Heljan Container Crane

[upwell wabbit]

I have the same problem as a couple of the previous posts in that the rise & fall fails to work, it appears that the thread keeps coming off the corner rollers, has anyone found a cure for this? or are there any retailers who still under-take repairs? It's been sitting in bits on the back of an as yet uncompleted part of my layout for two years now!

Which is a pity as although HO it still looks acceptable plus if it stays there much longer I'll have to make the crane driver redundent!!

 

Alan

[Doughnut]

Anyone  with an ear on Heljan know if this may be re-released in the future?

[LongRail]

Anyone  with an ear on Heljan know if this may be re-released in the future?

I contacted Heljan last year and they dont have any plans to re-release.

Afraid you have to seach ebay.

 

Gary

[DocCuzi]

Good afternoon/evening/morning gents,

 

I'm new to this forum and from the US but wanted to say I sent out a note to Heljan this afternoon inquiring about the re-manufacturer of their container terminal.  I posted in my message to them, suppose they opened a time period of lets say 60 days and priced the item at about 425.00us and.... took Pre-Orders through that 60 day period, if they received enough orders would they open another production run for their container crane.  I would pay 650us or more if they actually made the item.  I'll post the answer but I think if enough people are interested and continue to make inquiries as have I about the product, we might just be successful at coaxing them into one last production run.

 

What do you guys think?  Will anyone join me?  Will anyone also reach out the the local "LARGER" retailers there and make the inquiry also??

[PhilJ W]

I think its highly unlikely that it will be produced again. Manufacturers need a high volume of sales before they would consider any model for production and in the case of the container crane this was not achieved and to consider a re-run they would need several hundred guaranteed sales which for such a specialised subject just aint going to happen. There is an alternative if you do not require a working crane as Bachmann have produced a similar crane in 00 scale in their Scenecraft range but this is a static model. It might be possible to motorise the Bachmann model but I know of no one attempting to do so.

[LongRail]

I contacted Heljan a last year and they said they had no plans to have anymore produced. The logistics of motorising a static model that works as good are the Heljan crane are not realistic unless you are an engineer.

I have two Heljan cranes on my layout but would be intersted in purchasing another.

 

I believe they were manufactured for Heljan by another company

 

Best option is eBay

[Nobby (John)]

I believe they were manufactured for Heljan by another company

Best option is eBay

Roco produced them

[DocCuzi]

All, this was the latest I got from Walthers just this morning.  I think there's hope... I believe if we all follow suit, we'll get them to make another run.  I'm counting on you all to petition your local establishments with a similar idea.  Heck, if you're too time constrained to do so, please leave the contact information here for me and I'll put forth the effort.

 

Thank you soo much Randy.  I’m going to post this message in the forum

 

Mr. David Alan Taylor/President

Solutions Unlimited Inc

347-337-1673

 

“Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge.  For While Knowledge Defines All We Currently Know And Understand, Imagination Points To All We Might Yet Discover And Create.” ~Albert Einstein~

 

Consider it Done!!

 

From: Randy McPhail <randym@walthers.com>
Organization: Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 1:38 PM
To: <Dtaylor@suinc.net>
Subject: Heljan container terminal

 

David,

 

I will pass your suggestion along to our New Product Development department!

 

Randy

Parts & Warranty Department

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

5601 W. Florist Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53218

866-833-1468

www.walthers.com

 

 

 

Product Support request was received.

Here are the details:

 

Requested Date: 2016-10-25

Walthers ID:

Customer Name: David Taylor

Customer Email: Dtaylor@suinc.net

Phone: 347337xxxx

Item Number:

Manufacturer: Heljan

Item Description: Heljan operating Container terminal

Comments: Good evening.  I can clearly of late, say model railroaders on all

continents literally, are looking to procure one of the Hejan operating

container depot.  I was wondering if it would be possible that a larger MFR

like yourself offer a pre-pay towards a production run and only if the

number gets to be lets say 3,000 or something like that (whatever you'd

consider worth while) worth of Fully Pre-Paid orders to get a production run

completed to satisfy all of us "thirsty" container depot desiring model

railroading enthusiasts.  Do you think that's something that can be

arranged?  I know many would pay north of 500.00 us and likely towards

700.00us to have this item as a part of their collection.  Please tell me

what you believe the feasibility of such an idea would be were it presented

to the appropriate individuals??

