InterMountain N scale F units

[drgw0579]

I was planning my hobby budget over the next few months and noticed I have some F units reserved.  So I asked my contact at Intermountain how the reservations were holding up and when I might expect them.  This was the response:

It is time to place the PO's with the factory for our next run of
N Scale F7A's and B's.

This will be the first group of F-units to feature the new universal
sound decoder/non-sound decoder from ESU.  A new chassis is being
designed for these decoders (it will work for the DC-only unit too) and
will feature the same wireless arrangement as our SD40-2's, a design
that has been well received.

As it stands right now, we have not received sufficient numbers on
several of the B units to meet the minimum build quantities placed on us
by the factory.  If we don't receive additional reservations we will
have to cancel almost all the B's except for the ATSF Bluebonnet and
Alaska.  Thankfully, all we need is about 8 to 15 more per road name to
get them done.  The Reading A units need additional numbers also, again
the need is not large at about 15, but the factory is very firm on these
numbers and won't budge.  We are wanting to place PO's the first part of
next week so if folks are interested in making reservations, we ask they
place them before that time.  We really want to be able to offer B-units
to go along with the A-units so wanted to get the message out.

Artwork is complete so expected delivery is in the August/September 2017
timeframe.

Roadnames can be found on our website under "Current Advance Reservation
Items."

Just the messenger. I don't work for InterMountain.
Bill Kepner

[drgw0579]

Looks like the roads in this run are UP, PRR, CB&Q, ATSF (Blue Bonnet), GN (BSB), NP, AMTK, BN (hockey stick), Frisco, RDG, Alaska, NdeM, BN, MKT, OC, WM, Alaska-DOT, EMD.

[mu26aeh]

I have an FP9 ordered for Algoma Central.  Hopefully this is a sign that those may finally be in the pipeline as well.  Though something tells me they aren't in high demand (marked TBD)

[reinhardtjh]

I've had an order for 4 A's and 3 B's in PRR with my LHS for about 2 years.  I don't need any more B's so I hope some other SPF decides they need some.

[CBQ Fan]

June 21, 2014 is when I placed my pre-order for my F7 ABA units.  I find it interesting which companies can announce, produce and bring to market a product compared to those that struggle.  I understand delays, but if you are going to ask customers to commit to it and pre order you better have a product you can bring to market and make a profit.   FVM comes to mind as one who does a great job.  Highly specialized products, always get delivered (so what if there are some delays) and look and run great!  I really wonder how IM does their market research. 

[mu26aeh]

Well, once again, all IMRC locomotives were/are being held up due to the redesign of the chassis and ESU decoders/light boards.  Now that those have been pretty much resolved with the release of the SD40-2, we should start seeing these things roll out, if orders are still there.  One problem I do see, and it could be a good one depending on how you look at it, when stuff was announced it was somewhat spread out.  Now that things are rolling, releases could hit in quick succession and Mr Wallet could be left screaming 

[peteski]

It is difficult to believe that the profit margin is so tight that being short by only 8-15 will be enough to cancel the production run. Does that mean that they also have very few in a  production run that 15 models make a difference?  If the run is only 100 models then 15 is a substantial shortfall. But if the run is 5,000 then 15 is not a significant shortfall.

[CBQ Fan]

FT units are still listed for April interestingly enough.

[haasmarc]

Come on.  I need those Reading units!  Order them if you haven't and want them.  I can't believe there aren't enough Reading modelers to get these made.

[drgw0579]

Come on.  I need those Reading units!  Order them if you haven't and want them.  I can't believe there aren't enough Reading modelers to get these made.

Reading - I'm thinking about it 

I'll ask why they don't take the risk and hope they can sell those extra B units.  But in my experience, the most lonely thing you ever see in a hobby shop is a B unit without a matching A unit.  If you look back in recent history, some vendors only sold B units in A-B sets.  Kato seems to sell individual B units, but maybe they make 2 A's for every B.

Bill Kepner

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  The way I read it, the problem isn't the profit margin, but the factory management.

"As it stands right now, we have not received sufficient numbers on
several of the B units to meet the minimum build quantities placed on us
by the factory.  "

In other words,  "We must make this many of a product, or we won't make any at all, no matter how many the customer might want".  Maybe Intermountain needs to find a new factory?

[peteski]

Peteski:  The way I read it, the problem isn't the profit margin, but the factory management.

"As it stands right now, we have not received sufficient numbers on
several of the B units to meet the minimum build quantities placed on us
by the factory.  "

In other words,  "We must make this many of a product, or we won't make any at all, no matter how many the customer might want".  Maybe Intermountain needs to find a new factory?

Ok, I'll go with that. But then why IM doesn't simply order that 15 extra models? I don't think they'll have problem selling them - it is not like they are ordering hundreds of unreserved models. It is 15 for goodness sakes!  Even if they don't sell them, it is not like they have to eat a large loss.  I mentioned the profit margin in case IM has to eat the cost of those 15 models. What can a model like this cost from the factory? 30-40 dollars maybe?  Even if it was let's say 75 dollars, that is probably not that much relative to the quantity in the run, unless the run is extremely small.

[eja]

I have never understood IM's business model.  They announce many seemingly great products in many road names, but try to find them.  I have never bought just announced models. But after thing about it for a while and deciding I "need that" I have never been able to figure out what was actually produced or currently available.

I stopped considering them as an option long ago.

eja

[coosvalley]

I wonder if they'll fix the ride height on the F units, seeing as how they have to design a new chassis..If not, what a missed opportunity....

Fingers crossed.

[MichaelWinicki]

Ok, I'll go with that. But then why IM doesn't simply order that 15 extra models? I don't think they'll have problem selling them - it is not like they are ordering hundreds of unreserved models. It is 15 for goodness sakes!  Even if they don't sell them, it is not like they have to eat a large loss.  I mentioned the profit margin in case IM has to eat the cost of those 15 models. What can a model like this cost from the factory? 30-40 dollars maybe?  Even if it was let's say 75 dollars, that is probably not that much relative to the quantity in the run, unless the run is extremely small.

I wouldn't be surprised if these runs were extremely small.