Intermountain is Cancelling Reading F7's and more

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Exactly!!!

If I want projects, I'll get Kato snoots and do em right (like I'm doing already).

[asarge]

Actually Ed, I'm not convinced that they will go ahead with the entire line on the 40-2's. Just have a funny feeling.

And they have run the heck outta the F units. Maybe it's time for a break and something new.

[oakcreekco]

Actually Ed, I'm not convinced that they will go ahead with the entire line on the 40-2's. Just have a funny feeling.

And they have run the heck outta the F units. Maybe it's time for a break and something new.

They need to get "schooled" on how to 100% finish a product, not just do their usual 85% completion, with the modeler to finish up/correct it.

I never could understand the IM "mindset" of close enough, especially at their pricepoints

[Puddington]

The IM fan club is now in session..................... ;D

The point about the adverse effect on their marketing is bang on - just read this thread............

[Ed Kapuscinski]

They need to get "schooled" on how to 100% finish a product, not just do their usual 85% completion, with the modeler to finish up/correct it.

This is a really astute observation of their situation.

I wish we had the facebook "Like" button. That'd get it!

[RDG_Rich]

Hmmm.

Well, I didn't have a reservation in, only because I couldn't find the RDG F7 advertised. I'd like a pair, but if they cancel, they cancel. it gives me an excuse to pick up a cheap F7 and paint it. I highly doubt 2 units from me would make or break the deal.  I was interested in their FPs too, which I had heard about, but gave up on that one as well...being announced a year ago or so, and nothing materializing. (and given that there is no chance in @#$% that anyone will ever make remotely correct passenger cars for it) Apparently, if it isn't modern, (or western) it won't be made, by anyone... I have been watching the new releases for the last few months, and nothing has made my socks go up and down, which I suppose is good in a way, because I'm not shelling out hundreds of dollars for the next UP/BNSF loco...(that someone else has already done) 

Meh.  If I had the space, I'd go HO. <flame suit on>

[C855B]

Meh.  If I had the space, I'd go HO. <flame suit on>

No flaming from me - I feel the same way. It would be nice to not have your wants live or die by the decisions a single supplier makes about product. Hell, if I truly wanted a BAR F3 in the blue scheme like I alluded, in HO I'd find somebody's F3 either in undec or something good for stripping, and do it myself. In N? No-can-do - Microscale has put the blue scheme decals on their "unobtanium" list... again, just in N. Intensely, intensely aggravating.

[inkaneer]

I wonder how many customers they lost when they told Jerry Britton over on the Atlas board that the PRR was a "fifth tier RR".  Whether it was fifth tier or not is not the issue it is just something you do not say to potential customers, especially SPF's.

[bbussey]

I wonder how many customers they lost when they told Jerry Britton over on the Atlas board that the PRR was a "fifth tier RR".  Whether it was fifth tier or not is not the issue it is just something you do not say to potential customers, especially SPF's.

I would like to see the full quote please instead of the excerpt, so we can read it in the proper context.  But it seems to me they would be referring to how products decorated for the PRR sells for InterMountain, NOT what the status of the actual Pennsylvania Railroad was during its existence.  Given that the Pennsy has been gone for 40 years, it's quite conceivable that the popularity of PRR products is not as strong as it was 20 years ago.

I will say that Pennsy does well for me - but I am not moving the kind of numbers that InterMountain is either.

[unclepete20]

My personal letter that I wont really bother sending to Intermountain because I just don't care too. I would much rather complain here 

Personally, any yahoo with a mold can make an f7. OK its not that easy but still, model power has f-units, Kati has f-units, IM has f-units and MTL has FT's. Seriously stop with the F units. I know they were a sales champ in the real world and there are lots of second hand units that floated around for ages but I think its time to be done with the F's and move onto something new. Plus you have a real head turner coming out, the cab forward steam, sd-40w's.... Why not focus on something new? How about a nice 10 wheeler or 2-6-6-6's or some Green Goats or the real sales champ, the SD-40-2 with out shitty glue and honest to gosh working ditch lites (actually I want FVM to do that) Anyways, in short, if you cancelled the F's for a lack of sales, there is a reason. To many F units and only a small amount of modelers buying them.

Sincerely,
Unclepete20

[asarge]

would like to see the full quote please instead of the excerpt, so we can read it in the proper context.  But it seems to me they would be referring to how products decorated for the PRR sells for InterMountain, NOT what the status of the actual Pennsylvania Railroad was during its existence.  Given that the Pennsy has been gone for 40 years, it's quite conceivable that the popularity of PRR products is not as strong as it was 20 years ago.

