End of an era ...............

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi!

I just got the Athearn email confirming the phase out of their “blue box” kits.

I’m not ashamed to say that it really saddened me, for I cut my HO teeth on Athearn car and loco kits back in the early 1960s. For literally decades, I regularly got BB kits for Christmas, birthdays, and Fathers Day gifts from the wife and kids - and no presents were better enjoyed or appreciated.

Frankly, if it wasn’t for Athearn, I seriously doubt I would have gotten into the Hobby - and I suspect a lot of you “war babies” and “baby boomers” out there might agree.

For the money, they were the best runners available, and with the addition of KD couplers and some mild weathering, those easy to build cars would fit nicely on most layouts. And, the quality was always there, and even at a young age I marveled at how Irv Athearn could put out such kits for so little money. And they sure have passed the test of time, for I still have about 200 of them (some still in kit form) on my roster.

Obviously, the age of “ready to roll” is upon us, and that is “progress”. However, a lot of folks may be missing the fun and sense of accomplishment that went with the building of those relatively simple kits.

Before I go grieve in my cornflakes, may I pass along a story…

I model the ATSF in the late '40s - '50s. Over the years I collected a number of the Athearn BB standard passenger cars. They were all I could afford, but in recent years I picked up the Walthers Santa Fe cars that of course are scale length and well detailed, and made a really nice consist.

But, one day I decided to detail the old Athearn cars, for if I messed them up, it was no big deal. So, I added American Limited diagphrams, KD couplers, tinted the windows, and Intermountain wheelsets,

2

What can I say other then:

And as taps plays softly in the back ground.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVxbqUyLRQ4

3

There is not much I can add to Mobilman44’s sentiments. I too was energized to stay in the hobby becuase of Athearn. My first “non Tyco” loco was a U28C in Penn Central that I had to add the handrails and IIRC numberboards/headlight and horns. I ended up painting the handrails and adding numbers to the numberboard and I had my first “superdetailed” engine, the likes of which I’d seen the MR and RMC. I still have ti today even though I’ve switched to a different road. And the boxcars, separate roofwalks and doors that open! I could use my lawnmowing money, money left over from lunch *(that is, meals I skipped to get that extra cash!), coke bottle returns and whatever my dad would sneak me and buy a kit or two.

The memories are as great as the cars themselves.

Ricky

4

So does this mean that Blue Boxes will go from el cheapo kits that you can pick up for a few bucks to collectibles that cost more than RTR’s?

5

There are a few people who now suggest that the trainshows will see a pick up in attendance just due to this alone—if the market no longer supports the modellers–those who at one time did comprise a fair chunk of it — then the modellers will find their treasures elsewhere. Train shows being one avenue. As for the higher prices–could be if the dealer is catering more to the collector to begin with.

An odd suggestion that I fell over is that with a vacuum developing in the more ‘affordable’ model realms that this lack of affordability allows ever higher prices to develop over the broad spectrum of the hobby. Not so sure that this will happen but one never really knows what’ll happen[:-^]

6

Sadly, I think this might be an accurate prediction. the other thing about it is that if there are no more inexpensive cars, it’s going to be more difficult to get new people into the hobby. I know that I probably wouldn’t have gotten heavily into it when I was a teenager if I had to pay $30/car to build up a train.

7

With the event of digital control systems, Marklin slowly phased out the old tin-plate track. For some years, you could get it really cheap, but, as the nostalgia freaks have discovered that building layouts in the style of the 1950´s is the thing t to do, that track is a collector´s items with prices up to [:-^]

I guess that those kits you still have, mobilman, will also be worth their weight in gold, one fine day…

8

Sometimes we think things will go on forever and never change. After I got the email, I looked in my drawers of unbuilt kits, probably 25 or 30, and realized that maybe half are Athearn BB. I pondered if their secondary market value just went up, but quickly realized how unimportant that queston was. Some of them are pretty rare special road liveries by Bev-Bel, but I bought them because they looked neat and fit perfectly on my model railroad. Also dawned on me that the other unbuilt kits such as a series of Intermountain reffers or Cotton Belt covered hoppers were much finer detail, but also much more complicated builds.

Glad I still have a few to work on in my remaining years of MRRing. It’ll be even more special to spend an evening putting one together. I’m not a likely candidate to be buying more kits of any kind given the number I still have to build. Time marches on.

9

The last freight car I bought was an Athearn BB. I regularly go by those couple of shelves at my LHS. Most of the small remaining inventory is 50-foot box cars, which I’m not interested in. To my surprise, though, I found a plain 40-foot flat car, the perfect car for an “idler” on my planned car float. For a few dollars and a set of Kadees from my coupler box, I had a new addition.

Yes, I’ll miss these kits too.

10

This whole thing has me kind of wondering about how the modelling aspect of this hobby will go. As it becomes more “marginalized” will we see more of the divisive argumentation going on, or, a quiet kind of splitting off into a completely seperate ‘fine scale’ RR hobby?

Myself, I’d be more into the woodshedding aspect. Build up that sector by learning a whole bunch of new skills and get into the mfg kits thing deeper-----Hey, I have an Aunt in my family who just got her Ph’D in Geophysics --and she’s 94 yr old—never too old to learn new skills—[swg]

11

I got the same email from Athearn this morning. It’s too bad. The BB kits were economical, fun to build, good running, and good looking. I will miss them. I still have a bunch of unbuilt kits waiting to get built. I think I shall make the pilgrimage to a real hobby shop and stock up before they are all gone.

