rumor has it

[p51]

At the LHS my repair shop was in, many people expressed and interest in On30 sets, until they saw the price.

They really liked the size, especially for 'Christmas Villages', but couldn't understand why it was priced like Lionel or MTH, yett ran on the same track as lower priced HO. I believe if the price point had been a bit lower, a lot more people would have gotten into On30.

I get your point, Len, but in all fairness I think enough people got into On30 anyway.
I've talked with one of the Bachmann people working on On30 at two model train shows and I would have liked to ask him how the company reacted to sales and if they'd been surprised by how many people embraced On30 from the start, but I assumed he'd not be able to give a honest answer in his role.
I'd really like to know if the popularity of On30 came as a surprised for Bachmann or not. But for all I know, Bachmann might have had higher hopes for On30 and it might have been a disappointment.
My understanding was that Bachmann made On30 for the 'tow train set' public for Christmas villages, and somewhat-serious model railroaders embracing it soon afterward as much as they have wasn't part of the original plan. I don't know if that's the case at all, though.

[Geoff12765]

FWIW, my take is that putting DCC into the locomotives, and upping the price, firmly moves On30 away from the Christmas train and into the realm of the serious model train enthusiast, and I don't think they would continue to upgrade the fleet and introduce new locomotives if it wasn't selling.  (Although maybe the high price is a reflection of low sales  )

[p51]

FWIW, my take is that putting DCC into the locomotives, and upping the price, firmly moves On30 away from the Christmas train and into the realm of the serious model train enthusiast, and I don't think they would continue to upgrade the fleet and introduce new locomotives if it wasn't selling.  (Although maybe the high price is a reflection of low sales  )

Good point, but it's clear that Bachmann has slowed down production overall and stopped production of several items (like the gas mechanical 'diesel' critter). I don't know if they're placing themselves into a position where the previous stuff has dried up and they can later re-introduce these things, or if it's an overall issue of sale slowing.
Beats me which it is. I just hope they continue to make this stuff.
But in all fairness, On30 is so much more due to Bachmann, even if Bachmann dropped On30 entirely, there's too many people in it now to just walk away and another company would likely fill the gap in the market that would surely come if Bachmann walked away from On30 later.

[Terry Toenges]

If Bachmann did drop On30 then look how many peole would walk away from Bachmann since all they would have left to offer the On30 crowd would be maybe control systems, track and couplers but others make those items too.