maybe that's why they were on blowout sale? I'm thinking somebody out there, besides me, looked at them and chose not to buy them. Even after the online sale, they are still sitting in some dealers' inventories (yes, plural dealers). Does make me curious as to why? Reading is considered to be a "hot seller" roadname by other manufacturers.
I learned from this very thread that there have been ongoing quality issues with Athearn RS-3's through the years. Thank you to the folks who informed me--I did not know that, as it's a model I had never purchased. So this forum has been...illuminating.
Makes the Proto 1000 RS-2 look like a real winner in many respects. Glad my son asked me to keep one recently rather than selling it when "my railroad" changed...
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 3, 2014 13:12:34 GMT -8
Truck falling out not only problem with RS-3's. Screws that have no threads on them (one would think a worker that has even half a clue would actually see the screw has no threads before installation--I know I caught that stuff back in the day when working in a train factory)...and cosmetic issues that cannot be easily fixed by the purchaser. As atsfan said "expensive but broken products"...or just plain defective. Maybe that's why they were on blowout sale? I'm thinking somebody out there, besides me, looked at them and chose not to buy them. Even after the online sale, they are still sitting in some dealers' inventories (yes, plural dealers). Does make me curious as to why? Reading is considered to be a "hot seller" roadname by other manufacturers. I learned from this very thread that there have been ongoing quality issues with Athearn RS-3's through the years. Thank you to the folks who informed me--I did not know that, as it's a model I had never purchased. So this forum has been...illuminating. Makes the Proto 1000 RS-2 look like a real winner in many respects. Glad my son asked me to keep one recently rather than selling it when "my railroad" changed... The Athearn RTR RS-3 has been troublesome for a number of years. I wouldn't exactly throw bouquets at the Proto 1000. The Kato RS-2 is a much better model and can be had for decent prices. |
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 3, 2014 14:42:35 GMT -8
Jim, others--
Help me out here: According to the old Atlas forum, the Kato RS-2 has some issues like the fan being very noticeably too high, etc. so the opinion I received there (unless I'm misunderstanding) was that the Proto unit apparently looked "better" but the Kato ran better.
Which model is actually more accurate (I don't have a Kato on hand to even begin to compare) though I see there are some available on the Evil auction site?
I'm not throwing bouquets, just trying to learn the facts.
Thank you all.
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Post by Spikre on Dec 3, 2014 15:00:48 GMT -8
RSD-5, have both here,the Kato does run like a Kato should even with pick up strips that arnt liked on the SD40-2s that have them. Kato fan is too high,they must have copied a modified unit ? Kato has problems with Alco fans,re--the Atlas RS-3. the Handrails are stronger than Proto. Proto may be closer in all demensions,but the handrails are thinner and weaker.broke one long hood railing just putting the loco back in the box. the Kato unit rides lower on the trucks,looks better IMO. both are good locos,but Proto [does have grab irons molded on],Kato has some small grabs that are tuff to install. EDIT- havnt looked at the one here for awhile,Grab Irons not molded on the 2nd run EL here. the D&H blue here should have Water Cooled Turbo Stacks,not Air cooled stacks,Kato used the wrong shell for D&H. Proto only has 1 shell, its Air Cooled. Spikre
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Post by WP 257 on Dec 3, 2014 15:30:23 GMT -8
The more recent Proto 1000 RS-2 has the marked dimple locations for the buyer to drill and install their own grab irons. The painting and lettering is first rate. The Alco builder's plate is clear and readable with a magnifying glass. Handrails appear to be nice and flexible, and are dyed to match body color. I think Proto only has the air cooled turbo body version. Have not seen a water cooled version...There are a couple barely visible mold seams that show. One along the one side of the top of the long hood.
Viewed side by side with Atlas RS/RSD units, the Proto RS-2 comes off appearing more crisp or more nicely detailed in some respects.
Edit: Please see separate discussion thread of Alco RS/RSD units.
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Post by alcors32 on Dec 3, 2014 16:38:10 GMT -8
Jim, others-- Help me out here: According to the old Atlas forum, the Kato RS-2 has some issues like the fan being very noticeably too high, etc. so the opinion I received there (unless I'm misunderstanding) was that the Proto unit apparently looked "better" but the Kato ran better. Which model is actually more accurate (I don't have a Kato on hand to even begin to compare) though I see there are some available on the Evil auction site? I'm not throwing bouquets, just trying to learn the facts. Thank you all. It's my understanding that the Kato RS2 has a extended fan cover screen on it. Check out photo of the real thing and you will see it on certain units. Gary |
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Post by Paul Cutler III on Dec 3, 2014 17:59:14 GMT -8
The problem is that neither the Kato or P1K models are RS-3's.
