[jrnyfilms]

K-line and Weaver are out of business, Atlas bought the better MTH molds but they aren't doing much with them. Most of their bridges and trestles have been on back order for months if not years. Atlas O gauge seems to be on the back burner, same with Williams. MTH comes out with mostly redone rolling stock and a very few engines. Nothing with a new design. That leaves Lionel. Most of their prices are out of range for me. Used equipment on E-bay is the only answer but that's taking a chance. Luckily I have just about all the rolling stock and locos I need but what about the new folks? Don

 

[Lehigh74]

Not in the same place we were a few years ago, but it’s not all gloom and doom in my opinion. And I’m an MTH guy. MTH is still around and I while they ain’t what they used to be, I don’t see them going away any time soon. While they aren’t making any new tooling, I think MTH must have made models of just about every locomotive type. Even though they sold off a bunch, the models they are still making should keep the new guys interested.

I agree that Ebay can be risky, but it isn’t the only answer for used stuff (in southeast PA anyway). There are several meets within driving distance and most have a test track.

The biggest problem I see at the moment for new guys is the lack of available new (not used) control systems. If you want all the bells and whistles that make modern locomotives so cool, you have to wait. Hopefully that wait won’t be too much longer.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

You're forgetting Menard's and RMT, both are cranking out lots of rolling stock.

 

[jrnyfilms]

John, I didn't even know RMT was still in business. As for Menard's they only make track, cars, buildings and one F-7. I think it would be great if Menard's would offer a starter set at Christmas. They have most everything except a transformer. Don

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, locomotives aren't the only thing in demand. I think the best Menard's products are their buildings, good value for the money.

RMT is back from the dead.

 

[jrnyfilms]

John, what I really want to know is what are Williams and Atlas doing? Atlas has made some really great engines and the best mass-produced cars. The FM I have was only made once. I can't tell you how many offers I have had to buy mine. Why

wouldn't they release it again? Don

 

[cale10]

Bachmann has a huge opportunity to fill the void in the O scale market with Willams, but they’re dragging their feet for some reason. Hopefully that means new things on the horizons. I just hope Lionel has some competition because without it, their prices could easily get more absurd than they already are. I like Lionel, but we need healthy competition to help drive ingenuity and fair prices.

 

[Firewood]

I know what you mean. The secondary market is definitely saturated enough for my needs but new competition is thin on the ground. I know Menards’ has an enthusiast owner, but maybe they could make an offer and re-invigorate the Williams line. RMT has some interesting stuff, so I hope they keep that up.

FW

 

[seayakbill]

Hard to understand Williams by Bachmann O Guage business plans. Their parent company, Kader Industries has huge manufacturing operations in Hong Kong and very deep pockets. Kader Industries acquired a large amount of K-Line tooling via the Sandi Kan Bankruptcy and really have not used much of it. A lot of folks thought that they would become a major player in the O Gauge arena since they purchased Williams Trains and acquired K-Line tooling but apparently the Kader senior execs decided to put O Guage trains on the back burner.

 

[gpritch16]

Perhaps they are creating demand by waiting a bit. As you said, the other manufacturers are cranking out the same models, just changing the paint and upping the prices.

 

[jrnyfilms]

When the Williams E-7 came out, I thought finally a new loco from Williams. Maybe they are going to produce more and newer equipment. But NO. I always liked the E-7 partly because of the square side windows. It's the only Williams loco I have and I'm finally getting around to detailing it. All my other equipment is scale but I just couldn't bring myself to buy a Lionel E-7 for over $700. I will post pictures when I'm finished. Don

 

[Millstonemike]

What it might lack in detail it comes with a bullet-proof drive trane and stump-pulling power.

 

[jrnyfilms]

Mike, I'm fixing the lack of detail. Added new

front with detail, front A unit will have scale coupler added. Have brass wipers for the front windows, and lots of small detail. Even added a diesel motor inside that is lit up. Kind of a fun project. Don

 

[cale10]

That’s thing with the Williams or PostWar stuff. It’s bulletproof and nothing fancy. Other brand stuff is nice because they have all the bells and whistles (literally) but I just don’t need or want all that and if I want a particular model I have no choice but to pay up. Similar to how HO and N scale models are starting to only be sold as only DCC equipped whether we want it or not. Not only that but I (and many others) just don’t have the funds to buy a power system that can even run some of these high end computerized locomotives.

