Anyone know who may still be stocking these? Roundhouse’s website has them as discontinued. My limited web search has not turned up anything.
I REALLY WANT ONE! I almost got one on ebay for $20, model of the unit we use at work, but couldnt get it. Fine runners.
Hello,
in June of this year this hobby shop still had one or two. Here is the web site http://www.parisjunctionhobbies.com/trains.html . Can not remember what they were charging for them and have not been there since.
Hope it helps
Frank
This is the wonderful new way we do business in this hobby. Everything is made on a ‘limited run’ basis, guaranteeing that it sells out in 3 days. Each time Roundhouse runs the model, they have different road numbers. Each road number has a unique SKU. The SKU is used once and discontinued. The next batch will have new SKUs.
When Roundhouse runs the model again (and they will) they will tell you when to order. You order from your hobby shop; they order from a distributor; they order from Roundhouse. Roundhouse gets orders for 2,387 models and makes 2000 (guaranteeing a sellout). Some distributors get all they order; some get shorted. Some hobby shops get all they order; some get shorted. Some modellers get their orders; some dont. Everybody points fingers and blames the other guy. Roundhouse sells out in 3 days, never has to sit on excess inventory, and someone else gets the blame.
Its a brave new world out there. Roundhouse will run the model again soon. They have too much money tied up in it, not to.
O.K. What does “critter” mean or stand for? can’t find it in the Oxford dictionary, is it short for criterion?
IIRC “critter” is a catchall for small two axle industrial locos of no obvious heritage. An example would be the ‘Hustler’ from Athearn’s BB series.
Matt
To find the word “critter” you have to consult an American English dictionary instead of a British one (Oxford).
"crit-ter (krit’er) n. Informal. Any living creature, esp. a domestic animal (Var. of CREATURE.)
AHA ! CREATURE= critter, why not just creature? thanks.
Critter is a friendly term, creature, well that has a negitive connotation, as in “Creature Feature” movie.
BillD53A,
You forgot one little point. If they didn’t make these limited runs, you wouldn’t have a critter from Roundhouse in the first place. You’d have the Athearn Hustler with it’s rubber band drive, and maybe some Tyco or Life-Like toy trains instead. Is that what you want?
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
Matt had the closest definition as it relates to model railroading. They are small, two axle diesel (or gas) electric locomotives which may or may not have a prototype. In the case of the Roundhouse critter, the prototype is an EMD Model 40.
I have semi-permanently double headed mine to eliminate stalling on insulated frogs. Here they are hard at work switching the local freight terminal.
Tom
Did you check on eBay for their availability. Everthing should be available on eBay - for a price.
I’ve been looking for some time. Just haven’t found one yet…
I’ll just have to keep on looking.
MDC/Roudhouse was producing the Model 40 before the Roundhouse/Athearn/Horizon/limited run mergers
Says you.
There is no rule that says model trains must be made in limited runs or not at all.
Most people (non-railroaders) who use the term “critter” apply it to mean a small animal, like a possum. The term is most commonly found in the south, although it can be heard just about anywhere these days.
It eventually began to be used in reference to small locomotives.
We’ve got critters in Maine also - squirrels, racoons, porcupines, etc. Except we call them crittas
Same in florida, except we call it roadkill when we see them.
Got two on ebay, damaged but I just needed the mechanism, even smashed after removing broken coupler from gears they ran great on an old test track I haven’t cleaned in ages or have I ever cleaned it?
Considering how loooong ago these models were released, I would not whine about it. They have been OOP for many years now, and there are still many out there. Try eBay, or call some local hobby shops.
Phil