True Line Trains 50' Paper Box car

[Ryan87]

Cool I can get my 10 cars for around 80 dollars now...   [/cheapskate]
It takes a big person to not only admit when product is wrong but to correct it as well...

[Mark5]

Nice move.  ;D Will they do something about the stilts?

[lock4244]

Honesty is always the best policy. I can live with the door rail if I have to, but the ride height needs work. I saw these cars at Credit Valley and they looked very nice, but my budget that day was for paint and detail parts...

[Denver Road Doug]

This company will get my money.  Kudos to Mr. Altbaum for his candor.  He had me at "Star Wars".

[lock4244]

He had me at "Star Wars".

 ;D

[Chris333]

Cool, not that I need any. You can buy the shell and build your own underframe since the stock underframe needed reworked to lower it. This does suck for those who bought them already though.

So I'm guessing they do the tooling in house so it doesn't really cost that much, hmmm.

[Puddington]

My information is that they use a Chinese factory for their products. I know that they did for the first run.

[Robbman]

So I'm guessing they do the tooling in house so it doesn't really cost that much, hmmm.

Honestly... the cost they are asking for just the corrected bodyshells has me thinking they're making money off of them as well.

[Sokramiketes]

So I'm guessing they do the tooling in house so it doesn't really cost that much, hmmm.

My information is that they use a Chinese factory for their products. I know that they did for the first run.

Rapido has their own factory in China and presumably does the tooling for TLT.  So, you're both kinda right.   

[Puddington]

Robb: I don't have any hard figures myself but an LHS owner I know very well confirmed to me that the figure he mentioned in the rsponse was about right for true cost, in his experience. This fellow is well connected in the hoby and I trust his judgement. Once again; I don't have hard numbers but without any further facts; I'll have to accept the opinion of the LHS owner and the word of the TLT gentleman..... I guess we'll never know for sure.

[Puddington]

So I'm guessing they do the tooling in house so it doesn't really cost that much, hmmm.

My information is that they use a Chinese factory for their products. I know that they did for the first run.

Rapido has their own factory in China and presumably does the tooling for TLT.  So, you're both kinda right.  

I know Jason spends a lot of time there (China) ...... I thought he was just a client but reading the Telegraph it appears he does refer to it as theirs..... could be right about the tooling being done there for TLT too.

[Sokramiketes]

So I'm guessing they do the tooling in house so it doesn't really cost that much, hmmm.

My information is that they use a Chinese factory for their products. I know that they did for the first run.

Rapido has their own factory in China and presumably does the tooling for TLT.  So, you're both kinda right.   

I know Jason spends a lot of time there (China) but I didn't think he owned the facility; I could be wrong but the impression he gave was that he's a major client, not owner. Could be mistaken.....

He's been trying to drum up tooling/assembly work from other manufacturers, so I presume he owns or has a stake in the factory itself.

[Puddington]

So I'm guessing they do the tooling in house so it doesn't really cost that much, hmmm.

My information is that they use a Chinese factory for their products. I know that they did for the first run.

Rapido has their own factory in China and presumably does the tooling for TLT.  So, you're both kinda right.  

I know Jason spends a lot of time there (China) but I didn't think he owned the facility; I could be wrong but the impression he gave was that he's a major client, not owner. Could be mistaken.....

He's been trying to drum up tooling/assembly work from other manufacturers, so I presume he owns or has a stake in the factory itself.

You are indeed correct - I just talked my LHS buddy and he agrees with you - he is trying to sub work for others..... (that may be the best way to make a buck in this hobby.... :-\)

Still; the costs of the shells don't seem out of line for me.......but what do I know.....

[wm3798]

The cost he quotes is Canadian, right?  So that's what, 25,000 Lira, or 8,345,098 Drachma, right?

That's not unreasonable for a painted shell.  One thought occured to me though... he said all the road numbers for the first run... does that mean the reruns will be wrong too?

Oh well...  I DO think this is a great customer relations move.  Intermountain did the same thing when the B unit mess started, and I think they deserve credit for that.

I may go on the prowl for some of these (someday).  They are good looking cars.  I used to see the CN variety occasionally on Guilford Avenue street running to the Sunpapers plant back in the day.

Lee

[Robbman]

Robb: I don't have any hard figures myself but an LHS owner I know very well confirmed to me that the figure he mentioned in the rsponse was about right for true cost, in his experience.

If it were for a fully assembled and packaged car with an underframe and MT trucks, then that $6.14US unit cost would be better... but it's just the shell.