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Re: [CBQ] Silver Streak Zephyr

To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Silver Streak Zephyr
From: jameskoretsky@comcast.net
Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2012 17:19:21 +0000 (UTC)
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Brian and Charlie,

There's a very big gap here though. In N Scale, for $250 you get a nominal 10 
car passenger train, with a couple of two or four car addon sets for $50/$100 
per set to make up the prototypical length train. This is truly affordable.

My concern is that in HO Scale the cost is going to be at least twice that, 
with the every increasing costs, the price could be tripple or more in the 
cost. That's $750 for a plastic set, which is reasonable on price at $75 per 
car, the issue is, most people don't have that much to spend at one time. 

Walthers has the right idea, release a car per month and folks can pick them up 
as they are released, but an entire trainset, would be too much for a lot of 
people to do at one time.

I would have loved a Rapido Canadian (two actually as when I'm modeling I need 
to mix and match cars) but I couldn't afford to buy one set at one go, let 
alone two sets. 

I would have preferred that Rapido (and Kato should they decide that they're 
going to do HO Scale Passenger Train Sets) released the Locomotives as the 
first item in a "box set" that can hold the entire train. From there, they 
released 1 or 2 cars per month that come in plain packaging and can be removed 
from the plain packaging, and placed in the box set that the locomotives came 
in. This makes it much more affordable for the customer to purchase.

If I could get them to do a train, I'd like to vote for a DZ or TCZ, with 
separate number / name boards so that the cars can be used for other things 
post this service.

James

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Ehni" <behni@comcast.net>
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 11:54:07 AM
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Silver Streak Zephyr







FWIW, I think either the 3rd set of the TCZ, or the second set of the DZ would 
have wider appeal. 




Thanks! 
--  

Brian P. Ehni 


From: Charlie Vlk < cvlk@comcast.net > 
Reply-To: < CBQ@yahoogroups.com > 
Date: Wednesday, August 8, 2012 10:44 AM 
To: < CBQ@yahoogroups.com > 
Subject: RE: [CBQ] Silver Streak Zephyr 




  





Brian- 

No, the marketplace (consumers) have decided that Kato USA HO products don’t 
sell.   They have done similar  items in HO that sell well in N and observed 
from the sales figures that their market is not in HO.  They continue to make 
HO items but sales are a fraction of what they are in N on a item to item 
basis. 

Not every company should be in every market.   Kato, for example, IMHO, should 
not be in the freight car market because they do not have a production profile 
/ mentality to support numerous releases of many roadnames with a range of 
roadnumbers.   Their production model is an item release once every few years 
with perhaps 2 roadnumbers for 6 roadnames.   It is their “way” and their 
company.   If they had more frequent production they would have gotten around 
to your pre-72 ATSF SD45s…..it wasn’t because the Kato USA researchers/staff 
were unaware of the attractiveness of that (and the other 100 that those units 
could be painted) scheme. 

It would be interesting if they decided to tool up the Silver Streak Zephyr as 
a set (like Fox Valley did with the Hiawatha) and see what the market response 
would be.   I fear that more people would find reasons not to buy it then would 
step up to the plate to support it. 

Charlie Vlk 

  



From: CBQ@yahoogroups.com [ mailto:CBQ@yahoogroups.com ] On Behalf Of Brian 
Ehni 
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2012 9:27 AM 
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com 
Subject: Re: [CBQ] Silver Streak Zephyr 

  

  







So, based on the HO scale product mix Kato produced and sold, they've decided 
that HO doesn't sell. There's a self-fulfilling issue for you. 


  


I believe Kato has been ill-served by some of their own choices. For example, 
why no pre-72 ATSF SD45s?  



  



Thanks! 
--  

Brian P. Ehni 


  


From: Charlie Vlk < cvlk@comcast.net > 
Reply-To: < CBQ@yahoogroups.com > 
Date: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 9:03 AM 
To: < CBQ@yahoogroups.com > 
Subject: RE: [CBQ] Silver Streak Zephyr 


  



  



Brian- 

Having worked for Kato and seen the situation from all sides during my Model 
Railroad career (manufacturer, wholesale distributor, retail shop, and 
consumer) I can tell you it isn’t a lack of caring that drives their product 
mix. 

Kato’s HO sales in North America have been a small fraction of what they sell 
in N for the last twenty years…..especially after the “Kaizaned” RS2 and SD40-2 
mechanism redesign  disasters.   I would say that even Model Power outsells 
Kato, at least at the shops I am familiar with.   The market response to the HO 
SD80MAC, Business Car, Bilevel Commuter Coaches, F40PH, and SD40/SD38 has not 
encouraged them to step up their HO production.   N Scalers have voted with 
their money and won the race. 

Charlie Vlk 

  







Kato apparently no longer cares about HO, judging by their recent releases. 



  



Brian P. Ehni 







 

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