Most important manufacturer to N scales growth this year and why ?

[up1950s]

Wheels of Time . Their passenger cars and busses are void fillers that are very nicely done .

What say you .

[Mark5]

That's a tough one ...

The Rapido passenger cars may just push things along in the passenger arena (I don't have any yet).

Athearn has been pushing the frontier along by tooling new cars with body mount couplers and very nice tooling (think covered hoppers).

BLMA made a splash by announcing new freight cars with body mounts and new trucks and wheels - the cars should keep the heat on the high end competition.

Bluford and ESM are keeping the big guys honest (and coming out with some really cool stuff - again all body mounted couplers)

FVM might make a huge splash with the new locos and passenger train - depending on how they turn out and what the follow up will be.

What has Atlas done? Well, they continue to be the pillar for North American N scale - they need to watch out for the little guys though.

Kato threw out some bones for modern western enthusiasts and passenger train nuts. ;D

Screw it - I can't pick one! :

Mark

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've got to say it's FVM, going from the "little guy who makes killer wheels" to "the guy who does the GEVOs and the Hiawatha" this year really shows he's ready to play with the big boys.

[ljudice]

The Winners are:

Kato:  Massive success with the SD70ACE's and passenger car sets

MTL: keeps the average n-scaler coming back to the hobby shop every month

---------

Honorable Mention:

FVM - steady stream of products and the promise of something really new next year (GEVO/Hiawatha)

BLMA - out of no where with new cars, some of them badly wanted

Bluford - again, some neat new cars, long awaited



On the other hand:

Atlas - little exciting this year, lots of delays  and the C40-8W's were a bomb

IMRC - delays, delays, cancellations

[Mark5]

I've got to say it's FVM, going from the "little guy who makes killer wheels" to "the guy who does the GEVOs and the Hiawatha" this year really shows he's ready to play with the big boys.

The pressure is on - the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

(I hope the stuff lives up to the billing!)

Mark

[Puddington]

Rapido: Brought passenger cars to a new level and did so in a manner that repected the customer base.

WOT: Proved a little guy can make first rate passenger equipment for the mass market. Then they did it again with their buses.

FVM: Provided consistantly excellent quality cars and has made most people believe that they will be successful with their soon to be giant step......

Disappointments:

Kato - for not leveraging their abilties and providing the market with re-runs of their existing products where there is an obvious demand (SD 40-2's.....?) They could take customer respect lessons from Rapido IMHO.

Atlas: For not "knocking us over" with a world beater.... I guess I expect a lot from them and they didn't deliver in 09....

[Mark5]

yeah, I would nominate Kato for a "holding N scale back award" - for continuing to waste SD40-2 tooling ...

Can't wait for a quality manufacturer to belt out some SD40-2s. I'm with Ed on specifying that it not be Intermountain (although I love their F-units!)

Mark

[ljudice]

Geez, you guys, it's Christmas - drink EGGNOG - not KOOL-AID.

This place is SERIOUSLY turning into a mutual self admiration society.

The question was who was responsible for the most GROWTH in N-scale in 2009.

The answer is - Kato and MTL.  There is no other answer.

Most of the brands you mention aren't even carried at the Model Railroad Shop in Piscataway - the #1 model train shop in the NYC area. They don't even know who FVM is - and they carried about a half dozen Top-Gons - which sat on the shelf for about 6 months.

The hot movers are the MTL monthly releases and anything from Kato. I hate to break it to you - but I've been there and people say "I'll take that cute SD70ACE in Orange to go with my New Haven passenger train."

Cmon and be honest or ask a different question like - "most exciting announcement" or "best niche product for true 1950's passenger train fans"....

The growth of this hobby will come from products that the largest possible market can understand or relate to. I think the Hiawatha will be one of them - so next year the answer could be totally different. But give credit where it is due - the the firms that keep customers coming in the door and buying stuff in a tough economy.

[ljudice]

Disclaimers:  I bought a number of Kato models this year and ZERO MTL. 

Although I did think those cute green MTL baggage cars would go nicely with my Kato coalporters... ;D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ahh, I thought you were talking about for serious modelers, not daisy pickers.

My bad.

But I STILL think Kato and MTL are completely stagnant. What "new" thing have they done? They just keep cranking out more of the same thing they've both been doing for 10+ years now.

They might move a lot of product, but I'd consider that "baseline".

[Mark5]

Oh, crap, I didn't know this was about "top selling" manufacturer this year (I thought it was about growing n scale).

In that case I nominate Bachmann. They probably out sell all the others combined.

Mark

[TiVoPrince]

Tie
Trainworx - auto parts box
Bluford -auto parts box
FM - 'generic/everyday' boxcars and wheelsets
These were the items Mr Wallet was most upticked by in 2009...

[sundowner]

Some did there usual thing, some did an outstanding thing, Kato, Atlas, FVM, BLMA, Buford, IM, DI, MT, Trainwork, Big or small they are all important, without them N-scale would be just overprices kids toys made by the Bachman.

[Sokramiketes]

The hot movers are the MTL monthly releases

I find this comment hilarious.  MTL releases at Des Plaines Hobbies are piling up.  We're on a standing order, and the only cars I think we don't have left from the last year are the RPO's.  Everything else sits.  MTL isn't even selling through anymore as proven by the "weathered" releases where they try to clear out excess inventory of stuff that isn't selling.

8-10 years ago I would have agreed with you.  Today, no way.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The hot movers are the MTL monthly releases

I find this comment hilarious.  MTL releases at Des Plaines Hobbies are piling up.  We're on a standing order, and the only cars I think we don't have left from the last year are the RPO's.  Everything else sits.  MTL isn't even selling through anymore as proven by the "weathered" releases where they try to clear out excess inventory of stuff that isn't selling.

8-10 years ago I would have agreed with you.  Today, no way.

I'm betting it's because they're no longer "staples" and actually have to get it right to make the sale.

I know I just passed on a few of the recent CR white door boxes because:
1. The White Door scheme SEVERELY limits their usefulness operationally
2. The White Door scheme was only worn by very few cars, meaning that the chance of them "randomly" showing up in other service was really limited
3. The screwed up logo

And even at the price they were at, I'd rather go spend it on another generic trainman railbox car.