Bad news from Athearn

[Anonymous]

Sorry I'm the one who has to tell you guys this, well here we go. I posted here before saying I was going to get a SD40-2 that I was going to letter for my Allentown Scranton & Northern, note that I said I WAS. I was going to get a Conrail so I could just paint the nose red and get rid of the lettering (the AS&Ns paint scheme is CR blue with SP "bloody nose" paint on the nose and back of the units). There are four good hobby shops in a hours drive that a month ago all had two or three Athearn CR SD40s (one had a couple for six or seven months and nobody bought). Well I just got back from a four hobby shop adventure and not a single one had a CR SD40 (and where almost wiped out of all other Athearn units). All of them said that they weren't able to one for me because Horizon decide to discontinue all Athearn product exept R-T-R stuff and Genesis stuff. One hobbyshop owner said they (Horizon) are going convert everything to RTR and that it was going to cost 90 bucks for one SD40-2! This same one had a SD40 a few months ago for 40 dollers! I can't beleve I will have to pay 90 dollers for a Athearn engine when I can get a Kato, Atlas, and Spectrum engine that are nicer and more detailed for 10 dollers more! It would be a nightmare painting a RTR engine so I might have to stop my AS&N plan. I thought of a few more alternatives and here they are:

Scrachbuild, that would be fun, I would just need a Athe... Next
Railpower, I would just nead a few detail parts and a Athea... Never mind
Kitbash, I could make a SD38 or a SD50 or a SD45-2 using the article in a MR I have on making things from a Athea... Cut
Kato SD40-2, can't afford it.

as you can see I'll have to buy chepo fall apart right away engines for now on thanks to Horizon. Horizon should have thought about us teens and new comers to the hobby before raising the prices on Athearn units! Now when you think Athearn you will think of overpriced junk.

As I said before sorry I'm the one to tell you this, I was going to tell everyone about my new engine but now I have to go on every hobbyshop website in the world (acculy I found one after going on six or seven websites) to find one and give you guys the bad new that Horizon has turned Athearn from affordable good runnng engines to overpriced garbage.

P.S. Does anyone know what the Horizon website is called? I want to email them to see whats going on with raising the prices a third (even though its going to RTR I would rather save money putting it together that pay 90 bucks). [:(][:(][:(]

[AggroJones]

This is a damn tragedy. [:(][:(][:(][:(]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

Well I just got back from a four hobby shop adventure and not a single one had a CR SD40 (and where almost wiped out of all other Athearn units). All of them said that they weren't able to one for me because Horizon decide to discontinue all Athearn product exept R-T-R stuff and Genesis stuff.

I don't think I believe this just because hobbyshops said it was true.

When ATH came out with R-T-R they all said, "Oh, Athearn's discontinuing the blue boxes," which wasn't true, either.

So I think it's a little early to panic.

[Anonymous]

I hope your right!

[Anonymous]

Yup, sounds like another case of Disgrunteled Hobby shop owners spreading some more of those unfounded rumors again.

Jay.

[Anonymous]

Regardless, me thinks it's time to buy up the remaining Athearn.
Just remember where there is a void. Someone will seize the opportunity and fill it. Hopefully it will not be a long time coming!

[Anonymous]

Me too

[Anonymous]

[b]NO MORE BLUE BOXES!!!!!!??? WHAT!!!!!!!?????[b]
This's horrible, they're taking the modeling out of model railroading.

P.S. Dougal, why would it be so hard to paint a RTR locomotive?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

This's horrible, they're taking the modeling out of model railroading.

P.S. Dougal, why would it be so hard to paint a RTR locomotive?

First off I'm a beginer when it comes to airbrushing. Seconly RTR locos have handrails already put on so it would be harder. If this keeps up maybe I should model Cheyane like you![:D][:D][:D]

[ShaunCN]

I bought a athearn SD40-2 dummy in Kit form today cost $60 way overpriced.

ShaunCN

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Fergus

Regardless, me thinks it's time to buy up the remaining Athearn.

...which is EXACTLY what Horizon would like you to do. Buy up lots of their product right now. Hey, run the price up by claiming "it'll be gone FOREVER!"

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ShaunCN

I bought a athearn SD40-2 dummy in Kit form today cost $60 way overpriced.

ShaunCN

I was hoping you would have better luck than me!

P.S. How much would $60 in Can. be worth in the US?

