Model Railroading > Newest Athearn release (why so long)

Just place an order for some of the newest Athearn
release. My question is; why does it take a year
go get my order...

Thanks

JLSeael

LandN1971 Wrote:
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> Just place an order for some of the newest
> Athearn
> release. My question is; why does it take a year
> go get my order...

Because to an ever-growing degree, the model manufacturers aren't ordering production until they get advance reservations. Some of them, like Athearn, make more product than they get reservations for, while others set their factory order based on how many orders they get by a certain deadline and if you don't get your order in by then, you better hope your local dealer (if you have one) anticipated your desire.

And once Athearn, Atlas, etc. place their orders with the Chinese factories, they're at the mercy of those factories' production schedules.

toledopatch Wrote:
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> LandN1971 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Just place an order for some of the newest
> > Athearn
> > release. My question is; why does it take a
> year
> > go get my order...
>
> Because to an ever-growing degree, the model
> manufacturers aren't ordering production until
> they get advance reservations. Some of them, like
> Athearn, make more product than they get
> reservations for, while others set their factory
> order based on how many orders they get by a
> certain deadline and if you don't get your order
> in by then, you better hope your local dealer (if
> you have one) anticipated your desire.
>
> And once Athearn, Atlas, etc. place their orders
> with the Chinese factories, they're at the mercy
> of those factories' production schedules.



And this is why pre orders are becoming more important than ever.  Many companies are no longer wanting to risk sitting on stock piles, so they are ordering very slim percentages over the confirmed pre order amount.  Lots of stuff has sold out faster than ever in recent weeks/months.

And to my way of thinking, thats killing the hobby! Few people want to shell out big bucks for something they may very well be waiting a year on!

tx_trainman54 Wrote:
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> And to my way of thinking, thats killing the
> hobby! Few people want to shell out big bucks for
> something they may very well be waiting a year on!

Most dealers do not require advance payment on reserved items. If yours does, then perhaps it's time to find another dealer, unless he's ultra-special in other ways.

Some manufacturers don't even require you or your dealer to even take the item after it arrives in the hobby store!

If you even THINK you want something, it's always best to pre-order or reserve it. If you don't you aren't guaranteed to have a chance to buy it or refuse it. If you do pre-order and you don't like it when it arrives, you don't have to buy it.

Some dealers (Caboose Hobbies for example) also offer a pre-order discount as well. If you are early to reserve you'll get their absolute rock bottom price as an incentive to reserve. If you wait until it arrives AND you manage to find it in the store you'll pay more for it.

Definitely find a new dealer if you are required to put a deposit down on any reservation item.

Lee Ryan - Rio Grande Fan
Denver, CO