Athearn Outrage!!!

[countershot]

I have orderd Athean Genesis challenger #3943 and first they said that i would get it in march of 2005 and then they told me some time in June and now i heard that now it is July.
what is the idea?[}:)] has any of you heard this or have i heard rong
what are you thoughts?
Ben

[cacole]

Where did you order it from? I saw two today on the shelf at an Ace Hardware store in Tucson, Arizona, so it's not a case of their not being available.

[countershot]

I got this info from athearn.com and i am getting it from internettrains.com.
i do not understand this it is real ticken me off.

[Sunset Limited]

cacole,
Ace hardware sells locomotives? [%-)] Your Joking right? We only have Lowes and Home Depot here in Texas, but they don't carry no Athearn Products!

[Amtrk14]

Athearn has always been like this. Though, I think that they are getting better. Most train makers are like this. Look at BLI with their AC6000CW's, these were supposed to be out LAST YEAR![censored], but I'm still waiting. Just be patient.

Sean

[JohnT14808]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EZamora

cacole,
Ace hardware sells locomotives? [%-)] Your Joking right? We only have Lowes and Home Depot here in Texas, but they don't carry no Athearn Products!

EZamora....don't you know that Ace is the place??!?


{sorry....I just had to do that....}[;)][:D]

[Sunset Limited]

That's a good one!!! [:D] I should listen to JOHN MADDEN more seriously!! I'll mark down Ace Hardware on my shopping list for locomotives![(-D]

[cacole]

The Ace Hardware in Tucson is probably the only one that has a hobby shop -- known as The Hobby Place. It's a contract operation ran by a G-scale modeler, that sells G, HO, and N scale items as well as radio control airplanes and cars.

The owner is supposedly independently wealthy and retired at age 28 after making a fortune, and runs the hobby shop just to stay out of the bars.

His prices meet or beat any mail order establishment, so the shop is nearly always full of customers.


Boy! Did this topic ever stray away from the original intent.

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole
The owner is supposedly independently wealthy and retired at age 28 after making a fortune, and runs the hobby shop just to stay out of the bars.

In bars, or from behind bars?

Tom

[Anonymous]

An Ace hardware in Aurora, IL, also has some model trains. Some HO & N, and some G. All behind locked cases. A bit of track, a power pack, and a few misc. other things.

I don't know what the criteria is for having hobby materials in an Ace, though!

Rob

[Anonymous]

Bachmann, Atlas and numerous others have also not delivered at vaious times on the published availibility date. Though I believe all manufactures give dates they believe they will meet when announced, they sometimes miss. I've seen several items at Walthers go TBA, May 31, 2005, Unkown cycle. Send Athearn a note and see if they can offer a revised date.
And if you live far away from the big city you will find, ACE Hardware, Coast to Coast, Western Auto, et al. is also your local hobby and gun store. Some you guys really need to take a tour through fly over country.
Some of the scenes in Fargo are pretty close to the way it is. (hand off of fishing worms at the local greasy spoon).

[jeffshultz]

Here I figured that any Athearn products found in an Ace Hardware would be decorated for John Deere.... had a bad moment there thinking of a green and yellow Challenger.

[countershot]

thank you.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cacole

The Ace Hardware in Tucson is probably the only one that has a hobby shop -- known as The Hobby Place. It's a contract operation ran by a G-scale modeler, that sells G, HO, and N scale items as well as radio control airplanes and cars.

Sort of like "Longs Drugs". I got all excited about one coming into town here and only after they were here did I realize only one Long's Drugs carried model railroad supplies.

I too have an Athearn 4-6-6-4 on order that was supposed to have been delivered in November, then February..... etc.

[DSchmitt]

Ace Hardware is not a chain store like Handyman or Lowes. They are a "cooperative".

From www.Myace.com

"Want to own an Ace Hardware store?
Let's hammer out the details.
Tired of being a fixture in somebody else's business ... someone else's ambitions and dreams? Here's your chance to build your future and be the "Helpful Hardware" retailer in your community. We're looking for qualified people who want to own their own Ace Hardware store ... or even a chain of stores.

In fact, we're now offering qualified candidates our most comprehensive and intensive ownership opportunity in our 80-year history. This opportunity is unlike any other business or franchise opportunity on the planet! Qualified individuals will be eligible to benefit from our unparalleled incentive package.

This is your chance to join an industry leader ... and be part of a growing and thriving market.

Globally trusted brand, locally embraced neighbor.
At Ace, we continue to grow because we've never lost sight of our founding principles. Work together. Combine resources and knowledge. Provide value. Strive for excellence. And stay true to our customers.

Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the world and for the past three years, Fortune Magazine has named us one of America's most admired companies. Ace Hardware is part of the fabric of American communities, giving back in a multitude of ways.

Globally trusted and grown locally, now is a great time to own an Ace Hardware store. Click on the links above to find out more about joining the Ace family of Helpful Hardware retailers!"

