Rapido and N scale

[rapidotrains]

Hi guys,

So we announced the GMD-1 in the newsletter on Thursday and orders have been coming in.  Nobody's ordered THE FLEET yet, but I'm hoping someone will!

However, I'll be totally honest with you - we've had more orders for HO scale Budd cars as a result of the newsletter than for the N scale GMD-1.

This tells me, not surprisingly, that the vast majority of our newsletter subscribers are HO guys.  I'm not surprised because the vast majority of our products are HO scale.  Mike is working his darnedest to change that....

Here's a link to our newsletter sign up page:

http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001Wa58ZNPFtyXPDswqX_KtXQ==


Please let your fellow N scalers know that Rapido is increasing its N scale output.  I don't want N scale modellers to miss our announcements just because they assume it's HO and turn the page.

Thanks and regards,

Jason

[Mike C]

  Looks like you have some good things comming ! But I run steam in N scale. Any plans for us ?????......Mike

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Hey Jason,

If I were to order the fleet does each loco still come in its own case or is there a special case for them?

[rsn48]

Or there are people like me who will be purchasing one once my track work is in, money spent here is money not spent there, so I am so close to getting all the track in and running I don't want to start the collectors mentality - again!  And I haven't checked the number for CN but I sure hope you picked one that is still functional, that would help you sell more units.  We have one or more here in Vancouver BC still plugging away.

[Chris333]

You have to understand that some people will never pre-order.

[nickelplate759]

Well,

I'm not really interested in the GMD-1, cool though it is.  I am interested in a TurboTrain (whenever those get built) and in Osgood Bradley coaches...

[rsn48]

I should also include, I'm one of those who will never pre-order.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I love how you guys are doing what you're doing.

Sadly, you're not really doing anything I can use.

If you want to sell me a Fleet, well, I could use a bundle of blue SD40-2s, but without those weird cabs you guys put on them

[Bsklarski]

Well,

I am interested in a TurboTrain (whenever those get built) and in Osgood Bradley coaches...

+1

[OldEastRR]

I would also point out that you're comparing HO cars to N scale locos, so there is a difference not only in price but also usability -- one could easily justify buying say 6 passenger cars of all the same model (or a complete train a la Kato), but not six locomotives of all the same kind. I'd wager there are more of the former type model rails than the latter.
I, too, am waiting for that Osgood-Bradley moment. If you guys come out with them the same time MTL releases single-window heavyweight coaches then whole long trains will appear on layouts magically. More so if MTL does a NH paint scheme.
Speaking of train sets -- maybe when you accumulate enough types of N pass cars you could whip up some prototypical set of CN or other railroads and sell it as one package.

[Big Train]

As much as I'd like to own a GMD-1 or even two, maybe three, but I'm going out on a limb here, I don't know anyone in my immediate circle of N Scale associates that are willing to shell out $2300CDN (or $3600CDN for DCC with Sound) for 15 of these. Following what Mr. Kapuscinski said, SD40-2's maybe. The world can always use more SD40-2's with different road numbers. But I can't see having 15 of these esoteric, yet uniquely Canadian locomotives.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Rapido is stepping up to make this locomotive and if we want this more of this kind of product in the future, we need to put our money where our mouths are. And I will support them.

But, has someone in Rapido's sales division done the marketing research to see if any N scale modellers have that kind of money to "own the fleet" of GMD-1s? If I asked my wife if I can have $3600CDN for N scale locomotives, I'd be living under a bridge in an appliance box down by the river and she's very supportive of my N Scale activities. She doesn't mind me spending money on all those Micro Trains cars I just gotta have, or a fine bottle of single malt or a new guitar once and a great while. But really, 15 GMD-1s or an Omega Speedmaster wrist watch? Or maybe several months of mortgage payments.  I guess it's a matter of priorities.

But I suppose their might be someone out there with that kind of disposable income that will do it. Because they can.

Thank you.

[peteski]

Well,

I'm not really interested in the GMD-1, cool though it is.  I am interested in a TurboTrain (whenever those get built) and in Osgood Bradley coaches...

+1 (and for how many years now?) 

[dougnelson]

+1

++++2 on the American Flyer cars.

Doug.

[wmcbride]

I'd be in for a Turbotrain in a heartbeat as well as ... The Canadian - both in N!

[pjm20]

Jason, is that project with the PRRT&HS still alive?