Do you buy the Walthers annual catalog?

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Yes. I'm in the planning stage and found the following in the 2006 version very helpful.

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=47356

[RMax1]

I buy it every 2 years. There is always a lot of repeat info and most of the time there is one available to reference at the hobby shop.

RMax1

[WilmJunc]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrevorG

Yes, I don't have an Internet connection in the bathroom![(-D][(-D][(-D]

Trevor

I could not have said it better.[:D][;)]

[Anonymous]

Brakie seems to think that everything shown in the catalog is on the Walthers web site. Me thinks Brakie overstates his case a wee bit.

[Seamonster]

I put it on my Christmas wish list every second year. I like looking at the pretty pictures. And as someone pointed out, I can't curl up in the living room chair with my computer which won't fit in the throne room either. I still supplement it with their online catalog.

[JohnT14808]

I get one every other year, just to stay current. The older ones were donated to the club and...surprise.....we had visitors from Germany at the club about 5 weeks ago and a big discussion got started about something, so we whipped out the 2002 version of "the BOOK" to look something up and the visitors got real-l-l-l quiet. They practically drooled over the catalog. The club members ended up giving these visitors our 2004 version of the catalog. It took us a minute to find it, but we didn't need it....so the catalog has other uses as well!! Promoting the hobby!!

[grayfox1119]

Consider how much money you "blow" on silly things like cigarettes ( if you smoke ), coffee at work over the course of a year, doughnuts or other treats annually, or any other non essential, and you will be surprised how you can come up with $20 for this great reference for a hobby that you obviously enjoy.

[mlehman]

I recently picked up the 2006 HO edition. The last one before that was the 2000. I've got catalogs back to the 70s around here somewhere. They do make great references for old, out-of-production stuff. Based on trying to order some things over the years, some of the older stuff may never have been produced more than once...
;>)

Nah, really, I think things have improved in recent years. At least you can look up online to see if something is in stock. Still, there is no way to really get good info on a particular item or if it will ever be re-run directly from the website. It would be great if they had a way that users could indicate interest in an item, which might prompt re-runs.

I may be a bit old-fashioned, but it's a lot easier to browse the catalog than it is on-line. I'm pretty good at searches and poking around on-line, but the Walthers site leaves me baffled at times.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

[Anonymous]

Yes, at least every other year.

[TomcatVF-211]

I have bought one every year since the late eighties, usually I am very enthused with the catalog but 2005's was a bit of a disappointment since Walthers no longer carries Athearn and Roundhouse, but that is a different rant alltogether, I will be buying the 2006 as well.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by WilmJunc

Now that the full catalog is available on the internet, I was wondering how many folks spend the +/- $20 for Walthers annual catalog. I did pick one up this year at the LHS for the first time. I probably won't buy one every year, but it seems like a pretty good resource.

It is handy, but not worth the money since it is not able to be updated during the twelve months after it is issued and does not include the Horizon stock.

[BRAKIE]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CapnAmerica

Brakie seems to think that everything shown in the catalog is on the Walthers web site. Me thinks Brakie overstates his case a wee bit.

Me thinks not..Me thinks you should prove your point..Name one thing found in the wish book that isn't found on the net..[:D]

[prompter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrevorG

Yes, I don't have an Internet connection in the bathroom![(-D][(-D][(-D]

Trevor

No, that's why I have a laptop and wifi [:0][:)][:D]

Chuck

[fiatfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by WilmJunc

QUOTE: Originally posted by TrevorG

Yes, I don't have an Internet connection in the bathroom![(-D][(-D][(-D]

Trevor

I could not have said it better.[:D][;)]

You need wireless and a laptop! [8D]

Tom

Edit - Sorry for the duplicate post! that's what I get for not reading to the end before replying. [B)]

[GAPPLEG]

Bought the 2006 edition, great gluing weight. last bought 2002. While cleaning out some old boxes I ran across a 1973 edtion of the HO reference. What a hoot, Most magazines are twice as thick as the 73 edition. i was sorry too that Athearn is no longer in Walthers, I think that Horizon cut them out by buying Athearn.

[ElectricMotive]

I never saw the point of paying to find out what to pay for, hence, I don't buy the catalog, especially considering that the wonder of the Internet awaits my command (or something like that). Catalogs are great for flipping through, and your eye might catch something you want (usually, you know what you need, and anything else is extra), but I find it hard to justify spending $20 in order to spend even more money.

[GAPPLEG]

Like many post before this, sometimes it's great just to sit back and actually read. There have been times when I have flipped through the pages I've gotten ideas for additions to the layout I would have never come up with.

[Trainnut484]

I used to buy them annually about 10-15 years ago, but now I just look at them at my LHS, which always has great stock on hand, so I haven't used the catalog since.

Take care,

Russell

[marxalot]

I'll be getting the O, S, and G scale version sometime early next year. The photographs are always very interesting and I enjoy seeing what new stuff is out, even if I do not buy. And like others have mentioned you can get ideas from the pics, etc.

Jim

[jecorbett]

When I was a little kid, every year around Christmas we would receive the Marshall Fields toy catalog. It was full of fantastic stuff, most of which we couldn't afford but it was still fun drooling over it. Now the Walthers catalog does the same thing for me. I know I can get the same information on the net but it just isn't the same.

[BNSF4ever]

I confess I do--the only problem is that it is not up to date in regards to Walthers' stock. You can see something exciting only to find it sold out at Walthers and nearly everywhere else. I guess it lets you know that someone somewhere might still stock it (Ebay for example).

[Anonymous]

No, I never buy it ! It like everything else Walthers sells with their name on it, OVERPRICED!!!!!
It's worth about $5 bucks and when you find out that only about 25% of what's in the catalog is in stock, it's a joke.
I don't understand how they can charge $17.95 for a little N-Scale building that's about 2"x 3" has 4 walls, a roof, and a few windows and doors. It's worth maybe, $5 bucks, if that much!!!!
I only buy Walthers items on closeout sales when they are about 50% off. The dealers can't sell them because of the high price, so they end up giving them away.
gtr

[Anonymous]

I do buy it, but usually a year after (I just bought the 2005 version a month ago). Most hobby shops will deep-discount it when/right before the new one comes out. For instance, I bought my 2005 for $5.00. As mentioned, you can usually get them at swap meets even cheaper, but often more than "last year's" version out of date.

I use it primarily for ideas and inspiration. So the fact that some percentage of the stuff in it is no longer offered isn't that big a deal for me. Most of what I use it for is parts and tools, which usually stay put year to year. On the rare occasion I've wanted a "discontinued" item, I've always been able to find it through a dealer with NOS, ebay, etc.

I do regularly use their website too, and love that it's available that way. But, at least for me, a "picture book" I can flip through serves a need that the web-based catalog just doesn't. I use the web when I'm ready to buy, the catalog when I'm looking for ideas.

Perhaps it's obvious, but I'll say it anyway. I have not and would not have any reason to buy the "latest" version at full price. But that's based on my particular need and way of using it.

[Anonymous]

I have'nt, but I would like to. how do i purchase it?

[ICRR1964]

Yep, have bought it for years, it feels good to sit back and let some glue dry and flip through the catalog. I where them out every year, got them clear back to 1974 up to 2006. Pices are higher than the 1974 though, LOLOLOL!