Did I get that right?
I was going through the Walther’s Catalog and I found all of my old California and Suydam models under the listing Alpine.
I might have changed my bidding strategy on eBay
I think Suydam came first. Check Alpines site http://www.alpinemodels.com/
They say “Founded in 1950 by E. Suydam, the Ed Suydam & Co., and 6 other companies are all now a part of Alpine Division Scale Models.”
Enjoy
Paul
This topic was discussed in Railroad Model Craftsman “Collector’s Consist” column recently. Basicly the just is this. Old man Suydam had produced model kits and imported brass traction models for nearly 50 years. Well oneday old man Suydam died and left everything to his kids. However the kids didn’t know jack about running a model train company. So they sold the tooling for the building kits to Alpine Scale models and that is the current situation. Not every Suydam model got transferred however, I am noticing several models missing comparing the Suydam and the Alpine listings in my Walthers Catalogs. In the case of the lumber yard. It seems the Lumber Yard and Lumber Yard office have been combined into one kit. (I have this kit in my invintory under the Suydam label, The lumber shed and office come as separate kits) I also have the old brick passenger shelter. But I can not find it listed in the Alpine line.
Oh well. At least the ones I really wanted are still around.
James.
So where does Californis fit in–I have a couple of those.
I don’t know. That was the depth of my knowledge about this topic.
James
If you look at Alpine’s website, they indicate more kits will come. Whether they are the old Suydam tooling, only they know. They had some kits I wanted but I waited too long. I will wait to see what they release and if its not what I want, I will search the depths of eBay and hobby shops til I find what I want.
RedGrey
And, if you look at some Suydam boxes you will note that they say "formerly an Ayres Scale Model kit. Ayres also made some late 1800s vintage rolling stock kits, which I have built. [2c]
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
Suydam and Ayers were friends but also competitors. Ayres eventually sold out to Suydam and when he (Suydam) died it was sold and the name was changed to California Models. They were sold to Alpine.
The reason Campbell made “Ayres Chairs” was because he was also a friend of Leo Campbell.
The kit quality at least has not diminished over the years ( and take overs ) I have a couple of the Suydam car barns and from what I’ve seen of the alpine offerinsgs of the same they are just as good. Just more expensive.
TEFFY,
Ed, Leo & Tom Ayres were all friends in the Orange County, Calif. area. Ed died first. The line was sold to an employee of Leo’s who started California Models, which has become Alpine. Leo went to a convention and saw Tom in a dress, and that ended their friendship. Soon after, I read that Tom had also died. Don’t know what has happened to Leo, since he sold CSM.
Bob Hayes