Date
1 - 11 of 11
Accurail niche (was "Cash poor beginners")
Garth Groff <ggg9y@...>
Friends,
In musing over Horizon's exclusive distributorship of their Athearn and Roundhouse lines last night, I was struck by the great opportunity this might offer Accurail. As a local hobby dealer told me, he can't deal with Horizon because of their high minimum order, so he will no longer be stocking Athearn or Roundhouse at all. These two lines made up the majority of his HO freight car stock. Assuming small family or one-man shops can survive at all, they may be left with no alternative but to carry Accurail products instead of Athearn or Roundhouse. While this isn't a particularly good situation for the hobby as a whole, it could be a boon for Accurail. They make a high quality product for the niche Accurail chooses to fill, and their products are far more accurate that most Athearn and Roundhouse cars.
Kind regards,
Garth G. Groff
ed_mines wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
In musing over Horizon's exclusive distributorship of their Athearn and Roundhouse lines last night, I was struck by the great opportunity this might offer Accurail. As a local hobby dealer told me, he can't deal with Horizon because of their high minimum order, so he will no longer be stocking Athearn or Roundhouse at all. These two lines made up the majority of his HO freight car stock. Assuming small family or one-man shops can survive at all, they may be left with no alternative but to carry Accurail products instead of Athearn or Roundhouse. While this isn't a particularly good situation for the hobby as a whole, it could be a boon for Accurail. They make a high quality product for the niche Accurail chooses to fill, and their products are far more accurate that most Athearn and Roundhouse cars.
Kind regards,
Garth G. Groff
ed_mines wrote:
. . . I think Accurail offers some very nice, inexpensive cars - the USRA hoppers for example. . . .
Ed
Andy Miller <asmiller@...>
Ditto for Bowser. Bowser, Accurail, and Walthers own two lines will need
to replace Athearn and MDC as the entry products in Walthers line. That
covers the freight cars, but how does the local dealer replace the Athearn
blue box locos? Bachmann? Genesis locos can be replaced by P2K, Atlas, IM,
and others.
regards,
Andy Miller
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
to replace Athearn and MDC as the entry products in Walthers line. That
covers the freight cars, but how does the local dealer replace the Athearn
blue box locos? Bachmann? Genesis locos can be replaced by P2K, Atlas, IM,
and others.
regards,
Andy Miller
-----Original Message-----
From: Garth Groff [mailto:ggg9y@...]
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 7:15 AM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Accurail niche (was "Cash poor beginners")
Friends,
In musing over Horizon's exclusive distributorship of their Athearn and
Roundhouse lines last night, I was struck by the great opportunity this
might offer Accurail. As a local hobby dealer told me, he can't deal with
Horizon because of their high minimum order, so he will no longer be
stocking Athearn or Roundhouse at all. These two lines made up the majority
of his HO freight car stock. Assuming small family or one-man shops can
survive at all, they may be left with no alternative but to carry Accurail
products instead of Athearn or Roundhouse. While this isn't a particularly
good situation for the hobby as a whole, it could be a boon for Accurail.
They make a high quality product for the niche Accurail chooses to fill, and
their products are far more accurate that most Athearn and Roundhouse cars.
Kind regards,
Garth G. Groff
ed_mines wrote:
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make
a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/9MtolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
From: Garth Groff [mailto:ggg9y@...]
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 7:15 AM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Accurail niche (was "Cash poor beginners")
Friends,
In musing over Horizon's exclusive distributorship of their Athearn and
Roundhouse lines last night, I was struck by the great opportunity this
might offer Accurail. As a local hobby dealer told me, he can't deal with
Horizon because of their high minimum order, so he will no longer be
stocking Athearn or Roundhouse at all. These two lines made up the majority
of his HO freight car stock. Assuming small family or one-man shops can
survive at all, they may be left with no alternative but to carry Accurail
products instead of Athearn or Roundhouse. While this isn't a particularly
good situation for the hobby as a whole, it could be a boon for Accurail.
They make a high quality product for the niche Accurail chooses to fill, and
their products are far more accurate that most Athearn and Roundhouse cars.
Kind regards,
Garth G. Groff
ed_mines wrote:
. . . I think Accurail offers some very nice, inexpensive cars - the
USRA hoppers for example. . . .
Ed
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make
a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/9MtolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
Andy Miller wrote
be very obvious that Athearn CANNOT be replaced -- Horizon is trying
to kill off one of the hobby's premier manufacturers, and there is
no way that the other vendors will take up the slack. Steam era guys
probably haven't noticed (except for Genesis F units) but Athearn
made a very strong comeback in the last five years and is kicking
competitors' butts whenever there is a apples-to-apples matchup
(for example, Genesis vs. Intermountain F units, Ready-To-Roll vs.
Proto2000 EMD SD50). Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines as well. Horizon is on a "mission
from God" to save retail hobby shops -- hopefully they will realize
the error of their ways. In the meantime, getting Athearn models has
become almost impossible unless you want to pay 100% list price, or
take your chances at Charles Ro... (They won't reserve for me since
I don't shop 52 times a year.)
Tim O.
Ditto for Bowser. Bowser, Accurail, and Walthers own two linesIf this was the BBFCL or MFCL or other non-steam-era list, it would
will need to replace Athearn and MDC as the entry products in
Walthers line. That covers the freight cars, but how does the
local dealer replace the Athearn blue box locos? Bachmann? Genesis
locos can be replaced by P2K, Atlas, IM, and others.
be very obvious that Athearn CANNOT be replaced -- Horizon is trying
to kill off one of the hobby's premier manufacturers, and there is
no way that the other vendors will take up the slack. Steam era guys
probably haven't noticed (except for Genesis F units) but Athearn
made a very strong comeback in the last five years and is kicking
competitors' butts whenever there is a apples-to-apples matchup
(for example, Genesis vs. Intermountain F units, Ready-To-Roll vs.
