Steam models (was bored with steam)

[NW Modeling List]

I don’t think manufacturers are missing the point.  It’s simply a matter of judging what will sell and what won’t.  Strictly business.  There is no secret that modeling eras are moving forward from the steam era.  The old adage that “we model what we saw growing up” is still mostly true.  Assuming you believe this, look at today’s modeler.  They are in their 20s to 40s and have no recollection of mainline steam, probably not shortline or industrial steam either.  Why should an importer spend gobs of $$ developing a road-specific steam engine for a shrinking market?  I just turned 60 today and I have no recollection of steam but, since my Dad did and instilled that in me, I’ve chosen to model late steam/early diesel.  Being a design engineer, I can appreciate all that went into making steam work, so I’m an exception to the “I model what I grew up with”.

 

I am also a manufacturer and must deal with “market potential” all the time.  While I produce resin kits, which a niche in itself, the research time, CAD, pattern cost (vs. injection molding for MANY more parts), etc. all have to be critically evaluated.  If I produce an item that doesn’t sell well, I still don’t have to eat $50K for even 1 of the simplest injection mold made in China plus all of the associated costs required to make a product available (assembly, packaging, shipping).  If these items were produced in the US, only the wealthy could afford them!

 

There are 2 hurdles I have to jump each time to make a new product:

1.	How do I evaluate which era(s) to address?  Current modeling statistics are horribly inaccurate.
2.	I can’t get people to respond to my inquiries.  I can’t even get them to place no-deposit-required reservations in a timely manner.  When I bring out a new product, inevitably, I get orders after the first run is sold out with comments along the lines of “I didn’t know you were making this.”.  Where do you live?  Under a rock?

 

Most importers (I don’t call them “manufacturers” because, unlike Kadee, everything is RTR from China) research what’s been produced over the past 10-15 years, then make a judgement call on what “should” sell.  We’ve all seen ads stating “place your reservation by XYZ-date”.  Rapido ads on RMC’s back cover still state this.  That’s how many what-if products are gauged to be worthy.  This is nothing new.  I saw the same thing as a kid in the mid-70s when my Dad wanted to buy a piece of brass which weren’t cheap at that time when you factor in cost of living, dollar value, etc.  MANY brass imports were scrubbed due to lack of reservations thru dealers.

 

Jim King

 <http://www.smokymountainmodelworks.com/> www.smokymountainmodelworks.com

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