Where is the stock or am I missing something

[stock_2007]

I'm sure you'll all agree that finding the loco you want is never easy, just lately for me anyway its been damn near impossible. I've been looking for a Athearn SD 70ACe in KCS livery. I've asked one or two people I know in the States, 'no problem which number loco do you want?'  Over here one major on-line seller I asked has everything on back-order and could not give me a date if I ordered one, two others sellers were running down their stock and had no plain's to reorder.

So who is selling new HO stock ?  Or am I just missing something.

FYI. I have no problem buying from the States, I've had some great deal's. Its once its in the hands of the Custom's that the fun and the waiting start.

[Xerces Fobe2]

Try the Model Junction in Slough

 

http://www.modeljunction.info/estore/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=Athearn+SD+70ACe+&x=32&y=8&categories_id=&inc_subcat=1&manufacturers_id=&pfrom=&pto=&dfrom=&dto=

 

It is an advance order item though

 

XF

[49395]

I was just about to post exactly the same thing.

 

http://www.modeljunction.info/estore/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=13&products_id=32200

 

(or with sound)

 

http://www.modeljunction.info/estore/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=13&products_id=32214

 

They will also order anything you want from walthers website if its in stock or expected soon, I've ordered some buildings and wagons through them that way.

 

No connection other than a very satisfied customer etc etc...

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[stock_2007]

Thanks but I've tried them, looking at their site almost everything is on back order. They were the ones who were unable to give me a delivery date.

[Xerces Fobe2]

Thanks but I've tried them, looking at their site almost everything is on back order. They were the ones who were unable to give me a delivery date.

Stewart at Model Jct is a genuine guy and will not commit to a delivery date if he cannot get one from the suppliers. I have known him from days at Slough & Windsor Model Railway Club and highly recoomend his shop and service

 

XF

[298]

I think you've summed up a major problem with the "Business plan" of a speciality retailer- You can guess the quantities but will either sell out and have to turn away customers who ask for a particular road, whilst at the same time getting lumbered with less than popular releases that will only clutter up your shop or sales stand until one finally sells, usually on impulse and at a discounted price.

 

Pre-ordering through a reliable retailer or buying direct from the States is the only realistic option to ensure you get what you want.

[Barry Ten]

Stewart at Model Jct is a genuine guy and will not commit to a delivery date if he cannot get one from the suppliers. I have known him from days at Slough & Windsor Model Railway Club and highly recoomend his shop and service

 

XF

 

Not sure if you remember, Xerces, but we actually bumped into each other in Model Junction a couple of years ago - I overheard you mentioning Rmweb to Stewart and introduced myself.

 

They are a very good retailer as you say and absolutely trustworthy.

[stock_2007]

Stewart at Model Jct is a genuine guy and will not commit to a delivery date if he cannot get one from the suppliers. I have known him from days at Slough & Windsor Model Railway Club and highly recoomend his shop and service

 

XF

Sorry don't get me wrong I've no problem with Model Jct I've had a load of items of them, but the point I was making is that this stock has been out for a while now in the State's there is loads on e-bay but why not in our shops?

[trisonic]

Being in the 'States I can tell you that most popular HO New Releases are pre-sold   - in other words it's just as difficult over here (unless you like Bachmann.........) And then when a re-order is made they are all different liveries when  people are still looking for the original releases.

 

I'm planning a layout in N and stock is a lot easier to find even on New Releases  (freight cars too).

 

Best, Pete.

[49395]

Sorry don't get me wrong I've no problem with Model Jct I've had a load of items of them, but the point I was making is that this stock has been out for a while now in the State's there is loads on e-bay but why not in our shops?

 

It takes a while to ship things over the Atlantic, its unlikely to come by air as I'd expect that to be much more expensive than sea freight.

 

Edit: there is a reasonable chance that they wait for a larger amount of stuff to be in stock in the states and ship a bigger consignment every couple of months rather than a few small items every week or so to keep shipping costs down.

