This was recently forwarded to me. It's good news that CMW will be continuing under new leadership - and interesting insights into the Chinese manufacturing situation for our hobby.
Dave Nelson
The shift away from manufacturing in China is happening in Wargaming as well as Model Railroading. There is not another Asian country with low labor wages and high work skills available. For example, Games Workshop has moved some manufacturing back to the UK. Their new prices reflect this.
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Since World War 2 we have always had access to cheap labor overseas, Japan, then Taiwan, then Korea, now China. The labor market is changing, and prices are only going to rise.
Many manufacturers thought that Africa would emerge as the next location for inexpensive labor, but this has not become reality.
I am glad to see CMW will continue.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I too am glad that a smooth transition has been arranged. I have a lot of CMW vehicles on my layout, and I'd like to thank the company for their products and the contributions they've made to the hobby.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
That is great news. Also Oxford continues to come out with some outstanding model vehicles. The more variety we have, especially in transition era vehicles, the better. There are just so many 1950 Dodge Meadowbrooks one can put on a layout without bending credibility.
I recently bought a few N Scale CMW vehicles. They look really nice. I hope they make more cars in different decades.
I'm glad that I might buy more vehicles later on.
I agree with NYBW John not with Dodge but with Ford. I'm starting to get to much Ford trucks in the 1950s.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Why go so far away for cheap labor? Can't you just build a plant in Haiti?
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
steemtraynWhy go so far away for cheap labor? Can't you just build a plant in Haiti?
Asia has a different philosophy about work, and education, for that matter.
I have a friend who worked at a larger military-industrial complex in the Bahamas. They tried to get the locals to farm fresh vegetables, they had no takers.
The standing joke was "What do you get if you cross a Bahamian with a goat?"
A weed eater that doesn't work.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
SeeYou190There is not another Asian country with low labor wages and high work skills available. For example, Games Workshop has moved some manufacturing back to the UK. Their new prices reflect this.
A lot of the clothing manufacturing has left China for Viet Nam and Indonesia as well
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
The Oxford line is of better quality than CMW(too many crooked wheels, sloppy paint jobs, unrealistic paint jobs.) Yet Oxford costs less.
I am missing something. What is Round 2?
tin can I am missing something. What is Round 2?
I think it might be : http://round2corp.com/
Apparently they bought most of the model car kit brands of the past, such as MPC and Lindberg, and the Johnny Lightning line.
"The Oxford line is of better quality than CMW(too many crooked wheels, sloppy paint jobs, unrealistic paint jobs.) Yet Oxford costs less."
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Oxford is a British company
They make 1:43 British O scale, 1:76 OO scale, 1:144 British N scale, and a small line of very nice 1:87 HO scale
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
Hopefully this is not the same situation as when Horizon bought Athearn...no brand new product in the past few years, just reissues, repaints, repackaging, and higher prices.
When I first got the Oxfords, I thought they were OO because they seemed significantly larger than most of the other cars on my layout which were mainly CMW and WS. Then somebody got out the scale ruler and it turns out they are correct HO scale. If anything the other brands are too small. I just learned recently that the WS vehicles are just generic cars, not models of specific cars. Apparently that saved them from paying licensing fees. They just present them as coupes, or convertibles, or station wagons. They look similar to actual makes but they don't call them by the name of the automaker. I do hope Oxford continues to come out with more HO scale 1950s era cars because they are outstanding.
NYBW-John I just learned recently that the WS vehicles are just generic cars, not models of specific cars. Apparently that saved them from paying licensing fees. They just present them as coupes, or convertibles, or station wagons. They look similar to actual makes but they don't call them by the name of the automaker.
I just learned recently that the WS vehicles are just generic cars, not models of specific cars. Apparently that saved them from paying licensing fees. They just present them as coupes, or convertibles, or station wagons. They look similar to actual makes but they don't call them by the name of the automaker.
Like a 1928 Porter, but without Ann Sothern's voice.
NYBW-JohnI just learned recently that the WS vehicles are just generic cars, not models of specific cars. Apparently that saved them from paying licensing fees. They just present them as coupes, or convertibles, or station wagons. They look similar to actual makes but they don't call them by the name of the automaker.
From this Yahoo Group post (link) from a while back, where the author made his best guess attempts to match up the Woodland Scenics to their likely prototypes
5521 - '55* Chevy Pick-Up Truck 5522 - '52 Chevy BelAir 2dr Hardtop 5524 - '55* Chevy Wrecker & '51 Lincoln 2dr Sedan 5525 - '55 Chevy Nomad Station Wagon 5526 - '57 Plymouth Fury 2dr Hardtop 5527 - '48 Ford Convertible 5528 - '51 Ford Sedan & '52 Chevy BelAir 2dr Hardtop 5530 - '51 Lincoln 2dr Sedan 5532 - '55 Chevy Nomad Station Wagon 5533 - '40 Ford Coupe 5535 - '48 Ford Convertible 5536 - '40 Ford Coupe & '52 Chevy BelAir 2dr Hardtop *These may be a '56 or '57, but the difference is slight.
That's a good reference on the WS automobiles. I didn't know the actual dates or makes of models.
I have many CMW vehicles and have recently bought some of the Oxford offerings. I feel the paint on most of them sems a bit heavy. The 65 Chevy pickup is their best one. I wish them would make some different colors though.
slammin I have many CMW vehicles and have recently bought some of the Oxford offerings. I feel the paint on most of them sems a bit heavy. The 65 Chevy pickup is their best one. I wish them would make some different colors though.
Perhaps their most interesting offering is the 1961 Lincoln Continental presidential limousine which is the vehicle JFK was riding in when assassinated. I recognized it instantly when I saw one at my LHS. I have a large scale model of that same car. After the assassination it was competely rebuilt as a hardtop with a bullet proof half bubble and used by both LBJ and Nixon. Nixon rode it during his first innauguration. Later it underwent another rebuild as a full hardtop and is now on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.
Regardless of who's producing the vehicles, I find most of them to be pretty pricey for what is basically scenery.My modelling era, the late '30s, isn't all that well represented by any manufacturer - Jordan covered the earlier stuff, most of which was still in use into the '30s (and even later) and I have quite a bit of theirs, along with some solid cast-resin ones which look decent in the background. Sylvan offers some nice stuff, especially in trucks, but a bit pricey for my budget.
chutton01...can everyone see why their roadside food vendor trailer might not be suitable for North American continent set layouts and modules...
Sorry, but I must be missing something obvious...not the first time that's happened. Please enlighten me.
Wayne
chutton01BTW, Oxford has a bunch of new HO models teed up for future production, of which I think the 1965 Chevy P/U was the first out. Sometimes though...can everyone see why their roadside food vendor trailer might not be suitable for North American continent set layouts and modules...
A bit more garish than many, but given the wide variety in trailer types and decoration, not out of line. Go for it.
doctorwayne chutton01 ...can everyone see why their roadside food vendor trailer might not be suitable for North American continent set layouts and modules...
chutton01
...can everyone see why their roadside food vendor trailer might not be suitable for North American continent set layouts and modules...
Airstream consession trailers
http://www.airstream-connection.com/Concession-Airstream-trailers.html
[quote user="DSchmitt"]Airstream consession trailers
http://www.airstream-connection.com/Concession-Airstream-trailers.html/quote]
After looking at those airstream trailers in various fairs and Austin lots, thanks for proving my point.
But, chutton" you say "What if the food vendor purchases a second-hand carnival food trailer [always a second hand one] and pulls it onto a large gravel lot [always a gravel lot] off the shoulder of the road, so customers can access the left-side vending window without stepping into traffic".