Those blasted new items and catalogs!

[Anonymous]

How many of you are just plain sick and tired of seeing a new item in the review section of our magazine or in a catalog only to never actually be able to find it. This time it's the AtlasO GP60 for me.

Yes...I hear you now....Supply, demand, dealers, manufacturers and all the other reasons straight out of a free enterprise text book. All those reasons aside, I just get upset. When I see a new product advertised, I like to be able to run right out and buy it. My latest was a new Black and Decker saw. Imagine if other companies gave the reasons that Lionel and the others do...."Sorry sir. We just ran that huge one page ad in the New York Times just to see what the response would be!" OH BOY![8)]

[ChiefEagles]

Agree. Was just at my train shop. Told the lady I would be buying a NS engine or two later this year. Her response was, "You'd better order it now or you will not get it as they will sell out quick." Don't like to play that game.

[FJ and G]

I'm currently not searching for new items; but your beef is certainly legitimate!

Why don't they print off the cataloges to coincide, or shortly prior to the release of a new item?

Here's another idea. Why don't the leaders of toy train companies get on the toy train forums and simply ask folks if they'd like to purchase XX or YY? I know that we are such a small sampling of the population, but perhaps they could get an indication of interest and I'm sure that forum members would love to respond to those surveys; instead of using the catalogues as survey tools.

dav

[Big_Boy_4005]

To tell the truth there is a much easier way to get trains, but it requires patience. Throw the catalogs in the trash, and forget the hobby store. Go to train shows, and shop eBay. There is no shortage of trains, and you will be able to find something you like and spend EVERY PENNY that you can find. Who knows, you might even find a bargain!!!!

Part of the problem is that we are obsessed with having these things the instant they become available, WHY????

[Anonymous]

Well Elliot, it's not that I have to have something the instant I see it. I can remember the old days when I first started in the hobby and I thought that a catalog meant the stuff could be obtained by ordering them. You know, like a Sears catalog. You see, you like, you buy, it comes in 2 weeks. I know what you say about train shows, and eBay but type in MTH UNPOWERED, or MTH Dummy on eBay. Nuttin! Like to have that SD60 unpowered in the UP road name. Hurry up and wait.

[Anonymous]

All of the train companies would be better off to suspend production for a year and reduce the glut of trains on the market. I don't see how these hobby shops make it when when can barely sell the stuff off their shelves and new stuff coming in the door.

pax[C):-)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Jack, this business has NEVER been like Sears. There has never been a warehouse full of product, and I have spent time in the hobby business. The stuff is made, shipped, and sold, the end. Each dealer gets one chance to buy any products in the current catalog, party over. The answer is "get em while they're hot", or wait for "the thrill of the hunt". Waiting may be cheaper.

[Anonymous]

I still see stuff sitting on shelves from four or five catalogs ago, sometimes longer. I still say things are not moving as fast as they are being produced. Why do you think a lot of the traditional hobby shop dealers now sell on ebay?

pax[%-)]

[3railguy]

I've experienced this frustration. However, patience can be a virtue. These days, when an item sells out fast, it often gets re-issued sometimes with improvements. You then have a second chance and because many people got the first issue, there won't be many people lining up to buy it. Plus the past issue shows up all over with deep discounts.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Joe Polska

I still see stuff sitting on shelves from four or five catalogs ago, sometimes longer. I still say things are not moving as fast as they are being produced. Why do you think a lot of the traditional hobby shop dealers now sell on ebay?

pax[%-)]

I agree, patience is a virtue. The other thing is just because you can't find a particular piece in your local hobby store doesnt mean that there isn't one sitting around somewhere else. Doesn't MTH have that train locator, that lets you check participating dealers inventories? The internet should help you find the trains you want.[:)]

[FJ and G]

Agree w/Joe's statement. There's incredibly, still a glut of Protosound engines in the ads of every single issue of CTT and OGR. That's incredibly poor poor poor business; stocking shelves for 5 or 6 years. Can you think of any other business that leaves stuff on their shelves for that long???

No wonder toy train dealers are not getting rich!!!!!!

Dave Vergun

[ChiefEagles]

Lots of add but not the road name I want. Hate to paint and decal when you are suppose to be able to get road name from OM. I also get very good prices from my dealer [widow lady 9 miles away with little shop] and if I should have a problem, she will help take care of it.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Lots of add but not the road name I want. Hate to paint and decal when you are suppose to be able to get road name from OM. I also get very good prices from my dealer [widow lady 9 miles away with little shop] and if I should have a problem, she will help take care of it.

Well Frank, your dilema is really at the heart of this issue, and goes right back to my original comments above. It comes down to two choices, and really always has.

Choice "A" is to follow the catalogs, and order the new trains you like when you see them announced. This allows you to choose from whom you purchase them, and lock in your order.

Choice "B" is to simply SHOP. You risk losing some of the selection when you do this, but you can also find some real bargains.

What are YOUR priorities?

[swg]

[Anonymous]

Did you really go looking in a hobby shop for an Atlas O GP60? Did you honestly really expect to find one?
The Atlas O GP60 is NOT OUT YET. It is not due in the shops until JULY. They#8217;re just now being manufactured. They were announced on Feb 6 2004 on the Atlas web site and they have a delivery date of July 2004.

[Anonymous]

July is not so bad I had to order a set of MTH subway cars now to get them in October. I guess it will be an early christmas gift. They'll be paid for soon and when I get them in the mail it will be like I got them free. They aren't a gp, but the fact that I have to wait seven months for them is crazy!!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LVfan1

Did you really go looking in a hobby shop for an Atlas O GP60? Did you honestly really expect to find one?
The Atlas O GP60 is NOT OUT YET. It is not due in the shops until JULY. They#8217;re just now being manufactured. They were announced on Feb 6 2004 on the Atlas web site and they have a delivery date of July 2004.

Hello and welcome to the board....Yes, I did go looking for the GP60. And why shouldn't I have? It is listed in the OGR NEW PRODUCTS section of the current issue. It says NOTHING about June, July or whenever. It's just like these stupid catalogs, a big build up and no product release until????? If it had said look for it in July, I still would be upset, because I know it may never see production.

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Hello and welcome to the board....Yes, I did go looking for the GP60. And why shouldn't I have? It is listed in the OGR NEW PRODUCTS

Uh oh. OGR "Smoke Signals - New Products" means products on the horizon, not necessarily released yet. At any rate, OGR's GP-60 news tells us "for more information, contact Atlas O.....http://www.atlaso.com/welcome.htm". Their website tells you estimated release date: July 2004. So you still have a chance to get one.

[Anonymous]

Although I live in a large metro area, 80% of the product shown in the mega-catalogs being put out these days never gets to dealers for potential customers to see. None of the dealers (the ones that are left - we've lost several in the past few years) orders much MTH stuff to display, zero Weaver, and only some K-Line and Lionel, but only a fraction of what is released. More and more dealers only order what is pre-ordered by customers; apparently they can't afford to keep much shelf stock any more. I end up ordering almost everything by mail order, sight unseen, which is an uncomfortable situation, relying on what I can pick up from reviews and pictures shown on the forums. The hobby shops that sell O gauge trains here are still operating under what I believe is the old model, which is to sell at full retail and hold out, because, they believe, after a while people will want the older stuff once it gets scarce. This model hasn' t worked since the mid-nineties. Now, with so much new stuff with more features coming to market constantly, if you're a dealer and hold anything more than about nine months, you're stuck with it. People are always wanting to see the new stuff, and older product rarely becomes sought-after later, especially at full list price. A better way to run a hobby shop today, IMHO, is to discount the trains and keep them moving, and keep the new stuff coming in. There are a lot of us who would buy locally if dealers would just discount about 15% (and there's an 8 1/4% sales tax here to boot), although it's normally possible to save about 30% off suggested retail by mail order. But they won't do it. So going to the few train dealers that are left in the area isn't nearly as much fun as it used to be - there's only occasionally something new to look at any more.

[Anonymous]

You went looking for a GP60, and Why shouldn’t you have……..
Because it is not available yet…..
I think the best way for me to attempt to rationalize this is to say this is the nature of the toy train business as we know it today. Like it or not we are stuck with it as it is.
When a catalog comes out from any train manufacture nothing in that catalog (locomotives and rolling stock) is available at that moment. We are expected to take the catalog and pick out the items that we want and pre order them via our favorite dealer.. When the manufacture gets a certain number of pre orders or a certain date is reached then that catalog is in effect closed and no more orders from dealers are taken. Then that many items are produced there is probably a percentage over the exact numbers ordered that a manufacture will produce but I don’t think it’s too high. Then we sit and wait for our trains. There is a shipping schedule which is on all manufactures websites and the date of shipment is listed there. Depending on what is going on in the factories in China or Korea, availability of parts etc, especially electronics, is weather or not we see the item shipped on time or close to on time. Most of the time it’s delayed. It’s frustrating but it’s the way it is. Right now MTH has a Railking ALCO C628 locomotive that has been delayed quite a bit. As of last month it reached 2 years since it was offered in the catalog.
That stinks if you have one of those on pre order. For Atlas to offer and item in Feb 2004 for delivery in July 2004 is super. If it gets pushed a month no big deal. You said that you would still be upset if you read look for it in July “it may never see production” Well its May 12, 2004, July is only about 6 weeks away. The GP60’s are in production. They are being made. You pre ordered an Acela for delivery in Sept 2005, but you are not upset about that. Probably because it said 2005 right up front. Atlas said July right up front; it’s on their web site. As for the Acela I think if you see it by Christmas 2005 you will be darn lucky. Look Jack, I am not trying to upset you and I’m sorry if this is long winded, but I was so surprised and taken aback that you actually thought that because it was a new product in OGR you could go and buy it. Magazines have their lead time to the publisher as well. I would rather have them tell me of a new item while I can still get one then to have them tell me to go to my dealer for a great item only to learn or already know its long sold out (case in point Lionel Veranda Turbine of a few years ago) magazine said go get one you’ll love it. Yea right they were sold out months before.
One last note as for the GP60, It’s beautiful I don’t know what road name you’re looking for but when July gets here and they hit the street grab one. They are just gorgeous. You will not be disappointed. How do I know? I Held the pre-production models in my hands at York last month. I have 3 of them on pre order.
Enjoy. [:)][:)]

[Anonymous]

As for items in any given catalog being availabe for purchase from your favorite dealer later after they hit the street, sure many are; but it depends on the dealer a small guy is not going to by 10 big locomotives in the hopes they will all sell. Thats money out of his pocket that could be doing better things then sitting on a shelf collecting dust. He may at times wi***hat he ordered 10 big things but most of the time probably not. Pre order is here to stay like it or not. Sure you could wait and play the Ebay game maby get a good deal maby not . Tell ya what...... go check out the prices on some of the first run Atlas billboard refers on ebay and tell me pre order has no merit or I'll wait and get one later.