Just getting back into the hobby after many years and recognize this as a huge loss.
Wondering if a new owner could be bootstrapped from some type of crowdfunding effort. I realize that this is not your normal company to pick up and run with, but for the right person with some resources, perhaps it could live on.
The NWSL universal kits have made remotoring a snap for me. Real loss for model railroading. Every product I bought from NWSL was perfect in every way including price.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
I do not believe its a loss in business that is the reason for the shut down, but more personal reasons. I more suspect the demand for his products, from the Stanton self containted drive trucks use by many in the traction modeling world, of which many hoped the O scale “magic carpet” drives would return soon. To the gear boxes and replacement gears for many different brass and non brass models, to proto84 and proto48 wheelsets and standard wheel sets. Many very good products that should still see a demand for several more years. I am really hoping someone steps in to aquire the business and keep it going. Mike the Aspie.
No I read it and though it could be personal reasons, I would expect a sale if other things were not a factor. I have many of their tools and some I could not live without (model railroader wise). The RTR market has made alot of what they sold to have a dimished return. The real reason for alot of these companys demise is the hobby was a passion with the owners but as a buisness, there are much better ways to earn a return on $ invested. Looked at starting a company or buying one model railroading connected many times but found the ROI to be lacking unless you get to a certain size (not likely) The companys that are still around and growing grew up in a different time and have become the ones that are large enough to
I am sorry to hear him go and I wish him the best.
Looks like I need to get an order in. Can any one make a recommendation between The Chopper I and The Chopper II?
Thanks,
–Jeff
The owner said he has been in business for 60 years. If he started when he was 20, he is 80 years old. He has lost his life partner, it’s time to retire.
I wish him well.
From the news release:
After 60 years in business, NWSL will cease operations effective August 30th, 2019.
From that I gather the business is sixty years old.
The present owner bought NWSL about ten years ago.
NorthWest Short Line has been providing the widest selection of high quality model railroad upgrade and repair products since 1959. The company was founded by Fred and Sheryl Martin in Seattle, initially importing brass locomotives but later moving into the lines you see in our catalog today. In 2008 the company was purchased by Dave and Lynda Rygmyr and relocated to Hamilton, Montana. NWSL is, at heart, a machine shop; most of what we offer is made within our own shops.
Cheers, Ed
I use to buy many years ago when NWSL was in Seattle, Washington and then later when Dave bought it.
More info in the MRH forums.
Rich
Wow, they allowed me to fix and upgrade so many engines… I hope someone takes it on.
Simon
I have the Chopper 1 and at some point I suppose I will have the problem others have experienced - the masonite base gets a permanent gouge where the blade hits. Chopper 2 has a self healing mat instead of masonite. There are cures for the masonite gouge. I still get good service out of my Chopper 1 which is the only one they offered when I bought it. I actually prefer cutting/chopping on the solid base rather than one that yields a little. I think I get more precision. But then again, I think many things that turn out not to be so. But it is significant that the Chopper 2 did not eliminate the Chopper 1 from their catalog or offerings, so they clearly saw it as an alternative not a replacement.
As others have noted MicroMark has offered some knockoffs of certain NWSL tools, and some of the NWSL tools are things you could make yourself - indeed the Chopper is an adaptation of a home made tool written up in MR decades and decades ago.
The real loss for the hobby will be the many things NWSL offers that nobody else does (or perhaps, can) including the gears and drop in replacements for various diesels etc. Maybe that is why the business is going to be hard to sell: if MicroMark siphons off the low hanging fruit that makes the money, the rest of the business may not look attractive enough even if the person has the precision machine shop smarts to run the existing products and introduce new ones. Someone with those skills can probably name their price in other lines of work. Guys who are into a “labor of love” are not plentiful.
I think this is sad news for the hobby particularly for the builders and tinkerers.
