Model Railroading > Overland Models Update

doesn't look promising for anything to come from Overland anytime soon. Per OMI's updated price list dated 8/19/14:

"Greetings and thank you for your interest in Overland Models. I regret the lengthy time between updates and wish that I had some more definitive updates to offer. The economy and changes with business here and in Korea have resulted in a dramatic slow down. We remain hopeful for some changes to occur that will break the rust. We continue to take steps to build things back up but as of this moment we are stalled. Once things begin to move forward we will remove the TBA from the delivery projections and replace them with honest projected delivery dates.
Respectfully, Brian Marsh"

I sure hope that Brian and Missy do not give up, as they arguably were producing models that were on the highest level that we've ever seen. One thing that I know is that the human spirit in a successful business can not be stopped. Just about all luxury and high-end businesses suffered greatly during the economic down-turn that started in 2008. Brian and Missy had to make ends meet, so they entered into a retail business so that the "ship did not sink." I'm sure they were disgusted as sales slowed and some of their formerly good dealers went belly-up (and the customers of those closed dealers had to scramble to get their deposits back.)

But eventually the Marsh's will get a second-wind and rediscover what they were doing so well. Just like a great athlete whom gets injured and later heals and returns to greatness, so will Brian and Missy.

Me... I can't wait 'till that happens!

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I wish them luck too - I'm not a fan of brass diesels, but I've always loved their freight and passenger cars. I've been looking forward to their International DODX cabooses for several years, as I know a number of other people are, and I hope they can bring them out soon.

Dave

I also would like to say thank you to Brian and Missy for the great customer service. In these days it is great to have dependable and friendly folks to do business with. It does not matter if my order is one small item or several items they always go the extra mile to take care of my requests. I too wish them much luck with all their brass endeavors. I'm looking forward the IC/ICG International Cabs. Gerhard

I have some Overland Diesels from one of their last runs from the "new" Ajin: Ajin Train Models and they are incredible in their detail and performance. I also had an order for some of the NS Heritage units they announced. It is truly sad that the present circumstances affected them to this extent. I believe that a major problem for them was the demise (under less than honorable circumstances) of their major distributor, CMT some 2 years ago, and then the downsizing of Ajin, their major manufacturer in Korea. I remember a few years ago Overland was out with brass models of the newest in the prototype within months of it appearing in 1:1....not sure what happened so fast.
There are still some other brass importers that seem to be doing well such as Coach Yard and PSC.
Sure wish them well, and do hope that Overland can recover.
Auburnrail

Best wishes here to OMI, Brian and Missy, and all...Excellent models from there...although I can rarely afford brass presently.

Thomas Austin
Centralia, IL
Joppa Sub Layout Site

Brian and crew were wise to expand into the retail/online hobby shop business, since the brass market has been in a steady decline in recent years. Biggest reason for the decline IMHO is the higher quality and detail of plastic models hitting the market. Example Athearn Genesis CN GP40-2W. Better detailed and better runner than the OMI import, at a fraction of the cost with DCC and sound. Rapido GMD1 another example. The plastic manufacturers can now produce detail parts at a much finer level than brass offerings, take a look at diesel fans, the plastic parts are crisp and thin, brass not so much. There's only so much fine detail you can produce from hammering out brass sheets verses 3d printing of photo etch. OMI diesels run nice, but I've never liked their electrical pick up systems and if you do plan on running an OMI diesel on a regular basis, you have to keep tuning/tinkering it to keep it running well. Ahearn/Atlas/Rapido run great out of the box with minimal maintenence required.

Trevor
(owner of several Overland imports, and wish Brian, Missy and crew all the best)

I have many omi imports love brass I also have the athearn genesis units omi is awesome stuff

tsokolan Wrote:
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> Brian and crew were wise to expand into the
> retail/online hobby shop business, since the brass
> market has been in a steady decline in recent
> years. Biggest reason for the decline IMHO is the
> higher quality and detail of plastic models
> hitting the market. Example Athearn Genesis CN
> GP40-2W. Better detailed and better runner than
> the OMI import, at a fraction of the cost with DCC
> and sound. Rapido GMD1 another example. The
> plastic manufacturers can now produce detail parts
> at a much finer level than brass offerings, take a
> look at diesel fans, the plastic parts are crisp
> and thin, brass not so much. There's only so much
> fine detail you can produce from hammering out
> brass sheets verses 3d printing of photo etch. OMI
> diesels run nice, but I've never liked their
> electrical pick up systems and if you do plan on
> running an OMI diesel on a regular basis, you have
> to keep tuning/tinkering it to keep it running
> well. Ahearn/Atlas/Rapido run great out of the box
> with minimal maintenence required.
>
> Trevor
> (owner of several Overland imports, and wish
> Brian, Missy and crew all the best)

I'll add to tsokolan's excellent analysis... We've been HO modelers for a bunch of years; and have a good collection of brass; both steam, electric, and diesel... While brass, at one time, was the "king of detail" for HO models; that is no longer true; just as tsololan said... The plastic model builders are simply driving the brass folks out of business with great products, far more reasonable prices, and better running characteristics...

More than that; brass locomotive painting, maintenance, and repair is a dying art... Not many of us geezers left doin that stuff anymore... Brass locomotives are notoriously finicky and hard to run; plastic models arent...

Havin said all that, i hope that Brian and company can survive; but the competition is simply driving them into the ground...

leroy

Case in point: I'd like to have an Overland Ogle coaling station over the kit I have from Diamond Scale models but the $900 price plus for that little HO item has forced me to update the kit with finer details. It's probably a matter of time that someone will have it out in plastic but the hoist assembly would be superior in brass.

IMO, Overland made the best cabooses. If you needed a road specific caboose, Overland usually made it, and with the correct trucks.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/14 11:31 by wabash2800.

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While I'm not turning this into a plastic vs. brass discussion, in20 or 30 years if someone wants to look at representative models of the trains of the time it'll be brass...like it or not, plastic polymer will deteriorate over years but brass is, well, brass.
As to running qualities, Most all of the models imported within the 15 years or so run great and have long lived mechanisms. Also, for the last 10 - 15 years much if not most of the brass imported has been factory painted and pad printed to a much higher standard than even most professional painters can do with airbrush and decals. And if it's important, this stuff will outlive all of us many times over.
Just my opinion.

Auburnrail

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/14 16:21 by Auburnrail.

well said

The price of the plastic engines will soon match the price of brass engines. My plastic engines don't hold up the constant use I give them at my clubs shows and the GTE shows. I run long trains for hours. My Overland models stand up to the use. The only mods to them was to replace the plastic drive shaft balls with brass ones.