Atlas Spring Catalog

[Point353]

Again, if that 1997 price was sustainable Life-Like would still be making trains.

So, it had nothing to do with the Kramers selling out and Lifoam not being interested in the model train business?

[Point353]

Isn't the mechanism fully revised (read: new)? Is a decoder also included in that price?

MSRP for the "silver" DC/DCC-ready version is $175 versus $290 for the "gold" decoder-equipped version.

[dem34]

So, it had nothing to do with the Kramers selling out and Lifoam not being interested in the model train business?

Could be both.
If your not passionate about the trains, and you look at the book.
One business is to discerning modellers and a shrinking casual toy train market who both have high expectations for quality, fickle demands for features at the profitable price points etc. And in which you need a bank of employees with a high degree of skill and attention to detail.
The other is just foam blocks that people grab on the way out of the liquor store.

Both have similar material costs.

[R L Smith]

Like the Shawmut SW, That one got my attention and I have some emotional attachment to that one as it was local, like the LEF&C.   You need a whole lot of hoppers and a Northeastern caboose to go with it.

And they MU'd long strings of SW's together, too.   Only owned one GP.  Had bicentennial cabooses, too.
 https://shawmutline.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/4sw1gp1boxbv.jpg
https://shawmutline.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ps1775_kttg_2-1.jpg?w=1024

Rats. I try to limit my purchases to what's appropriate for my modeled era and area, and those Shawmut SW's aren't appropriate. But one of my local modelers has an excellent P&S layout in HO, and for several years my office was in the old P&S office building adjacent to the Brookville shops.  "Houston, we have a problem..."   


Ron

[nkalanaga]

Ron:  If your limit is budgetary, I'd say stick to it.

If your limit is simply "don't buy what I won't use", but you can afford the item, I'd say buy it anyway.  There's a little bit of collector in most people.  Since it has sentimental value, it can be justified.

According to a recent science article, it goes back further than "people".  Chimpanzees love quartz crystals, and will collect any they can.  They can't eat them, they have no practical use for them, but they love the things.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

So, it had nothing to do with the Kramers selling out and Lifoam not being interested in the model train business?

It has everything to do with that!
If it were an attractive business line they would've likely carried on doing it.

But it didn't make enough money to make it attractive enough to pick up.

[signalmaintainer]

Rats. I try to limit my purchases to what's appropriate for my modeled era and area, and those Shawmut SW's aren't appropriate. But one of my local modelers has an excellent P&S layout in HO, and for several years my office was in the old P&S office building adjacent to the Brookville shops.  "Houston, we have a problem..."   


Ron

Ah, but the P&S is such an attractive railroad to model! And look, here are some track plans! https://appalachianrailroadmodeling.com/category/track-plans/ps-track-plans/

So, yeah, no pressure.

And Train World is showing the Silver version at $129.99.

[peteski]

It has everything to do with that!
If it were an attractive business line they would've likely carried on doing it.

But it didn't make enough money to make it attractive enough to pick up.

Ed, you must have some inside info on this to be so sure about the reasons.  Interesting  . . .

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed, you must have some inside info on this to be so sure about the reasons.  Interesting  . . .

I wouldn't say inside info but it's all pretty fundamental business stuff.

If there was a worthwhile opportunity for them then they'd have taken it. The questions really just arise around what "worthwhile" means in their case. 

[Point353]

It has everything to do with that!
If it were an attractive business line they would've likely carried on doing it.

But it didn't make enough money to make it attractive enough to pick up.

Also, some companies purposely choose to be involved in a variety of diversified/dissimilar businesses, while others prefer to "stay in their lane", so to speak, by having only closely related businesses.

[R L Smith]

signalmaintainer:  Yeah, no pressure. No pressure at all...   

I will probably pull the trigger on the 1776, and surprise my friend by assigning it to whatever local switcher he draws the next time he is here to operate.

We've been busting his chops about the HO units that Rapido recently announced. His response - "why would I buy one or more of those when I already have the entire P&S roster, that I custom-painted, and added sound and ground lights to?" 

Needless to say, he won that debate.

[basementcalling]

So, it had nothing to do with the Kramers selling out and Lifoam not being interested in the model train business?

Wait, Kramer was married? There was a Mrs. Cosmo?

[peteski]

Wait, Kramer was married? There was a Mrs. Cosmo?

Not sure why someone gave you a down-vote for this. I found it humerus and nullified  the down-vote.   

[btrain]

According to a recent science article, it goes back further than "people".  Chimpanzees love quartz crystals, and will collect any they can.  They can't eat them, they have no practical use for them, but they love the things.

I was wondering why I make uncivilized sounds to myself when I spot something rare or a good deal at a show. Once again Railwire University is giving me a better education than my Alma Mater.