Spectrum 1:20.3 scale Coaches

[TrevorMcAlister]

Hi
Does anybody know if Bachmann ever intends to bring out a range of large gauge spectrum coaches in the 1:20.3 scale, ether in the 2015 catalogue or sometime in the near future.
We have had a number of spectrum locos and 1:20.3 scale freight cars for a couple of years now but have been looking to add a line of coaches to our collection, preferably of the WP&Y style.

If Bachmann are not going to bring out 1:20.3 scale coaches we might go for ones from the big haulers range (although these are the wrong scale), unless anyone knows where you can get hold of 1:20.3 scale coaches by any manufacturer.
Regards
Trevor

[Chuck N]

Trevor:

Accucraft has/had D&RGW coaches and combines in plastic and coaches, parlor cars, baggage, and postal in brass, all 1:20.3.  There are kits out there to convert the plastic coaches to baggage and postal cars (I think for postal, not sure).  It would be nice if Bachmann came out with passenger cars in the Spectrum line, but nothing has been said suggesting that it is a possibility in the near future, at least on this site.

Chuck

[Loco Bill Canelos]

This question has been asked many times in the past years,  The Yardmaster has replied to the effect that there are no plans any time soon to produce such cars.  He may chime in again.

[Kevin Strong]

There are the plastic Accucraft coaches and combines mention above, which--when you can find them--go for around $250 - $300. Good build quality, but ditch the trucks' electrical pick-ups if you want them to actually roll. Their brass coaches are similar, but around $500 - $600 each. All of them are based on Jackson & Sharp coaches built for the Denver & Rio Grande.

The GAL Line offers laser-cut styrene replacement sides for the Accucraft plastic coaches.
http://www.thegalline.com/passengerequ30.html
They allow you to turn the Accucraft coaches into coaches that look quite a bit different than the D&RGW coaches. Expect to pay between $90 - $120 for the replacement sides in addition to the cost of the coach.

Iron Horse Engraving produces wood kits of three cars that ran on the East Broad Top RR. They're not yet up on the company's web site, as they just came out.
http://www.ironhorseengraving.com

Here's a photo of two of the three. The third is a baggage/express car with board-and-batten siding. (I'm still building that one.)


Those will run you $500 per car, less per car if you buy multiple cars. You need to supply trucks and couplers. (Bachmann's trucks are actually very close to the prototype's trucks) They come with full interiors.

None of these options are really all that cheap. The good news is that narrow gauge passenger trains were usually rather short--two or three cars at the most. That, and they take up a whole lot of shelf space!

Later,

K

[David]

I have three of the AMS passenger cars; 2 coaches with different road numbers, and a combine. I've changed out the trucks on all three with Bronson-Tate truck retrofit kits (BTT-02). The kits include new wheel sets with ball bearing axels. They roll like crazy with the electrical contacts still in place.

[Ted Yarbrough]

Mr. Bachmann,
How about a baggage, RPO, and Parlor Car that MATCHES (size, color, & road names) the AMS 1:20.3 cars, then we could all buy them and complete our narrow gauge Colorado trains! Something to think about. They are not produced by anyone else, and sells would be there.
Happy Rails To You,
Ted

[tac]

Mr. Bachmann,
How about a baggage, RPO, and Parlor Car that MATCHES (size, color, & road names) the AMS 1:20.3 cars, then we could all buy them and complete our narrow gauge Colorado trains! Something to think about. They are not produced by anyone else, and sells would be there.
Happy Rails To You,
Ted

I'm with you there, Ted.  The alternative, that of paying out another

$500 to have 'stick-on sides' for a car that has already cost me $400.00 here in yUK is totally out of the question.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

[Ted Yarbrough]

And they are starting to cost close to that price range here in the US. Give us some good  narrow gauge passenger equipment, please Mr. Bachmann!

[Loco Bill Canelos]

The idea of a baggage, RPO, and Parlor Car seems like a direction that might work, I know my son and I would be a buyer of one of each.

Probably the biggest question by Bachmann is how many of each can they expect to sell and at what price point to make a decent profit.

Assuming an MSRP of $$600 and street price of $300 per car, a run of 1000 of each car; total revenue of $900,000 would be expected if sold out.  I don't know what the margins are to retailers but after the retailer discount of say 40% percent. Bachmann could expect perhaps $540,000 in revenue.  From this they would have engineering and design costs,  shipping from China and to dealers, a "share" of the cost of operations, like the warehousing costs, advertizing,  payroll, sales department, utilities costs, warranty costs operation of a web site, etc.   Just a wild guess but lets say that came to $230,000, a profit of only $310000 could be expected over the two or three year selling period.  I am even thinking my profit number is probably too high.

I am not in wholesale or retail, but most of my club members are in 1/29th or 1:22.5, and perhaps only 4 or five "seriously" into 1:20.3 and of those they run mostly the geared locos with 1;22.5 log cars ans such.  Some do collect the locos, and have bought the 1:20.3 caboose, but very few have purchased 1:20.3 rolling stock.

Since I have no real experience can any of you with better experience try to guess how many of each would be sold?   Unlike coaches where we might buy two or three, would we buy more than one baggage, or RPO or parlor car??

How many do you think could be sold?  at what price?  How far off are my assumptions above??  Is the market really out there?? 

Bill

[Ted Yarbrough]

Bill,
I would buy 2 each of the cars (one in green and one in yellow). I would think lots of 1:20 scale folks would buy them, and if these become available, then the 'other' company might sell more coaches, too! Win-win for consumers and dealers/manufacturers I would think. give this idea some consideration, please, Mr. Bachmann!
Happy Rails To You,
Ted