[DocCuzi]

All, this was the latest I got from Walthers just this morning.  I think there's hope... I believe if we all follow suit, we'll get them to make another run.  I'm counting on you all to petition your local establishments with a similar idea.  Heck, if you're too time constrained to do so, please leave the contact information here for me and I'll put forth the effort.

 

Thank you soo much Randy.  I’m going to post this message in the forum

 

Mr. David Alan Taylor/President

Solutions Unlimited Inc

347-337-xxxx

 

“Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge.  For While Knowledge Defines All We Currently Know And Understand, Imagination Points To All We Might Yet Discover And Create.” ~Albert Einstein~

 

Consider it Done!!

 

From: Randy McPhail <randym@walthers.com>

Organization: Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Date: Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 1:38 PM

To: <Dtaylor@suinc.net>

Subject: Heljan container terminal

 

David,

 

I will pass your suggestion along to our New Product Development department!

 

Randy

Parts & Warranty Department

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

5601 W. Florist Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53218

866-833-1468

www.walthers.com

 

 

 

Product Support request was received.

Here are the details:

 

Requested Date: 2016-10-25

Walthers ID:

Customer Name: David Taylor

Customer Email: Dtaylor@suinc.net

Phone: 347337xxxx

Item Number:

Manufacturer: Heljan

Item Description: Heljan operating Container terminal

Comments: Good evening.  I can clearly of late, say model railroaders on all

continents literally, are looking to procure one of the Hejan operating

container depot.  I was wondering if it would be possible that a larger MFR

like yourself offer a pre-pay towards a production run and only if the

number gets to be lets say 3,000 or something like that (whatever you'd

consider worth while) worth of Fully Pre-Paid orders to get a production run

completed to satisfy all of us "thirsty" container depot desiring model

railroading enthusiasts.  Do you think that's something that can be

arranged?  I know many would pay north of 500.00 us and likely towards

700.00us to have this item as a part of their collection.  Please tell me

what you believe the feasibility of such an idea would be were it presented

to the appropriate individuals??

 

There is an adjustment to this statement.  Walthers got back to me again today to firmly state 

 

1. They were not the manufacturers of the container depot, that Heljan was and that at Walthers they have no idea if Heljan will ever make the product again, also he mentioned the original price US was 750.00.  Below are my comments to him and a sort of request that maybe their organization would put forth the suggestion to see how Heljan might receive it and if they'd be open to doing a re-run of the product based on a Pre-Pay scenario.

 

750 wouldn’t “scare” a lot of people away at this juncture.  Those of us who want them just want them.  I am aware Walthers Inc never manufactured the Item though you were once a distributor.  At the time when the terminals came out, I wasn’t paying attention to model railroading.  I was fully engaged in several life endeavors.  Now that the sun is shining and my time is back in abundance, I’m back in pursuit of those things very close to my heart.  I’ll go back and adjust the commentary I’d posted in the forum, and I’ve more been trying to get other members to rally the concept of pre-pay (not deposit) but full pre-pay to acquire the item if and only if we could generate enough pre-sales to substantiate a production run. 

 

It is my hope Randy, that perhaps major players in the space such as your organization can pass forth the interest and possibly the concept of a pre-pay as I’ve mentioned it here with the hopes that a large portion of the model railroad community anxious at a  2^nd chance to acquire one of the industry’s most intriguing operating structures to ever grace model railroading.

 

Mr. David Alan Taylor/President

Solutions Unlimited Inc

347-337-xxxx

 

“Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge.  For While Knowledge Defines All We Currently Know And Understand, Imagination Points To All We Might Yet Discover And Create.” ~Albert Einstein~

 

Consider it Done!!

 

From: Randy McPhail <randym@walthers.com>

Organization: Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Date: Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 11:08 AM

To: 'David Taylor' <Dtaylor@suinc.net>

Subject: RE: Heljan container terminal

 

David,

 

Please be aware that Heljan made the container terminal, not us, and that they are no longer making it. We cannot guarantee that Heljan would ever make it again. Also the cost of the terminal when it was originally released was $750.00 US. I wanted to point these out so that everyone is on the same page if you are planning on posting this in a forum.

 

Randy

Parts & Warranty Department

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

5601 W. Florist Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53218

866-833-1468

www.walthers.com

 

 

[DocCuzi]

There is an adjustment to this statement.  Walthers got back to me again today to firmly state 

 

1. They were not the manufacturers of the container depot, that Heljan was and that at Walthers they have no idea if Heljan will ever make the product again, also he mentioned the original price US was 750.00.  Below are my comments to him and a sort of request that maybe their organization would put forth the suggestion to see how Heljan might receive it and if they'd be open to doing a re-run of the product based on a Pre-Pay scenario.

