Model Railroading > PIKO Krauss Maffei Dealer???

I'm not familiar with PIKO but their announcement of an SP Krauss Maffei cab unit has caught my eye! Any TO's know of a mail-order dealer that has a VERY COMPETITIVE pre-order price on these? Can't wait for the Rio Grande version PIKO has promised to make!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/23 11:48 by RRBMail.

Train World is a large PIKO dealer

The Original Whistle Stop in Pasadena Ca can fill your order and guarantee the sale !
Yes, at retail pricing 

Fred
 

original Wrote:
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> The Original Whistle Stop in Pasadena Ca can fill
> your order and guarantee the sale !
> Yes, at retail pricing 
>
> Fred
>  
I'm sorry but I will not patronize the Original Whistle Stop. I have witnessed the company being, in my opinion, disrespectful to it's staff and at least one customer. Moreover, I will not patronize any hobby shop that insists on charging FULL RETAIL MSRP pre-orders when shops all over the country offer at least a small discount on pre-orders--not the supposed retail prices conjured up by manufactures. An Athearn boss once told me that motors in their locos only cost 50 cents each. He went on say that they don't offer "dummy units" because for about 50 cents more Athearn can charge full retail for a "powered" unit even if the model railroader just needs a "dummy" unit to fill out a consist. That's what he said. 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/23 10:17 by RRBMail.

Thanks for recommending TrainWorld to pre-order the new PIKO HO Krauss Maffei SP units. TrainWorld's pre-order price for an analog unit is $229, higher for DCC. I have never had an issue with TrainWorld, they always treated me respectfully. I just didn't know that they sell European model trains as well.  



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/23 12:05 by RRBMail.

I am SO glad that I am no longer in the hobby business!  When I sold my business in 2007, the movement by manufacturers and distributors towards cutting the profit margins for dealers was really starting to pickup momentum.  When I bought the business in 1975, it was almost universally standard that dealers bought products for 40% off of retail.  If an item had a retail price of $100.00, the dealer paid $60.00 for it.  Often times, the dealer had to pay shipping in addition.  By 2007, hobby items--locomotives in particular--were being cut to 30%, then 25% and even 20%.  It's probably even worse today.  Actually, it is infinitely worse in one way, as several manufacturers have decided to circumvent the dealers all together and to sell directly to the general public.

So, when a dealer starts with only a 30% profit margin or less, WHERE is he supposed to go with discounting?  Is he supposed to make it up on volume?  Not likely these days.  What about his overhead?  Utility bills are outrageous these days.  Rent?  Insurance?  Employee salaries?  If McDonald's starts burger flippers out at $17.00 an hour, how much is a guy worth who can tell you all the in's & out's of a DCC system?   Then there is putting up with the characters who will come in, ask to see a loco demonstrated, suck up employee time, enjoy the air conditioning, wear out the carpet, thumb through all the books & magazines and then go home and place an order with a "dealer" working out of a barn in the middle of Kansas, because they gave him 10% off.  If the guy is a real jerk, he'll bring his internet purchase to his local store and ask for help getting it to work.  Sheesh!

The few remaining, long established hobby or model railroad shops are an absolute TREASURE that we should all appreciate and try to support.  They are disappearing at an alarming rate and when another one closes, those who lament the loudest are those who rarely ever bought anything there.  

The Original Whistlestop in Pasadena, CA is a legendary destination for railroad enthusiasts & hobbyists.  I think it's been around since 1954 and Fred has it absolutely stuffed with inventory, along with amazing, museum quality artifacts.  If you have never been there, you really need to make the trip, as "they don't make 'em like that anymore," and "someday" may just be too late.  

Support your local hobby shop.

Hope you are all doing well,
Allen Drucker



 

The Original Whistle Stop is not offended by someone who wants a discounted price ! - We, have a business that has bills to pay - a staff (not mistreated) to pay and City - State and Federal taxes to pay for the privilege of selling to model railroaders. We, do have to make a profit to maintain our business. This is the  way of the American Dream, ownership and the opportunity to make a living - called profit !
Fred Hill
owner of The Original Whistle Stop 
and proud of it !
 

Well spoken Fred.

Jeff Johnston
(trying to sell handmade cast resin parts that poeople think are too expensive)
thesugarpineshop.bigcartel.com

We feel your pain Allied Model Trains, you built yourself into an iconic 1/4" scale model of Los Angeles Union Station, a city block long and on the best side of LA. The clock tower enclo$ed a cell phone tower--or so I was told. Then things went Southern Railway. Alas, when you couldn't make a go of it any longer the beautiful building was transformed into apartments deluxe. Allied Model Trains we're so sad for your fall from Model Railroad Mecca to, hopefully not, one of the countless homeless in LA--although it's much warmer in winter on the West Side of La La Land than it is along the NEC. "Brother can you spare a million?" 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/23 10:23 by RRBMail.

RRBMail Wrote:
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> We feel your pain Allied Model Trains, you built
> yourself into a 1/4" scale model of Los Angeles
> Union Station, a city block long and on the best
> side of LA. The clock tower enclo$ed a cell phone
> tower! Then things went Southern Railway. Alas,
> when you couldn't make a go of it any longer you
> transformed yourself in to deluxe apartments.
> Allied Model Trains we're so sad for your fall
> from Model Railroad Mecca to, hopefully not, one
> of the countless homeless in LA--although it's
> much warmer in winter on the West Side of La La
> Land than it is along the NEC. "Brother can you
> spare a million?" 

