Hubert's Gone?

[ljudice]

Their website is gone - but it's paid for/registered until 2010... 

It hadn't been updated in 9 months. I noticed MB Klein posted a handful of products arriving - only a small number of each.

Anyone know?

[asarge]

I think moast of what MBKlein was getiing was stuff on clearance at Walthers. I don't know if he's gone, but his sales had to be pretty low.

Maybe it's time to retire that tooling. Strange things might happen to those that buy it off previous owners.

[tom mann]

Strange things might happen to those that buy it off previous owners.

The Hardy Boys and the Case of the Cursed Tooling

[TiVoPrince]

Old
tooling is usually for sale because it has already outlived its market.  Those who needed it already have it and the incredibly small number of sales to new or changing modeles hardly make future reruns feasable...

[TrainCat2]

I heard (pretty reliable source) that Hubert's has shut down the business. Everything is now "Disc" at Walthers (NOT that it means it's true, but an additional indicator). A few dealers I have talked to have said that he has closed up shop as they can not order anything and no one returns calls.

While talking to Frank about the Jenny project, he said the Top Gons molds were completed. Now, the TG mold and others have been "rumored" to be going to Walthers and/or Athearn. Same source has said that Walthers was interested in the entire line, but Athearn only in a few specific molds. Well, since all but a couple of new items were hand-me-downs from E&C/LBF, seems that another new owner can start marketing the same ol'e cars.

I guess the real truth will shake out,

[asarge]

Walthers might pick up some of the tooling, but I doubt Athearn would be interested in any of it after the experience they had with sales of the old MDC stuff.

[ljudice]

Some of the models - the 65' gons - and some of the boxcars were fine - they just needed better paint, more accurate lettering - and (shoot me) Atlas/Accumates. The car all looked much better with the Atlas/Accumate trucks.

What was the problem Athearn had with the MDC tooling??  Technical/mechanical or poor sales?

[rswinnerton]

Huberts is indeed out of business. Frank Hubert thought he could assemble the cars in bis garage and meet demand. He also had some local kids putting things together for him (which explains the poor quality control). Rumor had it that Atlas looked at the molds and turned them down because they're aluminum, and therefore have a limited lifespan. Is there someone from Atlas on the board who can confirm this?

Russ

[inkaneer]

Some of the models - the 65' gons - and some of the boxcars were fine - they just needed better paint, more accurate lettering - and (shoot me) Atlas/Accumates. The car all looked much better with the Atlas/Accumate trucks.

What was the problem Athearn had with the MDC tooling??  Technical/mechanical or poor sales?

I think Athearn's "problem' was they increased the price on the MDC stuff.  A lot of the old MDC cars are still out there in the market place.  I see their hopper kits anywhere from $4.50-$6.50 at train shows.  Athearn practically doubled their price.

[Ian MacMillan]

Strange things might happen to those that buy it off previous owners.

The Hardy Boys and the Case of the Cursed Tooling

I so have a clue right now. Yesss

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Well I hope the tooling (with the CADs to go with them) does see another owner. The problem with E&C/LBF/Huberts was there was never any defined disterbution chain, and it was always very hard to get product. Their 50' gons are pretty nice and I liked their modern Boxcars.

the N scale line would work well with Walthers... the tooling would fill in some holes Walthers has in their HO line but not in N.

[Ryan87]

Strange things might happen to those that buy it off previous owners.

The Hardy Boys and the Case of the Cursed Tooling

I so have a clue right now. Yesss

Your clue is giving me a clue... I have a raging clue...

[Allentown Hump]

Walthers might pick up some of the tooling, but I doubt Athearn would be interested in any of it after the experience they had with sales of the old MDC stuff.

I love all of the Model Railroad Industry Market Analysts we have here...

[TiVoPrince]

Like
all consultants we have absolutely no accurate information or insider knowledge.  This makes us uniquely qualified to float 'wild a$$ guesses' and pure speculations...

[chuck geiger]

Hey JJ - On the Joann's web site there is a product for scrapbooking called "corrigated courdory". The didn't have it in the store, so I went with fine medium brown courdory for the fields. Test run - two problems...bubbles from white glue under the fabric and you are right, I need tackly yellow glue. I tried the white glue on the toilet paper roller and it didn't work right.