What is the WBB doing?

Most likely it is just some of the whole sale guys trying to clear out some of their inventory. WBB is not doing any blow-out sales themselves, so it is suppliers or vendors who bought from WBB.

Go to Bachmann's website and download their online PDF file of their catalog, not that many new items except some accessories for O gauge.

I feel that it is going to be limited new items by Bachmann in O gauge until they sell down the old items they made.

So far no new Super Streets or now called E Z Streets items to include switches.

From what I have seen of WBB the prices are going up! Almost 15 %.

Lee Fritz

Did you all read the review of the UP gp30 in the latest OGR issue?  It is 1:48 scale and it has sounds, though no command control.  I also noticed that in their latest catalog, they stopped referring to their old dash 9 tooling as scale (as if it ever was).

I think WBB may be going in a new direction here...

Another thing I forgot to mention is this; NO more dummy engines from Williams!

The reason stated was production costs are very high for the circuit board used for the lighting system in the dummy units. Please see the "Ask the Bachmann" under Williams, then go to new GP-30's thread, 3Rail(one of the Bachmann site admininstrators)mentioned that the dummy engine production cost was getting extremely high and so they may kill the production of dummy engines. WBB says to buy another powered GP-30.

Lee Fritz

We've had two other threads on this topic. Neither of those got a 100% answer. And I doubt WbB/Bachamnn will come here and give a corp answer. So it's all just conjecture as to 'Why'? I was just wondering out loud when I looked at the 2013 catalog. Maybe fun to talk about....doubt any hard answers are out there.  

I'm not familiar with earlier Williams locomotives, but if the new GP30 is the direction they're going I'm all for it. I just got one and IMO for $200 it's an incredible deal. Detailing is good (about like late Athearn blue box stuff), sound isn't great but I don't really care about that, wish it was geared a little lower. I love the fact that it's cheap enough that I'm not afraid to mod it myself. I'm probably going to add a Cruise Commander and weather it. Probably the best $200 I've spent lately as far as fun/dollar.

The ten wheeler was a little disappointing... paid $200 for it also (some vendors have it for $179) and found myself wishing they'd upgrade a few things (ditch the cheesy valve gear, better looking domes, separate air tanks and piping instead of cast-in, etc...) and make it a really nice $300 loco instead of an OK $200 loco. It runs great though, nice low speed operating even without Command Control. Would be really nice if they had a string of Overton cars to run with it.

Cheers,

Ken

Which is sad IMO... I really like the O27 stuff, esp. the Lionel "Jr" locomotives.

Cheers,

Ken

I agree, traditional/conventional trains are all I have or want.  And WBB is the only new power I'll buy, due to its affordability and quality.  Don't get me wrong- the GP30 is an excellent product from what I've seen and read about it, and I'm glad they're making nicely detailed locomotives for a good price.  I just hope they continue at least some of the traditional line as well.

Think of the deals you will be able to get. I am a semi scale person. Smaller equipment is OK....but too small I do not like. I am going to cull all my true traditional stuff and sell it here when I get that far. I many other folks are too look at the choice and/or deals!!!

All of the new operating cars are from the K-Line O Scale line.

Andrew

Hey Allen or ajzend,

I agree with you about using the center rail roller pick-up to power the lights!

However leave it to Bachmann to complicate something as simple as plain wiring.

In my own opion I thingk that Bachmann is trying to get out of the O gauge market after seeing how competitive the O gauge market truly is. Why else are they dropping several items this year? Or is it that they are what people say "Bean Counters!" In plain English "Lovers of money!" Or as king Solomon once said, "A lover of silver is never satisfied!"

Lee Fritz

I think if the truth was told, it is the decorating costs, most of the labour is probably in the masking and painting, which is not all that automated.I bet that there is really little difference in the full cost of building a dummy vs a powered unit.

Yes, for awhile there would be some great deals as everyone dumps their traditional stuff. After that, "traditional" O (O27) would end up just like American Flyer... mainly a collector's market where it takes the patience of Job to find equipment in decent shape at a reasonable price, most of what's available is over-priced, worn out junk, and anything even approaching "like new" condition costs way too much to be considered a toy.

Cheers,

Ken

Kevin,

You are probally correct in saying that the real cost is the painting of the unit.

I watched a special a few months ago on how Lionel painted their engines and it was very time consuming, to say the least.

One thing that really bugs me, WBB has not changed their style of caboose! They still use the N5C for all caboose runs, not all railroads ever used an N5C caboose.

Reading Lines used an N6b caboose and other designs. Philly & Reading used woodside cabooses.

Williams has good quality but some of their engines and cabooses are fantasy designs!

Some railroads never bought a GP-38, but Williams made one in their railroad name and colors; case in point, Reading Lines used GP-39-2's, never owned a single GP-38 but Williams produced the model for Reading Lines.

In my opion to be successful in model trains; you must look at what was bought and used by a railroad and then model that, not what you want to model as it may never sell.

Lee Fritz

hello guys and gals..........

its too bad that the GP-9's and NW-2's are not listed in the 2013 WBB online catalog.  Are they coming back anytime soon or never ?  I am quite fond of a Williams small diesel called the NW-2 and loved the way they look (hulk hood, round roof, twin stacks) as that reminds me of the postwar lionel #634 i had back in 1965.

the woman who loves the S.F.5011

Tiffany 

Give Bachmann a chance. I'm confident we're going to see some great NEW models announced in the not too distant future.

Bob 

I think dropping the dummy line is more due to lack of sales volume.  That, plus the fact that if they no longer have to do two separate production runs to accommodate both (powered vs. dummy) it's actually more cost-efficient from a production perspective.