Hi All, JTC was made aware of possible counterfeit/look-alike 40’ HC containers a while back by a Railwire member & others. We have had on-going ‘discussions’ with one of our OEM manufacturers (Rolland) for these 40’ HC containers, and they assured us that they were ‘seconds’ quality, sold unauthorized by a manager to an outside party. Communications are continuing on this issue, as new information comes to be known. As many of you know, some of the Chinese businesses have a very ‘communal’ thought process in their factories, as evidenced by all the Apple products all over China. JTC does have written language in contracts intended to protect our specifications!
As has been pointed out to JTC, these look-alikes are not exact copies of JTC containers. They do NOT have the same level of detailed printing that we specify, do Not have the same magnetic system we specify, do Not have the PINS & Holes connection system we specify, and in the case of the 40’ HC, they do Not have NINE different Prototypically correct door styles, as JTC does. Still ……
JTC containers were(are) Led in Design by me (Steve), they were not copied from Existing Rolland containers, but totally new tooling, designed with many options as noted above. Rolland likely used the same Tooling designer to interpret specifications, so some similarities are possible. If Roland has a new revised container, that has JTC features that were not on their old containers, then they have copied from JTC’s design specifications. Now of course, remember that Prototypes features can be the same, regardless of who Tools them. Rolland did have their own container style before they accepted work from JTC.
JTC works with Three factories in China (all three produce containers & other products), we have had no issues with the other Two, such as this example. None of these factories have the Research, informational access, design specification, and project management capabilities to produce detailed prototypically correct models, such as the JTC containers series with multiple variances in design.
JTC containers are sold through the established Hobby distribution system which supports and helps maintain and grow model railroading, and N Scale – We mainly sell to Distributors, who Sell to Dealers.
We would encourage everyone not to purchase anything counterfeit, or a ‘knock-off’ when they appear, as on the internet, from some Chinese web sources.
From JTC, 2020 will see many more, ‘never before in N scale’ models, and a continual expansion of our container series with a variety of detailed Tooling. In Fact, Next week, will see the Release of Two, new container styles, and in Q1 additional detailed and road name specific detailed containers will be released.
BR, THE JTC TEAM