Probably the new owners think there is more margin in RTR than in kits. The RTR sells for twice the kit price but is little more costly to manufacture. Why not assemble the kit, double the sell price and press on? Assembly in China can’t cost more than 50 cents a unit.

12

I too, remember when I was a kid and relished the idea of getting a BB kit or Locomotive, since they were upgrades over the Tyco, AHM, rolling stock I owned. My first “real” locomotive was a UP F7A supergeared which ran great compared to the other four locomotives I owned. I still have it and it runs great.

However, the price of the BB kits and locos have begun to creep up. The cars are $7.50, even higher if they have metal wheels and knuckle couplers. The locomotives are somewhere around $40, with out any real superdetaining parts included. Cost benefit analysis would have me buying Atlas Trainman products or even Bachmann, for basic-non superdetailed equipment.

Also, it has to be said, the internet has brought the ability of more and more people to dispose of, or “auction”, their unwanted cars and locos. Whereas before, a buyer would have to buy brand new. Being able to find a 15 year-old BB boxcar or loco over the 'Net or at a train show for about the same price as new, or even less, has had to cut into the new BB market. Not much difference in product between the new one and the used one. And, yes, being able to find an ample supply of used product that really isn’t much different than a brand new one is a good thing, not a bad thing.

I will miss the BB line, but I think I’ll always be able to find one if I really want to.

13

I too remember them fondly from my early days in the hobby. Not much of a challenge in building, which a kid with five thumbs was greatful for, and I learned to hate that metal clip on the coupler box, but they were great as I was doing freelance railroad then and needed to repaint and decal them.

I took a look last night on the computer at my list of freight cars, which includes date purchased, brand, type, and other notes (Excel is wonderful) and realized that out of a roster of around 1500 cars, there are no blue box Athearn left. I suppose as I “advanced” in the hobby, they were left behind for the “finer things of life”.

Bob

14

It is rather sad. Even though I never had one, they still looked good. But times are changing. What was once Cab control is now DCC. what was a kit is now RTR.

15

well, its sad but there will never be a world without kits, look at bowser there kits are higher quality and better than bb, but it was going to happen with all the kits being made into rtr, its cheaper to have one line that people buy, than have two with one performing strongly and one losing steam

16

I didn’t get the e-mail (at least, not yet) but someone had said in an earlier string that it only affected decorated kits, that the undec kits would still be available?? That wouldn’t be so bad, I sure wish the MDC cars were still available as undec kits instead of RTR only.

17

Maybe some of us should try running a model railroad business.

Actually, it is the hobby evolving. Some people do not like change. Again, change is inevitable, struggle is an option if you so choose. Adapt.

Rich

18

time marches on. not always a bad thing, though. i used to sit at my work desk and assemble 5 or 6 cars in an evening and then a problem reared it’s ugly head. i needed more yard track and staging just to accomodate all that extra equipment.

next stage was moving up to red caboose, bowser, p2k and the like. these made nicer looking cars in my opinion and took quite a bit longer so the “play value” was still there and the need for more layout capacity was less critical.

i still have shelves full of unbuilt car kits and anyone who has been in this hobby for very long probably has a bunch of them on hand too. so, now as the inventory drops i will have a place for all those magazines i can’t seem to ever throw away.

now, a discovery. styrene and strip wood are still around and i have found that i still enjoy something i used to do. i’ve started scratch building freight cars again and i had forgotten how much i enjoyed it way back when.

maybe the passing of the athearn kits will open up a new era for those who are just beginning to enjoy this great hobby and while scratch building is not for everyone i think a lot of guys are going to start doing it with pleasure and satisfaction.

i for one delight in seeing a few cars in a train that were created by my own efforts and not the result of child or prison labor.

grizlump

19

Rich,

Struggle is mandatory, always has been always will be.

This is what I posted on another forum:

OK, here is a suggestion.

If you, like me, think that Athearn’s dropping the Blue Box kits is not acceptable then use this contact link:

http://www.athearn.com/About/Contact.aspx

Politely, I say again Politely, point out Athearn’s error and strongly suggest that they reconsider.

I believe they will listen, especially if they get enough feedback.

Mark Gosdin

Resistance is never futile.

Mark Gosdin

20

I had a slightly different take on the Athearn BB kits when they first started appearing. I’d been building the older Athearn metal kits with six gazillion parts (that somehow ALWAYS went where they were supposed to) and I was frankly a little disappointed with the more ‘toylike’ look of the plastic replacement kits.

Of course, I got over that and began collecting a fair amount of the BB, especially the reefers. Now, I’ve found that if I need a good, quick flatcar, about the only thing left ARE the BB kits.

I think now, in retrospect, that the Athearn BB kits were the reason a lot of model railroaders got started back in the 'sixties and 'seventies–they were well made, fairly nice in detail and above all, economical. I’ve still got quite a few of them running on my MR, and they can hold their own against most of the other more detailed freight cars I’ve got. I’ll be sorry to see them go. Even though I was initially disappointed that Athearn had gone to ‘shake the box’, I eventually grew to like them quite a bit.

Tom [:)]