ExactRail announces addition shipping options

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You're absolutely correct!

That's why I don't think they should be legally barred from it or anything, but I'll be happy to take the money I'd spend on a waffle side box and put it into some more Amfleets that I can feel more comfortable buying.

[choochooboy]

Ed Kapuscinski wrote: "First, ER isn't doing all their manufacturing in the US. I know, for a fact, that their trucks come from China (the land of no copyrights...)."

I am not quite sure what you are trying to imply with this comment, but this kind of talk has come up from time to time, and I believe it deserves a response.

When you say that you know for a fact that ExactRail's N-scale trucks come from China, where does this kind of factual insight come?  Comments of this kind imply inside knowledge, and I am interested to know from where it comes, especially when you attach to it the phrase 'the land of no copyrights?' 

For matters of the record, ExactRail does source our N-scale trucks from a vendor in China.  For what it is worth, we also source our wheelsets from this same vender.  By the way, this Chinese vendor also supplies the wheelsets for Intermountain, ExactRail, BLMA, Fox Valley, Reboxx, and most likely for Atlas going forward, and others as well.  For ExactRail, it is the one of only a very few things that have outsourced tooling for our models. 

Per the N-scale trucks, there is no model train company owns the tooling for the N-scale trucks in question.  It is not the case that any model train manufacturer paid for this tooling.  Rather, it is the case that a Chinese vendor paid for this tooling, and this Chinese vendor makes this tooling available to any of his clients.  If a person is spreading rumors to the contrary, then I would suggest that: 1) they are deliberately engaging in slander or 2) they know not where their tooling ends and Chinese-owned tooling begins.

The fact that we source N-scale trucks from a Chinese vendor is very much an exception to our business model.  As you know, ExactRail has a large machine and product development department. Tooling is a time and investment intense process, and ExactRail is proud to have a fully realized and professional tool shop--with machining centers and injection molding presses.  We bear the investment and maintenance costs of these machines, which, as you may know, is considerable. Furthermore, we employ veteran Master machinists and specialized engineers proficient in mold design.  We mold much of our own plastic in house, and this requires people to perform QA on plastic shots, to desprue them, to inventory and prepare shipments to our manufacturing partner. 

However, ExactRail competes in an environment with other manufacturers, and some of these manufacturers are far in bed with Chinese partners.  In fact, there are some who are in bed to the degree that a Chinese partner may offer tooling at significantly reduced cost, no cost, or generously amortized costs on some projects.  It serves the interests of Chinese-partner to offer a deep discounts of this kind, because when a model train company is strapped for cash, the Chinese-partner can enable a project that can make money through the unit production costs.  The upshot is that these Chinese companies also own many of the assets which make the model train companies a viable business.  When a Chinese vendor undercuts or generously amortizes the cost of tooling, consumers still expect ExactRail to be competitive despite these circumstances.

As everyone on this list knows, the industry is amid a dynamic shift. This shift poses challenges on different manufacturers in different ways. Unlike Micro-Trains and Kadee, we don't have a massive OEM coupler market to serve as a revenue center and subsidy for this venture.  We are doing our very best to offer highly detailed models at the most competitive prices we are able. We weighed our options carefully. Given that we design, engineer, tool and injection mold in our own Orem, UT facilities, our company is framed differently than nearly all of our competitors. As such, the demands on our company are different. We felt that we needed to strike a different course to continue serving our customers well.

I trust that there are some who are inclined to disagree.

If so, I hope that there is an understanding that we are doing our best to serve the industry amid the evolutionary influences of the internet, massive cost increases in China and a shrinking dealer network. We do it with no malice. If we are wrong, then we will pay for it with our livelihoods. If we are not wrong, then we will be an option for modelers among many different options.

Best regards,

Blaine Hadfield

Vice President, Product
ExactRail

[Ike the BN Freak]

Blaine, I just wanna tell you that I'd like to thank Samantha for her email in regards to a military discount.  Hopefully I can get some money together before the discount that ends at the end of the month comes and goes...if not, maybe you guys could do something for us?

[Chris333]

For matters of the record, ExactRail does source our N-scale trucks from a vendor in China.  For what it is worth, we also source our wheelsets from this same vender.  By the way, this Chinese vendor also supplies the wheelsets for Intermountain, ExactRail, BLMA, Fox Valley, Reboxx, and most likely for Atlas going forward, and others as well.  For ExactRail, it is the one of only a very few things that have outsourced tooling for our models. 

Best regards,

Blaine Hadfield

Vice President, Product
ExactRail

So this is wrong?

/>Or did something change, just asking.

[Ike the BN Freak]

So this is wrong?

/>Or did something change, just asking.

