What's the future of Bachmann 1:20.3 scale?

[StanAmes]

There are actually three variants of K27 used on the D&RQW

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%26RGW_K-27

The 463 and 464 are examples of piston valves outboard of cylinders.  This is the model Bachmann produced

The 456 and 458 are examples of piston valves inboard of cylinders

The 457 and 460 are examples of slide valve cylinders which were the way the K27s were shipped from Baldwin.

The Tenders for the slide valve cylinders were slope back so there would be more mold work to do to produce.  The inboard cylinder versions would only require a few different parts and would be relatively easy to produce.

Hopefully in time the Large Scale market can improve and Bachmann will decide to produce the K27 inside cylinder versions.

Stan

[Chuck N]

Thanks Stan, I stand corrected.

Chuck

[tac]

Me, I'd really like for Bachmann to produce the White Pass Mike #73.  I'm convinced it would sell like ice-creams at Coney Island on Independence Day.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

[Bucksco]

Unfortunately tac, nothing sells like ice creams at Coney Island on Independence Day in Large Scale these days....especially big expensive steam locomotives!

[tac]

Unfortunately tac, nothing sells like ice creams at Coney Island on Independence Day in Large Scale these days....especially big expensive steam locomotives!

Sir I beg to differ - two makers of Gauge 1 live steam have produced, or are in the process of producing -

The Allegheny

The N&W #611

The UP FEF

The CPR Selkirk

The 'cheapest' of these models is around $7000 - the most expensive way north of $10K.

tac

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Tac,

If only they could sell even 2 % of the steamers as they sell Ice Cream Cones at coney Island!!

Cheers & Beers.

Bill

[Kevin Strong]

Tac, note that those are very limited production, hand-built locos, with production runs often in the 25 - 100 range. I had to wait 4 years for Accucraft to generate even 20 orders for the EBT mikado before they finally decided to produce it. (That was a "mere" $3K loco--and the only one in that price range I'm gonna be buying for a l-o-n-g time.)

While I lament the lack of "new" product with this most recent announcement, I can certainly understand the costs involved and Bachmann's reluctance to launch the "next thing" if they've still got models from the last one sitting on warehouse shelves.

Later,

K

[tac]

Tac, note that those are very limited production, hand-built locos, with production runs often in the 25 - 100 range. I had to wait 4 years for Accucraft to generate even 20 orders for the EBT mikado before they finally decided to produce it. (That was a "mere" $3K loco--and the only one in that price range I'm gonna be buying for a l-o-n-g time.)

While I lament the lack of "new" product with this most recent announcement, I can certainly understand the costs involved and Bachmann's reluctance to launch the "next thing" if they've still got models from the last one sitting on warehouse shelves.

Later,

K

I'd like to say that I agree with you wholeheartedly, but I'm sorry to say that I don't.  Over a million passengers paid HUGE fares last year to ride the WP&YR.  IMO a great marketing opportunity has been overlooked by both AccuCraft AND Bachmann here.  A simple pad stamp change of lettering for those lovely passenger cars would seal the deal, IMO.

Here in poverty-stricken UK I personally know five people - who have wives, although that doesn't count on this occasion - who are both Fn3 modellers and WP&YR fans, having 'ridden the rails'.   As one of them told me last year when we were admiring your EBT loco on YT, he'd never heard of the line, simply because cruise ships don't go there, but wouldn't it be great if AccuCraft had made the #73 instead?  He had seriously considered buying a #12 to convert it to look like #73.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS

 

[Bucksco]

It's easy to speculate when you don't have to pay for the tooling...

[tac]

It's easy to speculate when you don't have to pay for the tooling...

This has always been the case, Sir.  We don't disagree about that, but on the other hand, we don't need our noses rubbed in the fact that these things cost money.

These days that is clearly understood by anybody who has more than a double-figure brain-cell count.

A friend of mine, in a different line of business, has a full-length mirror facing you as as you walk into his store.

Over the top is a sign, it reads - 'You are now looking at the most important person in this store'.

Those companies who make products that nobody wants will find it out the hard way.  Clearly Bachmann is not one such company.

All I was doing is what many others have done on this forum before me, and made, in MY case, a wish for a single locomotive to be modelled, and what happens?

I get treated like a a bad smell.

That's not a good way to treat a customer with literally thousands of dollars [converted into pounds] spent on your products.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS   

[Bucksco]

Sorry. Not trying to treat you poorly. Just pointing out the obvious. Large Scale is in a bit of a slump at the moment and it would not be prudent to spend money on tooling that probably wouldn't sell well enough to pay for itself. I understand that you believe this to be a good idea - under better circumstances I might agree but not at this particular time.

[Skarloey Railway]

Over a million passengers on the WP&Y?

http://www.travelperch.ca/cruise-travel/alaskas-spectacular-white-pass-yukon-route-railway/ makes it 450,000, which is still a hell of a lot.

[Bucksco]

If we thought we could sell 10,000 we would do it in a heartbeat.

[armorsmith]

Thank you Yardmaster, you have provided a wonderful guide to the production run required to make a break even. I had often thought it would be in that range in order to maintain a price point the customer - me - can afford. Thank you for producing such wonderful product at the price point the average individual can afford.

TAC and Skarloey - Numbers of riders on the WP&YR has no real bearing on those that will purchase product, regardless of price. I have a local friend who loves to ride steam trains, regardless of origin or gauge. So long as it is steam. He has absolutely zero interest in purchasing any 'toy trains'. I am pleasantly amazed at the numbers of riders on WP&YR, and as Skarloey stated, near a half million is an impressive number. Judging by the MSRP of the last couple of offerings, I am quite sure the price point for any new locomotives, especially one that may not be able to 're-purpose' any existing molds or mechanisms will most likely be around double what I paid for my K27. That is out of my price range.

I agree with Bachmann on the point of the market not being there to support that kind of investment. My wife is a tax professional, and her observation is that the economy (regardless of the smoke and mirrors our government is playing with) is at best stagnant. Most of her repeat clients (individuals) have lost significant income and therefore spending power. Sorry, but Whopper flopper, and convenience market clerks and somewhere near minimum wage are not going to be purchasing 1K and up hobby items (didn't want to call them toys). Maybe yUK has meaningful employment that pays a living wage to the masses, but that is not the case here, regardless of what CNN tells ya.

TAC, my home owners insurance has increased over 500% in the 14 years I am in my home.  My wages have not even doubled (oh I could dream ). That is just one item. I economically we have been losing ground for the last 20 years.  And when our government PROMOTES moving industry offshore, I really hope it doesn't take Einstein to do that math.

I could go on, but I will get off my soapbox now and let everyone go back to their regularly feisty conversaton.

Bob C.

[tac]

Sorry. Not trying to treat you poorly. Just pointing out the obvious. Large Scale is in a bit of a slump at the moment and it would not be prudent to spend money on tooling that probably wouldn't sell well enough to pay for itself. I understand that you believe this to be a good idea - under better circumstances I might agree but not at this particular time.

'kay.

I accept that.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS