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Every business had better make a profit, or they won't be around very long. HO prices have soared, in my opinion, in the past ten years. Best way to measure this is not to refer to a 1994 Walthers catalog, but check out ad prices from some of the long standing discount hobby shops, that are still selling many of those items from 10 (or in some instances, 30 or more years ago). It's partially about inflation-everything costs more-some items a lot more now than even 10 years ago. The rest is a function of supply and demand. As long as model railroaders and hobby publications go nuts for plastic HO $20. box cars,$40. passenger cars,$200 diesels, and $400 steamers, manufacturers will charge what the market will bear. Admitedly, many HO items offered today simply blow away what was even available 10 years ago. We have become ever more conscious of the very things that rivet counters used to be chided with. . .A manufacturer that introduces an improperly detailed or painted piece will be nailed in reviews and on Forums like this. If it operates poorly the word will spread rapidly. It takes a much higher quality product today to satisfy modelers, and in most cases the manufacturers have responded. I think that Life Like Proto 1000/2000 still gives us the best bang for the buck, with Bachmann Spectrum (usually) a close second. I think that Athearn rtr 'blue boxes' are one of the worst, most highly inflated items on the LHS shelves today. (I can already hear the outcry from the faithful !) And, I have a ton of them, but I purchased them at an average price of less than $3. each in kit form. ( Why anybody would by one of these or an MDC Roundhouse product in rtr form amazes me. A Proto 2000 freight kit, on the other hand is more understandable.) My issue w/ Walthers, and always has been, is that a lot of the MSRPs indicated do not reflect what one can actually acquire the items for in the retail/discount and/or mailorder-internet world. Of course that impacts the LHS with a dwindling customer base due to pricing/margins pressure. Either they start discounting to attract or retain their customer base and work off of smaller margins, settle on a certain level of retail trade at retail prices, expand into a mailorder internet based operation,to amortize their operating costs, offer a special niche service (like custom painting), or focus on a certain segment -like large scale 'garden railroad' stuff. The biggest single problem w/ the Walthers published prices in their catalog is that the model railroader-to-be / newbe may be turned off by the sometimes alarmingly high and unrealistic prices, and unless they have a mentor educating them re: how to not have to take out a 2nd mortage to fund their mrr startup costs, theyll pass on our hobby. The "30% overpriced" issue raised by 'philnrunt' is a function of Walthers not getting into a price war w/ the LHS that they source to, which must be the main source of Walthers' revenue. I suspect that Walthers' TrainLine rolling stock will be offered as long as there is a market for it, and I'd suspect that market is not too robust, nor will it improve, unless their rolling stock does. . .Some of their formerly Train Miniature freight cars are an exception, at least to me, and if they had a significant sale on those, I'd grab them up. Their structures are a welcome addition to our hobby, and that they are adding to it every year, is great. Are they pricey? Only if you pay MSRP. Are they well detailed? Think of them as a canvas to add details, colors, etc to make it appropriate for your railroad-who says it has to look like the illustration on the box. . .Are they a good deal? Yes. I think if Walthers plainly stated in a conspicous place in their catalog : "Prices Indicated Are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price" , it would put the whole scenario into focus- BILL
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