Kohs trains

After all, PRR is the Standard of the World!

True.

I do model other railroads, particularly B&O/C&O/N&W. They act as a a good steak sauce on the prime filet of PRR

Now if we could get more pre-1920 engines imported!

Getting back to the original question in this thread, I have a Kohs' G22b gondola.  I'm very satisfied with the construction quality, accuracy and level of detail.  The list price at first glance seems a bit extravagant for a gondola, but the containers themselves are exquisite models with operating bottom doors, opening top hatches, accurate lettering, and top notch painting.  I'd guess there are about 20 individual pieces that make up each container.  

 

I don't have a layout yet but I know someone who has run them without problems.   

mwb-

Now if we could get more pre-1920 engines imported!

If'n your thing is On3, there are some...

In HO several importers waxed fat on Ma&Pa locos-the ubiquitous Baldwin 2-8-0, 4-4-0, and 4-6-0. They'd sell in O, too, if the importers could get them at prices on the order of $500. Mebbe Williams has the right idea with their new 4-6-0, although as a model it's pretty crude.

MTH produced a pretty nice PRR (of course) H-3 ca 1889. Joe Giannovario turned one into a similar N&W locomotive. I suppose, were one to actually build things one could use the MTH loco as the basis for other, useful pre-1920 examples. Or the Williams 4-6-0-throw away the superstructure and use the chassis as a start on something else.....

Studiously avoiding entering the On3 world at present; modeling interests really run from 1880-1920 or so.

 

Got one of those PRR H-3's but the CVRR did not have one, so I'm stretching things a bit.  But, I'd really like to get a decent D16.

mwb said:

But, I'd really like to get a decent D16.

 

Can the MTH PRR 4-4-0 be salvaged?

No idea...........but I already have way too many salvage operations in play - thre are the rare times when even I will just buy what I want,

Bumpety-bump?  Anybody have (or get) any KOHS news???

Kohs is on the list of manufacturers for the O Scale Nat'l.  Maybe next week?

Got official notice yesterday in the mail that the PRR N5 caboose project is back to sqaure one and starting over with a new manufacturer. The models were almost ready and apparently a disagreement over inspection and payment has derailed things. Should move quickly since all details have been worked out but, starting over.  Oh well, patience is a virtue !!!

If any of you attend, please ask George what his plans are on the PFE reefers.....   I cannot get a firm answer from him...

Gee, imagine THAT!

He's going to be very popular on Fri,

Michael, that is what the notice indicated -- they had been boxed for shipment without inspection and apparently differences over payment and inspection timing led to the decision to switch to a different manufacturer. George did indicate that our cost would not change so, other than the delay, the project would eventually be completed. Darn, I was looking forward to seeing one soon !

Now, the sixty four thousand dollar question: if they are/were "already boxed for shipment" what will happen to them? Will the overseas manufacturer try to get his manufacturing cost back by "blowing them out" thru some other importer?

So I wonder what other brass importer will soon be offering N5 cabin cars? 

That was the sentiment in the notice -- somewhere would be discount cabin cars on the market from someone. Perhaps the manufacturer got frustrated with the pace of things and this is one way to recover costs

Well I'm not bashful. I'd offer $200, to start with, for one of those "special" PRR cabin cars that had the lettering "Assigned to Railway Express Agency" and "Passenger Service" on either side (they also had steam lines/conduits for internal steam heat, when on a passenger/express train).

What makes you say THAT?

watch for the myterious ebay seller of cabin cars......

 

 

There must have been some upfront money, at least half. Hard to believe this story.

There's obviously are reason here that is unknown.  Either with the model or the finances.  So one should not expect the manufacturer so sell them as low as might be expected or there is a significant issue with the models themselves.

I'm not so sure that "up-front money" is actually involved. Trying to remember some of the issues that Scott Mann (Sunset/3rd Rail/Golden Gate Depot) has told me, and also posted about; there are letters of credit involved. Dealing with the Korean and/or Chinese is EXTREMELY difficult. To wit, if you give a model manufacturer then then feel that THEY own YOU. Sometimes, you simply have to pull business away from certain factories, so that they "work for you" instead of you "working for them"!

It is my understanding that the brass builders will not take a letter of credit. Cash only. Ed

No Korean builder builds these models on speculation, they recieve payment up front to build these models[at the very least to cover there building painting and packaging costs]Only Mr Kohs knows what is really going on here.

Not to speculation to contract.  So any upfront money is specified in the contract.  The builders keep trying to change the contract in the middle wanting more upfront and the importers keep pushing back. The importers have to because the builders will change things significantly even after the final samples are OK'd by both parties.  I heard a rumor that the Key ATSF E1's were delayed several weeks from the rest because they all had to be stripped, something changed on them and refinished before Key would accept them.

 

If Scott would do an hour or two clinic at the National or other shows on the importing biz your attendance would be the most fascinating couple of hours you would ever spend in this hobby.  It is truly mind boggling that we actually do get the things we do.

What about a topic on what kind of personnel and tooling an effort will take to manufacture those items here?  Do we not have the cad expertise, or the foundry?  Brass locomotives are an art and I'm sure there are many great metal working artists and/or those that want to learn.  Reading about the MWMW effort is encouraging.