The recession and N scale...

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Bryan, don't you think Sanda-Kan would have stayed independent if the economy wasn't so bad.?

[kalbert]

Think for a minute if we lost all that tooling. The loss of Atlas engines alone would single-handedly doom N scale. It would put us on the same level as S with few suppliers making motive power, and only a notch above TT.

So I could be wrong, but I think we came, very VERY close to loosing it all in the 2009-2010 timeframe.

Not sure about that... If Atlas lost all their tooling, don't you think somebody else would seize the opportunity and try to fill the gap? Or that Atlas has the drawings to give to another machinist to make new tools, maybe not all of it but at least the shells? A setback yes, a bigger setback than it was anyway yes, but N scale Armageddon? I doubt it.

[kalbert]

Bryan, don't you think Sanda-Kan would have stayed independent if the economy wasn't so bad.?

Sanda-Kan got caught by increasing labor costs and regulation, poor short term greedy management, and a bigger stronger greedier competitor. I think it's more like Sanda-Kan would have stayed independent if their leaders would have fought it instead of cashing in on some short term gratification. The "poor economy" played only a small part if any.

[peteski]

................A N O T H E R    C H I C K E N   L I T T L E    T H R E A D ..........

[Flatrat]

I don't know exactly what you mean by "another chicken little thread". I recently decided to give N scale modeling another try from what I experienced back in the 1980's and was wondering if faithful followers thought things were getting better or worse in N scale and if the recession was hurting N scale offerings or in fact increasing them.
Thanks for the insights on the hobby. I appreciate the responses and I think that N scale may be doing better than ever.

Scott

[peteski]

Scott, it seems to me that this thread has turned into just another "N scale is doomed" thread.    In case you don't know the chicken little reference, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henny_Penny

[Flatrat]

Thanks for the chicken little link Pete. It was a real eye opener.

From other posters responses it appears that N scale may have been less affected than what I perceived in large scale in recent times. With the better running engines and newer/different track offerings from the 80's it appears that I'm jumping back into N scale at a very good time. Things definitely do not look "doomed" in N scale.

My LHS still has the obligatory half dozen engines and two dozen cars, mostly of local interest, [southern, N&W, etc.] all priced at twice what they can be found at on line, none of which fit my layout plans anyway, but that seems standard for local hobby shops everywhere. I was wondering if the larger suppliers on line had cut back their inventory.

[Brakie]

Things definitely do not look "doomed" in N scale.
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Nor is it all rosey in rosey land.

The newly tooled HO releases is staggering when compared to newly tooled  N Scale.

Thankfully we have seen more new and improved freight cars with body mounted couplers which is in my opinion a move in the right direction-FVM will produce a correct NS GEVO with high mounted headlights and ER has retooled their  N Scale cars with body mounted couplers..

Yes,while everything isn't all rosey in rosey land as many believe we have seen moves in the right direction..

[wes_sutton]

UK manufacturer Dapol doesn't seemed phased by the recession. Here is a preview of their catalogue of releases for the next 18 months - which doesn't include everything on its way.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59092-dapol-20123-new-catalogue-announcements/

Note they will be bringing out a 2-8-0, an 0-6-0PT, a 4-4-0 and 2 x 4-6-2 all new tooling steam outline models during this period plus 3 new diesel prototypes.

All 1:148 as opposed to 1:160 though.

   

[VonRyan]

UK manufacturer Dapol doesn't seemed phased by the recession. Here is a preview of their catalogue of releases for the next 18 months - which doesn't include everything on its way.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59092-dapol-20123-new-catalogue-announcements/

Note they will be bringing out a 2-8-0, an 0-6-0PT, a 4-4-0 and 2 x 4-6-2 all new tooling steam outline models during this period plus 3 new diesel prototypes.

All 1:148 as opposed to 1:160 though.

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!

And everything but the Pannier Tank will without a doubt have a 6-pin DCC socket. (in the tenders)

Hopefully Dapol might even figure out a way to finagle a way to mount the socket so that the decoder can be plugged into it in in the cab. 

I might end up wanting to sell some US stock to buy one if they do! 

-Cody F.

[wes_sutton]

.....I might end up wanting to sell some US stock to buy one if they do! 

-Cody F.

I think I may well be reducing some of my US inventory to fund some of these purchases.

[Coxy]

As far as I can determine simply as a modeller of n-scale railroading for 35 years, the number of manufacturers and choices has never been as good as it is presently. 

ditto

[eja]

My $.02  worth.....

I don't spend as much as I used to.  I could, but I don't.

My favorite (closest)  LHS is so cash poor that Walthers won't sell to him except COD.   If I place an order,  it takes forever to receive it because the store holds their order until they meet some minimum dollar amount. 

The LHS inventory is the same (or less) than when I visited 4 mouths).   

Result ... I don't visit as often as I used to and  the impulse purchases I used to make on my weekly visits don't happen today.

I am very happy with the "usual suspects" set of on line dealers, but there is something about seeing and feeling new inventory that promotes sales .


YMMV,


eja

[FrankCampagna]

Perhaps we should ban discussion of the economy. On every model railroad site, you always get shouted down by the same response. There is no problem.

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Frank

[w neal]

Nope. Still spending like a fool. Still modeling like a madman.