 

[SDIV Tim]

This is a never ending cycle. I'm okay with re runs because my situation, I actually want to get them now because of better features and the previous runs are going for way more than they did retail.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[moranb2864]

Mike, I'm fixing the lack of detail. Added new View attachment 601028
front with detail, front A unit will have scale coupler added. Have brass wipers for the front windows, and lots of small detail. Even added a diesel motor inside that is lit up. Kind of a fun project. Don

I have had this Williams and I collect Milwaukee Road. My 3 road names are Milwaukee Road, Rock Island and CB & Q (Burlington Route)

Going back to your original photo of your phenomenal layout, I have sought that Atlas Erie Built AA or even AB for years now with very little luck. I 100% agree with you that what is happening now is a bizarre world.

I recently dropped a lot on 3rd Rail to get some E5's, etc and have more coming. Great, but why hasn't the premier manufacturer of detailed 3 Rail ever done this FM Erie Built with the wrap around Stainless in front. To be perfectly honest, if they did, I would be a buyer at an (almost) name your price!

There are plenty of road switchers, GP's and so on available but as a modern era modeling geek, I cater to the unusual. I had a Non Powered A in this Atlas purchased for a reasonable $375 or so on a Buy It Now off eBay about 18 months ago. Since then they have been non existent on eBay, Cabin Fever and Stout. So I pretty much gave up.

I don't see anybody doing it. Atlas won't, I don't know that for sure but they are barely getting by on MTH molds. Lionel never has, nor have they done a more modern Midwest Hiawatha which is less detailed.

I have the Midwest Hiwatha AA and an AB from Atlas and MTH. I'm almost 60 years old with no train layout (completed). If 3rd Rail comes out with the FM Erie Built in the original stainless wrap front, I will sign up, but only in the next 3-4 years. I've not reached out to Scott on this, have you?

To see one of these on eBay is to see a feeding frenzy. I would love to have a set just to throw on eBay at $1 and a 10 day auction. I have bid on a couple on eBay in the past 3 years that went in excess of $1350 for an AB/AA.

I too liked that Williams E7 set but I surveyed my train stuff and went what am I doing? I have more then enough especially in Milwaukee Road, so I sold it. I still have the Lionel E6 AA set from 2001, I have a later MTH ABA set in E8, I have the 2 Erie Built sets, Atlas and MTH in Midwest Hiawatha. I have the MTH last edition PS 3.0 DL109/DL110, and a steam MTH Premier Hiwatha Hudson. Just plenty...

 

[neilblumberg]

The main difference now is that Lionel is the only full line provider of products. It was nice in the first decade of this century when we had K-Line, MTH and Lionel who provided a variety of products, but that's not how it is now. K-Line self-destructed and MTH aged out of the business to a large degree. No telling where things go next.

But if you look at Marklin and LGB, they both had near death experiences, but the strength of the brand names led to their being purchased by investors (much as Lionel was) and they are now putting out 300+ page catalogs (Marklin/Trix) and large catalogs almost as big as Lionel's latest (LGB). So there's at least one strong player in developing new products and providing materials for layouts of these specialized niche model railroad hobbies (Marklin, G gauge and three rail O gauge).

One assumes that Lionel wouldn't be putting out 250 page catalogs if they weren't doing reasonably well. I don't see RMT, Menards or MTH becoming true full line product vendors in the near future, if ever. But they do fill niches within the hobby in each case, at present. Time will tell.

 

[jrnyfilms]

2864, I'm like you, I like different types of equipment that aren't "normal". How many GP-9s or F-3s can we have. I guess that's why l like the big electrics so much. I looked for a B unit for my FM set for a long time. I wanted to run it as a A-B train. No luck. These locos never seem to show up. I will let you know if I see one come up. Don