Just looked on exactrail's site...no mention of N scale wheel sets anymore...what happened to N scale wheel sets?

[John]

I think everyone has had their say .. it's best to move on at this point ...

[lock4244]

Heh, unlocked.

So I ordered 11 more Exactrail boxcars today. Cost of that order means the drop to $100 for free shipping to Canada is irrelevant, but still appreciated. I did use the promotional coupon code. Big surprise, I ordered eight more waffles and three early 5277's. Blane, the waffle is such a great model.

Can we hope to see the FMC 5277 combo door boxcar in N? I've got a fever, and the prescription is FMC 5277 Combo Door Box Car (CN, MDW, RBOX please).

[Kisatchie]

As long as Exactrail is the topic, does anyone know how their replacement roof plan for the waffle boxes is going? Anyone receive their replacement roofs yet?

I don't have any waffle boxes (out of my era), but since the announcement that the roofs would be ready in three (?) weeks was made a while back, I decided to follow along.


Hmm... my brown bananas
need yellow replacement
peels...

[choochooboy]

IKE the BN Freak wrote: "Just looked on exactrail's site...no mention of N scale wheel sets anymore...what happened to N scale wheel sets?"

The wheel sets announced in with the video are still coming.  If you haven't seen the video, the link is:

/>
We are actually cutting wheel sets now, the specialized equipment which will assemble the four wheelset parts is now beyond the prototype stage, and we anticipate an HO Scale release prior to the end year.  The N-scale release will follow with an announcement thereafter.

I did not mention our new wheel sets in my previous post because we haven't actually released them yet.

Per Pullman-Standard "bow-tie" roof, the tooling is being CNC machined in our Orem, Utah facilities as I write.  If you follow us on Facebook, you may remember a picture of our new CNC machining center.  The N-scale Pullman-Standard roofs are the first tooling cut on this new machine.  There are approximately 350 hours of machining time left for the mold.  After which point, we will put the molds into our injection molding presses for first articles.  If the articles are approved, then we will move forward with production injection molding immediately thereafter.

Best regards,

Blaine Hadfield

Vice President, Product
ExactRail   

[Scottl]

Thanks for the updates Blaine.

[davefoxx]

Per Pullman-Standard "bow-tie" roof, the tooling is being CNC machined in our Orem, Utah facilities as I write.  If you follow us on Facebook, you may remember a picture of our new CNC machining center.  The N-scale Pullman-Standard roofs are the first tooling cut on this new machine.  There are approximately 350 hours of machining time left for the mold.  After which point, we will put the molds into our injection molding presses for first articles.  If the articles are approved, then we will move forward with production injection molding immediately thereafter.   

Blaine,

Will the replacement roofs for the waffle box cars be painted to match the cars we already purchased?

Dave Foxx

[Ike the BN Freak]

The wheel sets announced in with the video are still coming.  If you haven't seen the video, the link is:

/>
We are actually cutting wheel sets now, the specialized equipment which will assemble the four wheelset parts is now beyond the prototype stage, and we anticipate an HO Scale release prior to the end year.  The N-scale release will follow with an announcement thereafter.

I did not mention our new wheel sets in my previous post because we haven't actually released them yet.

What happened to the old wheel sets? Or are those the ones that are made in China?

[Mark5]

I'm one of those guys that doesn't like the direct only policy. To date you've offered few items that appeal to me. And one of the items I did get got the lettering wrong (N&W covered hopper) - but that's another issue.

New wheelsets are cool. Lets say I just wanna try a set out and see if I like them. Whereas for competitor's wheelsets I can simply order them at my LHS, for yours I gotta pay an extra $6 or more for the privilege. Don't expect me to be ordering any anytime soon ...

Mark

[Kev1340]

Ed Kapuscinski wrote: "First, ER isn't doing all their manufacturing in the US. I know, for a fact, that their trucks come from China (the land of no copyrights...)."

I am not quite sure what you are trying to imply with this comment, but this kind of talk has come up from time to time, and I believe it deserves a response.

When you say that you know for a fact that ExactRail's N-scale trucks come from China, where does this kind of factual insight come?  Comments of this kind imply inside knowledge, and I am interested to know from where it comes, especially when you attach to it the phrase 'the land of no copyrights?' 

Ed, this does indeed deserve a response. Blaine has been quite frank in his response, and I believe the expression is 'put up or shut up'

Cheers,

Kev

[Kev1340]

Micro-Trains makes their products in the US and they still sell through LHS and dealers. Nice try though,

Phil

And BLMA used the same made in USA reason to explain their direct sales only pipe loads. Do you really know enough about manufacturers business and financial situations to deny the validity of such statements? I certainly don't and I work for a company that outsources some of its production to China. Every company has its own unique situation.

Cheers,

Kev