Something to Make the SPF's happy

[TrainCat2]

But considering the G22 gons were going to be done after the G39's... and the G22's were still going to be done by the end of the summer... and the G39 still isn't shipping... and the G22 is no longer even on the web site...

When will we really have anything?

Bob, I sincerely hope you deliver. But a lot of "one man shops" have gone down the road of "Yes, I can make that" and it doesn't happen. Please, maintain the credibility. Your work is first class... no doubt about that!

Bob:

I believe I told you many months ago that it was my opinion the G39 would not sell well.

The good news is that I can account for 40+ units on the PRR Lines East 4-track signal bridge. I had already been talking to Bernie about this back in June-July, when you started talking about doing the bridge. So, yes, there is a market for this.

Yes you did, then you understood why I was not placing priority on it. With all of the others items brought to market, why did you throw this in my face on this board ?? Whatever the reason was, it does NOT excuse you from your statement or insinuation.

[inkaneer]

I was one who expressed an intrest in the G39 ore cars as I was contemplating doing them myself.   But I never saw a price on them.  Sorry, but I don't order anything without first knowing how much it will cost.  The G39's are a nice to have model but they are not in the "have to get" category.  Therefore, price is a factor. 

[sirenwerks]

Bob, Even though I can't use those signal bridges, you rock all the same. Great products, decent turnaround from announcement to shelf, and, best of all, you actually listen to what modelers want/need/whine about. And in keeping with the true spirit of communication, you actually participate in the dialogue, rather than ignore it or just lurk and spring. Kudos to TrainCat!

[TrainCat2]

I was one who expressed an intrest in the G39 ore cars as I was contemplating doing them myself.   But I never saw a price on them.  Sorry, but I don't order anything without first knowing how much it will cost.  The G39's are a nice to have model but they are not in the "have to get" category.  Therefore, price is a factor. 

I am still doing them, I just need to know how many I may produce to gather the info that will let me set the price. The molds are only good for so many castings and an approximate # will tell me how many molds I will need over time. Production is also affected by that #. High #'s require multiple simultaneous molds so the throughput is sufficent to supply the orders. The molds get pricey and all of this factors in. High #'s also allow be to buy rubber and resin with Qty discounts to help defer other costs.

Reservations are just that. The truth is that you can cancel at anytime and a manf must honor that when a deposit is not demanded. The reservations give us the level of priority and the feedback we need to make a reasonable price that does not gouge the consumer or become a losing proposition. I counted 110 cars "wanted" per posters on the Ore Jenney thread. I need to know how many of those are really serious. If you are, reserve them and I'll be able to set the price very quickly and put the Jennies on the fast track.

Sirenwerks, thanks for the kind words.

[inkaneer]

I was one who expressed an intrest in the G39 ore cars as I was contemplating doing them myself.   But I never saw a price on them.  Sorry, but I don't order anything without first knowing how much it will cost.  The G39's are a nice to have model but they are not in the "have to get" category.  Therefore, price is a factor. 

I am still doing them, I just need to know how many I may produce to gather the info that will let me set the price. The molds are only good for so many castings and an approximate # will tell me how many molds I will need over time. Production is also affected by that #. High #'s require multiple simultaneous molds so the throughput is sufficent to supply the orders. The molds get pricey and all of this factors in. High #'s also allow be to buy rubber and resin with Qty discounts to help defer other costs.

Reservations are just that. The truth is that you can cancel at anytime and a manf must honor that when a deposit is not demanded. The reservations give us the level of priority and the feedback we need to make a reasonable price that does not gouge the consumer or become a losing proposition. I counted 110 cars "wanted" per posters on the Ore Jenney thread. I need to know how many of those are really serious. If you are, reserve them and I'll be able to set the price very quickly and put the Jennies on the fast track.

Well, call me old school but I still believe that my word is my bond and if I tell you I want X number then I am personally committed to that number.  Therefore, before I make any committment I want to know the full particulars including price.  So I am sorry but I will not be reserving any G39's. 