 

(I'm starting to speculate now though and I shouldn't...)

 

Mike

[roundhouse]

It might be that the wholesalers / manufacturers have sold out of them but some still linger on in the reatil stores. That could be one reason why there isnt a firm date till the next batch are produced and the way things are in China, especially around Chinese new year (which is now,) then it might be that no one can give you a true date as to when they may be available.

 

i have been waiting a few years for the retooled Athearn N scale F59phi's and even Athearns website kept changing the due date before removing that date all together. Oddly I did picked one up with factory fitted sound in Railrunner livery in the USA back in 2011 but I believe thats the only one they released to date. It now has the Surfliner body off an older first release.

 

I would suggest that you order one directly from a retailer in the States that can confirm they have them actually in stock but allow for the postage and duty etc ontop of the price.

 

Ian

[Barry Ten]

Being in the 'States I can tell you that most popular HO New Releases are pre-sold   - in other words it's just as difficult over here (unless you like Bachmann.........) And then when a re-order is made they are all different liveries when  people are still looking for the original releases.

 

I'm planning a layout in N and stock is a lot easier to find even on New Releases  (freight cars too).

 

Best, Pete.

 

I can't remember if it was Rapido or Con-Cor but with one of their releases they said they were trying to buck this trend by making sure it would still be possible to find the model on the shelves without pre-ordering (which is a pain in the a*** and often hard to do from the UK, anyway).

[trisonic]

It is a pain, Al. I like to see the thing before I lay down my cash.

 

Recently went to my local store and they had a complete set of the 1st batch of Athearn Heritage NS lined up on a piece of track. "Are these for sale?" I asked. "No, the owner has yet to pick them up but he allowed us to display them".

 

Trainworld in Brooklyn has  craploads of N stuff (at some good prices too).

 

Another example: My Wife ordered me as a gift the Athearn Genesis SDM60 in BNSF (but Burlington Green) when she gave it to me (several weeks later) half of the guard rails had been destroyed. Got on to store - "No,no replacements available" and Athearn didn't even have any spare guardrails and didn't expect to get any. I finally found a set of spares being sold by some (literally) demented woman on Ebay (but that is another story).

 

Best, Pete.

[CVSNE]

If you don't mind ordering from the States, I saw some of these in M B Klein's shelves on Saturday when we stopped in after the Timonium show. Web site shows 5 available as of this morning. Their web site is www.modeltrainstuff.com - I've ordered from them for years and can vouch for their service.

[alfsboy]

i had a part missing from an undec'd athearn GP15 and the ebay seller was useless .So i contacted Athearn  direct and eventually  got the part FOC .It seems to me that for the most part if you model SP/UP /BNSF then the models sell out  to dealers while still being produced .Other roads seem less popular so stick around .I noted that Victors usually only had the " unpopular" roads in stock at any point in timer other than when an order arrived and that was the seventies and eighties.The "unpopular "road often just didnt sell full stop . I found Model Junction excellent and I suggest just ordering one and waiting....and waiting .or get a friend to send one over .

[trisonic]

 .or get a friend to send one over .

One way of being a pain and doubling your freight cost (with possible local taxes too).

Cheaper to have it shipped direct (no Tax)  and you have some recourse if it gets lost (instead of losing a friend).

 

Best, Pete.

[Parthia27]

Model junction are an excellent supplier, I think we are lucky to have such traders who will always face a challenging taskin balancing supply with demand. They are at the mercy of the trading terms and distribution policies of wholesalers or manufacturers, and also have to watch their shipping costs. Everything I have ever back ordered from Model Junction has always arrived eventually. Don't forget that some suppliers, whatever their nationality have conditions like minimum order values / quantities, and can be forced to supply only their major customers when an item is manufactured to a finite quantity and demand exceeds supply. Other than where an item has been reserved in advance, traders like Model Junction are often only able to source models the big players don't want. For all RTR stuff which I don't back order and source from the US, my vendor of choice is MB Klein, they have never let me down, their packaging is excellent, their communication is brilliant and their after sales service is 5*. Atm I'm pondering on trying Trainworld (who I have only heard good things about) for a Frisco liveried GP15. Similarily like others I have also used PWRS, Caboose Hobbies and Walthers all of whom are excellent. Customs are a pain, but are a fact of life. Where possible I pay extra for expedited shipping and tracking, As purchases wind their way from the US to the UK, I can keep tags on where they are, and when I can roughly expect them. It also means if there are customs charges to pay I can pre-emptively contact the shipper when I see they reach my local depot. I pay the charge due over the phone or on-line, and guarantee they arrive a few days earlier.

