ModelRailroader.com Reader Poll – January 8, 2004

[Bergie]

As a modeler, do you feel the sale of Athearn to Horizon Hobby will have any effect on you? Please vote then share your comments below.

Polls on Trains.com are not scientific and reflect only the opinions of the users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, the readers of our magazines, nor the public as a whole. Bottom line, our polls are meant for fun and to stimulate conversation amongst our forum users.

[nfmisso]

When I come to sell all those unbuilt kits, that do not fit my more focus plan, they will brimg more.

[Anonymous]

I hope they hold the line on any immediate price increases. I'm taking a wait and see stance.[:-^]

[Anonymous]

I just hope that the trend toward really fine models from Athern will continue.

[michaelstevens]

Yes !!

Hopefully, the financial infusion will help Athearn continue its invaluable contribution to the hobby.

Which can only be good for me !!

[dstark]

When ever a business is sold or bought it is done so with the idea of making more profits in mind. Where will the additional money come from .. either cheapen the product (I hope not) or raise the prices (I hope not) no matter what it will change the way they do business with the modeller

[Anonymous]

It will be interesting to see how the new owners deal with the company. they have significant opportunities, but they need to be careful that they don't interrupt their marketing channels,as I understand that the new owner is itself a distributor.

My guess is that the industry will continue to consolidate. I have expected to see horizontal integration (i.e. manufacturers acquiring other manufacturers) but was somewhat surprised by the vertical integration that occurred with this transaction.

[Anonymous]

I hear a price increase coming!
I smell "marketing experts" who know nothing about model railroading!
I see the old classic kits disappearing into the hands (and vaults) of the "collectoids!"

Look at what happened to Mantua!

[Anonymous]

I hope that that Athearn production stays in Compton and won't move to China or India. Greater corporate profits are realized by using offshore manufacturers.
I think the quality will remain high, whatever happens.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JamesL

I hope that that Athearn production stays in Compton and won't move to China or India. Greater corporate profits are realized by using offshore manufacturers.
I think the quality will remain high, whatever happens.

Aren't the Ready-to-Roll and Genesis lines already made in China?

I'm leary but hopeful that the new owners won't derail Athearn's recent good run. My local dealer had an "issue" once with Horizon, but not worse than any other "issue" you get in the hobby retail business.

[Anonymous]

I hope the sale dosent effect the cost of thier products. I have been saving for a new engine!

[Anonymous]

FOR MANY YEARS ATHERN HAS MADE GOOD QUALITY MODELS AND HAS IMPROVED THE QUALITY CONCIDERABLY. IT HAS BEEN UNFORTUNATE THAT THE PRICE HAS GONE SO HIGH. I WAS SORRY TO SEE THE MAJORITY OF LOCOS (ALL MANUFACTURES) MOVE TO PRICES OVER $50. I ONLY SEE THE PRICES MOVING HIGHER, A DETRIMENT TO OUR HOBBY. I JUST HOPE THE PRICE AND AVAILIBILTY REMAIN STABLE, AND THE NEW OWNER REMAIN FINANCIALLY HEALTHY.

GREG..............THE NICKLE PLATE LIVES ON!

[Anonymous]

I do not feel good about the sale. Irv held prices down for many, many years, allowing thousands of people to enter the hobby with product that looked fairly good and tracked well. I realize that the comparison of an Athearn box car with an InterMountain would show up many faults. I also know that an Athearn car at $5.00 would allow for newcomers to get into the field, whereas buying $20.00 cars makes it a little harder for those who have to watch their money. Time will tell, I hope my fears are groundless.

[Anonymous]

I am unsure about this sale. I understand the They will cut off all distributors. I see the competative pricing I get from online sellers disappearing. I see a jump in the prices.

Jeff

[Anonymous]

When a company makes a purchase such as this, they will not do anything to dimini***he value of the purchase. I would expect the quality to be maintained or improved, and the prices to remain at current or lower levels. Mantua would be a good example of this.

[Anonymous]

I expect that a distributor of hobby materials will understand his market, so the purchase should mean continued performance and improvement.
To buy an asset like Athearn to do otherwise does not make sense.
If the new buyers allow the business to deteriorate and they lose money then they have themselves to blame.
Modellers will look to other suppliers who will come and fill the bill if that happens.

[Anonymous]

As an N-scaler I was very happy to see Athearn enter the N-scale market. I was looking forward to many new releases coming our way. Now I am not sure if this trend will continue or will they back off to look after the HO market. One can only hope that things continue on a course that was set up by the folks at Athearn.

I do not think I have ever heard of this company "Horizon Hobby" so I do not have any idea of what to expect from them. Guess we will have to wait and see.

