Wait 'til next year.

[3rdrail]

It seems Precision Craft Models has done it again. The Diesels supposedly due in the next month or two are now postponed to next year sometime. These folks are rapidly losing all credibility with N  scale modelers. They've managed to thoroughly piss off HO scale SPF's, too, with more delays to the I1sa, now over a year away.

How not to run a business... :-[ :'(

[tom mann]

I'm not saying anything, I may be banned here if I do.

 

[up1950s]

It would appear that they could well afford to take some workers off the self horn blowing bluster ad department and reassign them to the actual manufacturing of worthy chest pounding , "we did it" , trains . 

[kiwi_al]

How can PCM have any credibility if all they have produced since 2005 is one E7 locomotive in N scale - this from a firm that was going to do a lot for N Scale - it's done Bo Diddly for N Scale.

Play it again Sam....... ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Credibility?


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH

These fools lost that a LONG time ago in my book. Back when their first release was a crossing shanty. Remember those??? No? Thats cause nobody cared...

Anyway, between stupid production choices, a release schedule that is apparently tied to the mid-east peace process, and Factory Direct, these guys have as much credibility in my book as a white house staffer.

[Walkercolt]

That's an insult to the White House staff... :

[Nato]

  "NO COMMENT". See also the Broadway LTD. and BLue Line ? low cost BWL sites for more disappointments in delays only this time HO.There was a link to a site where you could list what Broadway LTD. PRR Steamers you would like to see in N. Since these companies are I believe connected, or related in some way shape or form I say again. "No Comment". Thats too bad Charlie V is such a nice guy.      Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[3rdrail]

Nate, Charlie Vlk doesn't work for BLI or PCM. He's an independent consultant that does work for several model railroad manufacturers, mostly preparing paint and lettering specifications. I'm sure he's as disgusted as the rest of us about seeing so little actually produced.

[ljudice]

It seems as if a lot of the newer players in the hobby are having problems - BLI/PCM of course, but I have also heard that the Tower55 line is way behind schedule, I have personally seen almost nothing from Huberts (and I am really anxious to get some more of those 65' gons), etc...

My local dealer, one of the oldest train stores in the US, says there is just too much stuff coming out and not enough buyers.

[up1950s]

Wouldn't it be something , if the other manufacturers paid off those foreign companies to do production hiccups on PCM . Or maybe those foreign company's do things other than model railroad stuff , and a bigger gain is being made by stalling the PCM projects , even to the point of loosing the account . Is PCM causing delays by making in production changes , or is there a cost to produce problem ? Why is it that PCM is so far away from the rest in producing a item ?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've seen a bunch of stuff from Huberts. They've been to both shows in Timonium. Really nice guys and lots of stuff.

[keystonecrossings]

Wouldn't it be something , if the other manufacturers paid off those foreign companies to do production hiccups on PCM . Or maybe those foreign company's do things other than model railroad stuff , and a bigger gain is being made by stalling the PCM projects , even to the point of loosing the account . Is PCM causing delays by making in production changes , or is there a cost to produce problem ? Why is it that PCM is so far away from the rest in producing a item ?

I think the concept of other companies paying of factories to delay PCM is way too far-fetched. I also would believe that the factories do many other products besides model railroad products.

I imagine the production process is similar to the printing industry. You project when you are ready to run and the manufacturing line is reserved for you. If you aren't ready to run as scheduled, you lose your spot and go to the end of the line. This could explain why PCM's products continue to slip by 4-6 months at a time. They lose their spot. You just can't say "we're not ready this week, let's do it next week". Somebody else is scheduled for "next week".

What is amazing, then, is how well Atlas does in keeping stuff on schedule. Some of their projects slip, but by far they meet a high percentage of their ETA's as stated at time of announcement. Kudos!

InterMountain is probably 50/50 with their ETA's. Kato doesn't count, because they don't announce the models until they are already in active production and only weeks from delivery.

PCM, quite honestly, needs a complete overhaul of staff. Nobody is apparently qualified to do their jobs. Unfortunately, as the company is small and privately owned, this involves axing the very people that own the company!

[ljudice]

I've seen a bunch of stuff from Huberts. They've been to both shows in Timonium. Really nice guys and lots of stuff.

This is good news - we need to bug the various dealers to start picking their stuff up...

[Mark5]

Bo Diddly for N Scale.

Not sure if Bo did anything for N scale but he was a rock'n'roll pioneer!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

What drives me nurtts is that the E8 is tooled. They had samples a year ago! Its the same issue with the IMRC SD45-2, except the E8 looked much further along. I think they want to maximise sales of the first run. What they don't realize is that the first people to reserve the engine are also the first to give up.

I want a pair of sound equiped E8s for the CR Executive train. I will never see them though.

When Broadway made their HO debuet, they had a good two or three years ahead of other manufactuers in sound equiped engines. This enabled them to build up some inventory and tooling. They completly lost this edge in N, and with MRC and other producing drop in sound decoders for hood units, how long will it be before we see them in Atlas and Kato engines?

PCM's owners are not N scalers. They mis-judged the market, they do not seem to care about producyion delays and they are not interested in producing anything that won't turn a profit in the first run. I hope that IMRC or Walthers purchases their company, or at least the N scale division and adapts the technology and tooling for their line. I think that will be the only way of seeing anything new come to light.