Weekend Update 8/15/21

[Cajonpassfan]

Judging by the 'Skoda' in the filename -- they are a big manufacturer of European light rail vehicles --  maybe this is part of their testing facility.

Umm, I wouldn’t call Skoda a “light rail vehicle manufacturer” though they do that too. They’ve been in business of building electric locomotives for close to a century and their 6,400kW/8,600HP locos pack a hell of a  punch for their 88 ton design weight.
Otto K.

[jagged ben]

Umm, I wouldn’t call Skoda a “light rail vehicle manufacturer” though they do that too. They’ve been in business of building electric locomotives for close to a century and their 6,400kW/8,600HP locos pack a hell of a  punch for their 88 ton design weight.
Otto K.

They do all of the above, which is why they need those  various rail gauges at their test track.     A lot of European trams run on a narrower gauge.

[nkalanaga]

In American terms, the three gauges are meter gauge, probably the most common European narrow gauge; standard gauge; and Russian 5-foot gauge. 

[Chris333]

The leading image Richie posted is just a short back and forth test track at the Sodka factory:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pilsen+3,+Czechia/@49.7384744,13.3612776,126a,35y,270h,39.4t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x470aee73368f92c5:0x500af0f6615a6c0!8m2!3d49.7461436!4d13.3731194

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%C5%A0koda_gauntlet_track1.jpg

[ncbqguy]

I believe that Skoda also built steam locomotives “back in the day”.
Charlie Vlk

[ncbqguy]

Nate-
I set up the Parts Department for Kato and it was a problem trying to run it for the North American market as the office was moving to Schaumburg.
In Japan Tomix and Kato was as Lionel and American Flyer were in in 1950s here.  Their customers were primarily young boys maybe 6-16. 
Parts for repair and kitbashing were not carried domestically because the expected lifetime of a train was no more than ten years.
Having train stuff as I do that is over 50 years old is not possible in a land where your family living room is your bedroom, dining room and train room.  Hence Unitrack and bookcase train set packaging.
They have “Assemblies” to salvage the rare accident damage of equipment but very little in the way of parts as we would like them.  Tokyo never could see Parts as a revenue stream even though they were priced to offset inventory overhead.
Tokyo refused to run parts outside of overage for current projects to the point you could only get the color parts used even though changing the pellets while the tools were in the molder would be no big deal for the factory. 
The only reason we didn’t get a different steam engine was that doing a second run of Heavy Mikados was that was the only way we could get detail packets for the first run since the ones still on dealer shelves seemed to disappear from the locomotive jewel cases...customers also needed them as they were easily lost in assembly. 
Before I left the parts supply was being cut back to the few pieces that the factory ran to insure they had adequate parts for assembly.  I imagine the US staff still has to battle for parts.
So, Nate, you aren’t a jerk for ordering parts as long as you are not burying them in the back yard with hopes of cornering the market. 
That being said, Kato has probably the best organized parts operatiion of its kind with Bachman being as good or better (selling complete decorated bodies). 
Charlie Vlk

[ns737]

I wish they sold shell and tender for the FEF-3

[C855B]

... as you are not burying them in the back yard with hopes of cornering the market. ...

This is the issue that tweaked @peteski . We do have an eBay-er making a business of buying-up parts stock from especially Atlas and Kato, and marking it up 2-3X. He is depleting available support parts at the manufacturers' generous prices and in some cases is cornering the market. Yes, it's a free market, but definitely not in the spirit of the manufacturers' promotion and support of the hobby. I used to buy from him occasionally until it dawned on me why he had the parts and Atlas, et al, did not, my having realized they were not "surplus" stock.

 

[pjm20]

We need BLI to have a more robust parts department! (obviously if that doesn't financially hurt the company)

[GhengisKong]

This is the issue that tweaked @peteski . We do have an eBay-er making a business of buying-up parts stock from especially Atlas and Kato, and marking it up 2-3X. He is depleting available support parts at the manufacturers' generous prices and in some cases is cornering the market. Yes, it's a free market, but definitely not in the spirit of the manufacturers' promotion and support of the hobby. I used to buy from him occasionally until it dawned on me why he had the parts and Atlas, et al, did not, my having realized they were not "surplus" stock.

 

Is it soooo-much-stuff?

[ncbqguy]

Perhaps if those of you that know who this bad actor is you could gather the facts and send emails to Kato and Atlas.
A situation like this is not good for Atlas and Kato or the Hobby. 
The ire is directed at them and frustrated consumers may eventually leave the Hobby for something less stressful.
Model Railroading (is supposed to be) Fun.
Charlie Vlk

[Spades]

I believe that Skoda also built steam locomotives “back in the day”.
Charlie Vlk

Skoda was/is the Czech industrial conglomerate version of say Krupp, or GE.  Established before there was a Czechoslovakia, continued under German occupation, Communist rule, and bankruptcy. 

[fcnrwy23]

Hi, All

I post about couple of weeks ago, that I was finishing the four cars left, of the ten car set. That I had made from Atlas 5701 cu ft hoppers.



Well, I got an early start this morning and have made great progress the these last four.



As I said, two are for Wisconsin Soybean Assc. and I decided to make the last two for the FCN's sister railroad. Fording & Eastern (FGEN).
All the data for these cars are from the Microscale Iowa Interstate hopper set.. (these came last thursday.  ).
The FGEN's still need the "Flag" logo for them to be finished. (damn the decal sheets, they just don't dry fast enough. )..

Jerry G.

[jjb62556]

just order enough wheel sets to replace wheels on my Canadian Pacific passenger cars. Now I will be able to operate on the FreeMo layout. Thanks for the heads up.

[Cajonpassfan]

I believe that Skoda also built steam locomotives “back in the day”.
Charlie Vlk

Yes Charlie, here’s one of my childhood favorites…
Otto