Blain left Exactrail

[wazzou]

I recall the website he had and if memory serves, I think I read it was hacked?

[bbussey]

That was the N Scale Limited website that Chris maintained with Frank Giacobbe, who is now American Archetype Models.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

ER and Whalters business models break my heart. They see "models" as a division. So different scales compete for resources. But this isn't an ideal business practice. Each scale should be their own division. The question shouldn't be "Will this HO model make more money than the N version?"

The question should be "Do our N scale models make a profit? Do our HO models make a profit?"

Pitting divisions against each other for resources is never a good idea. Look at Volvo or Jaguar during the Ford years. new models forced to share platforms with other non luxury makes. Resources diverted to "more profitable" divisions.

When the companies were bought by corporations who took a more hands off approach "Is Volvo making money? If yes then let them do their thing." they started to flourish.

Imagine if Walthers or ER spun off their N scale assets to a subsidiary focused only on N scale. If run well, it could be profitable without much capital expense.

[jpwisc]

If they reran the BNSF Trinities and the TBOX Hi-Cubes they would sell product. Those things sold fast!

[mu26aeh]

I had some of the CSX Trinity cars and they didn't track very well, factory trucks or replacements.  I ended up finding proto pictures, weathering/graffiti to emulate them and sold on eBay.  I'll take the Intermountain cars, at least those (when available) I can get thru my local hobby shop.  And I haven't had any issues running those.

[Englewood]

Mmmm... TBOXes.....

[EspeeGoldenState]

I really hope they bring the Johnstown America AutoFlood II Coal Hopper to N scale so I can do UCEX 2014 and UCEX 2015. When they did the special run of 2014 in HO, they said they weren't going to do it (car or paint scheme) in N scale because someone else was going to do it. Still no one has done it, and maybe they will bring their version to N scale.

Chris

[Jbub]

We've got a train show on the 11th and 12th in Salt Lake. I'm pretty sure they will be there so I'll ask if anything is coming down the pipe line. If you guys can think of anything you would like asked I would be happy to relay the query.

Jbub

[C855B]

We've got a train show on the 11th and 12th... If you guys can think of anything you would like asked I would be happy to relay the query.

The same thing I asked Blaine in 2014 - will they consider doing their beautiful GSC flat in N? Pretty please? 

[unittrain]

We've got a train show on the 11th and 12th in Salt Lake. I'm pretty sure they will be there so I'll ask if anything is coming down the pipe line. If you guys can think of anything you would like asked I would be happy to relay the query.

Jbub

I'd like to see their 60' Hy cube ,Berwick and Greenville boxcars they did in HO.

[sirenwerks]

We've got a train show on the 11th and 12th in Salt Lake. I'm pretty sure they will be there so I'll ask if anything is coming down the pipe line. If you guys can think of anything you would like asked I would be happy to relay the query.

Jbub

More 4427s. Tons of paint schemes still to do, some they did in HO but never in N. The GSC would be nice too (both versions), and the the Greenville 7100. I would love to see a readily available competitive quality model to the Athearn 50' PS1 line too (MTL's still has issues).

[cv_acr]

He was indeed, explains Trainlife's transition into a retail site and their relationship with Exactrail

Not really. TrainLife and Exactrail were both initially founded by the same person - John Pestana.

[Scottl]

TBOX is the new K4   

But really, they will sell like hotcakes so this would be a home run project for Exactrail.

[ryan_wilkerson]

The TBOX has become so popular on the prototype, hopefully we don't get competing offerings from more than one source. Is 2018 the year of the TBOX?

[RockGp40]

We've got a train show on the 11th and 12th in Salt Lake. I'm pretty sure they will be there so I'll ask if anything is coming down the pipe line. If you guys can think of anything you would like asked I would be happy to relay the query.

Jbub

Please ask them to bring their Evans 4780 to N!