Large Scale Thomas

[TrainshockeylifE]

Thank you Streak!

[Plow_Bender]

Well, I should have been in bed hours ago, but I figured since I'm still up, I'll drop some photos for you all of the show I'm participating in this weekend.  I'm setting up with Allegheny Plateau Division and running my Large Scale trains for the Victorian Christmas celebration.  I spent Thursday evening setting things up and working on the track, but did have to sort out running electric and finish cleaning this evening.  Once all that was out of the way, things went pretty smoothly the rest of the evening.  Overall things were pretty good and the kids (as well as the adults) really enjoyed watching the trains run.  I did however almost have a heart attack tonight after an unsupervised child tried jumping over one of my Spectrum trains, but I guess in situations like this you just have to assume the risk and be aware that in the end something may get broken.  I'm just not too wild on having to replace parts on discontinued models though.

Tomorrow morning I'm meeting up with Division 11 again for breakfast, and then heading down town to get things setup for tomorrows show.  I need to take care of some track cleaning again in the morning and sort out trains for tomorrows running sessions.  If any of you may be in the area the next couple days, feel free to drop by and see me.  Bring me a bag of peanut butter cups and I might just let you run some trains as well.  Details about the show can be found on Division 11's website if you're interested.

-Rusty

[Large Scale Champion]

So it's that time again.... will 2019 be kind to Large Scale Thomas fans???

[Plow_Bender]

So it's that time again.... will 2019 be kind to Large Scale Thomas fans???

I highly doubt it, but I'll try to stay positive without getting my hopes too high.  I made a list of my predictions for 2019 announcements, and a more detailed one can be found in the Bachmann Thomas & Friends in 2019 thread.

Mavis
The Red Coaches
Troublesome Truck #3 (van or tanker)
Henrietta (maybe Hannah too)
James, Emily, and Toby w/ DCC Sound

I honestly don't see a lot of what I put in my list getting announced (if even anything) and I have to agree with one user who stated Large Scale will probably end up with another mediocre recolor this year.  As I stated in my earlier post, Bachmann hasn't done a new LS tooling for 4 years now, so surely they can squeeze out another one now?  Henrietta makes sense considering they could reuse her for Hannah, therefore spreading out the cost of tooling that much more.  Even the DCC Sound models would make sense considering everything is there to make them, therefore keeping production costs low.  I don't know, regardless how simple these additions seem, I agree with another user that Large Scale will probably end up with the short end of the stick this year, just as it did for 2018.

-Rusty

[Rodimus Supreme]

I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bachmann announces this year that they are cancelling the line entirely.

[Plow_Bender]

I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if Bachmann announces this year that they are cancelling the line entirely.

I don't think I'd go as far to say that, but I could honestly at the least see them not announcing anything new.  As long as the range is selling well (which it is), Bachmann will continue to keep it around with what they have in the range already.  The only thing I would see happening at that point is Bachmann would most definitely discontinue items that are not selling, which in turn may lead to some new announcements after so many years without any.  I will say that it is a shame Bachmann doesn't offer any starter sets for the range, but I know for a fact they were discontinued due to the high RRP which went up every year.  Percy is still around, but that's only because his set wasn't a popular seller and Bachmann still has a lot of them in their warehouse.

I know a lot of people don't want to hear it, but the Bachmann Thomas line as a whole may eventually reach the point where Bachmann makes no new announcements and instead just continues to produce what the ranges already have.  Still just like I pointed out with Large Scale, we many not get new announcements yearly, but possibly biyearly or over the course of a few years.  As I've mentioned before, the cost of production keeps going up and Bachmann is trying to work with what little options they have, while also trying to come to an agreement with Mattel what they can/cannot produce, which is a clear sign as to why announcements the last few years have been kind of lackluster.

-Rusty

[Large Scale Champion]

I agree with the Sentiments of Plow Bender, however wish that Bachmann would fight the license holder to take more "risks" with the line,
i.e. they could produce locos that have multiple possibilities for kit bashing and resprays in the british outline market like Duck, Oliver, Toad, Bill & Ben the red coaches etc etc these would sell to more than just the fanbase! as can you imagine ready to run GWR for less than £200!

[Cheeky_ULP]

Cancelling the line would be shooting themselves in the foot since Bachmann has straight up said at NRMA that the Thomas range is a huge revenue bringer for the company. Cost cuts and production scale backs are likely but it'd be bad news for them if they had to end the line.

[Anthony P2]

Cancelling the line would be shooting themselves in the foot since Bachmann has straight up said at NRMA that the Thomas range is a huge revenue bringer for the company. Cost cuts and production scale backs are likely but it'd be bad news for them if they had to end the line.

Very true! Plus if thy cancel the line all together then that's profits they lose and have to make them back up somehow. It's easier for them to just cancel a single product instead of a whole line

[Chaz]

If anything, I could see the large scale range continuing to be in a similar stance where the Lionel Thomas line is where they basically stick with the same engines but new announcements consist of recolors in rolling stock or new gimmicks in locomotives like more DCC and sound, or possibly doing adding Bluetooth and sound.  The latter seems more likely since I can imagine during times like these, Bachmann would want to appeal more to a modern audience as manufacturers including themselves have shown in the past.

The best I am truly expecting for the large scale range anytime soon would probably be the red coaches. If they want to go for any new tooling, then I could see Henrietta soley because they can just reuse hurts willing to make Hannah too.  I honestly don't think we are getting anymore engines in large scale after Diesel getting cancelled last year.

[Rodimus Supreme]

Cancelling the line would be shooting themselves in the foot since Bachmann has straight up said at NRMA that the Thomas range is a huge revenue bringer for the company. Cost cuts and production scale backs are likely but it'd be bad news for them if they had to end the line.

I didn't say they'd cancel the whole line, I said they'd cancel the Large Scale line.

[Large Scale Champion]

We've been concerned since the cancellation of Diesel, but I think 2019 will give us a defining indication of the direction of the Large Scale Thomas. We are all fingers crossed Bachmann. No wish list, just wishes for anything significant.

[JLK2707]

Would anybody here just want to make their own custom large scale devious diesel?

[Plow_Bender]

Would anybody here just want to make their own custom large scale devious diesel?

Personally I'd rather make Mavis considering she has more appeal and would personally be easier to build than Diesel, at least from my perspective.  It would be simple to go out and get a Toby chassis and then build Mavis up from there.  I actually have a friend with a laser cutter who can make the pieces/parts for me, then I'd just have to build the model up as if it were a kit.  I've been toying with the idea already with potential plans to make a 1:22.5 scale Lady in Large Scale, so I'm pretty sure the same method could be used for Mavis.

-Rusty

[Large Scale Champion]

2019 Just absolutely gutted!