Cass Scenic Railroad based HO excursion cars

[mattyg1306]

So, Bach Man, what's the hold up with getting more of these cars made...especially the Cass Scenic Railroad ones?  I realize you can't make every locomotive/car all the time, but it doesn't seem like quite enough of these were manufactured (keep in mind CSRR operates them in trains of 5 cars so many collectors will want that many; in fact, maybe you could offer an exclusive train set with the cars and Shay #5...call it "The Bald-Knobber", lol   ).  I personally wrote a review of the car which appeared in the latest issue of The Log Train (the quarterly publication of MSR&LHA, CSRR's supporting organization), and now people are aware of it and can't find it anywhere...not even the one place in the world where it should be easiest to find:  CASS!  Whenever you do get more manufactured, please do contact the official Cass souvenir shop, the Cass Country Store...the owners have tried and tried to lay their hands on a case or two of the cars but can't find them at all and have been very frustrated by this.  Personally, I would have thought Bachmann would have offered them to Cass first since they are really based on that line...they would sell like hotcakes there!  The guy who owns the only other souvenir store in Cass, the "Shay Railroad Shop", did have a couple dozen when I was there May 21-23, but had sold them all at the $29.00 SRP by the time I returned June 11!!!  And they aren't even at peak season yet!  Please see what you can do ASAP, and keep in mind, Cass closes its season in October, so Fall will be too late!  Maybe you could expedite it for them special or something since you didn't give them dibs in the first place.  If you need contact info, let me know.  

Thanks!  

P.S. Please let me know that you have read this, Bach Man, otherwise I will start a new thread!!!

[Doneldon]

matty -

Unless the Cass equipment is already in the production chain you won't see it this year or probably even next year.  It takes months to bring something back to market even if no new tooling is needed.  Contracts and commitments are signed far in advance so it's not like Bachmann can call someone in China and tell them to stop whatever they're doing and make a bunch of Cass coaches right away.  In addition, selling equipment like hotcakes at the CSRR isn't the same as selling the same merchandise to a national clientele.  Bachmann makes trains to make money and what one or two stores can sell isn't anywhere near enough for them to justify extra production.  And that's okay; if Bachmann doesn't make money we won't have their models to buy.  Most folks just don't realize how complex, expensive and time consuming making models is.

                                                                                           -- D

[mattyg1306]

I do understand how difficult it is, and I do believe these are scheduled to continue production...someone said that they won't be available til @ October though...which is too late for Cass.  What I'm really getting at is maybe they could get some of the first new ones that are being produced and have them shipped back to the US as soon as they're made...they CAN do that.  And that store at Cass probably could sell several cases of these by seasons end.  I know they are in it to make money on a larger scale, but if this particular car doesn't sell well (I actually think it IS, which is why its hard to find only 9 months after it was introduced!), its because they didn't introduce it in the right markets at the right times.  I really think their sales would go WAY up if they'd do some strategic planning and sell particular items in the area where you actually see the prototype...(how about offer some of those WM 2-8-0s to the WM Scenic RR, for instance...last time I was there, they didn't have any for a similar reason!).  Cass, the place that literally CREATED the prototype for this particular Bachmann product, was not even notified that models of their cars would be made...I personally am responsible for enlightening many of them to this fact (LOL) through my article, but now everyone's disappointed cause they can't be found...ANYWHERE...not even at Walthers!

[ABC]

Walther's still lists the expected arrival as unknown, but if the Bachmann says they're due in July then they'll be here.

[the Bach-man]

Dear Matty,
The cars should be available in July, so don't worry!
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[mattyg1306]

Hey, thanks, Bach Man.  Sorry if I come off as bitter...I don't mean to be.  I'll pass this along to some people at Cass so they make sure they watch for them. 

Thank you for your time...I appreciate it...and I'm still impressed that Bachmann offers the car at all; its probably one of the more unique pieces in the company's history.

[mattyg1306]

Bach Man,
I'm sorry to be a broken record, but are more excursion cars currently in production?
The aforementioned batch from last July were sold out within a couple weeks...maybe more could be ordered this time around (more Cass than the others   )?  I just assume from this fact that these must be uberpopular with the Shay #5 model (and now the Climax), as I've mentioned before.  Even the slightly less popular non-Cass versions are running out.  Hope they aren't totally discontinued...everyone needs at least five to go with their Shay/Climax.    

Please let me know...I try to keep the Cass community informed, and am working on a review for the Climax in The Log Train, would be a nice footnote to mention the cars again (I wrote an article about the cars in the May 2010 issue!  )!