06-21-2012, 05:44 PM
Howdy Everyone,
Thought I’d be a trouble-maker and open up a new debate!
There has been a lot of talk among the usual suspects in my local model train circles of about the death of the local model train shop, along with the shrinking numbers of model railroaders. It’s true that a large number of shops have closed in the last 15 years due to not being able to compete with the “big boys” on the Internet. Some have closed because they ran the shops like it was still the 1960’s and some closed due to retirement of owners. The big model companies have moved their production base to the Far East to take advantage of cheap resources and labour cost. Yet, the price of a mid range HO diesel locomotive cost about $100.00 (non DCC) and the average new rtr rolling stock is around $25.00.
Shipping cost and import duties are starting to take their toll. Most available model trains cater to the Western European & North American markets, with the exception of Australia, Brazil, Japan & China. Yet two countries with a growing middle class with a number of model railroading hobbyist, is Russia and India. There is some Russian model trains available in TT & HO and some Indian O scale tinplate, but the people producing these models are doing it in small numbers.
But I see a future, and it’s in 3d! A new breed of shops, not just for model trains, but all types of models may be taking shape in the next few years. Using computer-generated 3D printing process machines, that build an object with either plastic or resin, a model shop can just build you a locomotive body or freight car in minutes. Wheels, frames & electrics would be stocked and assembled as per locomotive or rolling stock. You just order what you want, what scale and if it's on file on the system, the machine make it. These shops already exist, for the design industry, producing architecture models. I know a modeller in New Jersey who had one of these firms produce detailed scale models of buildings for his HO layout that were not available in HO. There is a firm India that has just started making N scale trains! I've added a like of another firm in Holland who also makes models using this technology:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.shapeways.com/shops/SpoorObjecten?s=48">http://www.shapeways.com/shops/SpoorObjecten?s=48</a><!-- m -->
and a You tube 3D colour printer video:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps0WEZbDjHE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps0WEZbDjHE</a><!-- m -->
What do you guys think?
Dave
Thought I’d be a trouble-maker and open up a new debate!
There has been a lot of talk among the usual suspects in my local model train circles of about the death of the local model train shop, along with the shrinking numbers of model railroaders. It’s true that a large number of shops have closed in the last 15 years due to not being able to compete with the “big boys” on the Internet. Some have closed because they ran the shops like it was still the 1960’s and some closed due to retirement of owners. The big model companies have moved their production base to the Far East to take advantage of cheap resources and labour cost. Yet, the price of a mid range HO diesel locomotive cost about $100.00 (non DCC) and the average new rtr rolling stock is around $25.00.
Shipping cost and import duties are starting to take their toll. Most available model trains cater to the Western European & North American markets, with the exception of Australia, Brazil, Japan & China. Yet two countries with a growing middle class with a number of model railroading hobbyist, is Russia and India. There is some Russian model trains available in TT & HO and some Indian O scale tinplate, but the people producing these models are doing it in small numbers.
But I see a future, and it’s in 3d! A new breed of shops, not just for model trains, but all types of models may be taking shape in the next few years. Using computer-generated 3D printing process machines, that build an object with either plastic or resin, a model shop can just build you a locomotive body or freight car in minutes. Wheels, frames & electrics would be stocked and assembled as per locomotive or rolling stock. You just order what you want, what scale and if it's on file on the system, the machine make it. These shops already exist, for the design industry, producing architecture models. I know a modeller in New Jersey who had one of these firms produce detailed scale models of buildings for his HO layout that were not available in HO. There is a firm India that has just started making N scale trains! I've added a like of another firm in Holland who also makes models using this technology:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.shapeways.com/shops/SpoorObjecten?s=48">http://www.shapeways.com/shops/SpoorObjecten?s=48</a><!-- m -->
and a You tube 3D colour printer video:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps0WEZbDjHE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps0WEZbDjHE</a><!-- m -->
What do you guys think?
Dave