Bach-Man,
Although I know you probably aren't allowed to give out specific numbers, I guess its safe to assume from the fact that almost no one around the 'net has the Cass Scenic Railroad tourist cars in stock that they are a hit? I am the proud owner of a countless number of them, as everytime I buy from an e-seller I have them throw in one or two. These really are great, and I have them on my layout with Cass #5, and have even added the tourists to make them look better!
Well how come no pics ?
I have plenty of pics that I could share, but how do you post them on here? I tried to attach some in my previous post, but apparently the files were too large...
You cannot attach photos. You have to upload them onto photobucket or flickr and then copy the image location, then click on the image button next to the little globe under the italics button and you will get this (http://image%20location%20goes%20here). Paste the image location inbetween the two.
Here's a link to the Photo Bucket album of My Layout. Photos of the Cass Cars with Shay #5 are toward the end (roughly the last half of the images). You can also see my scratchbuilt CSRR "first generation" tourist cars in the last four photos of the album, which were built in 2000. Some are repetitive shots, but I still hope you enjoy!
http://s935.photobucket.com/albums/ad194/thewvnetwork/My%20Layout/ (http://s935.photobucket.com/albums/ad194/thewvnetwork/My%20Layout/)
that's quite the setup you've got going there. Impressive Detail
(delayed reaction) THANK YOU RYEGUY! 8)
Great layout. Thanks for the pictures and inspiration mattyg :D
Robert
yeah looks really good ...keep it up
Quote from: mattyg1306 on March 16, 2010, 02:07:56 AM
Bach-Man,
Although I know you probably aren't allowed to give out specific numbers, I guess its safe to assume from the fact that almost no one around the 'net has the Cass Scenic Railroad tourist cars in stock that they are a hit? I am the proud owner of a countless number of them, as everytime I buy from an e-seller I have them throw in one or two. These really are great, and I have them on my layout with Cass #5, and have even added the tourists to make them look better!
I found them about two months ago and bought nearly all of this one dealers remaining stock. Now I wish I had bought them all.
I can't find any more, at least not at the price I got the first ones at---too popular now, I guess. Maybe Bachmann will release some more.
I too, have the CS #5 Shay
From what most online retailers report, it looks like there will be a second run of these cars which will become available sometime in May. It looks like they were more popular than Bachmann had thought they would be, especially the ones that are actually lettered for Cass, the prototype. When I couldn't find them I at first thought they had already stopped offering them, but I'd rather have them be so popular they can't keep up with demand than not popular and no longer being made at all.
I was actually at Cass in the Fall right after these were first released, and NO ONE there had heard of them. Even the Park's supporting organization, Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association (MSR&LHA) didn't know of the cars until this past month when I sent the editor of their newsletter, "The Log Train", a review of the cars to include in the June issue. As it turns out, Bachmann's VP of Product Development, Lee Riley, is a HUGE fan of Cass, and visits there sporadically throughout the year, hence the use of Cass equipment as a prototype (first the Shay, now the cars, hopefully he'll think of offering a model of one of the other Cass Shays sometime soon, perhaps a Pacific Coast type like #2, or WM #6).
If you are interested in some of the non-Cass lettered tourist cars, many places do have a few of the other varieties available, but the Cass version seems to be sold out across the board. And you are right, the prices have gone up, but that is largely due to Bachmann raising prices on ALL their products at the beginning of the year. The new SRP for these is still only $1 higher though at $29, so the price change could have been worse. Might I suggest www.modeltrainstuff.com ? They seem to have the lowest price at $13.99 as of this writing. Hopefully it will stay that way for a while. I have a total of 20 of these cars (at least one of each variety), and don't plan to purchase anymore for the time being, but may change my mind in the future.
WM 6 would be excellent! world's biggest shay. That thing scared me for some reason because it sounded like a diesel when i went.
On a side note, I recently finished detailing an HO model of West Virginia Northern Railroad SW1200 #52, as well as a replica of their MP54 "Ping-Pong" coach, nicknamed "L.I. Suzy". I really enjoyed this railroad when I was younger in the 1990s, and was saddened when it closed down forever in 1999. I honestly still like Cass better, but I did like the Northern due to its closer proximity to my house (lol). I will be adding photos of my models to the photostream very soon, so be sure to check back often!!! Here's a link to a site about the prototype: http://www.wvrail.railfan.net/wvnrr/index.html
I just downloaded the new PDF catalog and both the Cass and Jackson Sharp coaches are shown.
all, I would just love a Bachmann Spectrum Shay #6, WM. I have most of the other Shay's to include a two truck version. Brass versions of the Big #6 is still available at 1000.00 plus! Can' t quite make that in the budget.
