The Madison Poster Holiday Gift Bundle - 3 Days left to order for Christmas delivery

Greg, thanks for stepping in to be the forum police this morning. As a sponsor of this forum, it allows me to post our activity outside of the normal buy and sell forum. You'll also notice that one of the rules of that forum is no dealers allowed in that forum, but I'm sure you already knew that. 

Also it's nice that you seem to think that artwork produced by one of the most talented artists in our hobby is fodder for your five year old to color on. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who think otherwise. 

Merry Christmas Greg! 

I'm glad you said something! Great podcasts, offers, and innovative thinking with A. T. Thomas.

Merry Christmas!

Keep up the good work.  Derek   Steve

"Also it's nice that you seem to think that artwork produced by one of the most talented artists in our hobby is fodder for your five year old to color on. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who think otherwise."

Ah, a little cynicism to denounce somebody's critique of art that isn't even yours.

If this toy train forum suddenly becomes a place to critique art then please let me know. A full critique of Ms. Trotter's art put in historical and cultural context would be forthcoming...

Derek,

Sorry you took offense. I really do like your posters. Certainly, if they were more affordable, I would buy them all as they are released. My initial point was that the Angela Trotta Thomas artwork does little to inspire me to make a purchase. 

At our local hobby shop, the only people who buy the Trotta-Thomas boxcars to pull behind those silly green tinkerbell engines are older women of the type who are fans of the "Golden Girls". They know nothing about trains, but want a pretty decoration under the tree.

Postwar train enthusiasts have different tastes, generally. But I definately expect someone to chime in here and say how much they love this Trotta stuff, the zombie trains, roadrunner gondola or whatever other goofy stuff comes out.

Greg, 

I do take some offense. More because Angela is a good friend of mine and I know how hard she works to produce high quality artwork. There is a ton of time and leg work that goes into running a small business in this industry and sometimes I'm not sure the folks who buy our products understand that. So yes, I'm going to stick up for my friend and someone who has done a great deal to advance my business over the past few years. 

I also understand that we are not the lowest price poster ever produced, but I see our product as something that is worth the value we have placed on it. Everyone else seems to think that the way to sell product is to continue to cut price until it's down to the bone, I just don't agree with that. We have a core group of customers who have spent their money with us all year long, instead of making them feel like they got screwed by cutting the price just to grab a few more folks at the end of the year, I'd rather offer a cool bonus incentive for those folks who are on the fence and keep my other customers happy. 

Hope this helps explain my response. 

Thanks,

Derek

Derek, will you be offering a new poster this year? If so, when will you announce it?

Hi Jon, 

Yes things are in the final planning stages now. The plan is that for folks that ordered a large poster this year to receive advance ordering information from us during December. Planned roll out is right after the first of the year. 

Thanks as always for your support Jon! 

Derek

Great news, Derek. My wallet may not agree with my enthusiasm. I'm hoping for something red...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news Jon, but it won't be the red one for 2016. While I love the red one, it has been done before. The TCA covered it a LONG time ago, but they are out there if you look. The goal has always been to hit the posters first that have never been done before. Maybe the red one someday, just not now. 

I really appreciate the Madison Poster Company, and acknowledge that their posters aren't for everyone, and aren't the cheapest that have ever been produced.  But they are lovely for those who appreciate such decorative, nostalgic stuff.

"

At our local hobby shop, the only people who buy the Trotta-Thomas boxcars to pull behind those silly green tinkerbell engines are older women of the type who are fans of the "Golden Girls". They know nothing about trains, but want a pretty decoration under the tree.

Postwar train enthusiasts have different tastes, generally. But I definately expect someone to chime in here and say how much they love this Trotta stuff, the zombie trains, roadrunner gondola or whatever other goofy stuff comes out"

Yo.  One man's goofy stuff is another man's (or woman's) fun stuff.  Critiquing other people's taste in hobbies, particularly in public is condescending, rude and insensitive.

Why in the world would anyone find it necessary to post such corrosive, contemptible

acid?  Is it necessary to one's ego to feel so superior to those older ladies with different tastes?  Those older ladies are someone's mother, sister, wife or grandmother and it is really, really bad form to ridicule people for growing old, liking old TV shows or different trains than one's self.

Though somewhat disappointed, I'm certain whatever design you choose will be wonderful. I do hope that the future will bring a "red" one, sooner than later. Can't wait to see the third edition.

I have a number of Ms. Trottas trains and a couple pieces of her artwork. At this past York she autographed my Window Wishing boxcar for me and it currently resides on a shelf just below the print of the same hanging in my office. My layout is full of silly things and trains that make no sense and I'd like to think I know something about trains other than they go under a tree, and a lot of it was purchased at my LHS, maybe you've heard of them MB Kleins? They sell an awful lot of that stuff to "real" hobbyists too. Her paintings aren't to inspire anyone to buy trains, they are art for arts sake, I don't like all of her stuff but there are a few that I do like and will eventually get. And if I'm not wrong wasn't the postwar era full of silly nonsense train offerings?

Jerry

Good morning everyone,

In this hobby there is something for everyone and my interests are all over the place. Derek, first off I think your posters are great. They add a period feeling to any train room and are works of art from a time long gone. I have a couple of Angela's prints hanging on my wall and they bring me back in time. Window Wishing is my favorite and my wife sees me in it everytime she looks at it. I avidly collect space and military items and cherish them for the toys that they are. On the other hand I have built and operate a two rail German o scale layout where I painstakingly pay attention to each and every detail. As you can see, I am all over the place hobby wise and would not have it any other way. There is more than enough room in this hobby for all of us.

All the best,

Mike

Well, not everyone.  You've obviously missed Lionel's latest pricing in their catalogs for the past year or two! 

Well now that we have the fun stuff out of the way, it's time to sell some posters. This deal will run until we sell out of the Helicopter car prints. I expect to have those in from the printer this week and we will start shipping as soon as they arrive.