Model Railroading > Athearn survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/725social

They are looking for suggestions for releases in 2026. At least they are asking. Too bad the models won't be in our hands until 2030. I'm glad they are asking and yes, I'll pre-order. 

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

This is a serious survey. Lots of appropriate questions.

I have never pre-ordered an item, and don't plan to, and have
never felt left out.  Seems like items I end up purchasing are
always available eventually.  I'm in no hurry.

Great opportunity to voice your opinion and hopefully influence future releases

Told them to get rid of the crappy McHenry couplers

Well, sometimes you will have a long wait until the prices come down. For example, I would like a Spring Mills Depot, HO, N-34, B&O covered hopper, and the last time I checked they were over $150each.

Victor Baird

WrongWayMurphy Wrote:
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> I have never pre-ordered an item, and don't plan
> to, and have
> never felt left out.  Seems like items I end up
> purchasing are
> always available eventually.  I'm in no hurry.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/25 09:18 by wabash2800.

Release the items from 2023.

SP4360 Wrote:
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> Release the items from 2023.

I put something along those lines in one of the comment fields of the survey.

I’ve had to become a lot pickier about what I’m buying these days, in large part due to costs. I get why manufacturers want pre-orders, but it’s hard for me to commit to those because I don’t know that the item will arrive on schedule, which then can make it tricky for my budget if multiple items from various manufacturers arrive at the same time when I expected them to be spread out. I also don’t want to put money down on items that might get delayed or cancelled.

The downside is that certain items I would love to eventually acquire have become difficult to find after they have sold out. So the manufacturer has a willing buyer for that item, but they don’t have the item to sell me. Doesn’t make me mad, it is what it is. But I do think it’s creating some limitations in the hobby that didn’t use to be there.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone

The repeating theme in my survey is dump the plastic couplers and factory equip with Kadees.  There were a multiple opportunities for me to repeat that.

atsf121 Wrote:
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> I’ve had to become a lot pickier about what
> I’m buying these days, in large part due to
> costs.

Same here - but my problem is over the past couple decades I've accumunlated a rather large collection of trains, more than I can run.  So while rising costs and less available funds is part of the picture, also justifying adding models to an already overgrown fleet.  So as has been my practice, I continue to get more agressive in thinning down the collection monthly; it helps reduce what I will not end up using and funds future items.  I am pre-ordering less as well.  With ScaleTrains, their projected dates are closer to reality and not as far in the future as with Athearn.  Fortunately for me, there are few items announced from Athearn that I need anymore.  Much of what they are running are re-runs of previously offered models.

 

They are gathering a lot of information so they can do nothing with it.

> They are gathering a lot of information so they
> can do nothing with it.

Don't they do this survey every year about this time? Then have a laugh and chuck it.

DutchDragon Wrote:
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> They are gathering a lot of information so they
> can do nothing with it.

If they keep with plastic McHenry couplers then they did nothing with the survey.  I think the McHenry couplers is the biggest beef with customer of Athearn.  And Atlas as well.

Jim Fitch

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> DutchDragon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > They are gathering a lot of information so they
> > can do nothing with it.
>
> If they keep with plastic McHenry couplers then
> they did nothing with the survey.  I think the
> McHenry couplers is the biggest beef with customer
> of Athearn.  And Atlas as well.
>
> Jim Fitch

All because they don't want to pay Kadee.

Interesting that there are 3d printed Sargent couplers made offshore but no worthwhile copies of good old Kadee couplers, even though the patent had expired a few years ago, iirc.

The Rapido version has a notably different curve to the inside of the knuckle. The ScaleTrains version has a similar unique curve but also a thinner shank. Not real sure about legnth but there's a few issues in that catagory as well.

In general the overall quality and fidelity of the model has greatly improved. Not sweating trying to make the perfect replica of a coupler, a good working version is much preferred.

The industry explanation for replacement couplers is problems getting parts from the USA into China, both quantities and timing. Same goes for decoders to a lesser extent.

 

Wow that was a long thing. Coupe of thought for Athearn if they read here.
There should be a place for added comments
There should have been a chance to suggest a freight (or pass.) car. Or say if you could ask for one (or 2) things.
If it was me, I do a name 3 things you'd really like
Also, in the locomotive thing, it asked for favorite ones. Should that have asked for most _desired_ ones?
I mean, what's the point of listing locos you like, if they have all been already made, right? My own answers
were a mix. Like on the Alcos I coulda run off the page. With EMDs meh. With the GEs they were mostly passenger
engines like Pooches and U30CG (which Athearn has mechs for)
And there was a question that duplicated.

           Makes no difference what they make now days, I can't aford to get back in the hobby. Way too expensive.

We Must ALL be thinking the same thing: KADEE COUPLERS, PLEASE??

PHall Wrote:
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>
> All because they don't want to pay Kadee.

Sure,thats obvious, but I'd rather pay a few extra bucks to have them come factory euipped, like Intermountain, Moloco, Wheels of Time, Tangent, etc.

I'm ok if they pass on the extra cost to me the customer.  I'm going to have to buy Kadees anyway and when you have a large fleet to convert, it sucks away more hobby time that could be used for better things!

Jim Fitch

We made it past plastic wheels and horn hook couplers so there must be some happiness out there somewhere.

The too wide RBOX / ABOX cars was almost too much though. Fortunatly they did a big run of Genisis box cars that made it right, then ExactRail filled in the void.

gandydancer4 Wrote:
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> We Must ALL be thinking the same thing: KADEE
> COUPLERS, PLEASE??

Way back when, I had not converted all my cars to Kadees for my 1st operating session, had a lot of problems!
Between that 1st session and the second I kadee'd my whole fleet,  and went hard on adding metal wheel
sets and insuring NMRA compliance. It made a HUGE difference in the reliability and therefore the fun.