N-Scale Rewards Program Off to Strong Start

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Just a random idea... would people be able to subscribe to the database and keep a check list of items in their personal inventory? If this is geared towards the collector, I would think this would be a big deal.

[peteski]

Heck, even MDC/Roundhouse cars were 'shack the box' kits since some of the parts needed to still be installed (I just put together a 36' reefer last weekend and you needed to attach the roof walk, reefer hatches, brake wheel, and trucks). But that's just me...

Before Micro-Trains, Kadee sold many of their undecorated boxcar models as kits of parts in blister packs.

[wcfn100]

Before Micro-Trains, Kadee sold many of their undecorated boxcar models as kits of parts in blister packs.

Decorated as well.

Jason

[peteski]

Decorated as well.

Jason

That's right!  Now that you reminded me of that, with all the bitching we do about how expensive boxcar models are, if companies brought back this practice, they could offer their models for less money - just some assembly required. 

I'm up for the challenge. Heck, I would welcome N scale steam locos sold as kits (well, with some things like the valve gear already riveted). I'm not that crazy!   But I would lover to assemble my own locomotives. 

[gdmichaels]

Just a random idea... would people be able to subscribe to the database and keep a check list of items in their personal inventory? If this is geared towards the collector, I would think this would be a big deal.

Actually, that feature is already built.  I just haven't enabled it for N Scale yet.  I wanted to be sure enough different items were in the database that it would be useful.  I think people are willing to add a few items here and there to help flesh out their collection, but if they find 70% of the items they own are not listed yet in the database, it would be frustrating.  I was hoping to turn this on within a month or so once we pass 15K or so total listings.

As an example, one of the local club members sent me his personal collection list in an XLS sheet.  I worked may way from top to bottom and found about a 35% hit rate.  Not terrific.  It is why we decided to run this give-away program so we could get closer to an 80% or even 90% hit rate.

All that being said if a lot of folks feel their personal collections are pretty well served by the database as is, I would still need to know if folks prefer their collections to be private, public or configurable.  The feature works right now to keep all lists public.  If enough people want their lists to be kept private, I will have a little more work to do.

[gdmichaels]

Not that my opinion matters, but I would think that Camden and Amboy would be considered a viable kit manufacturer. They were readily available in hobby stores and produced in higher numbers. Dimi (aka Titchy), Fine N Scale, Funaro & Camerlengo, Gloor Craft, RS Laser kits, Laserkit, and Railhead (to name a few) I would also think would count. Heck, even MDC/Roundhouse cars were 'shack the box' kits since some of the parts needed to still be installed (I just put together a 36' reefer last weekend and you needed to attach the roof walk, reefer hatches, brake wheel, and trucks). But that's just me...

Your opinion does matter and we are on the same page.  I am not familiar with all the kit makers, but Titchy, Fine N Scale, MDC and Intermountain are all excellent quality.  If the others you mention here are in the same general ballpark, then they would also be welcome.

[gdmichaels]

It's official. Earlier this morning, we launched our TroveStar Rewards Program for N-scale Trains. You can now view Rules & Notes and learn how to earn free trains / trains sets while making history helping to build the ultimate n-scale db! http://www.trovestar.com/special/ntrains/rewards_rules.php

[gdmichaels]

Thanks to the efforts of our Rewards participants, in less than two weeks, our n-scale database has grown by more than 1,900 trains and now includes over 12,700 locomotives and rolling stock.

Thank you to all of our participants who have added reference data on old and new trains from different manufacturers, including Atlas, MicroTrains and Trainworx.

Thus far, Rewards participants have earned a variety of trains, including rolling stock from MicoTrains (weathered / graffiti) and engines from Kato. With the help of Rewards participants and other contributors to the n-scale database, we are committed to creating a comprehensive listing of all n-scale trains (by road name / road number), which we believe will be an invaluable resource for train enthusiasts. We know we have a ways to go before reaching this goal. After all, by our estimate, somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000 total items have been produced since 1960. Maybe more once you count European and Japanese models, which we hope to include in the n-scale database soon (hint, hint to any collectors of European and Japanese trains).

Share and Earn
A number of Rewards participants are already working towards earning additional trains and some are in the process of entering data to receive their first trains. We encourage more n-scale enthusiasts to take part in this program and share their expertise and earn free trains to boot! To that end, we tried to make participating in the Program as easy and attractive as possible. Click here to see what one Program participant posted on the model train forum, TrainBoard, about entering train reference data.

Click here to learn more about this Program.

For directions on how to enter reference data, please click here.

[John]

none of your links work

[pmpexpress]

New to The Railwire forum, George and Jenna typed the link information incorrectly.

Here is the proper link.

http://www.trovestar.com/special/ntrains/rewards_summary.php

Continuing to grow, the TroveStar N-Scale database now has over 13,000 entries.

[Trainmaster247]

This looks interesting, I have quite a few N scale items by bachmann I could do to. Just need to get to them as they are at a second home...

[basementcalling]

So we upload info an get free stuff? Or am I missing something?

[pmpexpress]

So we upload info an get free stuff?

In a nut shell, the answer is yes.

Users enter all of the data for a new listing and earn a reward point.

Include a photo, earn a bonus point.

One of the top rewards was a BLI Union Pacific Centipede set.

With one-thousand new listings and accompanying photos, I was able to win this set in a little over two-weeks.

One wants to think of the TroveStar database as the Wikipedia of collectible items.

On a side note, the TroveStar classified listings feature will soon be online.

More about that at a later time.

For those of you who missed out on some of the most desirable rewards items (such as Kato locomotives and weathered rolling stock), George and Jenna will being adding additional products to earn fairly soon.

[gdmichaels]

So we upload info an get free stuff? Or am I missing something?

Yes.