Shipping....some good news. We have been able to get some lower shipping rates. Not a whole lot, but a few bucks per box. Especially on the smaller. lighter end of things. I've reduced the prices in our shipping table in the computer. There will be some tweeking as time goes on. Also, we now have one table for "eastern US" and one for "western us" Somehow its worked for years, but we are going to do a "central us" table, which will reduce estimated costs for the west coast. Fedex also is now using some "standard size boxes". Supposedly, if we use these boxes, we will be able to ship by weight only, no dimensional weight. We shall see. Gotta look at the whole program. (the Post office "one rate boxes", are generally a ripoff, unless you're shipping concrete.)
And concrete, BTW, is a very good buy pound for pound, if u didnt know. A yard of concrete costs about 90. bucks, and weighs 2 tons. Altho, cobble, which out here is river rock that is too large to be used for concrete or hot mix, used to be sold out here for 6 bucks a ton. The local hot mix plant had a huge pile of it that they were happy to get rid of. Then it went up to 10 bucks a ton. We were "landscaping" around here, and got a 10 ton dump truck of this gorgeous rounded 2" to 4" river rock for 100 bucks. I couldnt believe it. This was 10 years ago. Who know what it costs today.
Whats new....Putting up pre-orders for the latest announced Atlas stuff ...60' Auto Parts Box cars (yawn), and Ps-2 3 bay covered hopper cars (half a yawn) The auto parts box cars have never been great sellers, and we have plenty of older ones in stock, and most of the next stuff is reruns of older stuff, so I', not bothering with anything that isnt a new paint scheme. The 3 bay PS-2's...again, I'll put up anything that's not a re-run. All yje re-runs we have in stock now anyway.
Arriving... 40' and 45' containers, 3 bay 70ton hopper cars, PS-4427's and bay window cabooses will be here next week. We have extras in the containers and 3 bay hopper cars. The PS4427's and bay window cabooses...There are a few extras at Atlas I can get if anyone wants them. Also our special run of the Morristown and Erie 3 bay hopper cars is in this pile. Truck with pallets will be here within 2 weeks. Also more 40" track sections in 3 rail and 2 rail, and 2 rail #5 switches.
Have had blue skies here for the past week, so been busy cleaning up things outside. Lots of work. Supposed to start raining again wednesday.... Yuk. This is desert country.
beth
