Per a Model Rairoader news letter, the Westerfield owner is looking to sell teh buisness and retire. He is limiting new models and npt dealing with LHS. UNclear if you can still buy through Walthers. If he does not sell by 2011, he will close up shop.
No Walthers, no LHS, direct orders only with catalog and ordering info at http://www.westerfield.biz/.
For a recent phone order of 7 kits, quoted shipping time was estimated to be about three weeks, although I got it sooner than that. I don’t think the Westerfields are sitting on their hands, with 24 new kits issued in 2006 and the Frisco sawtooth boxcars introduced this January.
My mistake on Walthers. I assumed and everyone knows how to spell that. I guess I was unclear on my statement about Westerfield. They are not closing up shop right way or in the near future. They are cutting back on new kit releases for 2007 and are no longer doing special custom kit orders. If they do not sell the business by 2011, they will then close.
I would cut and past the news letter, but I might be violating copyright*. If some one is not concerned aout this, they may post the newsletter.*
Better get your Westerfield kits NOW. From what I’m hearing in the hobby, no one wants the business, because it really isn’t “worth” anything, and certainly not what Al wants for it. The only items the business has that are of “real” value is the casting machinery (and that’s pretty old) and the company name itself.
There’s no need, although I’m sure he’d appreciate the uptick in orders. Al’s own words, in February, on a modelers’ list:
“I don’t plan to work beyond the age of 70 - about 4.5 years…Until that time I intend to continue issuing new kits but at a reduced rate.”
Dunno what he wants for it, other than enough to retire. Urethane casting ‘machinery’ itself is fairly simple. It’s the molds that don’t age well; from the consistently high quality of old and new Westerfield releases I’ve bought over the years, it appears that said molds are frequently renewed. There’s also the value of intellectual/research property to consider.
With so few modelers interested or sufficiently skilled in building craftsman-type rolling stock, I can understand reluctance to purchase Al’s business. On the other hand, that tiny niche is well served by the likes of Westerfield, Sunshine, F&C, and Speedwitch.
Westerfield kits ROCK. Yeah, they won’t be out of business yet, but just wait for the prices to go up on EBAY after they retire… (giggle giggle) I think I will be ok, since it will take me like 20 years to complete the 20 or so kits from them I will have by then [:)]. You can still order from them online and I plan to place a yearly orders so I can double my stock I have in them…
Brian