MT just posted this on Facebook regarding MT1500

[tehachapifan]

Well, that's just about right.....as I just finished my kitbash of the same SP Kodachrome unit.

Can't seem to custom build something that doesn't get mass-produced a short time later! It's a conspiracy I tell ya!

[James Costello]

Well, that's just about right.....as I just finished my kitbash of the same SP Kodachrome unit.

Can't seem to custom build something that doesn't get mass-produced a short time later! It's a conspiracy I tell ya!

No SD75M yet....

[John]

@Shipsure  - really? No KCS white?

Undec -- paint -- microscale

[Rich_S]

Well, that's just about right.....as I just finished my kitbash of the same SP Kodachrome unit.

Can't seem to custom build something that doesn't get mass-produced a short time later! It's a conspiracy I tell ya!

Russ, Keep building your SW1500's. According to the Micro-Trains add, this is the last run, bummer  
That is, unless Atlas or Kato decides to make the SW1500 in N scale? 

[Mark5]

I blame Walthers ... 

[sundowner]

If that shocked you, did you see the price? The price for the last run of SW1500's will be $194.95  with a deposit of $48.73 due now.
That is for a DCC Ready locomotive. That sound you just heard was my jaw hitting the floor 

That because they preferred you preorder from a dealer, you can preorder from a dealer with no deposit. Its the same for other advance reservations.

[sundowner]

I got a Atlas built NASA #3 from the NSN last month and sold it for a nice profit guessing that MT would do the correct model.
To bad this is the last run, would have like to also get the correct NASA #1 or #2 in the older scheme.

[JoeD]

I got a Atlas built NASA #3 from the NSN last month and sold it for a nice profit guessing that MT would do the correct model.
To bad this is the last run, would have like to also get the correct NASA #1 or #2 in the older scheme.

That may happen depending on how orders go.

Joe

[JoeD]

Please understand this has nothing to do with Walthers.  This is due to hair raising price increases and MOQs from China.  They got the religion on capitalism over there and I suspect you will see this filter out to other companies that don't have their own factories or do large enough orders to keep pricing reasonable. 

Joe

[peteski]

Please understand this has nothing to do with Walthers.  This is due to hair raising price increases and MOQs from China.  They got the religion on capitalism over there and I suspect you will see this filter out to other companies that don't have their own factories or do large enough orders to keep pricing reasonable. 

Joe

So it is a cost issue. Just as I suspected in this post.

[Mark5]

Please understand this has nothing to do with Walthers.  This is due to hair raising price increases and MOQs from China.  They got the religion on capitalism over there and I suspect you will see this filter out to other companies that don't have their own factories or do large enough orders to keep pricing reasonable. 

Joe

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

[Ngineer]

This is due to hair raising price increases and MOQs from China.  (...) filter out to other companies that don't have their own factories or do large enough orders to keep pricing reasonable.

Bad news. This could kill smaller companies. 

   Javier

[mu26aeh]

While possibly killing the smaller companies, how about killing the hobby ?  I know a lot of us here probably have more locomotives and rolling stock then we already need.  I buy things to continue to support companies to bring new product out and to replace older, bulky, dated models with newer, more detailed or prototypical models.  But at some point, have to draw a line if it's really worth it. 

[John]

While possibly killing the smaller companies, how about killing the hobby ?  I know a lot of us here probably have more locomotives and rolling stock then we already need.  I buy things to continue to support companies to bring new product out and to replace older, bulky, dated models with newer, more detailed or prototypical models.  But at some point, have to draw a line if it's really worth it.

I've kind of reached that point already .. very few things in the queue to purchase .. and the only loco I'm going to get is the AMTRAK veterans unit

[Rich_S]

While possibly killing the smaller companies, how about killing the hobby ?  I know a lot of us here probably have more locomotives and rolling stock then we already need.  I buy things to continue to support companies to bring new product out and to replace older, bulky, dated models with newer, more detailed or prototypical models.  But at some point, have to draw a line if it's really worth it.

I agree and this has nothing to do with Micro-Trains. Right now it's just a sad fact of life, model railroad products seem to be increasing in value faster than my paycheck. I would really like one of those Southern SW1500's, but at $195 + $48.95 for the TCS decoder, that's almost my hobby budget for the year