Nelson Moyer writes:

Ted's web site states that he is backing out of resin and concentrating on
media. I ordered two of his kits in October 2010, and he tells me he may or
may not be able to deliver them. For all intents and purposes, Ted is out of
the resin kit business, though he is trying to honor existing orders.

Well...actually, Ted says: "This has meant that releases have been slowed to a trickle and keeping an inventory of kits or packing those that have run out of stock has become a major challenge. I have recognized a few things. Printed matter is far easier to keep and distribute. Kits with their inherent vagaries and nuances are much harder to manage. To that end, I will be focusing on the printed side of things for the foreseeable future, with few kit releases (although there will be some )."

little bird told me Martin has set a retirement date, as yet unannounced.

Traditionally, F&C favors Eastern roads,

Hmmm. I have KCS, NP, MP and GN box cars by F&C.

Yes, many of us have a considerable stash of kits, but what will happen when
we're gone? I don't see many young modelers buying resin kits (either from
manufacturers or estate sales) or modeling the steam or transition era.

Most

of us model what we knew as kids or whatever got us hooked on modeling in
the first place. Look at the average age of attendees at the RPM meets.

OK...what RPM meets?

Most

of us won't be around much longer.

I suppose the key word is "much". Are you planning to take...as a friend says..."An early train"?

Unit trains are the

norm, nowadays. Not too many in that group are going to want quaint cars
with K brakes and vertical brake wheels.

Well...uh...I model the "transition era" and I'm not very interested in "K" brakes either.

I'm seeing more and more modelers

retire pre-1970 equipment in favor of big, long cars with short ladders and
no running boards. Exact Rail is catering to this group, though release of
the Milwaukee rib side box gave the pre-1960 RTR crowd a glimmer of hope.

And you don't think Rapido's recent annpouncement of a steam era reefer offers more "hope"? Or the continuing production of steam era passenger trains by Walthers or the continuing production of steam locos by BLI?

Mike Brock