Gents:
Yes! Renowned importer of brass models Overland Models Inc. will be offering modern diesels in plastic! Sound, DCC, the whole nine yards. They have formed a new company for this venture, called Tower 55. Here’s a link to a page showing one of the new models:
http://www.tower55products.com/Showroom/product.php?sid=2185&pid=2969<
Pricing info only on the lower right hand box - US$299.00, requiring a 25% deposit to get one.
Bob Boudreau
Bob:
I may be bursting your bubble, but reading through the Tower 55 add I did not actually see any mention of Sound. Could it possibly be that some people have come to automatically equate sound with DC/DCC operation? Up to now, it seems that every manufacturer has bundled together sound with DC/DCC operation.
YAWN Another over Price company that wants a deposit…Yeah,all new imagination alright…Why a deposit? That will make me stop and think…After all the hype over BLI’s line of locomotives…These to out to be dudes.
I’ll say T-55 has a lot to prove.
Yes I guess the website does not mention sound. There’s been a lot of chatter on the Atlas list re the Tower 55 models, including this message from Overland itself:
"In addition the models will come with sound as well. Details for the sound provider will come at the NMRA National Train Show in Cincinnatti this July.
Brian T. Marsh, President
Overland Models, Inc."
So it looks like it will take until the National Train Show to find out the details.
I also noticed the required deposit is 10% and not the 25% I quoted from memory.
Bob Boudreau
I refuse to put a deposit on something that is basically air at the deposit time. I want to see a locomotive or read reviews about it before I buy.
Sorry, just my thing,
Judging by the features listed these models could be pretty impressive ie. in keeping with the details that Ajin products normally carry. As far as a deposit goes, I don’t think so, I will wait until after the release.
The GEVO ad doesn’t say anything about sound, but one of the more links in the SD70Ace ad does - it says "These plastic models will have DCC/DC boards by Digitrax, and will be available with sound. "
So perhaps only the SD70Ace will have sound… because I didn’t see anything under the Turbine one either - and where would they get the prototype sounds?
At an airport? [:D]
I assume there have been audio recordings made of the turbines. I have two videos with them operating, sound and all.
Bob Boudreau
In the “Model Details” box under one of the BNSF GEVO’s, it mentions included sound:
Licensing: GE and BNSF
Builder: Ajin Precision Mfg. Inc.
Paint/Lettering: Yes
Era:
Radius:
Lights: Directional Lights, Ditch Lights
DCC: DCC/DC Board by Digitrax
Sound: Yes
Motor Type: Cannon EN22 w/ Dual Flywheels
As for the deposit, it is only required if you pre-order directly from their showroom. As state from the FAQ page:
We prefer that you contact an authorized Tower 55 Products dealer. However, should you wi***o purchase the model direct from Tower 55 Products they can be ordered at the full retail price from our showroom. A 10% non-refundable/ non-transferable deposit (or a minimum of $25.00) will be required at the time the order is placed. The deposit is required to confirm your commitment to the product order.
Some dealers may also require/ or be required to place a deposit for their orders based on their business history with Overland Models, Inc and/ or Tower 55 Products.
So it sounds like they are trying to gain the loyalty of their dealer channel by clearly stearing people to them.
Smart move.
So is their policy of requiring a good-will deposit. Personally, if I had grown to expect good things from Overland, and they required a deposit in advance of a prospective new product line, I would pay it! What better indication that the company is serious about their proposed line, and to staying in business, thereby continuing to provide quality trains to those who appreciate them? Why should they produce a top-of-the-line non-brass series of locos only to find that there really is no demand? One way to ensure success, either in not overexposing themselves, or in ensuring that they are safe in the production, is to use a smart marketing strategy that provides them with incontrovertible proof of concept.
Go, Overland.
Agreed.
There is a new email from my LHS asking for reservations on models that I have not yet seen on images or in person. I grow tired of these so called advanced reservations and have decided to pass on particular models until next year when they are out of the factory.
If I have trouble leaving a reservation with NO obligation (Err. sorta) How then does Tower 55 expect me to leave a deposit on items that are still drying on the blueprint ink? No sir. I draw the line at deposits.
My LHS has not taken in the Tower55 as a product line. It is his store and his customers. Maybe someday I will see a nice unit from Tower 55 at the trainshow someday in the future. Who knows? I might buy it. But only after touching, feeling the heft and pulling some cars with it.
Did anyone look at the terms provided by Tower55? If you buy through them you are getting it without any kind of warranty.
Look at this except below.
"
DISCLAIMER
ALL MATERIALS IN TOWER55PRODUCTS.COM ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE MATERIALS ON TOWER55PRODUCTS.COM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT OVERLANDMODELS.COM OR THE SERVERS THAT MAKE SUCH MATERIALS AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. WE DO NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE MATERIALS ON TOWER55PRODUCTS.COM IN TERMS OF THEIR CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, YOU ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. "
All this sounds to me like typical terms and conditions set forth by regular brass manufacturers. Been there, done that.
In my opinion, if OMI/Tower 55 thinks they are going to have plastic market modelers (who are used to holding an item in their hands or at least seeing actual production model photos before buying) flocking to their new, deposit up front, sight unseen products, they are totally out of their minds!
CNJ831
[#ditto] to what CNJ831 said…
Guys,OMI/T-55 won’t be prying my $$ away from Atlas and Athearn…At least these 2 companies back their products…[:D]
Uh, guys, that sounds more like terms and conditions for the WEBSITE and CONTENT, not the actual models themselves.
Wow, they prepare to offer what will undoubtably be the best detailed plastic models yet seen, and already everyone’s complaining. If the mentioned prices hold, that’s only slightly more than Athearn Genesis yet they will have DCC in them already, have even MORE detail, and certainly have better running qualities. Sounds like a winner to me.
–Randy
You can build a product that will absolutely be the Apogee of quality, running, handling etc… the absolute best of everything we all lust for.
That is wonderful.
But when they started talking deposits being required… NO WAY.
Still too expensive for my budget.[:(]
~[8]~ TrainFreak409 ~[8]~
Bob, I also hate to burst your bubble, but his is old news. We reported this in MR Express on May 6th:
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/005/897pevmx.asp
Erik
Erik: I did not notice the item, but since Tower 55 website with all of the details was just launched, my posting would be still news direct from the firm.
Bob Boudreau