 

HTH

 

ChrisM 

[trisonic]

The only thing I dislike about Trainworld (so far) is their use of "peanuts" in the packing! I recently received an N Kato Loco from them (you know how small their plastic packaging is) and it was in a box that reminded me of the old 25 unit  LP boxes. I've used MBKlein too and they are good as well.

 

Best, Pete.

[Parthia27]

The only thing I dislike about Trainworld (so far) is their use of "peanuts" in the packing! I recently received an N Kato Loco from them (you know how small their plastic packaging is) and it was in a box that reminded me of the old 25 unit  LP boxes. I've used MBKlein too and they are good as well.

 

Best, Pete.

Thanks for the info Pete, I'm about to go on the Trainworld site to place the order (though I should be fitting some handles on some IKEA wardrobes). I hope I can report good things.

 

Cheers

 

Chris M

[stock_2007]

You'll all be happy to know I've found a SD70ACe not in the KCS livery I was hoping for but CSX which kinda run's in the same area and its a great looking loco so I'm happy.

The other plus was I got it from Model Jtn (last one) so it was a win, win.

It was pointed out to me by one suppler that their still waiting for stock that was ordered at the beginning of last year, due to this they don't give out release date's.       

I think I can see the sense in pre-ordering.

[warbonnetuk]

The Signal Box, Rochester seem to get Athearn Genesis stuff in on an irregualar basis that doesn't always make their website - at Warley I picked up a SD70M-2 in CITX scheme from them and they also had a UP 'Katy' and a KCS grey scheme SD70ACe. Their prices always used to be v keen compared to MJ and LSWR but not sure they are now. Worth considering on the off chance.....

 

Re: Trainworld, I've imported HO stuff from them on several occations and have had no problems with the amount of packaging being no worse that other US shippers. Also a previous (happy) customer of Caboose Hobbies, Walthers and Highball Graphics (detail parts & decals). 

 

In common with other posters my main bug bear with importing is that even using USPS International it takes 3 days to get from the US shipper to the UK entry point and then sits around for 3 weeks while HMRC / Royal Mail / whoever finally extracts their mid digit. And then I get mugged £8 handling for their trouble

 

Dan

[bxmoore]

"FYI. I have no problem buying from the States, I've had some great deals. Its once its in the hands of the Custom's that the fun and the waiting start."

 

I would disagree that, after Customs, you still don't get a good deal when you order direct frrom the US. 

 

I pre-ordered two Athearn non-sound (I will add my own Loksounds) SP GP9s from Toy Train Heaven a while ago. As soon as they were released (Dec 2012), they were sent to me in the UK.  Total cost, including postage and Customs etc, was £250. The Model Junction website is still showing them as "Advance Reservation" for £135 each.  I got mine four weeks ago, for £125 each.

 

Brian

 

[Zunnan]

I've found Trainworld to be pretty good, certainly had no problems with a footprint laden parcel containing the last batch of Broadway CZ cars. Opened up and the volume of 'peanuts' had saved the day there! I've had more packaging come from Model Junction too with that extruded foam stuff they use, came in handy for packing on my last house move Another one that I use quite a lot when importing is Midwest Rail Junction, very good service from them, and I've had some absolute steals from there over the years including a Genesis sound ATSF SD45-2 for £105 after HMRC and RM had their fun, and some Genesis sound F units for under £250 a pair through the door!