The Christmas that wasn't

[James Thomas]

I think Bachmann's lack of On30 Christmas releases let the steam out of any remaining On30 momemtum and really let their retailers down when the retail hobby industry needed a shot in the arm.  Items that should have been released in time for Christmas:

Both 4-4-0's with sound,

Upgraded 2-6-0 with DCC and sound,

A long caboose (or any new rolling stock.)

Hopefully next year will be more interesting.

-James Thomas

[max (uk)]

I got a railbus for christmas. So I didnt have a problem.

[Woody Elmore]

Don'r be so quick to blame Bachmann. We are working with a world-wide economy. My neighbor's son works for a container company and he tells me that there are containers sitting at ports all over the world because the owners can't get insurance. Besides making deliveries unsure, the prices will eventually rise.

[BIG BEAR]

 
    I was about to express a concern with a new post, but I'll tie it to this one instead.
    I agree Bachmann could have made a more concentrated effort to keep the On30 movement going strong.
    My concern is when I stopped by my local hobby shop about 4 weeks ago, I saw no new On30 products at all. I expressed my concern to the owner and he told me "The On30 stuff did not have a price point worth carrying any longer." I also note that the 2 Hobby Lobby's in my area do not have any On30 sets either. 
    We continued with a discussion as to the statement he made to me 6 years ago that On30 is the fastest growing section in the hobby. He now claims the large scale and O scale ( mostly due to Lionel having the Polar Express contract ) are growing faster. He also thought the Christmas village era was fading, and people are now going more to the train under the tree type of layout for Christmas.
     Bachmann is by far the leader in the On30 movement their products are excellent and their prices can't compare. With this comes the awsome responsibility to keep the interest high while keeping the prices under control. I also understand the bad economy, I just became unemployed a couple weeks ago myself. I don't run DCC nor do I really want to pay for it.
    Any other opinions on this soon to be hot topic?

        Enjoy,
        Barry

[C.S.R.R. Manager]

If I recall correctly, the "Christmas" releases over the last 2-3 years were originally scheduled to ship somewhere in the early fall, and got delayed.  It worked out good for me, and my wife, who's Christmas shopping was greatly simplified those years, but I didn't think it was intentional on Bachmann's part.  The 4-6-0 was originally scheduled for delivery in late November, if I recall correctly, so the delay until the Spring would be pretty much normal.  [Assuming it does arrive in the Spring, of course.  Here's hoping.]

And this year, I got a sweater!  Seriously.  A very nice sweater.  Still, I missed the train.

Manager

[Mike_AA9ZY]

I got an outside frame Forney with sound for Christmas, so I was happy. Now if they could release some Porters with dcc & sound...!

[ksivils]

Trends come and go in modeling.  I remember when Sn3 was all the rage.

Like anything else, the hot scale, On30, has to cool some sooner or later.

I disagree though that this was not a good year for On30.  My kids gave me a OF 4-4-0 and it is currently being modified!

I plan to eventually obtain one of the rail buses and trailing coaches - that was a pleasant surprise!

The 4-6-0 is not my cup of tea, but I am certain the bashers will go to town on that locomotive and for those who have long awaited this model, I am sure they will be happy.

I am certain the 4-6-0 and rail bus will make a lot of On3 guys happy as well and will be widened out.  Not too sure if the OF 4-4-0 is a candidate for that sort of surgery.

Three powered models announced in one year and two actually available for use!  Not too bad.

As to the rising costs - I would imagine that the global spike in oil prices did not help the cost of raw plastic, paint, lubricant, etc. any for manufacturers like Bachmann.

Now, if Mr. Riley and the Bachmann will only deliver the long awaited Heisler!

[Tomcat]

Guys-no way: we can´t blame the Bachmann folks - they have given us a pretty big number of new material. Personally I love the new outside frame 4-4-0 most and of course I will get myself a 4-6-0 to do some kind of conversion into a RGS Style Engine...

The Railbus is not my kind of love, but OK - lots of other people are happy with it.
And I´m sure - the Bachmann folks have a lot of really neat things in the hat,
as the Bach-man said: We may know more by February...

Maybe there will be something GEARED for us Loggers out there...?!?!?!?!
That would make my day...
A HEISLER. Of course.

Cheers+HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!!!
:)Tom

[david coates]

Let's all stand back and consider how fortunate we in On30 are to have the number of offerings we all have, compared to any other Narrow Gauge scale.  HOn3, only a few new locos that run well, Sn3 controlled mostly by one company, with very nice, but very expensive locos, On3, well those guys are just jealous of all the RTR locos we have, and Nn3, been there, lost the eyesite and funds.  Bachmann
has introduced more people to narrow gauge through G,F,and O scale than perhaps any other company.  I have been in all these other scales and am very glad to have all these options, without any conversions or super expensive brass.  Can't thank Bachmann enough.

David Coates

[James Thomas]

Last new item released with sound was the Forney -- 2 years ago?
 
I'm not bashing Bachmann (I love On30); my point is that they have lost the momentum they had going at a time when the hobby industry needed a shot in the arm.

The Railbus and OF 2-4-0 are interesting, but those of us that got hooked on sound (by Bachmann) have had nothing new. 

[John Tumolo]

All I wanted for Christamas was a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2, a 2-6-2 (come on, sing it with me).  Seriously, a Prairie modeled after WW&F #6, or even one modeled after SR&RL #24 shouldn't be too much of a stretch for Bachmann, considering all of the mechanisms they already have in production.  One can always hope.................   John Tumolo  Britcarfan@aol.com

[lvrr325]

I think the OF 4-4-0 could become a 2-6-0 or 2-6-2 just by tooling a new chassis - it might not exactly match a Baldwin catalog engine, but it would look right. 

[OGReditor]

I think 2008 was a pretty darn good year for On30.  I realize that some folks can't bing themselves to see beyond their own self interest and the ever-present "I want it and I want it now" way of thinking, but I saw a number of great new On30 products released during the year and I still see--despite a world economy that is in the toilet and perhaps about to be flushed--darn good pricing if/when one is willing to shop around a bit.

One nice thing about the pre-Internet era was that we didn't have to be exposed to whiners while pursuing our hobby interests.  They were there, I suppose, but in smaller numbers and with virtually zero visibility or impact.

[Mike_AA9ZY]

OGReditor makes a good point. We tend to be people who expect instant gratification.

Bachmann does a good job of not introducing a new product that does not exist beyond artwork (unlike some other O gauge manufacturers I could name that publish two catalogs yearly!)

Bachmann does such a good job with the On30 product that we just want more. It's kind of like a flavor of ice cream that's only made for Christmas, but we want it year around.

Anyway, that's my story!

PS. Those that subscribe to O Gauge Railroading will probably see the new products before other magazines review them

[Frisco]

I was VERRY disapointed  to not see any thing Colorado but it's probaly a good thing so that I can focus on getting more cars instead which I need more any way.