Williams by Bachmann 2014 Catalog

Thanks.

They had plenty of 2013 catalogs to hand out at the World's Greatest Hobby show.

Andrew

anybody notice the deletion of Scale Hudsons and the J-Class Steam

The 2014 catalog has to be uploaded as a pdf file.

The GP38 diesel locos are being offered in all new roads of CSX, CN, Union Pacific, Santa Fe.

The GP30 will be offered in Chesapeake & Ohio and Burlington.

The Canadian National Gondola is back.

They still have not offered a CN 40' Box Car.

Andrew

The Peter Witt when it came out in 2010 was $229.95, for 2014 it is $319.95.  That's $90 in 4 years. It means that you have to search for a better deal.  Several dealers seemed to be clearing out WBB Peter Witts just before the new catalog came out. Maybe this will be an annual pattern.

So the dealer cost is probably about $80-$90.

I didn't see the new catalog as yet, but does Bachmann have a new caboose design for Williams line-up? Any new or re-issued roadnames in passenger cars?

How about the E Z Streets system, anything new there, besides vehicles? Like new track pieces or switches.

Lee Fritz

Unless the price can come down on the Peter Witt trolley car my layout will be missing it!! I can buy a powered GP-30 for a few dollars less.

Lee Fritz

Here's a link to the catalogue. 

Where is Jack? Ok, he's busy. The new items will be announced at York.

They were handing out 2013 catalogs last Monday at Toy fair, too. Kind of strange!

The Peter Witt was $299.95 in the 2013 catalog. So, a $20.00 increase in just one year!

John Knapp

Erie, not Eerie

They had a stack of the 2013 catalogs at the show in Novi last weekend.

I just checked out some of the Williams items and mainly seems to be same stuff with a price increase. NO new caboose design.

They have a new track system for O gauge called Easy Track, I guess they want to compete with Lionel & MTH.

I am not that enthused with the new catalog except for the E Z Streets starter set.

Thanks for the link Nicole.

There should be a section on the Bachmann website about how to set up and operate E Z Streets, as it is not that simple to just set it up and run. You need to know which track sections go where and how to do the straight to curve sections properly. Also how to supply power and how often to add feeders to the track to overcome power loss.

Lee Fritz

They probably had a bunch of 2013 catalogs left over, and no 2014's printed yet.

99.99% of those catalogs will not result in a direct sale, but the kids love them for the pictures, and maybe some of those kids will become model railroaders down the line. Kids don't care if the catalog is a 2014 or a 2013, or a 1913 for that matter.

Those of us who are serious about it, are "in the know" and know where to get the latest catalog.

no 72' streamliners. FA is now selled in AB set, no more AA set. no mention of being able to buy a dummy A or powered A to get a ABA set.

I inquired "why not" the  2014 while at Novi but the only reply I got was a friendly smile.

Only had 2013 catalogs last week at Toy Fair.

It looks like the GP38 is new tooling along the lines of the GP30.  Hard to tell since they say the images are HO engines.

If they're going to go "scale" with everything and retool, I might actually miss the "original" GP tooling.

Also saw a new 55 ton USRA hopper.

I think they're getting really psychotic with their catalog pricing - $69+ for an 027 freight car?

I do like the FA-2 AB in UP, might have to do a pre-order for that one.

Fred

E-Z Street TRACK summary: 

• Still no switches
• Still no insulated track sections (but we can make our own)
• Still no curves wider than 21” in diameter (“O-21") 

MSRP for the 3 most important track components:

• $6.25 per section for a D-21 curved track when bought in a 4-pack
• $7.50 per section for a 10” straight track when bought in a 4-pack
• $5.50 per section for a 2½” curved-to-straight section when bought in a 4-pack

Doing the math: for a basic oval 6 straight sections long by 21” wide at those prices would cost $160 for just the track.   

I’m glad I have all the track I need but I sure would like some switches!

Bill

Who's going to be the "FIRST" one to POST "PREORDERS" ????