[Anonymous]

As a custom painter I have done lots of special limited scheme runs on Athearn locomotives. Athearn Loco's were an economical starting point for me as they were inexpensive and allowed me produce my products better and less expensivly than my competitors who were using Proto-2000 and Kato. Now that Horizon has cut me out. (Becasue they dont want to sell me 20 SD40-2s and 6 F-7s and maybe a box car or two, I know have to switch to Proto-2000 as well. Which essentially made my prices triple. I am not very happy about it because now I feel like I am screwing my customers just to make a profit. When it is Kato's and Proto-2000's higher costs that are making raise my prices.

I might do some singular pieces on Athern from units I scrounge up off E-Bay. But no more 15, 20, or 30 piece runs like I used to do.

Damn it all to hell Im pissed off again. Now I need to go cool down.

Have a nice evening everyone.

James.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

This's horrible, they're taking the modeling out of model railroading.

P.S. Dougal, why would it be so hard to paint a RTR locomotive?

First off I'm a beginer when it comes to airbrushing. Seconly RTR locos have handrails already put on so it would be harder. If this keeps up maybe I should model Cheyane like you![:D][:D][:D]

[:D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D][(-D]

[brothaslide]

Market demands will dictate what Horizon will do. Horizon is in business to make money and if they can do it selling kits for a price that the market will bear, that is what they will do. Even if they did make a shift to all RTR, a new player, or another current manufacturer, would come on the scene to fill the kit void.

I'm surprised that some of you entrepreneurial types aren't chomping at the bit for Horizon to go all RTR with the Athearn line - it's a chance for you to move into the market, gain market share and clean Horizon's clock. IS THIS AMERICA OR WHAT!?!?!?!?!?

Sean

[dave9999]

The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!! Come on, they're just one of many manufactures.It WILL be OK.
Dave

[Anonymous]

About two hours ago i read a post on another forum website which contained a copy of a reply from an Athearn spokesman. He stated that Athearn was NOT going to discontinue the BLUE BOX offerings. Maybe there is not a need to get our underwear in a wad just yet. Why not wait and see?

jon

[Anonymous]

I forgot to mention I just won two CR SD40-2s (one dummy) on EBay.

[Anonymous]

I think I saw the writing on the wall when I heard that Athearn was sold. Consolidation with larger companies always turns the same card "The Money Card !!!!!" Believe me I've seen it happen for real where I live now, Charlotte, NC. The second largest banking city in the country. Acquisition is the name of the game. Of course what is not mentioned in the hype about better service and savings is that soon after acquisition comes that dreaded word "Downsizing" "We have to reconfigure to insure economic stability" Economic stability for who ?? The stockholders, the BIG stockholders. Be damned that during the past year 6,000 people were put out of work just in this area alone. I'm [:(] that our brothers and sisters are going to be hurt by this action. Maybe that's one reason why I chose to model in the era before there were diesels. Just a lucky move I guess. Things have a way of working out though. Wait and see.

JR

[nfmisso]

Looks like Trainworld is getting out of Athearn too. .....

I am very glad that I have moved on to an era where most of Athearn's current production does not fit very well, and I already have the ones that do....

[Anonymous]

I posted "The Direction of the Hobby" a while back. I expressed concern over the RTR vs Kit question. During that time, I emailed Athearn, MDC, Walthers and Intermountain. Both MDC and Athearn came back to me and stated that they were not going to stop producing kits. Walthers and Intermountain did not respond. Yes, this was before the Horizon deal! I have always found both Athearn and MDC to be good at corrisponding. If your really concerned, ask them about this!

[cacole]

This alleged bad news from Athearn is exactly opposite to the official press release from Horizon Hobbies. Horizon claims that Athearn will remain in Compton, California under the previous management and that no changes in the Athearn product line will be made. News to the contrary seems to be generated by hobby shop owners in an attempt to panic people into buying all of their Athearn products. You can read Horizon Hobbies' news release at Tony's Train Exchange (http://www.ttx-dcc.com)

[Anonymous]

$60 Canadian is worth roughly 38 dollars us.

There is a run on Athearn products on now. I just finished buying 40' box cars for my grain section. I have been very lucky to date.

Now, I had a heart talk with my LHS< and it is said that those after March the 1st who fail to participate in Horizions's distribution system will not carry these products.

The second fact is this, there will always be a "Blue Box" style kits and possibly others in the near future. Why??