I will say that Pennsy does well for me - but I am not moving the kind of numbers that InterMountain is either.

No need to rehash that except to say that was NOT IM's official position on the Pennsy. But Bryan brings up a good point, is Pennsy's popularity waning after being gone for 40 years. In our shop and we are in Georgia, Penssy is still holding it's own. Like Santa Fe, SP and our local roads. But they are slowly losing ground to the next generation behind them who are modeling 70's and 80's more than the older roads.

[wcfn100]

"Personally, any yahoo with a mold can make an f7. OK its not that easy but still, model power has f-units, Kati has f-units, IM has f-units and MTL has FT's. Seriously stop with the F units."

I'm still hoping Atlas will do F units.


Jason

[Erik W]

I wonder how many customers they lost when they told Jerry Britton over on the Atlas board that the PRR was a "fifth tier RR".  Whether it was fifth tier or not is not the issue it is just something you do not say to potential customers, especially SPF's.

I worked at InterMountain when this alleged comment was said.  In reality, Marty was simply referring to which road names sell best on IMRC products at that time.  The simple fact was, as their sales numbers at the time proved, that western roads sold better, with Great Northern being #1.  Over time this has morphed into the legend of something else said . . .  Unfortunately, I think his post was on the old incarnation of the Atlas board so it is lost for good.  I'd be curious, this many years later, to see what exactly was said.

Erik

[sirenwerks]

Well, I didn't have a reservation in, only because I couldn't find the RDG F7 advertised. I'd like a pair, but if they cancel, they cancel. it gives me an excuse to pick up a cheap F7 and paint it. I highly doubt 2 units from me would make or break the deal.  I was interested in their FPs too, which I had heard about, but gave up on that one as well...being announced a year ago or so, and nothing materializing.

For any manufacturers listening... I'm kinda with Rich here. No, I don't want any RDG F7s so the cancellation doesn't effect me so much, but I just don't pre-order. There's the issue of laying out money with it being tied up for years while the manufacturer works at a Beltway pace; the high possibility the product may not be as advertised/expected in terms of quality; and then for those of us trying to remain era conscious, the impossibility of reading the build dates on those piss-poor web images we're supposed to make our ordering decisions on. I'll wait until it arrives at the LHS to see what I am buying, make sure it has the right markings, paint's not dripping off, lettering is printed well, etc. If the basic model/paint is there, I don't mind tweaking it to completely meet my wants but I'm not gonna do the back and forth of buy and exchange, or wait for replacement, or get my hopes let down when I have pre-paid.

As much as I don't want this to happen, I half expect one day that the owner of IMRC says f$#@ you to the N scale community and gives up the ghost because of the ridicule the company receives. Yet, it would be largely its own fault because, like previously stated, they don't go the full mile. They're not PCM, but sometimes they're in the same camp.

[wcfn100]

I haven;t found the first quote but here was the explanation from Marty.

Let me clear one thing up . . .

The QUESTION I was asked that led to the "not first tier" comment was "What are the best selling roadnames and paint schemes" I answered it for IRC, as did (I believe) Paul for Atlas.

Our experience, based on sales, is that GN, the two Canadian railroads (CP, CN) and then UP. SP, and ATSF are InterMountain's best selling road names. Funny, but Maine Central ends up in there right after ATSF . . . .

I didn't say --- although some people think II meanty ---- that PRR wasn't a ""good" railroad to model, OR that IRC would or would not ever make PRR products -- we have and we continue to do so.

One look at our product line will confirm WHY our top-selling roadnames are what they are -- the IRC product line is heavily balanced towards Western railroads -- we have a 12 panel boxcar (GN primarily), a Canadian grain hopper (our all-time best selling freight car), several PFE reefers (there's SP and UP) and an ATSF reefer (for the ATSF). The FT, was, less face it, far more common on Western roads than eastern ones -- accounting for the sales figures there -- and PRR didn't see fit to buy FTs, although I bet they'd sell in PRR red five stripes . . . . although that might send Jerry into some sort of fatal fit. . . .

In short, I have nothing against the PRR. To this transplanted New England, who had never been west of the Appalachians until I was 30 -- I've long felt the PRR was a fascinating Western railroad -- roaming through the wild , uncharted territories of the Keystone state -- WEST -- of the Hudson River. (And as all real New Englanders know, God put the Hudson there to keep the New Yorkers and the Jerseyites away!!!!!


Marty

There was also this:

First of all, re: the "tier" thing . . . . some people don't know when they're having their legs yanked off, let along pulled