where to get BLMA spine cars?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I pre-ordered some at my LHS but it seems Walthers was shorted. They are sold out everywhere and never even made it to several online shops. Anyone know where I can get several decently priced spine cars from BLMA?

[Denver Road Doug]

There are several on eBay.  Also, I would ask on the N-ScaleYardSale group on Yahoo....a few have asked the same question and seemed to be able to find some.

"Decently Priced" might be the challenge.   You just got "LHS'ed" and that's unfortunate.   Hopefully you can find some at a reasonable price, but you might have to pony-up at this point to cover for your LHS's mistake.  Keep in mind that the next run will be--according to Craig--at a "significantly" higher MSRP.   So you still might come out ahead if you spring for them now at MSRP.

[conrailthomas519]

I'm a volunteer counter help for the Model Railroad Shop in Pistcataway, NJ. I'm not there very often, so i am not 100% sure of in stock items, so ask for Warren he would know.

[Craig Martyn]

I can't provide any help on where to find them at this point, but just to clarify something...

Our production was based on pre-orders placed within the specified timeline; all orders placed within that timeline (including Walthers) were filled 100%.  Just make sure for future runs that your (or the shops) order is noted before pre-orders close.  Look for another run announcement in a month or two...

[asarge]

I can't provide any help on where to find them at this point, but just to clarify something...

Our production was based on pre-orders placed within the specified timeline; all orders placed within that timeline (including Walthers) were filled 100%.  Just make sure for future runs that your (or the shops) order is noted before pre-orders close.  Look for another run announcement in a month or two...

Thanks Craig.  I think some people got their orders in after the deadline. In most cases that has not been a problem either because the retailer order a bunch more than they had orders or the distributor did the same. But when you have a product like the Spine Cars that have been highly anticipated, demand will soak up the supply very quickly.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Craig, just to let you know. My pre-order was placed by my LHS into Walthers within three days of the announcement. It appears that Walthers is shorting some smaller LHS to deliver more cars ordered after the reservations closed at larger shops. I have run into this before with Walthers and its one of the reasons why I'm not a huge fan.

I ended up getting one at another not so local hobby shop with a bigger inventory. I wish I could get more, but these just barely hit the rails by my 1998 modeling time frame. Your 89' TOFC cars on the other hand might just break the bank.

[Rossford Yard]

I have been traveling and stopped at every shop I could find without success.

This does raise some interesting questions, though.

For BLMA, I presume you made a certain percentage over the orders as most mfgs do.  Did the popularity of these surprise you?  Did bigger pre-orders suggest you should make 15% more rather than your (?) standard 10% more?

As to Walthers, I wouldn't necessarily assume its them. I have been shorted by the LHS before (not just one) and usually when I start digging into the reason, its the shop itself either didn't:

1. put in all the orders, due to a poor system (or I hear) an owner who just doesn't trust N scale buyers.
2. couldn't get all they wanted because they were behind on their payments to the wholesalers, or
3. just gave one away to a "better customer" assuming at least one person who ordered would decide that they didn't want theirs (actually ordering a few less than ordered based on past cancellation experiences to keep inventory down)

Personal note, I knew they would be good, but had a self imposed buying gag order on myself.  Somehow, once I found out I couldn't get a set, naturally, I wanted it all the more.  Great model.  I am sure we will get more runs.