Proto2000 EMD SD50). Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines as well. Horizon is on a "mission
from God" to save retail hobby shops -- hopefully they will realize
the error of their ways. In the meantime, getting Athearn models has
become almost impossible unless you want to pay 100% list price, or
take your chances at Charles Ro... (They won't reserve for me since
I don't shop 52 times a year.)
Tim O.
Bill Hirt <whirt@...>
cf5250 wrote:
Hmmm. When I was at the local hobby shop last week his shelves were full with new Athearn and he discounts the product as he always has. Maybe you need a different dealer...
To tie in to another currently running thread, his shop also does the charge processing for Oddballs decals mail order customers.
Bill Hirt
from God" to save retail hobby shops -- hopefully they will realizeTim,
the error of their ways. In the meantime, getting Athearn models has
become almost impossible unless you want to pay 100% list price, or
take your chances at Charles Ro... (They won't reserve for me since
I don't shop 52 times a year.)
Hmmm. When I was at the local hobby shop last week his shelves were full with new Athearn and he discounts the product as he always has. Maybe you need a different dealer...
To tie in to another currently running thread, his shop also does the charge processing for Oddballs decals mail order customers.
Bill Hirt
Scott Pitzer
Outside our era, but I think Tim meant "Rail Power Products" not Protopower.
Scott Pitzer
=======
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Scott Pitzer
=======
-----Original Message-----
From: cf5250 <timboconnor@...>
Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines
From: cf5250 <timboconnor@...>
Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines
Andy Carlson
AND, I think Paul Federconi (Owner of Details West)
would be surprised to discover his company is owned by
Horizon....
-Andy Carlson
Ojai CA
--- Scott Pitzer <scottp459@...> wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
would be surprised to discover his company is owned by
Horizon....
-Andy Carlson
Ojai CA
--- Scott Pitzer <scottp459@...> wrote:
Outside our era, but I think Tim meant "Rail Powerhttp://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/9MtolB/TM
Products" not Protopower.
Scott Pitzer
=======
-----Original Message-----
From: cf5250 <timboconnor@...>
Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
--------------------~-->
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion
Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
STMFC-unsubscribe@...
Paul Gehrett
I was going to ask about the Details West comment, but you beat me to it.
Paul Gehrett
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Paul Gehrett
-------------- Original message --------------
AND, I think Paul Federconi (Owner of Details West)
would be surprised to discover his company is owned by
Horizon....
-Andy Carlson
Ojai CA
--- Scott Pitzer wrote:Outside our era, but I think Tim meant "Rail Power
Products" not Protopower.
Scott Pitzer
=======
-----Original Message-----
From: cf5250
Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
Yahoo! Groups Links
STMFC-unsubscribe@...
Yahoo! Groups Links
behni@...
Make that RailPower Products, and you're right. Protopower is still part of A-Line.
Brian Ehni
Tim O. said:
(snip)
Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines as well.
(snip)
Tim O.
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/STMFC/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
STMFC-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Brian Ehni
Tim O. said:
(snip)
Athearn acquired Details West and Protopower
and revitalized those product lines as well.
(snip)
Tim O.
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
Yahoo! Groups Links
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/STMFC/
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
STMFC-unsubscribe@...
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Picky picky... Athearn acquired the Details West freight car
tooling. The parts business is still DW.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
tooling. The parts business is still DW.
--- In STMFC@..., Andy Carlson <midcentury@s...> wrote:
AND, I think Paul Federconi (Owner of Details West)
would be surprised to discover his company is owned by
Horizon....
-Andy Carlson
Ojai CA
Bill Hirt wrote
50+ miles one way to a discount hobby store that carries Athearn.
And that dealer is Charles Ro, who won't reserve anything for me
as I said, because I don't shop there often enough. I can get
much smaller discounts (10% or less) at hobby shops within the
50 mile radius, but they carry very little inventory and don't
take reservations over the phone or have web sites. I had gotten
used to buying from mail-order dealers with web sites, but all of
the ones I used have been cut off by Horizon, because they don't
have storefronts and/or can't buy the minimum $1,000 a month...
Hmmm. When I was at the local hobby shop last week his shelves wereConsider yourself fortunate then. In New England, I have to drive
full with new Athearn and he discounts the product as he always has.
Maybe you need a different dealer...
50+ miles one way to a discount hobby store that carries Athearn.
And that dealer is Charles Ro, who won't reserve anything for me
as I said, because I don't shop there often enough. I can get
much smaller discounts (10% or less) at hobby shops within the
50 mile radius, but they carry very little inventory and don't
take reservations over the phone or have web sites. I had gotten
used to buying from mail-order dealers with web sites, but all of
the ones I used have been cut off by Horizon, because they don't
have storefronts and/or can't buy the minimum $1,000 a month...
Andy Carlson
Tim,
Since this is a forum that many look to get
information, please try to be somewhat more accurate.
Because a firm sells a set of unused molds to Athearn
does NOT equate that the firm was bought.
-Andy Carlson
Ojai CA
--- cf5250 <timboconnor@...> wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Since this is a forum that many look to get
information, please try to be somewhat more accurate.
Because a firm sells a set of unused molds to Athearn
does NOT equate that the firm was bought.
-Andy Carlson
Ojai CA
--- cf5250 <timboconnor@...> wrote:
Picky picky... Athearn acquired the Details West
freight car
tooling. The parts business is still DW.