FREDSTRAINS

It looks like the only way to get variety in Williams is to buy used (especially pre-WBB) and NOS.  Just looking at the 2007 Williams catalog (pre-WBB) shows how many types and color schemes of equipment have been dropped.  Many of the newer offerings are simply K-Line adoptions.  It is especially disappointing for me to see the dropping of the scale hudsons, J's, E-7's, 72' streamliners, and many dummy units.

The catalog MSRP prices have always been inflated (fantasy prices).  Very few people order directly from Bachmann, and high catalog prices provide more breathing room (profit) for big dealers.

Do you suppose the GP-38 is new tooling, or do you suppose that is also based on a K-line model (see many GP-38-2 roadnames at http://www.legacykline.com)?  I don't think Bachmann will do new tooling, if they (Kader) have K-Line designs.  Makes you wonder if the E-7 diesels will be reborn as a K-Line E-8 type with True Blast II Plus.

Overall, the used Williams market has become more attractive for my purposes.  I think that we will gradually see the value of Williams B units and dummies rise as well, since Bachmann has decided to discontinue reproduction of many of these.

About a year ago I posted a comment on rising costs for new equipment contributing to a stronger secondary market for used equipment and it appears that this might be the case more and more over time, except for a growing minority who have deeper pockets for discretionary purchases. 

I wonder if this represents a shrinking market base creating additional cost or the additional cost will create a shrinking market, that will drive costs up further. It almost seems that one thing drives the other.

Old F-7 units are gone too.....or have they been gone and I didn't notice it. I can see the K-line F units showing up. They are great units detail wise and put a WbB drive in them.....nice!

Scale Hudson victim of slow sales I bet.....those that really want one have many other options. N&W J was never a great looking loco.....again replaced by something from the K-Line tooling.

If WbB has access to all the K-Line tooling they have years of 'new' product without a lot of new investment. It will be interesting.

I was on the Bachmann website under "Ask the Bachmann" Williams sub-heading, a few months(maybe even 7 months ago) ago one of Bachmann admin people said it costs about the same to make a dummy engine as it does for a powered unit, so buy a second powered unit.

Basically Bachmann/Williams is not going to make dummy units any longer.

Lee Fritz

If it costs the same then why do they sell motors and reverse units for $100+?

Fred

The motors & reverse units are $209.95 in the new catalog.

You must be quoting pre-Bachmann prices for motors & reverse units that cheap, Fred.

Lee Fritz

I thought I heard it stated somewhere that Bachmann has traditionally posted high MSRP's in order to give dealers extra discounting room.

This would be in contrast with some 'O' manufacturers, one example being K-Line, as I was told by one dealer that when they introduced their line of scale boxcars, lowered the MSRP of the traditional-sized cars--but left the dealer cost the same or higher.

---PCJ

Seems like Williams is getting away from waht made them Williams.

I don't know anything about what made the old Williams, Williams, but I do know what the new Williams does for me...provide simple, reliable, nice looking and smooth running engines at prices much lower than the competition.

The 2014 catalog has to be uploaded as a pdf file.

 

The GP38 diesel locos are being offered in all new roads of CSX, CN, Union Pacific, Santa Fe.

That Gp38 is the former k-line GP38 tooing. The locos grills give it away. Yes it looks like wbb is pulling out all the former k-line tooling for porduction.. little by little.

Why invest in new tooling when you have it and it's ends up being more profit for the co.'s bottom line.

Makes you wonder if the E-7 diesels will be reborn as a K-Line E-8 type with True Blast II Plus.

Whats to wonder when there is k-line tooling for scale e8's in the first place?

One thing I find interesting is that WBB has used the new True Blast II Plus in the old tooling of of the SD-90 (for the NS Heritage series).

K-Line did make an SD-75.  There must be a reason why WBB is sticking with their old SD-90 for now and installing their new sound system in it.

Maybe they just want to take advantage of current interest in the NS Heritage diesels.

Kader and Sanda Kan have all the K-Line tooling and/or injection molds available. They can grab one of the cabooses that RMT has not produced and put that on the production line.

Andrew

If there is a caboose variation that has never been produced in O Scale/O Gauge. The people at Sanda Kan have all the equipment to make it on the production line.

Andrew