This has to be one of the the coolest new products on the market for 2007.
I just wish it was available in N scale also. :(
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-89001
No, I don't believe anyone has. They were all too busy looking at this!
-George
"And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers ride their father's magic carpet made of steel..."
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Joe Fugate Modeling the 1980s SP Siskiyou Line in southern Oregon
First showed up here about a month ago.
$750 to watch paint dry?
I parked up next to a full size container terminal last Friday (for work). It was so exciting!
The crane moved along picked up a box, moved, put the box down, moved, picked up a box, moved, put it down, moved, picked up a box, moved, put it down, moved, picked up a box, moved, put it down, moved, picked up a box, moved, put it down, moved, picked up a box, moved, put it down, moved, picked up a box, moved, put it down...
Yeah... I definitely want to spend the equivalent of about ten good locos (five with sound) on that...
Dave-the-Train wrote: $750 to watch paint dry?I parked up next to a full size container terminal last Friday (for work). It was so exciting!
Come on Dave, admit it. If you were the man operating that crane you would have thought you had died and gone to heaven, right?
An attempt by Walthers to see just how far they can push pricing before hobbyists, especially those guys who are simply collectors of HO train stuff, scream, "No more!"
CNJ831
I am a big fan of automation, unfortunately the crane is a bit too new for my era. It seems the items made by the European manufacturers tend to cost more, could be tarrifs we impose on them, not sure. I don't think $750 is totally unreasonable given what is offered. I believe there is a drive-in movie offered by another company that is expensive as well.
And while the comment is correct that one could by several sound equipped locos for $750, I don't have the capability to run all the locos I have now. Some one could easily make the crane the centerpiece of a switch layout with just 1 or 2 locos and have one heck of an operation.
Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year to all and may you find your favorite roadname under the tree, in the mail box, or at a Boxer (or is it Boxing) Day sale.
Rick
Hmmm, and it's a KIT requiring assembly and programing. That should further limit the market to those with a brain, unfortunately I forsee the questions on the Forum on how do I assemble my new toy from those with more money than brains!
I am being way too sarcastic. It looks like a great item but bound to be very challenging even to the above average modeler/operator. Who is going to be the first with his/her own functioning intermodal terminal?
Will
RedGrey62 wrote: It seems the items made by the European manufacturers tend to cost more, could be tarrifs we impose on them, not sure.
This has come up before in the realm of plastic model kits, and as far as I know the US does not charge any duties or tariffs on toys/models. The stuff's just more expensive. Frankly I don't understand why Walthers imports the European stuff. 99% of it doesn't look like anything in this hemisphere, so unless you're making a replica of Busch Gardens or the Adler branch through Bad Schaffenburg, I can't imagine how they would sell more one or two of any Heljan/Faller item at the prevailing prices.
KL
Excuse me while I wax philosophic for a moment...
Okay, if Walthers goes to the trouble of importing this very nifty (and very expensive) container crane kit, they are catering to the rich elite while gouging the rest of us poor schleps.
However, if someone like Walmart sells stuff everybody needs at very affordable prices, they are exploiting the "working poor" while at the same time laying waste to "mom and pop" stores far and wide.
God! I'm glad I don't work in retail!
Cool? Yes. Expensive? Obviously.
A potential buyer that hasn't been mentioned is a large model railroad club. If members pitched in, the price would be less of a shock. And a large layout with operations might be able to add another dimention to it's Op Sessions.
Also, a club having another "gee-whiz" item would attract visitors during open house hours.
Just a thought.
Rich
motard98 wrote: This has to be one of the the coolest new products on the market for 2007. I just wish it was available in N scale also. :( http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-89001
I should've looked harder I guess because there is one in N scale
http://www.hobbylinc.com/~hobbylinc/htm/bra/bra1151.htm
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
Dave Loman
My site: The Rusty Spike
"It's a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your 2 cents in.... hey, someone's making a penny!"
Can't wait to see the price for O-Scale.
How about Athearn's bathtub gon RTR for MSRP $99.98. See Model Railroader's new products week of 28-Dec.
Not too far off: "The detail on that car is amazing. Is it brass?"
"No, but it is a very high quality plastic."
Can't wait for a manufacturer to address the niche market by making car or engine body from carbon fibre. Think of the bragging rights: a truly exorbitant price and high tech material.
Jon