[Robbman]

Is there any manufaturer you don't troll?

Skibbe, it is clear who the troll is... as evidenced by your clear lack of participation on TrainBoard as of late. Maybe you can get yourself kicked off here as well.

Last I checked, Mike has a life outside of Trainboard... you should try it sometime.  As for getting kicked off of forums for pointing out the blatantly obvious... that would just show but yet once again the clear favoritism and over-moderation that this board was supposedly created to get away from...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Guys, right now, you're all about an 8, we need you to keep it to a 4 or so.

(this is implying that you should all behave a little more civilly towards each other, if you would all like to call each other out, feel free to take it to PMs or emails, but lets try to keep our discussion here civil.  - Thanks)

[shark_jj]

Bob, you and I spoke at your booth in Detroit and I am tickled to see these are going ahead.  My 12 of the 4 track and 2 of the 2 track Lines East are among the 40 that Jerry spoke about, I have reaffirmed with him that I want them.  They look good.

John Johnston

[keystonecrossings]

My note was more cautionary than critical, Bob, and I would have made the comment to you in person. Unfortunately, plain text doesn't carry any emotion.

As I did state, your work is FIRST RATE!!!

But SPF's have seen many a one-man-shop announce a bunch of products and then disappear... Those Classic Trains, Liberty Model Productions, Miracle Castings, to name a few.

Lines East and Lines West signal bridges based on 1.25" centers will sell well, even though oversized. Too many people have had to purchase two bridges to make one in the past. The proto spacing doesn't work in N. I use 1.125" spacing and the Alkem bridges are still too tight.

Best wishes...

[tom mann]

...you're all about an 8, we need you to keep it to a 4 or so.

I like this statement.  I will tell this to the baby tonight to get her to quite down. ;D

[Robbman]

...you're all about an 8, we need you to keep it to a 4 or so.

I like this statement.  I will tell this to the baby tonight to get her to quite down. ;D

Good luck with that... I'm still trying to get mine to keep it somewhere near 10

[GonzoCRFan]

I don't "reserve" any models for which I don't:

• See an up-front price, or
• See a finished product

I need to know the price because I can't tell how many I can afford at a given time without knowing how much they will cost. Suppose I "reserve" 10 cars and the finished price turns out to be $35 a car?

And I just don't commit to any product until I see the finished version. Bob, your stuff is very nice, but I was even able to hold off on ordering Atlas GP38-2s until I could see the paint was good.

I could use G39s, but I don't NEED them. They were largely gone from CR by my modeling period. So they would be cool to have, but they're not really a necessity. I can wait for them, because I'm still quite a ways away from having a place to run a unit ore train anyway.

[TrainCat2]

4-Track Lines East Prototype ...

[amato1969]

Very nice!  The LV had a few 4-track bridges like this in the Bethlehem-Allentown area.  I'll be watching for these to show up on your products page...

[inkaneer]

I don't "reserve" any models for which I don't:

• See an up-front price, or
• See a finished product

I need to know the price because I can't tell how many I can afford at a given time without knowing how much they will cost. Suppose I "reserve" 10 cars and the finished price turns out to be $35 a car?

And I just don't commit to any product until I see the finished version. Bob, your stuff is very nice, but I was even able to hold off on ordering Atlas GP38-2s until I could see the paint was good.

I could use G39s, but I don't NEED them. They were largely gone from CR by my modeling period. So they would be cool to have, but they're not really a necessity. I can wait for them, because I'm still quite a ways away from having a place to run a unit ore train anyway.

I wonder if GM or Ford will say you have to reserve a car before they will make it?  What ever happened to make it and they will buy?  Anyone going into manufacturing a product takes a risk and is rewarded for that risk taking in the profit margin they make.  The advance reservation system that we now see is an attempt to reduce that risk but is there a corresponding reduction in the profit margin?  After all reduced risk should equal reduced profit.  That is if we are rewarding a manufacturer for the risk they take.  I will make my own G39's thank you.