Model Railroading > On30 on the decline?

Seems to me that hobby shops are carrying less, new announcements are fewer and far between and the "buzz" isn't there. I think Bachmann shot itself in the foot by producing models that the modelling community weren't clamouring for, such as the diminutive 4-4-0, Stearns Heisler, 2-6-6-2 etc, all of which were likely not good sellers. Had they spent the same money to produce a model of a west side Shay, a Unitah mallet or an East Broad top mikado I think the buyers would have been there. It seems that PCM exited the market after the goose and 2-8-0, and really no other manufacturer has stepped up to the plate to offer locos for the scale. Even MMI which was making some very nice stuff has ceased to offer engines, at one time they had a full slate of potential models announced but have since disappeared.
San Juan builds some beautiful stuff, but shot themselves in the foot by losing their chief model maker, effectively making sure that their passenger car projects remained unfinished (which would have been beautiful).
I'm guessing a resurgence in popularity wouldn't be difficult if the right models were offered, but clearly more research should be done by the folks at Bachmann as to what the consumers want instead of what the company deems fit to produce. Heck, even if they had made the Westside #3 heisler and some proper logging cars they would have had a winner.

Posted from iPhone

My personal opinion, many of the "serious" On30 modelers went to On3.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My personal opinion, many of the "serious" On30
> modelers went to On3.


Quite a few went to ON3 quality equipment as unless the cars are being converted to ON3 from ON30 they go quick no matter what on Ebay. I went to mainly San Juan but also have brass and hand built items I pick up off of Ebay. I am also going to start changing over my AMS box cars as they do not look any better than Bachmann. Also the price of there equipment for the quality is too high. While I may have trouble sometimes with my Mountain Models engines they look great and run good. That is a tradeoff with them but if I had started out a few months later in narrow gauge would have gone to ON3 but at the time there was little or no track and switches available so went with ON30. My layout web site is http://www.hobby-tronics.com/1940DRGW/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/14 10:03 by BAB.

I think the thing with On30 was that there were two factions, one faction was into the cute and really wanted the tiny stuff and wanted to see how tight a radius they could get it to go around, the other faction was the people that wanted more of the larger more typical narrow gauge style of locomotives. And you cant serve both of these markets at the same time. The Bachmann 4-4-0's, the Heisler, and the short box cars, flat cars and such were all aimed at the cute/short/small market while the 4-6-0 was aimed at the more traditional larger narrow gauge market. I work in a brick and mortar hobby shop and hear from both sides. And I quote " Why did Bachmann make that 4-4-0 its to small, they should have done some thing like the "Eureka"!" and then I get "Who would want some thing like that (the 4-6-0) its way to big and you need 22" radius to run it!" (said in a whiny voice), it wont go around my 15" curves.

MMI ran into the rescission or what ever you want to call it and basically had to throw in the towel for the time being, the same has happened to BLI, neither company has felt that the money was there at this time for any new projects. Both have expressed that once the economy picks up will have new projects in the pipe line. If you notice that BLI has not released anything new since before the economy tanked, they had a GN S2 in the works that they have completely dropped for the time being. Another factor is that the costs in China where this stuff has been made is going up rapidly to the point that when you start a project you think that you have one price and when you get done there is a completely different price for the final product, the other thing that both company's are tired of is you have no control over when it will come out, if some goes to the factory with a project and offers to pay more than they contracted with you they will do the other project first and then hold yours for ransom. Bachmann does not have this problem as they own the factory. AMS / Accucraft is still working on new On30/On3 products, they are still planning on doing the D&RGW short caboose like thy have done in Fn3 (1:20.3). and they are looking at other locomotives to do after their c-16.

Andre

I agree with the fact about the economy going south, MMI got hurt bad when they imported the K27 as an outfit that is now gone ordered quite a few then when it was time to get them forced MMI to drop the price down to the point profit on them almost was zero. Southwest Narrow gage is trying to get a lower priced passenger car, about half of what they were, imported if there is enough interest. They will be ON3 but San Juan trucks will fit as have converted several of the older PSC to them. If Accucraft does any more do hope they improve the detail like truss rods that hang down and almost touch the track along with there trucks that the brake rigging drags on the wheels. I think they improved there couplers as the ones I got the springs were so stiff they wouldn't couple unless they were done by hand. I am going to replace my box cars with San Juan ones due to that. I also have converted all cars and engines to San Juan couplers and changed to ON3 coupler height.
The Bachmann items are great somewhere between two foot and thirty inch scale and do run well. I have three that the gears split on them someone said that they would replace them if sent in.
No matter what scale anyone is in have fun enjoy model railroading as each of us has our own ability to produce what we like. Its a hobby and always remember that when dealing with anyone in it. SMILE and kind words.

A friend of mine has the AMS C-16 and he's not happy with it. The blind drivers are smaller diameter than the flanged ones and the side rods always look goofy as they are never straight. I wasn't impressed as to the detail quality either. If only San Juan had made theirs RTR I would have one.

Posted from iPhone