Disappearance of Athearn "Blue Box" Kits

[Anonymous]

I can't believe that Athearn seems to be discontinuing their "blue box" line of locomotives and rolling stock. Although this line does not reach the level of detail or performance of Proto, Stewart, Atlas etc, I think it was a great compromise between price and quality. Is the disappearance of this great line going to hurt the hobby by scaring away new folks? How many people used this line for their first kitbashed engine or car and would not have done so had the engine cost $100 or the box car $20.00 instead of $30 and $6.00? How many people used this line to quickly build up a roster and then either slowly replaced various models or superdetailed them? Am I the only person who does not look forward to purchasing enough non-Athearn cars for several coal drags?

Finally, does anyone know if some other manufacturer is going to purchase the dies etc to continue this line of relatively inexpensive and reasonable quality equipment?

[simon1966]

I thought that it was quite well established that the Blue Box continues to live and that Athearn as recently as last month indicated that they would continue as long as there is a demand for them. Having said that, if you go to the Athearn web site, the majority of the Blue Box stuff is either listed as discontinued or out of production. Also a quick look at the rolling stock section of new products shows that RTR represents the bulk of the new. My local hobby shop is still getting new BB stock however.

Do a search on the forum for Athearn BB, this topic has been discussed a lot in the last months since the Horizon take over.

[Big_Boy_4005]

The main difference between blue box and ready to run is that blue box required you to snap on a few parts, and use a screwdriver to put on the trucks. Simon is right, do a search, because this has been discussed quite a bit.

Don't worry, Horizon didn't buy Athearn to destroy it, though they may change it slightly.

[Anonymous]

Yup, sure enough this has been discussed on previous topics. It was interesting to see the one post where Athearn said it was going to continue to manufacture the blue box line. However, based on the number of models that are listed as discontinued on the Athearn website and the ever decreasing number of available products from the various internet hobby shops, it does look like that the blue box line is going away.

While model wise the only difference between the blue box and the RTR was snapping on a few parts and screwing on the trucks, to me the big difference is the price.

[Anonymous]

[8D]Never!Athearn is just improving the line!Why just today I saw a new blue box kit at my Local Hobby Shop.It had colored numberboards with numbers and plastic handrails!!

[cacole]

I just received a flyer in the mail today from Hobbyland in Indiana, and they still have Athearn blue box kits as well as Model Die Casting kits available.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dkelly

While model wise the only difference between the blue box and the RTR was snapping on a few parts and screwing on the trucks, to me the big difference is the price.

To me, the big difference is the fun. I like building models, not just owning them.

[Todd McWilliam]

I have done some great detail work on the GP38-2, with the new plastic railings, and adding some details. I did 3 rock island 's and really made them look good with microscale decals. I do really like the RTR series especially the CF7. I will miss the blue box's, but I really like the RTR's.

[Anonymous]

It probably would not hurt the hobby much if Athern/Horizon discontinued some of their old freight cars. I think their 40 foot boxcars have been made with the same molds for over 50 years now. Large oversize grabs, stirrup steps, and those awful claws that hold on the doors! I remember having some of these way back when I was teenager. Cheap or not, they have outived their use in today's higher detailed models.

Bob Boudreau

[BRAKIE]

All to sadly I think the day of the Blue Box car kits is fading into the sunset..Not to worry..They are now being made as RTR with improvements.I feel it will be the same for the MDC car kits.
Bob,I disagree..Not everybody can afford the $25.00-40.00 KD,Branchline or Intermountain cars.There is still a place for low end kits..I do agree with the door claws and much to thick roof walks but,the steps never bother me as they don't break as easy as the spaghetti thin steps and locomotive handrails..[xx(] There must be a better way to make tougher scale steps and handrails besides the ones they are using today that breaks if you sneeze to hard on the dog gone things....[:D]
I guess the real question is where is the cut off between a realistic locomotive or car over one that can be use as well as transported to and from clubs without the fear of breaking something?

Apologies for getting off topic.

[Anonymous]

I too am a fan of the Blue Box series. The quality/price compromise is what brings me to their display every time I hit the LHS. When I began only a few years ago, and continuing on very low budget, Athearn has allowed me to have full yards. It's sad to see them dwindle; perhaps someone can pick up the slack.

[Anonymous]

Read their website closely:

QUOTE:
The entire Athearn line of HO scale locomotives, freight cars and passenger cars is listed here.


Check with your local hobby shop regarding availability of current items.


Kits and locomotives are not available factory direct.

first they say everythings listed, but that's wrong [:P]
Second they state to check with your local dealer for availability, this is always advisable over internet options.
Third they state KITS are not available factory direct, which suggest they are not getting rid of blue box's.

So, it looks like blue box's are not going away, just not available right now due to the reshuffling. And I'm guessing that the MDC line will all become Blue box's soon too, with less variery, unfortunatly.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BRAKIE

Bob,I disagree..Not everybody can afford the $25.00-40.00 KD,Branchline or Intermountain cars.There is still a place for low end kits..I do agree with the door claws and much to thick roof walks but,the steps never bother me as they don't break as easy as the spaghetti thin steps and locomotive handrails

I wrote my previous message after assembling an Accurail 40' box car. Not too different from the 50 year old Athearn ones, but has better (thinner) stirrup steps, the ladders and grabs aren't too bad. It doesn't have operating doors, but they can be glued in the open or closed position. Just a better molding than the Athearn ones. I don't know the retail cost of these when compared to the Athearn ones, though.

The one I got is the "World's Greatest Hobby" marked yellow car, as shown on the last page of the current MR. It was $6.00 (plus $6.95 postage) from Kalmbach. I got an early notification of the car being available as I am one of the WGH Ambassadors. I got a later message stating all of the cars out of a total of 1000 made are now sold out.

So there may be still be a market and/or demand for such inexpensive cars but Athearn's should be put out to the boneyard.

Bob Boudreau [:D]

[Anonymous]

I think that Horizon is spliting out the good BB models to become RTR, while the old inaccurate and unimprovable junk stays as BB.

That said, Accurail & Branchline Yardmaster are a lot more car for the same money.

[cjcrescent]

Another thing to consider is the way Athearn has always produced models and that is by batches. They only produce a certain number of kits for that mold and then put another mold in and produce something else. Due to schedules and development of new products it may go back to the situation with the heinz 57 open pickle car. This car was produced in a run and then wasn't rerun for almost ten years. Of course during that time Athearn came out with,(not necessarily in order, or all inclusive), the Trainmaster, S-12, SD40-2, flywheels, internal frame trucks, SW-1000, several new cars, etc... So I would not count the BB out until Athearn itself says that its not going to produce them.