Curious

[mc_br...@yahoo.com]

I was quite active and involved in model RR'ing a few years back. I
assembled a fairly large collection of HO scale cars and engines.
Needs changed, finances required some re-directing, and I sold off
about 50% of the items, and basically lost touch with the hobby for
the past several years - almost entirely.

Finally, I am able to return to the hobby. No purchases yet, but plans
are under way. Forgotten, sometimes lost, model train websites have
been relocated and re-bookmarked. To this point, I am trying to
determine how things have changed.

Kato use to have a number of diesels to choose from on their website.
At the moment, they look very thin on offerings. Yes? No?

BLI had several ATSF steam engines and several sweet diesels
[switchers, etc.] on their website years back. I cannot seem to find
much available; their website seems thin, and the Cab Forward plus a
couple of other steam engines seems to be the bulk of their offerings.
Yes? No?

I then find out that Proto 2000 is absorbed by Walthers, yet most of
the P2K items on the Walthers site are sold out. What's with the Proto
2000 line-up and its future?

The Atlas website use to have tons of rolling stock in HO scale. We
owned a lot. I can't find many of the tankers, etc. Have they reduced
their inventory?

It's early since my return. My perusing might be falling short and my
observations may be wrong, but it *seems* like the hobby is either in
declince or manufacturers have really cut back on their offerings.
Yet, DCC appears strong. The recent train show attendance has been
strong.

Am I way off? Is the model RR industry/hobby strong? Or, should I
panic?

Kadee and Intermountain seem to be moving along as usual.

Thoughts???

:Matt

[a_a_a]

mc_br...@yahoo.com wrote:

> It's early since my return. My perusing might be falling short and my
> observations may be wrong, but it *seems* like the hobby is either in
> declince or manufacturers have really cut back on their offerings.

Have you looked fully at the Walthers website and at Athearn?

> Am I way off?

yes

> Is the model RR industry/hobby strong?

yes

> Or, should I
> panic?

no

[mc_br...@yahoo.com]

On Nov 17, 10:14 pm, a_a_a <a...@a.a.net> wrote:
> > Or, should I
> > panic?
>
> no

I am delighted to read your replies. Your confidence in the strength
of the hobby is most pleasing. My unplanned hiatus from the hobby a
few years back due to finances was disappointing. My return, albeit
limited by funds at this junture, is quite uplifting.

[PV]

mc_br...@yahoo.com writes:
>Your confidence in the strength of the hobby is most pleasing.

The thing is, the days of walking into a neighborhood store that has
everything you want is nearly over. I happen to be very lucky to have
America's Best Toys and Hobby (http://www.americasbesttrainshoppe.com)
about 20 minutes away, but that sadly is the exception. Find a good online
store or two and stick with them. I use Litchfield Station for DCC
and internettrains.com for anything else that I don't buy at America's
Best.

The real tragedy is that you came back to the hobby after Loy Spurlock
retired. Loystoys.com is still a great resource for DCC information, but he
no longer sells anything. *
--
* PV Something like badgers, something like lizards, and something
like corkscrews.