Micro-Trains November

[Mark5]

Again, do they not want our money? Seems that way.)

Kato sure doesn't want my money!

Mark

[C855B]

Tony, I more-or-less understand the "runner pack" issue from that perspective, but, OTOH, the Santa Fe hoppers were "a yawn" in a market more or less overflowing with hoppers already. Repeating myself here, what were they thinking? But TOFC flats? As I've griped ad nauseum, MTL owns the franchise on 89' TOFC/COFC flats, and they mete-out the supply very stingily.

IOW, I am getting the impression that the major makers are simply no longer listening to the market. Can't say that I blame them, there's a lot of noise to filter. This is where the ESMs, BLMAs, Fox Valleys, Intermountains, Blufords, ExactRails, and Trainworx's of the world have an opportunity. A little extra effort understanding what the modelers are seeking and willing to part with money for is key, and their multiple successes are highlighting the majors' deficiencies.

Sorry about the thread drift, but all you have to do these days is mention Micro-Trains and you can more-or-less predict where the discussion is going to turn.  :

[Mark5]

speaking of 89' flats. I would go for one, but I don't want a "pack". They sold it singly recently, but it was with a "force feed" load, which I didn't want.

I suppose I could buy a pack and sell off the extras, but that's a bit of a pain too.

I greatly dislike MT's recent tendency to include loads on many releases - usually a load I don't particularly want. >

I have a number of the MT's 1990s releases in brown, and a couple AC models kits, so fortunately I'm not desperate for these.

Mark

[C855B]

Yeah, that's a good point. The 45' trailers they insist on "giving" us always end-up in my non-run box. I run 40-footers, and at least Athearn has seen to make those readily available in multiple styles. "Hey, Athearn, how 'bout a flat to go with those?"

In my case MTL offering the pack was well-timed. I'm trying to build a late-'70s TOFC expediter (representing Super-C, VAN or Blue Streak Merchandise) and was having a harder and harder time finding the flats. So I pre-ordered two packs.

[asarge]

What Tony said is right., It's not an allocation. It's based on what shops pre-order and they don;t produce many extra's.

FOR THE RECORD. They also do not short dealers who order from the dealer when MTL is taking pre-orders. If you wait until late in the game, you don't get in the game.

Nobody wants excess inventory, not manufacturers, not distributors and not dealers. So if pre-ordering goes against your principals, you may get shutout.

[GaryHinshaw]

I'm having a bit of a twilight zone moment.  Weren't these just released in May?:

http://therailwire.net/forum/index.php/topic,18129.0.html

Did those never transpire, or is there just so much demand that a 2nd release was called for?  (I didn't see any mention of this in the above posts - apologies if I missed it.)

[C855B]

Gary, that May thing you saw was not a release, but a pre-order announcement, for the soon-to-be-release we're talking about here.

[GaryHinshaw]

Ah, ok.  Thanks C855B. 

(They don't announce the monthly single cars months in advance for pre-order, do they?  I had the impression they hit the shelves shortly after the announcement, but I'm not very plugged into MT these days.)

[TiVoPrince]

Market
forces rule the day.  There is no financial downside to those who decide not to purchase after pre-ordering.  Your LHS my have been 'burned' by others not following through in the past and have adjusted current orders accoringly.  Its a 'just in time' world out there and it has taken awhile for the hobby to get there. 

Kato - probably should rerun the UP heritage schemes in 2010
Athearn - send on the C50-7 and C50-8 then rerun the C50-9
Walthers - rerun the LL GP60 someday
Sunrise - run a few SP details to help out the faithful
Nu-Line - get back in the game with some new warehouses
Bachmann - fix the 'huge error' truck sideframes on the new Centennial

I dislike the new pre-order or risk getting shut out reality.  I don't expect my LHS to take all the risks and I will pre-order based on manufacturer reputation, track record and reliability.  This does not necessarily work well for the 'new' manufacturers but they seem to be consitently hitting the build/sell mark.  The Walthers sale flyers don't seem to include a lot of 'new breed manufacturers' products with incredibly slashed (50%off) prices...

[David Leonard]

According to N Scale Supply, Kato has announced another run of the WP, SP and MP Heritage units.

[wm3798]

According to N Scale Supply, Kato has announced another run of the WP, SP and MP Heritage units.

Whoopdy S**t.

[Two Truck Shay]

At least they have some James K. Polk gear. That stuff keeps me from going crazy.