With all due respect sir, you are simply repeating unfounded rumors and know not what you speak.

Economics 101 (aka reality check)...Take ANY item you want to buy:

If you want to go get it in person right NOW, it's going to be retail (for the most part).
If you want to wait and mail order it'll be a little less expensive.

Been that way my whole life.

If you go to a brick and mortar store, you can generally look at what you are buying.  See if it meets your standards. If you wait to buy this new model until it is reviewed by "someone",  it may be sold out by the time you are assured by this reviewer that it is up to your standards.  Or buy it sight unseen on line.  And hope you don't have to send it back if you don't like something.  I have a brick and mortar store near me, and they charge retail.  I always buy something from them because I appreciate the store is there and someone is trying to make a living in the hobby I love.  I look at it like giving a tip to a server at a restaurant.  You don't have to tip the server, but I do as an appreciation for their being there.

jejhnsn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you go to a brick and mortar store, you can
> generally look at what you are buying.  See if it
> meets your standards. If you wait to buy this new
> model until it is reviewed by "someone",  it may
> be sold out by the time you are assured by this
> reviewer that it is up to your standards.  Or buy
> it sight unseen on line.  And hope you don't have
> to send it back if you don't like something.  I
> have a brick and mortar store near me, and they
> charge retail.  I always buy something from them
> because I appreciate the store is there and
> someone is trying to make a living in the hobby I
> love.  I look at it like giving a tip to a server
> at a restaurant.  You don't have to tip the
> server, but I do as an appreciation for their
> being there.

Exactly what I do, just not at Fredski's. 

RRBMail Wrote:
>Moreover, I will not patronize
> any hobby shop that insists on charging FULL
> RETAIL MSRP pre-orders 


Damn those people selling goods and trying to make a profit!

Typhoon Wrote:
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> Damn those people selling goods and trying to make
> a profit!

 Indeed, The Book has something to say about this: 1 Timothy 6:10. This is something for me to keep in mind too as I'm a model railroad capitalist like "Original" and "Steamliner", only I don't cry alligator tears when things go south in my business whist I still have a good nest egg to fall back upon. In capitalism you usually have to take risks in the hope that you'll come out ahead. But if you don't come out ahead there really is no place for tears blaming your customers, your market or changing times. Knowing "Streamliner" I'd guess he more comfortable than most TOs, so maybe he should put this in his rear view mirror and count his blessings. As for "Original" if he still wants to take risks running a model railroad store in the 21ST Century, that's find too, but he's taking risks given 1.4 billion Chinese. 



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/23 17:25 by RRBMail.

RRBMail Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Typhoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Damn those people selling goods and trying to
> make
> > a profit!
>
>  Indeed The Book says: 1 Timothy 6:10 about this.
> Something for me to keep in mind as I too am a
> model railroad capitalist, like "Original" and
> "Steamliner", only I don't cry alligator tears
> when things go south in my business. 

There were never any tears from me, "alligator" or otherwise.  I loved every one of the 32 years I spent growing Allied and I celebrated when I sold it.  There was never anything like it before and I think I can confidently say that there never will be again.  
I don't know where you get your "information" from, but once again, you are utterly mistaken. 

Streamliner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RRBMail Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Typhoon Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Damn those people selling goods and trying to
> > make
> > > a profit!
> >
> >  Indeed The Book says: 1 Timothy 6:10 about
> this.
> > Something for me to keep in mind as I too am a
> > model railroad capitalist, like "Original" and
> > "Steamliner", only I don't cry alligator tears
> > when things go south in my business. 
>
> There were never any tears from me, "alligator" or
> otherwise.  I loved every one of the 32 years I
> spent growing Allied and I celebrated when I sold
> it.  There was never anything like it before and
> I think I can confidently say that there never
> will be again.  
> I don't know where you get your "information"
> from, but once again, you are utterly mistaken. 

I did post that "Streamliner" exited Allied Model Trains and moved on, as "Steamliner" suggested in its last posting. Did "Streamliner" in fact sell the beautiful L A Union Station-clone building? If not, please explain the Real Estate/Contractor's sign I saw when visiting the site to help promote the preservation of the facade for now and future generations. The only thing posted without evidense was that there's a cell phone tower inside the clock tower (For which Allied Model Trains was getting about $10,000 monthly in rent from the cell phone company.)  An employee of "Original" told me so. Maybe that's what put a bee "Streamliners'" bonnet? If so, you might want to take it up with "Original". I used to take whatever "Original" and its staff said as gospel, now not so much. 



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/23 17:20 by RRBMail.

If you gotta feel it, touch it, smell it, hear it...go retail. <G>

Victor Baird

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> If you gotta feel it, touch it, smell it, hear
> it...go retail.
>
> Victor Baird

Indeed!

Many thanks to those who operate brick and mortar shops today, in particular, my local stores The Original Whistle Stop & The Train Shack.

Just this week, I was working in the neighborhood and stopped in at The Whistle Stop to pick up some wheelsets and couplers for upgrading some old cars.

I thought I knew what I wanted (and would have ordered if I bought online), but Fred steered me to the appropriate ones.

Couod I have gotten them online for $1 cheaper? Yes, but not same day and not with the friendly insight.  

Many thanks!