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Post by mlehman on Dec 3, 2014 18:11:40 GMT -8
Few people use their classic car as everyday transportation, unless you live in someplace like southern California, Arizona and Florida where some do use a classic as a daily driver. The point is that classic cars, boats, old tractors, jet skis, ATV's, motorcycles, heck some people collect Lawn-Boy lawn machines and restore them! Most everything listed above is a discretionary spending item and they may have felt the great recession effects more than trains, because they are so much bigger in starting price and upkeep. The thing is most experts will say to the man and woman that discretionary income for the middle class is shrinking.SNIP Oh, my comment on car parts wasn't about people driving them so much as the parts industry exists regardless of classic cars. Lots of people still building car parts and very happy to make whatever you need. Door handle for that Edsel? Someone probably whips out a batch somewhere often enough to keep the pipeline full. And everyone pretty much knows what that door handle looks like. The machinery and methods used to build classic car parts are similar to what it takes to produce parts for new cars in the thousands, so mass production is easy. Tooling is already a sunken investment, which is why they keep coming back for more. With model trains, that tooling is just for model trains, parts don't fit the real ones very well, etc.  Totally specialized to cater to a small group of enthusiasts who can't agree on what they all want to model - and never will. Each order for even what is essentially the same item must be detailed differently. In a lot of ways, the industry is a lot like women's fashion, which as all us guys know has wildly insane prices for minimal coverage.  You can't sell last year's model, you have to come up with some thing new. It's a crazy way to invest capital. You gotta love the people who invest in it, even if you're not always totally thrilled with the end results. |
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Dec 3, 2014 19:41:51 GMT -8
Few people use their classic car as everyday transportation, unless you live in someplace like southern California, Arizona and Florida where some do use a classic as a daily driver. The point is that classic cars, boats, old tractors, jet skis, ATV's, motorcycles, heck some people collect Lawn-Boy lawn machines and restore them! Most everything listed above is a discretionary spending item and they may have felt the great recession effects more than trains, because they are so much bigger in starting price and upkeep. The thing is most experts will say to the man and woman that discretionary income for the middle class is shrinking.SNIP Oh, my comment on car parts wasn't about people driving them so much as the parts industry exists regardless of classic cars. Lots of people still building car parts and very happy to make whatever you need. Door handle for that Edsel? Someone probably whips out a batch somewhere often enough to keep the pipeline full. And everyone pretty much knows what that door handle looks like. The machinery and methods used to build classic car parts are similar to what it takes to produce parts for new cars in the thousands, so mass production is easy. Tooling is already a sunken investment, which is why they keep coming back for more. With model trains, that tooling is just for model trains, parts don't fit the real ones very well, etc. Totally specialized to cater to a small group of enthusiasts who can't agree on what they all want to model - and never will. Each order for even what is essentially the same item must be detailed differently. In a lot of ways, the industry is a lot like women's fashion, which as all us guys know has wildly insane prices for minimal coverage. You can't sell last year's model, you have to come up with some thing new. It's a crazy way to invest capital. You gotta love the people who invest in it, even if you're not always totally thrilled with the end results. The tail lights alone on the full-size Chevrolet's changed every year from 1958 to 1975. Same for the ChevyII/Nova, Chevelle, El Camino. On the 1968 full-size Chevy's there were 8 different tail light lens. The Caprice/ Impala SS and straight Impala are being reproduced. Not so for the Bel Air and Biscayne. Door handles on an Impala are not the same as Nova or Chevelle. You'd have three different handles. Parts for a Ford do not fit a Mopar and Mopar doesn't fit GM. All the reproduction stuff is being made from new reproduction tooling. The original GM, Ford and Mopar is tooling long gone. This is why there are so many problems with reproduction parts not fitting, having the same sharp lines of the original and not having the finish of the original. Once you tool a die to stamp out floor pans for 1961-1964 Chevy full-size the tooling is complete. Same holds true for Athearn and Highliner F-units. The tooling is done and has been paid for many times over. The only thing Athearn does is add on different little parts and paint. The chassis on a Genesis F-unit is the same whether it sits under a Rio Grande or a Santa Fe. Just like those floor panels "fit" you need to "massage them somewhat to fit" an Impala SS, Impala, Bel Air or Biscayne. At least we don't need to massage the drives of an Athearn Genesis f-unit to fit the shell! The Big Three automakers have no impute other than when model badging is reproduced. Then GM, Ford and Chrysler get a cut under licensing. For the overseas manufacturer making gas tanks for a 1965-66 Chevy full-size, GM is not involved in anyway. All the vendors, just like model train retailers, get stuff from the same manufacturers. The gas tank purchased at either Classic Industries, Impala Bob's or Year One is from the same manufacturer. Just like the Athearn Genesis SDP45 found at Klein's, TTH or the local hobby shop or the Bowser C-636. There maybe more 1967 2-door Impalas left than Athearn SDP45's. But Athearn can continue to pump out more SDP45's. GM isn't building the 1967 Impala anymore. The number of Impala's is fixed and decreasing each and every year due to rot, accident, flood, etc. So unlike the SDP45 which can keep going back into production for years and years, thereby increasing the numbers in good working order, classic cars are shrinking in number each and everyday. Just like trains, the car hobby is very broad. Besides the Big Three and all of the different brands, models and model years, you have imports, minority builders like Checker Motors. Fans of X-Frame Chevy's are like fans of the Union Pacific. They love their hobby and it is a passion. Car's lose value just like model trains. Build a car and if you are lucky you'll get half your money out of the build if it is sold. There is very little in the classic car hobby that still piggybacks off of the current production. You have specialty retailers selling specialty products which many times are produced in China and overseas. You can't go down to the NAPA and order a fender for 64 Impala. You go to Classic Industries, Impala Bob's, etc. You can't order an Athearn Genesis SDP45 from the local Toy 'R Us. You need to see Klein's, TTH or some other retailer. There is much more at stake with a car than a model train. The car hobby is much more expensive and time consuming in some cases than model trains. You can stash model trains in a closet for "someday". You can't stash a 1965 Impala Station Wagon in the closet for "someday". |
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Totally specialized to cater to a small group of enthusiasts who can't agree on what they all want to model - and never will. Each order for even what is essentially the same item must be detailed differently. In a lot of ways, the industry is a lot like women's fashion, which as all us guys know has wildly insane prices for minimal coverage.