most of us have heard the news about the demise of the Athearn Blue Box kits.
Time to get the pitchforks and torches out and storm the gates, but be careful and watch out for boiling oil response.
Anyways,,for anyone who wishes to contact Athearn and write up a polite and diplomatic e-mail stating why this is a Big Mistake here is a chance and the link
http://www.athearn.com/About/Contact.aspx
if there is enough responses,,,good reasons,,good essays or the like
there is a chance, be it great or slim [ i won't give odds] that athearn
Might change their minds about the issue.
It is worth a shot anyways,,,the worst that could happen is that Athearn will say "No".
The best that could happen would be to revive the line.
Much like what happened with the Coca-Cola company when they dropped the "original" formula to "New Coke". The "new" coke soon vanished and
Coke Classic made its triumphant comeback.
email sent
"Love your products for the last 20 years I have been buying them. I think you guys have made alot of progress through the years but discontinuing the Blue box kits was a mistake. I think the company should re consider or at least limit the product line to a few popular kits that can still be sold to the many people who only buy BB kits."
I just vented to Athearn....If you like the kits, let them know. What really bothers me is that they didn't even change the numbers on the RTR. If you built a PRR boxcar kit 20 yrs ago & bought a RTR today they would have the same number!!
I too sent them an e-mail. Hopefully BB kits will stay. I like those kits because they are great and cheap. And in these times cheap is good!!
I have also sent a concise, respectful message to Athearn. Like all of you, I hope our communication will cause this misguided decision to be reversed.
Ray
I've joined the bandwagon.
his was a matter of discussion at my modular club meeting last weak. One of our members who is a former hobby retailer with connections at Athean has spoken withthem and the rationale behind the decision is that R-T-R can be produced in China for a lower per unit cost -including shipping to the states - that the Blue Box kits can be manufactured.
Sad to see this line go, and I understand that the future outlook for parts is equally dismal.
Tom B