Mr. Bach-mann, please toss that around with Mr. Riley and see what you can come up with. Stephen
So, Bach Man, what's the hold up with getting more of these cars made...especially the Cass Scenic Railroad ones? I realize you can't make every locomotive/car all the time, but it doesn't seem like quite enough of these were manufactured (keep in mind CSRR operates them in trains of 5 cars so many collectors will want that many; in fact, maybe you could offer an exclusive train set with the cars and Shay #5...call it "The Bald-Knobber", lol ;) ). I personally wrote a review of the car which appeared in the latest issue of The Log Train (the quarterly publication of MSR&LHA, CSRR's supporting organization), and now people are aware of it and can't find it anywhere...not even the one place in the world where it should be easiest to find: CASS! Whenever you do get more manufactured, please do contact the official Cass souvenir shop, the Cass Country Store...the owners have tried and tried to lay their hands on a case or two of the cars but can't find them at all and have been very frustrated by this. Personally, I would have thought Bachmann would have offered them to Cass first since they are really based on that line...they would sell like hotcakes there! The guy who owns the only other souvenir store in Cass, the "Shay Railroad Shop", did have a couple dozen when I was there May 21-23, but had sold them all at the $29.00 SRP by the time I returned June 11!!! And they aren't even at peak season yet! Please see what you can do ASAP, and keep in mind, Cass closes its season in October, so Fall will be too late! Maybe you could expedite it for them special or something since you didn't give them dibs in the first place. If you need contact info, let me know.
Thanks! 8)
P.S. Please let me know that you have read this, Bach Man, otherwise I will start a new thread!!!
matty -
Unless the Cass equipment is already in the production chain you won't see it this year or probably even next year. It takes months to bring something back to market even if no new tooling is needed. Contracts and commitments are signed far in advance so it's not like Bachmann can call someone in China and tell them to stop whatever they're doing and make a bunch of Cass coaches right away. In addition, selling equipment like hotcakes at the CSRR isn't the same as selling the same merchandise to a national clientele. Bachmann makes trains to make money and what one or two stores can sell isn't anywhere near enough for them to justify extra production. And that's okay; if Bachmann doesn't make money we won't have their models to buy. Most folks just don't realize how complex, expensive and time consuming making models is.
-- D
I do understand how difficult it is, and I do believe these are scheduled to continue production...someone said that they won't be available til @ October though...which is too late for Cass. What I'm really getting at is maybe they could get some of the first new ones that are being produced and have them shipped back to the US as soon as they're made...they CAN do that. And that store at Cass probably could sell several cases of these by seasons end. I know they are in it to make money on a larger scale, but if this particular car doesn't sell well (I actually think it IS, which is why its hard to find only 9 months after it was introduced!), its because they didn't introduce it in the right markets at the right times. I really think their sales would go WAY up if they'd do some strategic planning and sell particular items in the area where you actually see the prototype...(how about offer some of those WM 2-8-0s to the WM Scenic RR, for instance...last time I was there, they didn't have any for a similar reason!). Cass, the place that literally CREATED the prototype for this particular Bachmann product, was not even notified that models of their cars would be made...I personally am responsible for enlightening many of them to this fact (LOL) through my article, but now everyone's disappointed cause they can't be found...ANYWHERE...not even at Walthers!
Walther's still lists the expected arrival as unknown, but if the Bachmann says they're due in July then they'll be here.
Dear Matty,
The cars should be available in July, so don't worry!
Have fun!
the Bach-man
Hey, thanks, Bach Man. Sorry if I come off as bitter...I don't mean to be. I'll pass this along to some people at Cass so they make sure they watch for them.
Thank you for your time...I appreciate it...and I'm still impressed that Bachmann offers the car at all; its probably one of the more unique pieces in the company's history.
:)
Bach Man,
I'm sorry to be a broken record, but are more excursion cars currently in production?
The aforementioned batch from last July were sold out within a couple weeks...maybe more could be ordered this time around (more Cass than the others ;) )? I just assume from this fact that these must be uberpopular with the Shay #5 model (and now the Climax), as I've mentioned before. Even the slightly less popular non-Cass versions are running out. Hope they aren't totally discontinued...everyone needs at least five to go with their Shay/Climax. ;D
Please let me know...I try to keep the Cass community informed, and am working on a review for the Climax in The Log Train, would be a nice footnote to mention the cars again (I wrote an article about the cars in the May 2010 issue! 8) )!