Here we go again-Hornby USA

[autocoach]

Hornby-Rivarossi USA is back again at the NMRA National Train Show in Salt Lake City Utah. I am not there preferring to spend my hard urned dollars on product (UK and US)..misspelling intentional.  Is this a mis-allocation of their corporate resources given their competition in the North American market. Think about a half dozen savy competitors lead by Rapido.

 

If their initial 50 foot box car offering is any indication, they are looking to match Bachmann USA in the toy department. (Side note, Bachmann USA has two personalities. They can make incredible models as can Bachmann Europe/UK, but they can also market stuff that has no relation to real railroad/railway hobbyists.)

 

I understand they are also separately showing what Hornby UK can do.  I wonder if Lynton Davies is going to show up. Oxford Miniatures has a nice and growing 1/87 line of vehicles.

[friscopete]

The 1/87 Oxford diecast  are great little models .I spif them up with a chrome pen to bring out the  special zing.Maybe some trucks will come along .The US trucks are pricey over here . compared to Oxford .havent seen any offerings yet for Hornby H0 rail models .

[tomparryharry]

10 hours ago, autocoach said:

Hornby-Rivarossi USA is back again at the NMRA National Train Show in Salt Lake City Utah. I am not there preferring to spend my hard urned dollars on product (UK and US)..misspelling intentional.  Is this a mis-allocation of their corporate resources given their competition in the North American market. Think about a half dozen savy competitors lead by Rapido.

 

If their initial 50 foot box car offering is any indication, they are looking to match Bachmann USA in the toy department. (Side note, Bachmann USA has two personalities. They can make incredible models as can Bachmann Europe/UK, but they can also market stuff that has no relation to real railroad/railway hobbyists.)

 

I understand they are also separately showing what Hornby UK can do.  I wonder if Lynton Davies is going to show up. Oxford Miniatures has a nice and growing 1/87 line of vehicles.

 Caveat Emptor; let the buyer beware! If you don't like it, don't buy it. Spend your hard -urned money else where! Your mis- spelling is intentional).

 

We have similar problems this side of the pond. Bachmann, Hornby & others bang out wagons that never, ever, graced the rails of real life. If you don't like it, don't buy it!

[The Johnster]

RTR manufacturers are always going to be prone to maximising sales by putting incorrect liveries on generic vehicles, or incorrect bodies on generic chassis.  Hornby and Dapol can’t even cobble up a 16ton mineral with the right wheelbase, and a GW 5 plank open that isn’t a china clay wagon still eludes us except for kits.  These are pretty basic items for steam age modellers and lasted well into the diesel era.  Many Dapol wagons still have moulded handbrake levers. 

 

It’s prolly the same in the States!

Edited July 14, 2019 by The Johnster

[Talltim]

They had a genericish boxcar last time round (about three or four years ago). Their U25C and U28C seemed to be highly rated although not great sellers

[wirey33]

On 13/07/2019 at 22:50, autocoach said:

Hornby-Rivarossi USA is back again at the NMRA National Train Show in Salt Lake City Utah. I am not there preferring to spend my hard urned dollars on product (UK and US)..misspelling intentional.  Is this a mis-allocation of their corporate resources given their competition in the North American market. Think about a half dozen savy competitors lead by Rapido.

 

If their initial 50 foot box car offering is any indication, they are looking to match Bachmann USA in the toy department. (Side note, Bachmann USA has two personalities. They can make incredible models as can Bachmann Europe/UK, but they can also market stuff that has no relation to real railroad/railway hobbyists.)

 

 

 

I believe the phrase is "Horses for Courses"

 

Do you drive a Ford or a Ferrari ?

 

 

[truffy]

On ‎13‎/‎07‎/‎2019 at 22:50, autocoach said:

(Side note, Bachmann USA has two personalities. They can make incredible models as can Bachmann Europe/UK, but they can also market stuff that has no relation to real railroad/railway hobbyists.)

Are you, by any chance, suggesting that TTTE isn't real?

[tomparryharry]

4 hours ago, truffy said:

Are you, by any chance, suggesting that TTTE isn't real?

 

Now! Hang on a moment! Isn't real???? Nooooooooooo.........

[Steamport Southport]

Thomas the Tank Engine is make-believe, like elves, gremlins, and Eskimos.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Allegheny1600]

Two things.

 

A. I thought Hornby had officially given up on the US market?

 

B. If they haven't, then they should be attending such shows, simply to keep their name out there. They have some very good models in the Rivarossi back catalogue and they should be exploiting them as much as possible.

[Steamport Southport]

3 hours ago, Allegheny1600 said:

Two things.

 

A. I thought Hornby had officially given up on the US market?

 

B. If they haven't, then they should be attending such shows, simply to keep their name out there. They have some very good models in the Rivarossi back catalogue and they should be exploiting them as much as possible.

 

I thought they had announced a Big Boy?

 

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/rivarossi-h0-1-87-union-pacific-heavy-freight-train-steam-locomotive-class-4000-big-boy-running-number-4014-special-edition-in-celebration-of-the-150th-anniversary-of-the-first-transcontinental-railroad.html

 

 

 

Jason

[mdvle]

Hornby a couple of years ago either officially/unofficially indicated that they were leaving the US market.

 

I would guess with different management came a re-evaluation of the situation, and perhaps a decision not to necessarily tool up new items but that there might be an opportunity to make some money from existing tooling.

 

The Big Boy was an obvious choice given the return of the real thing, and might have been helped with better timing - one of their big competitors (Athearn) only announced their Big Boy models in late June with delivery not happening until June 2020.

 

Unfortunately it was somewhat bad from a PR perspective as they labeled their box car release as "Soft Boxcars" in the poster which doesn't really make any sense unless someone confused "50 ft Boxcars", and they don't yet have the items on their website which could cause prospective customers to look elsewhere.

 

See image of poster:

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/37008#comment-394841

 

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2019 by mdvle

[truffy]

12 minutes ago, mdvle said:

Unfortunately it was somewhat bad from a PR perspective as they labeled their box car release as "Soft Boxcars" in the poster which doesn't really make any sense unless someone confused "50 ft Boxcars", and they don't yet have the items on their website which could cause prospective customers to look elsewhere.

 

See image of poster:

https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/37008#comment-394841

Quote

I wonder is "soft" was supposed to be "50ft" and something with the translations, and non-primary English speakers, and non-NA modelers, missed that?

Hornby as non-primary English speakers?

[The Johnster]

15 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Thomas the Tank Engine is make-believe, like elves, gremlins, and Eskimos.

 

 

 

 

Jason

And monks.  I mean, just imagine if monks were real!