 

750 wouldn’t “scare” a lot of people away at this juncture.  Those of us who want them just want them.  I am aware Walthers Inc never manufactured the Item though you were once a distributor.  At the time when the terminals came out, I wasn’t paying attention to model railroading.  I was fully engaged in several life endeavors.  Now that the sun is shining and my time is back in abundance, I’m back in pursuit of those things very close to my heart.  I’ll go back and adjust the commentary I’d posted in the forum, and I’ve more been trying to get other members to rally the concept of pre-pay (not deposit) but full pre-pay to acquire the item if and only if we could generate enough pre-sales to substantiate a production run. 

 

It is my hope Randy, that perhaps major players in the space such as your organization can pass forth the interest and possibly the concept of a pre-pay as I’ve mentioned it here with the hopes that a large portion of the model railroad community anxious at a  2^nd chance to acquire one of the industry’s most intriguing operating structures to ever grace model railroading.

 

Mr. David Alan Taylor/President

Solutions Unlimited Inc

347-337-xxxx

 

“Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge.  For While Knowledge Defines All We Currently Know And Understand, Imagination Points To All We Might Yet Discover And Create.” ~Albert Einstein~

 

Consider it Done!!

 

From: Randy McPhail <randym@walthers.com>

Organization: Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

Date: Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 11:08 AM

To: 'David Taylor' <Dtaylor@suinc.net>

Subject: RE: Heljan container terminal

 

David,

 

Please be aware that Heljan made the container terminal, not us, and that they are no longer making it. We cannot guarantee that Heljan would ever make it again. Also the cost of the terminal when it was originally released was $750.00 US. I wanted to point these out so that everyone is on the same page if you are planning on posting this in a forum.

 

Randy

Parts & Warranty Department

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

5601 W. Florist Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53218

866-833-1468

www.walthers.com

 

 

Ok guys... it's officially dead.  I heard back from Heljan today and this was their response.

 

Hi David And thanks for your mail.   Unfortunately, we have no plans for a livelihood with the Container Terminal that again and thereby also its accessories.  

 

Mit freundlichen Grüßen, 

sincerely, 

Best regards,

[Hilux5972]

There is currently one on eBay for £999.

[DocCuzi]

I could have told you that   Heljan is a batch producer, meaning it buys a batch from a manufacturer and that's it. A 2nd batch will only be considered if the first sold out in record time, like say within a week. The container crane didn't   In fact, several retailers had it discounted heavily as they couldn't get rid of them at all. Heljan isn't going to make that same mistake twice

 

Now, I've seen here that it was made by Roco. Depending on agreements between Roco and Heljan, you might get somewhere via Roco. However, given that Roco aren't stupid and have also seen the Heljan sales struggle, I'm inclined to say you'd have to have very deep pockets to get Roco producing them again!

My inquiry to both was they be open to the idea of prepay.  That means, those of us who want the product, pay in full.  When they have enough orders, they run that batch.  It's no loss to them in that regard.  Does anyone know a model builder that I could reach out to who would be willing to make me a container crane?  

[PhilJ W]

My inquiry to both was they be open to the idea of prepay.  That means, those of us who want the product, pay in full.  When they have enough orders, they run that batch.  It's no loss to them in that regard.  Does anyone know a model builder that I could reach out to who would be willing to make me a container crane?  

I would like to see a dockyard type container crane of the type used for transfering containers ship to shore. I know that they are mostly far larger than the type that Heljan made but smaller versions of such cranes can be seen at minor ports. A model of a container ship is available in 1:76 scale, a smaller coastal type, if you ever want to model a port.

[LongRail]

I would like to see a dockyard type container crane of the type used for transfering containers ship to shore. I know that they are mostly far larger than the type that Heljan made but smaller versions of such cranes can be seen at minor ports. A model of a container ship is available in 1:76 scale, a smaller coastal type, if you ever want to model a port.

Roco produced a series of working cranes including a dockyard model suggest you keep an eye on eBay

[jjb1970]

My feeling was that this was one of those models which is well recieved as a model and fills a useful niche but which doesn't do much for its manufacturer. If Heljan thought they'd make a profit from another run I'm guessing they'd do it (assuming they still have access to the tooling, not certain) but they're not going to do it as an act of goodwill.