Sunset Models Erie S3 and S4 Arrive

Scott,

Once again your honesty and openness is appreciated.

Stu

What an adventure!  To borrow a slogan from James Brown, "Scott Man, the hardest-working manufacturer in model railroading".

Scott is to be commended for his candor with respect to the overseas model train manufacturing landscape today.  If anyone even thinks that today's importers "control" the overseas manufacturing process, they're living in denial.  These factories are clearly NOT employees of the Stateside importers.  But rather they're independent contractors churning out whatever products they're contracted to produce any given week/month... whatever.

I don't think ANYBODY here could even imagine half of the nonsense that's going on in these Asian factories nowadays.  Factories close... principals leave one factory and start up another... factories get bought out by new owners who often have different priorities -- and along with that, allegiances to other partners and importers.    It's hard enough when Stateside companies change executive officers and everyone's world turns upside-down.  Just imagine what it's like when all that turmoil happens 9,000 miles away on the other side of the globe.  

Seems like a nightmare that doesn't even cross our minds when we're drooling over stuff in the newest catalogs.  And we wonder why 12-24 month lead-times have now become "the norm" before products hits the States and find their way into consumers' hands.  Sometimes the ETA's are even longer.  Bottom line... it seems that actually getting this stuff manufactured is now one HUGE, unimaginable challenge -- not to mention a thankless full-time job and then some.  And to think this was all done because overseas manufacturing was "supposed to be" cheaper according to the bean-counter's spreadsheets.    I guess they forgot to factor in a few "unknowns" and figured companies would simply "eat" the costs of managing/overseeing their overseas manufacturers... which is precisely why I always scrutinized everything I received from bean-counters when I worked in Corporate America.

David

First off, 3rd rail makes top notch trains, i own a few and love them. I've also heard stories like this from other importers such as KEY models and KOHS. I may be naive but i just don't understand why, with the high cost of the items, the losses they take on almost every other project, travel back and fourth to asia, a lot of stress, grey hair and heartburn, these models can't be made in the US? would it really be that much more expensive? I've seen pictures of some of the factories that KOHS uses and they don't look all that hi-tech or fancy to me. Just my 2 cents

Having seen the video, I can't wait for my S3 to arrive. My grandfather fired these big girls out of Avoca Pa.

Thanks for the hard work bringing these to the market Scott,

Earl Trygar

Scott,

Not sure how you do it but I thank you for your effort.  Love your products.

Congratulations Scott, on your tenacity and diligence to make this model a reality for us.

Now, I suppose it will be a few more years before we see the C&O 2-8-4.....

Yves

From the photos, that is one really good model.  Those driver counterweights have to be a "first" in O Scale.  I have had one of these started for over a decade - if I ever finish it it won't hold a candle to this import.  Even the American-made lost-wax trailing truck is not as good on mine.

These low production run pieces of model railroad jewelry are extremely labor-intensive.  Each one is pretty much hand-crafted.  Labor rates in China are apparently dramatically lower than here.  It won't last forever.

 a lot of stress, grey hair and heartburn, these models can't be made in the US? would it really be that much more expensive? I've seen pictures of some of the factories that KOHS uses and they don't look all that hi-tech or fancy to me. Just my 2 cents

Might lessen the travel distance, but I'd wager that the stress, grey hair (loss of hair...), and heartburn would be greater if done domestically.

Skilled labor costs money - figure out what you are worth for 100 or 300 hours and see if that's cheaper than a Sunset engine. 

Scott, you provide amazing insight into the production of your various products for us.

Based on the pics this is a superb model for O scale modelers at 1/3 the price of a Kohs or Key model at current pricing, yes the later models would be detailed out to the max [not that there is anything wrong with producing these models for the market that supports them] but I believe the Sunset model represents a very practical limit [keeping pricing in mind] for most O scalers, kudos to Scott on this one JMO