Roundhouse's new engine(s) announcements

[Rhos Helyg Loco Works]

All this talk of wooden cabs is interesting. From what I can see in the Roundhouse pictures they have duplicated the wooden cab in metal, as that is easier for them to do. It even has the vertical slats on the sides and front. Rather than making a new cab, perhaps the easiest option to make it look like wood would be to do a bit of scumbling...?

 

[maxi-model]

All Roundhouse locos have shot up in price year after year (well over inflation) making any advance order quite a major decision unless you are quite well off. I know it is not just Roundhouse but the hobby is going through an expensive period.

My nice new R/C Lady Anne cost me, I think, £1,300 in 2006. Well, i did buy it from GRS . The current listed price for an R/C Lady Anne on the RH site is £1,625. Assuming an average annual rate of inflation of around 2.5% (I looked it up) in the intervening period suggests an R/C Lady Anne should cost around £1,800 now. I dare say RH will price at a level it thinks the market will accept and what will give them the the margins they need to continue develop and sell products profitably.

But then again, looking at prices that some are willing to pay, the market can stand some quite substantial mark ups before the enthusiast all go,,,,,, Nooooo! Max

 

[JimmyB]

As Max says, the price is the "market price" i.e. what people are willing to pay.

When I came into the hobby (G Scale) almost 2 years ago, my main reason then was for live steam, I allowed myself time to understand the various foibles, the pros and cons of different manufacturers, VFM, and what I wanted. Whilst the likes of Mamod and MSS seems quite good and are reasonably priced, after understanding the specs they like the RH "Basic" were not what I had in mind. Accucraft and RH were the two manufactures that provided locos of the spec I wanted, and as such I will then pay the price.

 

[funandtrains]

My nice new R/C Lady Anne cost me, I think, £1,300 in 2006. Well, i did buy it from GRS . The current listed price for an R/C Lady Anne on the RH site is £1,625. Assuming an average annual rate of inflation of around 2.5% (I looked it up) in the intervening period suggests an R/C Lady Anne should cost around £1,800 now. I dare say RH will price at a level it thinks the market will accept and what will give them the the margins they need to continue develop and sell products profitably.

But then again, looking at prices that some are willing to pay, the market can stand some quite substantial mark ups before the enthusiast all go,,,,,, Nooooo! Max

Given the number of model shops that have closed over the past two years I'm not sure how many people would say the market everywhere is sustainable. It is quite noticeable how there are significantly less people under retirement age in the hobby now than there was 15-20 years ago. 16mm in the UK though does seem to have attracted a lot of people with large bank balances judging by the prices paid by some collectors for older models and the good sales of the new Roundhouse large locos costing several thousand Pounds. It does seem to go in cycles though.

 

[artfull dodger]

I think the loss of many shops, especially in the states is more to either mismanagement or owners retiring with nobody to keep the shop going. Considering that RH sells most runs well in advance, the market is there. But its moved to a mostly online/direct set up that many smaller dealers selling thru their shop's and ads in magazines. Those days are gone. With it looking like anything model train related coming from China to be going up 25% pretty soon, that will be really upping the price of stuff from Accucraft and Bowande. This will probably drive up the prices of second hand models that are usually more affordable than brand new. We only have one dealer for RH in the states were as just a few years ago we had several. But most were older folks doing this in their retirement years. I myself went direct to RH on my new locomotive I ordered for a couple personal reasons. Cheers Mike the Aspie

 

[funandtrains]

I think the loss of many shops, especially in the states is more to either mismanagement or owners retiring with nobody to keep the shop going. Considering that RH sells most runs well in advance, the market is there. But its moved to a mostly online/direct set up that many smaller dealers selling thru their shop's and ads in magazines. Those days are gone. With it looking like anything model train related coming from China to be going up 25% pretty soon, that will be really upping the price of stuff from Accucraft and Bowande. This will probably drive up the prices of second hand models that are usually more affordable than brand new. We only have one dealer for RH in the states were as just a few years ago we had several. But most were older folks doing this in their retirement years. I myself went direct to RH on my new locomotive I ordered for a couple personal reasons. Cheers Mike the Aspie

If you want a Roundhouse in the US you should probably order one quickly as the £ will likely increase in value over the next year or two as it has been artificially low due to the brexit mess. You could find in one to two years time you would have to pay 10 to 20 % more. Even if it does not shoot up it value it will not get lower.

 

[artfull dodger]

I agree, that is why mine is ordered already while the exchange rate is good. Hopefully it will stay that way thru September when my model is due to be delivered.

 

[tac foley]

This is a still shot from the latest OPB article on the there-and-gone seaside resort of Bayocean, built on a spit of land at the entrance to Tillamook Bay on the North Oregon coast. As you can see, this little loco, running on 3ft gauge, has a very similar appearance to the new RH loco, and would look good on a suitably sandy layout...



The US Army corps of engineers also built out the sea defences at the entrance to the bay in the early 20's, using equipment left over from the recent war in Europe, as you can see from this little Alco...



Here's a view of the dual-gauge rail spur showing the line that led out onto the jetty...