STAN

[Anonymous]

I Hope the sale does not stop the great Engines I really enjoy running and the enjoyment of putting well detaied cars together.
One consilation is that the Train shows have been my real market place for the last year or so and I have gotten great deals on Athern products there.
Horizon Hobby is really big Into the R/C Car Market,when I ran 1/10 scale off and On road for 15 years they were quite previlant on the market,but alas most of there stuff was to cheap to be used competativly and I by passed it most fo the time,hope they do not do this with Athern.

[Anonymous]

Long ago when I modelled HO, my locomotives were made by Athearn. Now I'm modelling in N and I don't (yet) own a single Athearn product. I don't expect that to change, but I'd be happy if it did.

[Anonymous]

I just hope Athearn continues to expand all of their product lines, Blue Box kits, Ready to roll and Genesis. They have alway been good products but a lot of the lines have evolved in excellent products. I too hope Horizon holds prices to a reasonable level.

[Anonymous]

I agree with most of the replies to this poll. Here's hoping that Horizon Hobbies knows enough to leave well enough alone at Athearn and just distribute the product. Leave the product research, design, and manufacturing in the hands of those who know best. Athearn is a cornerstone in HO scale and making some great inroads in N scale. Let's NOT see an interloper come in and screw up one of the best product lines ever seen in model railroading.

[Anonymous]

I voted a qualified NO, in the hopes that Horizon continues the qualityand competitiveness of Athearn. I would hate to see a change for the worse.

[holland]

i hope they expand the kits and go away from the ready to roll products ,so they can charge more .are we getting this lazy that we need more and more ready to roll and ready to run

[Anonymous]

I hope horizon will continue to produce the quality of models I have come to expect from athearn. I will be greatly sadened if the quality should fall suddenly in the not to distant future. I like others will wait and see. I have been purchasing athearn products for 30 years and will continue, unless they begin to change for the worst. I will hope for better though.

[piinob]

The biggest reason I consistantly hear from people who do not become model railroaders is the prices of the products. I realize that everyone must make a profit, but the fact is, for most of us it is all about value. Athearn has always offered one of the best value product lines. If the new owners try to jack the prices up and hold them there, the competitors will take away market share. This is a relatively limited market.

[Anonymous]

Will this mean that Athearn will soon be available at Wal-mart? What will that do the the small local hobby store? I guess that it is better than being bought out by Walthers!

[JDCoop]

I'm taking a wait and see approach as far as the products and pricing. I don't believe (and this only opinion) that we are going to see massive price increases. In the beginning, they will want to continue and build business with their newly purchased line and doubling prices will not accompli***hat. I think that product development will improve/increase, but that is just my own speculation. I think that the hardest hit will be distributors. The owner of my LHS stated that one of his distributors relies on Athearn for 50% of his business. I think that you will see elimination and consolidation in distributors. My LHS already has an account setup with Horizon so I doubt I'll see any impact in the availability of Athearn products on his shelves although this could impact other shops who can't or won't set up an account with Horizon. I think a few years down the road you will see more and better Athearn product being produced with slight to moderate price increases...but I've been wrong before.

[Anonymous]

For other modelers, especially beginners, I hope not. For them, they make a good, solid entry level locomotive.
Personally, I'm pretty much done with Athearn. They have been clearly outclassed by Proto and Spectrum steam. As far as diesels are concerned. I'm getting to old to shave and drill for grabs, horns, wipers and such. Especially when I can get Atlas and others with the stuff already on it. The way I look at it, by the time I go out and find all the detail parts, install them, replace the wheels and modify the motor to run quietly with a lower amp draw, its iffy if its worth it.[:(] Then when I figure in my time,,that $35.00 Athearn engine is NO bargain.[V]
Yes, the new RTR rolling stuff is very nice, [8D]but I think that the higher prices they call for wont change much. The competition is closely priced, economics should keep that in check.
It's the blue box stuff that probably will jump 50 to 100% later this year.

[Anonymous]

As to my knowledge they were a model airplane company. I think prices will go up. They didn,t have knowledge of trains. They will now worry more about selling and rasing prices and not quality and new products

[Anonymous]

Athearn's Genesis and ready to roll lines are excellent products but what will
happen to the blue box kits ? If these affordable and quality items aren't available for beginners will they take up the hobby or pick another? I wanted to buy two undecorated
Athearn engines to paint for my favorite road and learned that they are not readily
available. One shop told me that everything is going to limited run ready to roll and
they couldn't get any undecs . If distributer's and shops have a hard time getting en-
ines and cars now what will the future bring?