Ok, back in the spring Athearn announced early version UP challenger locomotives and I didnt know which version I would want...they are due in late December.
My dealer says Horizon is sold out. Others have complained in other topics about M.B. Klein's lack of a true reservation system and that the current system did not work for them.
So whom do I inquire of that may have existing slots for the version I would want where I might also get a reasonable price???
Thanks for your thoughts.
John
Overland Hobbies still overs reservations for Athearn Challengers:http://www.overlandhobbies.com/category_s/2088.htm?searching=Y&sort=3&cat=2088&f-Athearn%20Genesis=99&show=30&page=7
Send an e-mail to check if they really available.
I did it with a GP40-2P a two month late and it worked.Regards, Volker
PRR8259So whom do I inquire of that may have existing slots for the version I would want where I might also get a reasonable price???
I have dealt with Brian Marsh at Overland Hobbies and found his customer service superb and prices to be reasonable.
http://www.overlandhobbies.com/
I can't guarantee he will have exactly what you are looking for but he has managed to get items for me that were otherwise unavailable.
Good Luck, Ed
I second the comment about Brian and Overland Hobbies. They did it for me as well!
Neal
Or, wait until release and find dozens of them all over eBay. It never fails.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Oh how we long for the days when manufacturers made trains first, and then sold them........
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Oh how we long for the days when manufacturers made trains first, and then sold them........ Sheldon
Amen.
http://www.toytrainheaven.com/.sc/ms/cat/HO%20Locos%20Athearn%20Genesis--Steam
https://tonystrains.com/shop/?adv_search=wc&post_type=product&relation=AND&tax%5B0%5D=product_cat&op%5B0%5D=IN&val%5B0%5D=ho-scale-steam&s=genesis+challenger&min_price=0&max_price=536
https://www.trainworld.com/manufacturers/athearn/genesis-ho-scale/athearn-steam-engines/
Well, thank you all for the replies.
It seems my best bet will be Overland Hobbies as they clearly state they have pre-orders already placed and still available for these engines. They also have some updated images that are very helpful. There is one other version I might get as a result.
Toy Train Heaven is connected to a train store I frequent, and anything on their website regarding these engines is very likely outdated now. Horizon is now sold out of at least some versions of these models. The version(s) I want can no longer be reserved from Horizon. Anyone that reserves through the TTH website might be out of luck at the present time, if theirs are all spoken for already, which one cannot discern from the website. The website leads one to think that all versions are all still available, which is definitely not the case as phone calls on my behalf were already made.
Ditto Trainworld. Of course they will "backorder" the item(s) I'm interested in. However, a backorder is completely utterly useless because Horizon is already completely sold out of some versions of these models, as stated above, and they will not be run again in the same versions and road numbers.
Tony's also says "available for backorder". Sadly, backorder is useless when all are spoken for at the one and only distributor level.
Sheldon is right...oh for the good old days when they made the models first and then sold them.
Also, shame on me for not being well informed and for not readily obtaining the important reference books for me to know which version I wanted sooner than now. I just bought a rare William Kratville book from a friend that provides a wealth of information regarding the variations and modifications of the original Challengers. Pretty fascinating stuff!
Didn't know I needed one till a week or so ago...