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I'm beginning to hate catalogs...
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Seems everytime I look at a catalog, or manufacturer's website, and I see a particular locomotive, piece of rolling stock, or structure kit that I really want, I'll try searching all the major internet model railroad stores for that particular one, and nobody has it in stock. Even alot of the manufacturers own 'Shop Online in our Store' sites don't carry or have in stock everything. In my opinion, if a manufacturer is going to advertise or show a particular model (locomotives specifically) on their website, they should manufacture enough of the item that it would be available at more places. <br /> <br />I understand from a logistics point of view, things like specific roadnames and numbers would be overkill to produce enough for every hobby shop to be able to have at least one of everything in stock, and I'm not asking that. Just at least have an ordering option direct from the manufacturer available at the company store where you could order models you can't find anywhere else. There's only one LHS in my area within a reasonable drive and it's such a small one that special ordering something would be the same as paying MSRP for the item, and depending on what it is, sometimes they charge shipping on top of it. That being the case, I don't understand why it's not possible to order direct, and pay MSRP plus shipping, and know you're gonna get specifically what you want when you want it. <br /> <br />Is that too much to ask? <br /> <br />Sorry had to vent. lol <br /> <br />On the other hand.... I do understand why a manufacturer would only make a limited number of an item due to having to change over production lines to run a different paint scheme, numbers, etc. and there's not going to be an enormous demand for every single roadname out there, so from a business standpoint, it doesn't make cents to flood the market with roadnames that don't sell as well, but make a few of them for the die hard fans, in order to keep a loyal customer coming back. For instance, I know CSX probably sells better than Southern RR, but not as well as UP, so it'll be hard to find CSX, and much harder to find Southern, but it still makes cents to manufacture some of both, so that at least what is produced will sell. Track for instance sells like crazy, so it makes sense to flood the market, because there's a better chance it will sell than say, a Central of GA GP7 (I have no idea if that combination of name and loco match, just an example). <br /> <br />I just wish when I saw a picture on the manufactures website of a CSX GE Dash-8cw with the manufacturers DCC decoder and QSI sound installed, if I can't find it online or at my LHS for a discounted price, I could pay the extra high MSRP and order it direct. <br /> <br />Sorry to clog the board with my rant. <br />I'll shutup now. <br /> <br /> <br />:-)
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