This may prove to be interesting to model railroaders. I just spoke with a friend that owns a hobby shop in the midwest about ordering athearn heavyweight passenger car kits. He said he spoke with his athearn distributor rep and was told by the rep that Athearn is phasing out the blue box freight car and passenger car kits. The reason for this is the manufacturer in China that makes the kits wants the same price for making the kits as the ready to run freight car, locomotives and passenger cars cost. I was lucky to have gotten my 7 heavyweight coaches, diner car and observation car before they disappeared. I asked my friend how long will the Athearn blue box kits be discontinued? My friend’s reply was at least 3 years or so, at least until Athearn’s owner Horizon Hobbies can find a cheaper manufacturer to make the kits and associated parts.
I’m sorry to hear this, but I can’t say I’m surprised. No doubt the manufacturer finds it easier to check an assembled car to make sure all the parts are in place than to check a kit to make sure that there are two trucks, not one or three…
Since the volume of even a large run of models isn’t sufficient to automate the process, the manufacturer probably thinks it costs more to box up a kit than to factory-assemble the car. He’s probably right.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with some kitbashed Athearn rolling stock)
Neither is really any different in terms of labour cost. There were some who argued that kit building and RTR are comparable in cost nowadays although it may just as easily go the other way as well.
We can’t also forget the language issue either—discontinuing may not be all out discontinuing—it also means that there will be future runs if/when demands warrant them
My guess will go for production streamlining as the only real reason. It’ll just make model builders go further afield for the kits and ultimately drive the division between RTR and Model railroader apart more. Aparently it happened before—
According to an e-mail I received from Athearn just after they move Blue Box production to China, they still painted and packaged the kits over here. I do not know if that has changed since then.
There have been rumors that Athearn has stopped producing Blue Box kits for many years now, so I am skeptical when I hear similar rumors.
I expect that as long as kits can be made and sold profitably, Athearn will do so. But I suspect that labor rates in Asia are so low that there is no significant cost benefit to kits vs RTR production. Painting and packaging kits here just makes it worse since American labor even at minimum wage is so much higher. Even now, most of the cost difference between Athearn kit and RTR seems to be due to metal wheels vs plastic and McHenry couplers vs hornhook.
Given that the primary purpose of Athearn was low cost, by the time you upgrade to metal wheels and scale couplers you might as well buy the RTR. The future of kits is going to be very prototype specific, highly detailed, low run kits that cost $25-$50.
I suggest that those who love Athearn kits buy as many as you can now before they are like Ulrich, Roundhouse, etc. - Much beloved but long gone.
Enjoy
Paul
Well stated Iron Rooster. Of course there will always be plenty of blue box kits on ebay and model railroad swap meets for a long time to come.
However…once they have gone totally OOP, their re-sale prices will rise to those of the latest RTR versions, or more.
CNJ831
I wonder about that…I haven’t seen any new releases of BB car kits in months.The last BB locomotives was the GP50 and GP60 in 2007.
And looking at the shelves of BB kits at one of the hobby shops I stop in from time to time I wonder if anybody still buys these kits? Some of those kits been on those shelves for years.
Even though I grew up with Athearns BB kits, I can’t say I’m going to miss them especially when compared with their superior detailed RTR units. My hobby store has boxes and boxes full of the old BB kits and can’t seem to get rid of them, while the RTR units fly off their shelves. Many of their RTR Athearn units are also priced at or near 12 dollars…a bargain IMHO.
I know many will say, what about the joy of building your own boxcar. Well buying a RTR gives me more time to do other things I enjoy, like scenery, buildings and the like. And the detail is just incredible. You can’t get detail like that on a BB kit.
I cut my teeth on Athearn diesels and shake-the-box freight car kits but I don’t find this news too troubling. It’s been a long time since I bought either. There are just better options available in that price range. Accurail has the same level of detail (not much) as Athearn BB and their coupler housing is far superior. That was my same gripe with Athearn diesels, especially on their F-units which were a joke. They were fine for someone who was happy with horn hooks but if you wanted any type of knuckle coupler, good luck. I’'ve got dozens of Athearn diesels on the shelf gathering dust and a lot of freight cars that just don’t measure up either. A few I have found to be worth investing new couplers and wheelsets into, but most of them are probably going to eventually work their way to my LHS consignment shelf or maybe e-bay.
