Originally Posted by Hot Water:
Some 2-Rail SCALE modelers and a few 3-Rail SCALE modelers MAY be willing to pay more than $300 for the scale caboose model they want, but customers are becoming fewer and farther between for "high end" caboose models.
Well, you've got N&W guys spending $1-2K for a wide variety of scale N&W freight locomotives (yes 3 rail guys too). I spent the $$$ for the 3rd Rail 2300 Jawn Henry. Auxiliary water tender? Of course. A matching caboose would have been a no-brainer in my book. Worried about unsold items? Make them BTO. I would be up for a minimum of 6 right off the top....
The key marketing point that is easily overlooked are the hundreds if not thousands of scale N&W locomotives already out in the consumer's hands sans a prototpical scale caboose. Imagine if no one had bothered to produce a PRR caboose. It is a target rich market.
Carlton, I pointed out to Scott that I already have his K2a, K3, M, and TE-1 N&W locomotives. The only reason I don't have his Y6b is I already had the Lionel JLC Y6b. Even then, I thought long and hard about buying a Y6a. For now, I am holding off on the Y3. In addition, I have requested Scott to please consider building the S1a and Z1b. He has my pre-order if/when he agrees to produce either of these. In all cases, I really wish I had a matching caboose for each locomotive.