Dave Nelson
You want the best chopper, get a Shay Miter, Dave Frary uses one but they are rare and can be very expencive. Now on to the question, I own all three and a Shay by the way. I tend to like the #1 of NWSL ones and it will eventually wear out but you have to do alot of cuts to wear it out, I mean alot. I feel only serious scratch builders would wear it out and you do seem to get a cleaner cut as I have gotten some tailings from the #2. The #3 is a very large #1 that you can have two setups going on one board.
This is very unfortunate, I have bought from them several times and service was and still is excellent. I just bought a bunch of different thrust washers because this item I have never ever found anywhere else, especially not in such variety.
Gears can be found, two links (Europe, but they ship worldwide), just in case. But let’s hope this store will find a way to continue their bussines (maybe a new owner), because they became a brand so to speak.
https://ghw-modellbau.de/index.php?cPath=91_83_85
Regards,
Hrvoje
It would be good if the Business is bought by local person or investers wanting to start a business. How things happen may go like this, Investers buy Business then liquidate but hold on to the name, then shop all the products out to be made in China. I have been using a Chopper I for years, the groove from the blade never was an issue with me or the work, it just was a reference line (the groove painted red) for the cut and to never have a finger on that line. Cutting basswood and plastic only. I added four rubber stick on feet on the bottom to eliminate slippage on the work bench. I think I added the feet and that they were not factory installed.
I just looked my Chopper, it’s called ‘‘THE CHOPPER, Part 49-4’’. It has a lable on the back, it reads “Made in the USA, Assembled with pride by Norm”, thank you Norm. THANK YOU DAVE, for the service you all provided.
I just cleared the shelves of EVERY Northwest Shortline part at Riverdale Station in Atlanta. Don’t know how much of them I will ever need, but I am not taking chances here.
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Set me back $300.00 for this stock-up. I have tons of thrust washers and metric screws now. I even got a couple of gearboxes, u joints, and axle stock.
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-Kevin
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Let the hoarding begin.
I’m so happy for you. [|)] For $300, you should get more than washers and screws.
Your right Henry, let the hoarding begin. Across the modeling universe, I see massive runs on hobby shops, internet connections slowed to unusable, the NWSL site crashes, mad mobs over taking over all shops that stock their products, OH the HORROR!
I don’t think I’ve ever used them. Many other places to buy repower kits, motors and needed supplys. I’ve never bought their axles for Athearn, I always buy the Athearn drop in NS replacement axles.
I don’t see anything about it on their web site. And I don’t need links referring to the “breaking news”, it doesn’t matter to me. It’s expected, sooner or later. It’s not like their prices were cheap. Competitive, at best.
Carry on, as Henry says, let the hoarding continue.
Mike.
Seen this over and over again. People buy stuff they don’t need because a company is going to be gone or abruptly is. Jordan stuff flew of the shelves and for awhile got big prices but that has tempered and now has gotten to the point that it is just a bit over what it was before the company closed (I needed a steam shovel from them). Next we have Shinohara, price went way up but went back down quickly (needed flex track). Seems there is alot of it out there now. And remember Floquil and the list goes on.
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I have done it over and over again.
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One of the great perks of having a job that requires travel is that I can hit ALL the hobby shops in the Southeast and hoard away.
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I missed Floquil, they were already bought out by the time I found out. I over-reacted with ScaleCoat, I have 10 times what I will ever need, and it is still readily available.
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With Partha-Paints, Citadel Washes, and Polly S Fantasy paints, well… I went a bit overboard, but do not regret it. I actually went into Omniverse Hobbies in Fort Myers and carried the whol Polly-S Fantasy paint rack up to the counter!
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I made runs on Grandt, and I think I have enough.
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I have plans for the future, and those plans do not include looking for hard-to-find parts.
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Having a well-stocked parts department in my own home is well worth it.
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-Kevin
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Citadel washes are the best in my opinion, lucked onto an e-bay buy in non model railroaders section, where I got bulk styrene and ground gover too. The ground cover was a to good to be true grab, it was from a photographer.
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Absolutely! I still have four pots of “Devlan Mud” stashed away. When they replaced the washes with “shades” and changed the color to “Agrax Earthshade”, it is not as good.
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-Kevin
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