Release Date Change for IM SD45-2

[POVC]

Anybody besides me notice that the release date on the Intermountain website for the first run of IM SD45-2's got changed in the last couple of days?

As of Saturday, when the second run was announced, the release date for the first run of 6 roadnames (ATSF, CSX, CRR, MRL, EL & CR) was still listed as June/July, with three road names being released each month.  Today I noticed that all the first run roadnames are now listed as November, with the second run listed as November/December.

A six months slippage at this stage, when delivery is scheduled within a matter of weeks, is a MAJOR change.  Whatever happened had to be big and sudden, because Intermountain is normally very good about updating their upcoming release schedule.  Delays of 1-2 months aren't out of the ordinary, especially with new items, but IM normally updates the schedule to reflect this.  To suddenly push the dates back by 6 months (which is about how far in advance they normally announce runs) within days of when the units are scheduled to ship is almost unheard of.  I can think of a couple of reasons this could happen and none of them are good...

Tim

[3rdrail]

It could just be an error on the website, too. But it is getting into that time of year (Summer) when the factories making our little trains in China turn to making the toys that will be sold next Christmas. Often a large order of toys will "bump" a much smaller model train order. There have been times that a delay has meant that orders were more than anticipated and the factory could not schedule a long enough run to meet demand. Most importers will elect to delay all shipments rather than partially fill orders.

But it could also mean the the samples from the production run were rejected and retooling is in order, or that Intermountain could not make payment right now...

[wm3798]

The boys at the factory must have done something bad...  5 months is probably about the amount of time needed to re-run a shell, I would think.  Maybe they have the roof on backwards again!

Speaking of which, I wonder when we'll get our next dose of F-7's... I need a fix cause I'm going down...

Mr. Kite

[GonzoCRFan]

Probably because they still can't manage to get their sh!t together with those locomotives, even though plans to produce them were made public almost FIVE years ago at this point.

I was only gonna be getting a pair of CR 45-2s, but long ago I decided to scratch them from my roster, just on general principle.

[kiwi_al]

WOW you are right and the ATSF F7's have been put back too. Hmmmmmmm........ so close but so far away........

[tom mann]

They can't afford another mistake like the TMs or the backwards roof f7s. :-\  Maybe they are just buying some time to allow for the inevitable iterations to happen?

[ljudice]

Don't look at it as another schedule slip - think of it this way - the model has been 6 months away for over 2 years!

http://www.mountainrails.com

[Erik W]

I should probably bite my tongue here but the reality is this is predictable at this point in IM’s existence.  The recent manpower losses at the top have effectively decapitated the company.  The decision makers and people who actually were capable of getting things done at the company have all left.  Once again IMRC is being led by non modelers who don’t understand the market and lack vision (the reason all the talented model railroaders have left).  The powers that be don’t plan on filling these vacancies.  The reality is there is no one there who knows their head from there a$$ and no one who is capable of understanding the big picture as far as getting product back from China in a timely manner.  Just sit back and enjoy the show . . .

Erik

[Wlal13again]

Hell it`s been so long I forgot the 45-2 was coming out...

[tom mann]

I think Erik just explained why the recent releases show a decline in QC...

[Mark5]

I should probably bite my tongue here but the reality is this is predictable at this point in IM’s existence.  The recent manpower losses at the top have effectively decapitated the company.  The decision makers and people who actually were capable of getting things done at the company have all left.  Once again IMRC is being led by non modelers who don’t understand the market and lack vision (the reason all the talented model railroaders have left).  The powers that be don’t plan on filling these vacancies.  The reality is there is no one there who knows their head from there a$$ and no one who is capable of understanding the big picture as far as getting product back from China in a timely manner.  Just sit back and enjoy the show . . .

Erik

Ouch.

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[Wlal13again]

I`ve never been happy with their products. I have a few grain cars that needed work to roll and turn correctly. I`m sorry but for $17.99 a shot they should be perfect right out of the box...

[TiVoPrince]

I'm wondering
if I wil actually live long enough to see the release of a fully corrected and properly finished IM SD45-2...

Its a sad thing when a proud  and well run company suddenly starts circling the bowl...

[3rdrail]

I`ve never been happy with their products. I have a few grain cars that needed work to roll and turn correctly. I`m sorry but for $17.99 a shot they should be perfect right out of the box...

I was extremely happy with their earliest products, the steel reefer and 40 ft. boxcar kits. That is all I have ever bought made by IMRC and will continue to buy them when I find them at shows. Why should I pay someone else to assemble something I enjoy assembling myself??