This is my first post at Trains.com forums, also I am from Brazil, so if I slip on the English, please Misters Track Defect Detectors, radio me hehehehe!!!
I have visited the Walthers and Athearn websites and noticed those facts related to the Athearn line:
At Walthers: “product will be phase out”; or “producted to be discontinued after sold out”; and other similar warnings that give us the idea that Athearn is going to update all the tooling to re-release their entire line.
At Athearn: “Not available”; “product phased out”; or “to be discontinued after being sold out”.
I was expecting for the supposed re-released Athearn GP35 and I saw nothing on the internet. Please could anyone give me a clear idea of what is stored from Athearn for us customers?
Athearn is under new ownership and has announced an ex clusive arrangement with another supplier so Walthers will sell off their inventory. That is why they made that statement. We are all confused by what will transpire. Many fear that the blue box kits will be phased out entirely but nobody knows for sure at this point. Mnay items no doubt wuill be phased out
According to news released by Athearn they will continue to produce the MDC product line. In fact, you can sign up for news releases via e-mail at Athearn’s Web site and you will receive periodic notices of current and planned releases of both the Athearn and MDC product lines. Athearn is owned by Horizon Hobby, which is a Walthers competitor, so Walthers will no longer carry the Athearn or MDC products, but Athearn is as busy as ever and you can find out what they are making if you check their site at http://www.athearn.com
You can even order directly from Athearn now on their Web site.
Horizon hobbies bought the Atearn company and is now building Athearn products.
They are the sole distributor. They sell only to regular hobby shops. They also sell on line. Their web site is WWW.horizonhobby.com
It is comfortable to be sure about Athearn situation. I’ve thought of that and forgot that detail. Horizon Hobby is a hobby distributor and competitor of Walthers. I will follow up your advices to keep myself up to date on Athearn news.
One good thing that has happened is the amount of RTR stuff available today. It seems like Athearn comes out with a new product at least once a month or at times every other week. Items span from transition to modern era and covers locomotives, rolling stock and vehicles (trucks). Many of the blue box line kits are now coming ready to runs and in most cases the RTR version is improved over its blue box origins. Take a look at the newest Freighliner cab w/ 28’ trailer chassis for two examples of former kits. Look at Genesis 70MAC and Challenger , look at the flatcars w/ plane or boat loads, the coalporters, the RTR short line and Genesis Box Cars.
Not enough - how about the Athearn Fire Trucks or the new Mack Trucks that were announced. Next to come are the SD60s, Tunnel Motors and GP 35s. It keeps going and going…
It does seem like hobby shops do not carry as many Athearn Blue Box kits as they used to, Athearn still does make them, they have the production schedule for 2004 on thier website and they say the 2005 porduction will be on there as soon as it is finalized. They also say that they will not discontiune kits are long as there is a demand for them.
Got to differ with you on this one. I just bought the Walther’s Catalog. Man! This thing is heavy like a brick! Absolutely impressive, in my humble opinion. I’m already posting lots of little “sticky pad sheets” on the pages of products that I want my LHS to order for me.
Personally I’m sorry that Athearn and MDC will no longer be in the catalog but I’m glad they will continue. I’ve always liked MDC freight cars and will continue to purchase them.
People have been worrying ever since the Horizon buyout of Athearn that the blue box kits were going to disappear, and they seem to be disappearing from some local hobby shops because they don’t use Horizon as their distributor. I go to two hobby shops out here who have dealt with Horizon Hobby for several years now, and they have Athearn blue box kits by the hundreds.
From what I have been told by these two shops, Horizon Hobby is easier to deal with than Walthers, but is not as well known and does not have as many dealers, although they are trying to expand.