Espee Black Widow maxman The problem with this dead horse is that all you guys keep ignoring the DNR. "DNR" ...........Do Not Ride?? Who want's to ride a dead horse?!?
maxman The problem with this dead horse is that all you guys keep ignoring the DNR.
The problem with this dead horse is that all you guys keep ignoring the DNR.
"DNR" ...........Do Not Ride??
Who want's to ride a dead horse?!?
DNR = Do Not Resuscitate
Hmmmm, me say dead horse is good Kemosabe,
Make lotsa glue from dead horse, put down plenty scenery!
Had a chance about 8 years ago to buy a case of NS flextrack and a pile of new Shinohara switches. Cost me 20 bucks. They threw in about 35 strips of cork.....best 20 bucks I ever spent!!
And no, its not for sale, I have plans!
Karl
NCE über alles!
As far as i know Peco still make there stuff in the UK which is cool
Apologies in advance for any use of UK RailRoad Terms
"there is the wrong way the Right way and then there is Great western railway Way"
Not to derail the thread (ha ha), but a few years ago (maybe longer ago than I like to think!), Wally World bragged about how all their products were made in America-- Paul Harvey said so! Then Sam Walton died, the family got greedy, and pretty much all they sell now is made in the Orient. And we're stupid enough to go along with it because of the seemingly low prices for what can be purchased.
Same thing with model railroading -- Athearn, for example, made good stuff at prices most working-class Americans could afford without bankrupting themselves; but it seemed as soon as old Irv died, they sent the production facilities overseas, quintupled their prices -- and immediately Americans couldn't get enough of them, while oohing and ahhing at the details they could've achieved for themselves with a $30 SD40-2 and a few Detail Associates or Details West parts!
Yeah, I know I'm a curmudgeon, and not everyone likes doing the arduous work of installing their own detail parts while watching sporting events like I do. But it drives me insane to a) send all of our weslth overseas for goods that used to made here, while also b) removing the actual "model" part of "model railroading."
Sorry for the rant. This subject just really torques me.
Geared SteamSam passing away
Russell
galaxyIt used to be that way at wally world...they had signs proclaiming "made in the USA", until they wanted the added profits of buying cheap products abroad and selling them cheaper than any competition here in the USA.
It had to do with Sam passing away, once he was gone, his kids went Chinese on us.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Rick MugeleYears ago, Atlas did make track in the USA, Kadee made coupers in the USA, and Athearn made HO trains in the USA.
All Kadee couplers and other products are still made in the USA.
_________________________________________________________________
There is a lot of code 100 "Atlas" track available on e-bay. Much of it is Atlas compatable made and imported by other companies: Garnet, made in Austria; Life Like, made in China; Bachmann, made in Hong Kong; Tyco, made in Austria. Model Power imported track from Italy.
Years ago, Atlas did make track in the USA, Kadee made coupers in the USA, and Athearn made HO trains in the USA. It was pretty good stuff and got the hobby rolling in the 1960s.
Some hobby shops are really hurting because they can't get product. It's a lot harder to open a new mfg plant in the US than it was 5 years ago for a small business.
Richard
I guess I am glad I finished my HO layout about 5 years ago. Plenty of flex track and turnouts available back then. Last year I retired and decided to start a garden railroad. Yep, same current issue with track. I had to hunt around on the Internet to get what I needed ($$$). It took the good part of 2012. By then it too late to get much done before the cold weather. The garden railroad forums were quite active on this subject. Seems that just 1 or 2 companies in China make most of the model railroad items we buy and one was either in trouble financially and/or was bought by the other one. Either way, the US "manufacturers" could not get their orders filled. Track especially. The tide seems to be changing right now as one of the major importers of G scale track, Aristo Craft, is announcing the arrival of much of their G scale track line. One container at a time and not all items in anyone container but maybe this is an indicator that, along with the uptick in the economy, that many of these MRR items will again become available. Yes, some are selling out soon after arrival. We can only wait and see and be optimistic. If the stuff sells I have to believe someone will want to produce and sell it.
yep....nothing but ME code 70 for me. Great stuff and after the first piece or two, it is easy to work with. When I built my last HOn3 layout in '02, I used ME code 55. That was an accomplishment in itself!
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
WOW! Can you imagine over 7 1/2 boxes of track today! I wouldn't have half the layout I have now. What does come from china is very cheaply made, just don't try to flex it too much the sliding rail will pop right off the ties. Jim.
wrumbel I was just reading an article on line this past week that GE has seen the light and is moving production of dishwasher back to the US. Wayne
I was just reading an article on line this past week that GE has seen the light and is moving production of dishwasher back to the US.