I would not call it ‘joy’; but if you model a road name that is not that common, undecorated kits are a necessity. I model MEC, While there are more models of MEC/B&M/BAR available than there were in the past, they are still harder to find than more popular roads. Painting a kit is still the only way to get a good selection of locos and cars. A case in point is the MEC P-S coach I showed in this weeks WPF. No one makes a model of that car, so I started with an undecorated IHC kit. It was that or not model 50s passenger service. The MEC Consolidation in the footer to my posts is another example, it is a Spectrum kit with many added details and decals to make it prototipically correct because no one makes a decent MEC 2-8-0.
I agree, if we were talking about undecorated kits, but I don’t think thats what the OP was eluding to.
I would probably buy an undecorated kit from a different manufacturer, like Walthers or ACCurail.(Which I have done).
Well then why are you in the hobby? Detailing BB kits give you more pleasure then buying a RTR kit. I think detailing a kit looks better then your RTR models anyday. I’ll place anyone of mine up against your so called RTR kits. Didn’t take long for you to come out did it??
Mike
I would hate to see BB kits go away. Building a kit is what makes this a hobby instead of a more expensive toy train. I have bought some RTR when the item was’t available otherwise. Athearn’s RTR’s still need some work done to run well (replacing couplers with Kadees, adding weight, adjusting height).
I suppose the reason BB kits are on the shelves so long is that Athearn has not offered any new kits or paint schemes in years. Their efforts have all gone to RTR, and their BB releases are just re-runs of the same paint schemes and numbers.
I have one suggestion for Athearn or any other kit manufacturer, offer decorated but un-numbered car kits. Decals or dry transfers for the car numbers could be included. This would let a modeler build up a fleet of cars with minimal effort. They might sell numbered versions as RTR.
John
John,While no longer buying HO I would also hate to see 'em go.
I started with BBs, but lately i’ve bought more Accurail, Red Caboose and Intermountain kits. Also, the proto2k kits aren’t much more expensive (if at all, given some trainshow discounts I’ve seen) and have a lot more detail…
I also have little love for the coupler box cover… danged thing is a pain to keep on!
Still, when a legend disappears, I feel as if we’ve lost something…
I might miss them, 3 years ago I would have missed them! I have finally got so much rolling stock I have to have 80 or so off the bench so I can run the trains. This year I have bought 10 cars and cabooses, where 3 years ago I was buying 2 a week.
Till I came along K-10 had hundreds of BB kits, I think I got most of them here now.[:D]
I did enjoy make them. Far as cost, I was getting the from $3.97 to $6.99 a kit. With adding wheels, weights and couplers that would be $8.00 to $10.00 a kit.
I have bought around 15 RTR cars, they are OK. I still have to add weight and new couplers. Then there is the chances of damaging the RTR car taking it a part to up grade.
Make mine Blue Boxes.
Cuda Ken
Been there done that. Spending 20 dollars or more on top of the original purchase to super detail a boxcar IMHO isn’t worth it. I’d rather spend the 20 or 22 dollars on an RTR and be done with it.
Now I still prefer to build my own structures. Painting detailing and weathering them is very enjoyable to me. That will not change.
Yes…its…its true. I’ve finally come “Out of the closet”. [:D]
That is a great idea. I wonder if a manufacturer would consider doing so. I would buy more of the same car if I could add the car numbers. If a car was available with a dozen or so numbers that could be applied by the MR I think sales would increase. I wouldn’t think sales would decrease.
With operating becoming more popular unique car numbers are necessary.
Athearn’s RTR currently offer 3 different numbers for most styles including graincars and hoppers. But only 3. I agree. I would like more choices as well in that area.