New Bachmann GP7 images...

[bbussey]

I wasn't referring to the $20 GP20s.  The GP20 preceded the FA1/FB1, FA2/FB2 (2nd generation) and PA/PB, did it not?  The series of Alco cab units was well received, had multiple runs and was reasonably priced.

[wcfn100]

I don't know... looking at what needs to be fixed on the Bachmann (fans!) and what needs to be fixed on an Atlas (that awful walkway gap that can't hardly be dealt with, carving off molded on grabs, lightweight...) and the Bachmann might come out ahead. 

There are several issues with the Bachmann unit that haven't even been mentioned yet. 

Jason

[Mark5]

For one, those class lights are a bit large.

[wazzou]

$20-, Meh.  You overpaid. 
I think that the one's I purchased near the end were $13.99 ea.  Let's not forget that blowout wasn't exclusive to just Life-Like, there were hundreds and hundreds of Bachmann items to be had including some pretty nice structures.

I do wish that Life-Like was still around though also.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I think Life-Like/Walthers is cursed. Remember that Walthers was blowing GP38-2 stock for $25 at one point. Sure it had some issues, but it was not a $25 engine.

[wcfn100]

For one, those class lights are a bit large.

The picture that bothers me the most is this one:



There's no separation at all between the skirt and sil or the sil and battery boxes/step guards.  It's all one big slab.  This may not show up on models with sil stripes or some sort of color separation, but on a solid color like CR blue, it's going to be an eye sore.

And can someone tell me if the fuel tank is supposed to have a seam down the middle?  I know there were tanks like that (SDs?), I just didn't think the GP-7 had them.


Jason


Jason

[asarge]

Now, it's possible they had created a production model where they relied on early, higher ticket, sales to pay for the run, then used the cheap blow outs for profit. But, you gotta think, after you do that a few times, consumers will wise up and those early full ticket sales will end. There were signs of that happening to Life-Like there at the end too.

I don't think we'll ever know which it was, but I can tell you this, those $20 GP20s were not a sign of long term health for the company that made them, so if people are clamoring for that type of thing to come back, I hope they realize that they're also pretty much wishing a death spiral on the manufacturer of the product.

BINGO!! Shops got wise to that awhile back and unfortunately it has carried over to WKW ownership. Why pre-order a loco at $100 the history suggests after a year the price will start dropping regularly. Walthers seems to be learning their lesson, but the history hasn't been good.

Bachmann seems to be attempting to draw both newbies with limited budgets as well as modellers in with the new loco's. We'll see how it works, but if it brings new people into the scale, then we all benefit in the long run now don't we.

[FrankCampagna]

And can someone tell me if the fuel tank is supposed to have a seam down the middle?  I know there were tanks like that (SDs?), I just didn't think the GP-7 had them.

I may be wrong, but I believe the seam represents the tank of a passenger unit. Such units had water on one side of the tank, and fuel in the other.

Frank

[up1950s]

1 part water tank , 1 part fuel tank . I think 1 of them was T shaped .

[sizemore]

From what I remember working for a rather large east coast hobby shop/smalltime distributor that was in close proximity to Life-Like; Life-Like was not "going-under". Life-Like simply overproduced, LL had a huge warehouse where they could afford to slowly lower prices over time and then have blowout sales to move units. The blowouts were not a signal of LL's demise -the blow-outs were the simple supply/demand relationship. The model still holds true unless you make a steaming-pile of crap.

Once the market was saturated to the point where demand was met, the price dropped to move product again. By overproducing an item, they cut their initial costs and upon release increased initial profit margins on a per-item basis. They rode the residuals on the remaining product until it was out of stock.

The big item we're missing here, is that Atlas, Kato and Bachmann all did the same thing, I remember Atlas and Kato products sitting on shelves for months after initial release and prices dropped. The key is that Life-Like made a much bigger splash than Atlas, Kato and Bachmann. Another big item we're missing here is the relation to economy, recession effects sales model. The idea's of overproducing quickly disappeared once the idea of frivolous spending went out the window. Tightened spending has led almost all manufacturers to more closely align production to presales. The Pavlovian response now for consumers is to preorder to ensure they get what they want.

Now if we look at it from a pure business perspective, Life-Like was a red headed step-child manufacturing a large quantity of mid-high grade product based out of a small warehouse. Introduce Walthers who has a much larger warehouse, connections to over 75% of the end consumer market as a distributor, and looking to corner a market where they only touched the surface (Walthers branded products).

Now arent we supposed to be talking about the Bachmann GP-7?

The S.

[victor miranda]

....
ok so I finally went looking.
what prices are yall paying for the new b-mann locos?

I found blw at 62 ish
and tower at 74 ish
kleins does not yet list them...

the atlas DC version is 59 to 69
mostly dependent on the road.

In case yall think the comparison is unfair....
b-mann does not offer a DC version.

how can the b-mann be a beginner's offering ?
are we expecting a price drop ?

victor


v

[MichaelWinicki]

....
ok so I finally went looking.
what prices are yall paying for the new b-mann locos?

I found blw at 62 ish
and tower at 74 ish
kleins does not yet list them...

the atlas DC version is 59 to 69
mostly dependent on the road.

In case yall think the comparison is unfair....
b-mann does not offer a DC version.

how can the b-mann be a beginner's offering ?
are we expecting a price drop ?

victor


v

BLW is listing the newest Atlas GP7's for 74.25 w/o decoder.   97.75 with.

I think the Trainman GP15's are a more comparable product to what Bachmann is doing with the GP7's.  BLW is listing those for 53.95 w/o decoder.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The B23-7s started out with a high price too but they are now 20-25ish on various websites. I think we will see the same thing here.

[Chris333]

I can't believe how much that new street car costs 

[up1950s]

I can't believe how much that new street car costs 

Actually both older ones cost more because you got less for your money .