Wayne
Are they producing these dishwashers in Code 83, with brown ties?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The definition of beating a dead horse is trying to sell an obsolete 30 year old CTC-16 based command control system on eBay for $600. After receiving no bids, you relist the item for $300.
The seller claimed it was an alternative to "expensive non-sound DCC systems which cost from $800 to $1000." Says it is NIB, never used, and purchased several years ago. Obviously he didn't do his homework before buying it.
cacole Several hobby item manufacturers in China are now looking into production moving to Vietnam, India, or other "cheap labor" areas since the standard of living in China has been improving.
Several hobby item manufacturers in China are now looking into production moving to Vietnam, India, or other "cheap labor" areas since the standard of living in China has been improving.
Just move the plant to Haiti and be done with it.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
I, too, remember Atlas track being made in Austria before China.
I have a ton of N-scale ME code 55 weathered track from a previous project that is still new in the box. I intend to use that in the current labor of love. I've always used Atlas in the lower level staging and hidden track. I started track laying last week and with only about 35 feet of Atlas, I ordered some ME unweathered track.
It takes about one session to get used to as it is stiffer than Atlas or Peco. The bad, if you want to call it that, is you have to work the track into shape rather than just giving it a bend. The good is once you do, it stays in that shape. I shaped a section, removed it, took it elsewhere to trim and file the ends, then replaced and attached it. The other plus is the joints stay the way you align them, even on curves, without having to add additional support to fight any tendency to want to straighten back out.
I'll need more to finish my lower staging level before I am done, and at this point I'll order more ME even if Atlas becomes available. It is slightly more expensive per foot than what places who don't have Atlas advertise it would cost, but the trade off in N-scale is ME is 3-feet, Atlas about 30-inches. Fewer joints is worth the very minimal cost difference.
I think it looks better, too, although that matters not in staging that is visible but not scenicked. My experience so far, after laying about 48-feet on almost all curves is it is better overall.
Truth is, at the point where I was ready to lay track, ME could be made on the moon and it would not have mattered. It is, however, made in the USA.
- Mark
rdgk1se3019 There is a company in the West Chester PA area that had made toasters for companies like GE, B&D, and so on........about 15 or so years ago Wal-Mart told the seller (distributors) to start having their goods made in China (for bigger wally world profits) or else Wal-mart would stop selling their goods in their stores.
There is a company in the West Chester PA area that had made toasters for companies like GE, B&D, and so on........about 15 or so years ago Wal-Mart told the seller (distributors) to start having their goods made in China (for bigger wally world profits) or else Wal-mart would stop selling their goods in their stores.
Walmart is now making a *big stink* about bringing back USA made/built products. No shipping/import costs to worry about. Or at least lower shipping costs over shipping acros the ocean and across the continent.
It used to be that way at wally world...they had signs proclaiming "made in the USA", until they wanted the added profits of buying cheap products abroad and selling them cheaper than any competition here in the USA.
Now, they "have seen the light" and find many USA made goods can be had for a LOWER cost than those made elsewhere.
I recently bought a new "made in America" clothes basket to replace one worn out from 20 years ago. It was a whole $2.97. I wasn't going to complain at that price! One made in China was going for $5.97 for the same size, both white plastic, side by side.
Now if USA made goods remain good quality and value, they WILL suceed again.ANd if qulity is "job one" then USA exports may be in demand too.
Just saying.
I LOVE Dead Horses.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Not sure they ever made Atlas track in the US, everyone assumes so.(but I could be wrong) I do know for a fact that for years and years Atlas track was made in Austria. I still have some leftover brass track from gosh knows how many years ago with Made in Austria under Atlas.
I've switched to ME as well, I think it looks better.
Model Trainstuff must have gotten a shipment of Atlas Code 83 and 100 flex because they are showing in stock in volume.
What is the obsession with Atlas track and China?
There are other brands out there. Micro Engineering makes their track in the US, what is wrong with their product?
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2047675.m570.l2632.R0&_nkw=code+100+track&_sacat=479&_from=R40
here yea go bid till your hearts content :)
This may not be relevant to the actual topic of a availability of track, etc. but it is relevant to the thread title:
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it WALK on water."
Come on Model Power. Now's the perfect opportunity to have GT do another run of Code 83 track!
Hornblower
Plan ahead people!!!!!!!!!!! I bought all my track years ahead of need (and got it for bargain basement prices), Now selling the excess on e-bay for far more than I paid for all of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tell me what I need to make track, hahahaha I need a different job.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
Darth Santa Fe http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2007-02-24/ Sorry, I couldn't resist.
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2007-02-24/
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Atlas built their track business off US made products. They should bring production back. Even if the price goes up a little, I suspect people will continue to buy their track just as much (or even more, since it'll actually be available!).