Re: [CBQ] C&S Hoppers

["William Hirt" <whirt@fastmail.com>]

Just a quick point. An Athearn blue box kit in 1972 cost $1.98. That same kit would cost nearly $15 today based on inflation. Accurail kits have better molding, detailing, painting and lettering and cost $21.98 retail.

And hobby manufacturers will pretty much tell you no one wants to buy kits anymore. They were surprised as anyone when the transition to ready-to-run started in the early 2000s. People are willing to pay for the convenience for a well detailed car they do not have to put together.

I have taken boxes of Branchline, Intermountain, Proto 2000 and Red Caboose kits to swap meets trying to sell them for $8-10 each. I almost always bring them all back home with me. The kit market in model railroading is now a niche market and the manufacturers have seen and read where the marketplace is going.

Just some perspective.

As for the cars the Amarillo Museum are offering, I already have nearly 40 Accurail, Bowser, End Cab Models and Stewart variations of the car and do not need anymore especially since I model the K Line.

Bill Hirt

On 7/23/2024 2:40 PM, Jeff Kraus via groups.io wrote:

Model railroading is becoming a rich man’s hobby.

On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, 1:10 PM, Scott Frietsch <eaglecrestservices@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi All

After reading all the other emails about the time frame people are modeling I believe quite a few of us model the 60s and early 70s.  I believe the main problem is that these cars are $40 AAR 70 ton triple hoppers.  This car has been done pretty well in the past which I suspect many of us have a sizable fleet of.  Now these are the nicest version ever done of this model of car but it is going to make the rest of our fleets look bad.  If you only had a couple I could see spending that kind of money but I know I own roughly 60 Accurail or Stewart cars so at $40 each it isn’t worth it when I could pick up another of those at a train show for $10 and renumber or repaint it.  I am guessing in my personal opinion this model is going to be a loss for everyone involved and will always have lack luster sales.  My thoughts might be wrong to some but here I am. 
Scott Frietsch 

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