01-29-2011, 09:03 AM
Charlie B Wrote:This thread is getting like a discussion on religion or politics. No one is seeing the other fellows point, or ignoring it entirely.
I filled out surveys for 40 years and the two locomotives I wanted most were the Centipedes and the passenger Sharks....Reason being that too few railroads had Centipedes, yet the one of a kind UP locomotives were available in plastic.
If you take a survey and your number one requested item is ignored and you can't explain why, then why do you bother with the surveys. At least thank the folks and give them an explanation.
Charlie
How many others asked for Centipedes or Sharks on the survey? Because it was your #1 doesn't make it #1 on the survey. An 1880s Baldwin 4-4-0 is top of my list for Blackstone (or anybody else). But K-28s, K-36s, C-18s, C-16s, and even standard gauge C class had way more requests on the survey than my 4-4-0. At least your choice finally got produced. And it sold well, too. Because it sold well, importers/manufacturers are encouraged to take chances on less popular locomotives. I'm very glad for you.
Whether we like it or not, Big Boys and Challengers sell. And they sell well. Just because I don't understand and won't buy one doesn't change the fact that others (many others!) do. My guess is that the size of the Centipede had something to do with how well it sold. Smaller locomotives just don't have the eye and curb appeal that the monsters do for the impulse buyers. A small locomotive has to have "cute" written all over it to get the impulse sales.
A push was made among the On3 folks to get 150 orders for a Baldwin 4-4-0 so MMI could produce it. PSC ended up deciding to produce the model in brass instead of die-cast (with the commensurate price point increase) because they couldn't get enough orders for die-cast production.
I'm not looking to convince anybody of anything. I'm just saying there is another point of view. I've probably said more than I should for the time being.
Fred W