Hobby Shops collect orders and requests. Distributions send them to the Manufacter. The Manufacter waits until there are enough orders to do a production run. Once the item shows up in the stores it's gone. No manufacter wants to make the full line 24/7 because of money reasons anymore.

Train Shows will probably be the last bastions in the near future as people seek products that are out of stock, back ordered etc etc. The first people into the gate will have the product period.

Later this year when things calm down it is my fervant prayer that everyone can find what they are looking for without the scares, rumors etc.

Dougal, visiting 4 hobby shops an hour away looking for something out of stock is a tragety. It would have made life a little easier to call ahead and ask specifically for the product.

I myself have faced the road name problem. For many years I have done without because the item is out of production by time I found out. No more.

I choose to buy the specific engine, research the decals, paint and railroad's need for this engine and get it out of the hobby shop regardless of the roadname or color. Then the big strip job followed by a bath then a dry usually yielded a surface ready to be lettered and decaled in the road name I desire.

I encourage you to keep in the hobby, I remeber the times other maufacters such as "VARNEY" and "Train Minature" went out of business followed by the similar hysteria from those who mourn the passing of a great product while scrambling hand over fist to grab the last few left.

Use the internet, manufacter's web sites, email with your hobby shop and phone calls and such. Keep asking questions such as "Do you have these coming soon?" Or- "Does the distribution have this in stock? can you get one?" etc do not quit.

Keep practicing your airbrush skills, I have yet to learn how. I hand brush all my stuff. Maybe I will find room to learn some day. No one is too old to learn.

I apologize for such a lengthly post and such a bully pulpit and a loud [soapbox]

No young child should have to endure 4 trips to find that product missing. What a waste.

Lee

[Anonymous]

Actually, we were going grocery shopping, and our area is rich with hobby shops anyway. As I was saying before, I won a powered and dummy engine from Ebay, and the guy who was selling it seemed to be nice. I'll let you know when I got the engine. When I developed my roster, I had no idea Athearn would get sold so the mainstay of my fleet was to be SD40-2s and SD50s, even earlier we wanted Tunnelmotors and not a single hobby shop sold them. I fact, I checked the Internet, and I could not find a single one.

[Anonymous]

I maybe going out to buy more Athearn but only if it's at fair market price. If Athearn goes, there's still Roundhouse, Atlas and a few others.

[Anonymous]

RELAX!!!!!!!!![:D]
From another forum group I subscribe to, a level headed hobbyshop owner relayed the following info: He has spent a great deal of time talking to Horizon and has found that Horizon is NOT going to be running Athearn, only distributing. Athearn will still have a free hand to build what they want to build, and to develop new products. (I doubt they will be dropping SD40-2's, especially after upgrading the drives.) Looking at past Horizon purchases (RC models) prices for items produced have stayed the same, and in some cases decreased after Horizon took over.
Things might be a little bumpy at 1st, but a year from now, I doubt any of this will matter.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info!

[Anonymous]

After reading Highirons editorial I will say he makes some excellent points that should be heeded by all. As for kbsfme's comments he is right about the relax part, however it's that word he uses, the infamous "D" word, no I don't mean [D)] I'm talking about the distributor. Just another level in the food chain that eats up our money [oX)]

WHY DOES FLEX-TRAK COST $4.85 at the LHS? And don't tell me it's the LHS's making money hand over fist.[:(!]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Fergus

WHY DOES FLEX-TRAK COST $4.85 at the LHS? And don't tell me it's the LHS's making money hand over fist.[:(!]

Now you are scaring me! [:0] I can remember nickle silver flex track at .99 cents !
<insert "old geezer"emotiocon with long white beard here!>

[Anonymous]

This is pretty much what the guy in my LHS told me last time I was in there - whether it's true or not I don't know. Have to hope that Athearn do continue with the blue box kits, as they're a superb way of encouraging new modellers - they look good, run well, don't cost megabucks, and only need a little careful work in fitting and painting handrails to complete. Luckily, I'm only short of two or three more Athearn locos to complete the lash-ups I have - need a powered SD40-2, probably in BN livery, and something to run with an SP U33C - maybe an SD40T-2 if I can find one!

The other thing I was told by my LHS is that the dummy locos are to be discontinued. if so, this is a great shame - they were very handy for people operating cab units (F7s, C-Liners, etc) as they could be used to allow the loco to reverse when operating on an end-to-end layout. I've tried using two powered locos but they tend to become detached over the uncoupling magnets!