[twhite]

Ace is the Place, man. I get all of my landscaping acrylic paints there. Buck a bottle, and it goes a long way. Great stores!!
About the Genesis--sounds like Athearn caught a case of the BLI's. I've been waiting for their Santa Fe 2-10-2 since last September. First it was Christmas, then Spring, then June, now it's 'Summer.' How Generic can you get? I'm giving BLI until the end of June, then I'm heading down to my LHS for that nifty Key brass Rio Grande M-68 4-8-4 he's got on consignment that nobody else would buy but me.
Tom [8D]

[Anonymous]

Whenever possible, I buy my stuff at the local Ace HW because (1) it is a small, family-owned store and (2) they seem to have more knowledgeable people working there. I often have a hard time finding anyone to help me at the Home Depot store.

[cwclark]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EZamora

cacole,
Ace hardware sells locomotives? [%-)] Your Joking right? We only have Lowes and Home Depot here in Texas, but they don't carry no Athearn Products!

EZ...yes..even here in Texas...La Porte Hardware which distributes the ACE name sold O and HO gauge stuff for years...they have reciently moved and got out of the model train business but i used to purchase a lot of stuff from them up to just about two years ago...now to the topic...sometimes it takes awhile for them to get the orders in..they don't order things one at a time and usually place an order when they get a lot of order requests in for the same item...I had to wait 60 + days for an athearn genesis SD45T-2 from Trainworld which i got only a couple of weeks ago. I placed the order in early March....chuck

[Anonymous]

We were in Riverside, Ca. visiting our youngest son and he took us to the grocery store and immagine my delight when I saw Long's Drug. The big let-down was when I went in only to find out that only one of them carries trains. We went to the right one and I came home almost $500.00 lighter but happy as a pig in mud.

Bob

[rogerhensley]

QUOTE: Originally posted by countershot

I got this info from athearn.com and i am getting it from internettrains.com.
i do not understand this it is real ticken me off.

Welcome to the dark side of the hobby. Delivery dates are only an estimate with virtually ALL of our manufacturers. Many things can affect delivery. Problems in China, oil prices, EPA and OSHA inspections and interferance, etc.

It is also likey that the original order was sold out and you are now waiting for a second or third run. That is the way it is and there is absolutely no point in becoming upset over it. You can always cancel your order if you made one and buy something else.

Years back there was one company that advertised a product that never did arrive. They didn't get enough orders to run it. Athearn does produce product although they may be off on delivery dates. Schedules are made out months ahead of shipping.

[dknelson]

There are many reasons for delays. When Walthers first announced bi level commuter cars years ago they were way past their announced delivery date. The reason as explained to me at their headquarters is that an entire shipment was rejected due to not meeting quality standards--and I believe this happened twice before they accepted a shipment! Sometimes ships get backed up to unload at the docks (the UP isn't the only transportation outfit with capacity problems). The dockworker strike of a few years back threw everyone's schedule out of wack.
Back in the glory days of AHM Rivarossi this happened all the time -- sometimes a model intended to be here for the great Christmas season would limp in around March. Ditto for brass "back in the day." I think once or twice a container actually fell off the ship into the sea!
By the way years ago a hobby shop which shall remain nameless offered an outrageous deal on some highly desired diesel engines. When I asked around how they could possibly offer the things so cheaply I was quietly informed that they had in some manner acquired models that had been rejected and sent back to China for quality reasons. Whether this was true or just a jealous competitor I do not know. Mine was OK but it might have been the paint job that was the reason as it was not up to that firm's usual standards.
Dave Nelson

[jrbernier]

We have an ACE in Winona, MN - Great small train shop in the store as well! It is the closest LHS(45 miles) to me........

Jim Bernier

[Anonymous]

I feel really sorry for alot of you who have ordered stuff by Athearn.But now there is a bit of "competion" coming in pretty strong. Overland Models has announced that they are coming out with the "Tower 55" line of locomotives!!!!![:D][8D][^]. The locomotives coming out first are a BNSF GE ES44DC,a UP GE ES44DC, a UP EMD SD70ACe,a UP 3 unit gas-turbine,and I beleive a EMD SD70ACe demo,from what the picture shows. These units will be built just like Overlands brass models,except at a "more affordable price".It will be VERY interesting to see how Athearn will react to this.Then again maybe this is what is needed.I am in no way condeming Athearn,though when I read and hear about how Athearn is making bad stuff,that other people are buying,it makes me wonder sometimes.[V]

[Anonymous]

If it comes from the Pacific rim it will normally run several months late for a variety of reasons. Mostly due to shipping delays. Post 9/11 those containers get more attention than they used to.

Bob DeWoody

[wjstix]

It's interesting to see what you used to be able to buy at different places. At one time it was fairly common for hardware stores to sell train stuff, especially around Christmas time. If I remember, TV's Tom Snyder (a major Lionel collector) got into trains as a kid because his Dad's hardware store carried trains. Plus of course the alltime Mecca of Lionel trains for decades was Madison Hardware in NYC.

On a side note, originally phonographs and records were sold at furniture stores, in fact one of the early record labels was owned by I think Menasha furniture co. in Wisconsin.