# What is Athearns deal?



## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

OK, this has been bugging me for some time so I'm gonna throw it out there and see what others thoughts are, I love Athearn products, spent my life building them, but they have been irritating me for some time, the latest being their model of SP 7342 the Daylight painted SD40, they've done 3 versions of this locomotive, it first came out Ready to Roll, it had minimal detail, no SP light clusters etc, I had an opportunity to pick one of these up and passed due to the lack of proto specific detail, then they released another version which was the experimental one SP released that actually had different versions on each side of the locomotive, while it was prototype I passed on this one because I didn't like it, then they released it again in the updated Ready to Roll with all the proto specific stuff, grab irons, mu hoses etc, I'm actually in the process of getting one, anyhow a couple years ago I sent an inquiry to Athearn about the possibility of them doing SP 7399 the Daylight painted SD45, I got a somewhat terse response back that they pretty much had no intention of ever releasing such a thing, so I moved on, couple days ago I'm browsing their page looking through the upcoming models and lo and behold they have an SD40T-2 coming out in this scheme, WTF? they won't produce the model that was an actual prototype, but they'll waste time on a what if? Maybe I just don't under how R&D works but it didn't make sense to me


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

The problem is they can't say anything about future products unless they have them in-hand. A lesson from the old personal computer days. Osborne Computers were selling the Osborne One and doing a nice business when the developer announced the Osborne Two, which was not yet actually built. As a result, the sales of the Osborne One drastically tapered off and although Osborne eventually produced an Osborne 2, it was too late and the company folded. This "slight" screw up has caused companies to be very tight lipped about any future developments.

So did Athearn read your letter, yes, but they could not give you any answer that involved speculation, hence the terse form letter approved by the legal department.


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Lemonhawk said:


> The problem is they can't say anything about future products unless they have them in-hand. A lesson from the old personal computer days. Osborne Computers were selling the Osborne One and doing a nice business when the developer announced the Osborne Two, which was not yet actually built. As a result, the sales of the Osborne One drastically tapered off and although Osborne eventually produced an Osborne 2, it was too late and the company folded. This "slight" screw up has caused companies to be very tight lipped about any future developments.
> 
> So did Athearn read your letter, yes, but they could not give you any answer that involved speculation, hence the terse form letter approved by the legal department.


I get that never thought about it from that angle, the terse response was uncalled for in my opinion


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

I've never had a problem with Athearn.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Me neither.....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Trackjockey05 said:


> I get that never thought about it from that angle, the terse response was uncalled for in my opinion, a friend of mine got a snarky response at a show when he pointed out a discrepancy on a model, I'll expand on this later as it has a comical twist, this isn't the only thing Athearn does that gets under my skin, I'll expand on this topic later this evening possibly


Your friend deserved it. How much a model costs is directly related to how much detail is on the model, and how many different versions they can produce with different details. Some little things may have to be changed for ease of production. But the short answer is, all but the most expensive models are compromises that result from a business / production decisions. The last thing a marketing rep at a trade show (who most likely had nothing to do with the production and design decisions) wants to hear is some know-it-all modeler pointing out discrepancies to them. If your details must be "just so", then do the customizing yourself. There's a reason the term "rivet counter" has negative connotations.

We all need to keep in mind that in order to sell product, a model has to appeal to a fairly large group of people. Manufacturer's can't make individual pieces to satisfy ome person's desires.


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

CTValleyRR said:


> Your friend deserved it. How much a model costs is directly related to how much detail is on the model, and how many different versions they can produce with different details. Some little things may have to be changed for ease of production. But the short answer is, all but the most expensive models are compromises that result from a business / production decisions. The last thing a marketing rep at a trade show (who most likely had nothing to do with the production and design decisions) wants to hear is some know-it-all modeler pointing out discrepancies to them. If your details must be "just so", then do the customizing yourself. There's a reason the term "rivet counter" has negative connotations.
> 
> We all need to keep in mind that in order to sell product, a model has to appeal to a fairly large group of people. Manufacturer's can't make individual pieces to satisfy ome person's desires.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Although it really does come down to cost......the manufacturers won’t make an exact model of something just to sell a minimum amount....it costs a lot to tool up a specific model, and if they figure they will only sell a small amount, they won’t do it....they need to sell a minimum number to make money and generate cash flow to continue in the business.....no matter how much anyone says they know what they are talking about.....


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Old_Hobo said:


> Although it really does come down to cost......the manufacturers won’t make an exact model of something just to sell a minimum amount....it costs a lot to tool up a specific model, and if they figure they will only sell a small amount, they won’t do it....they need to sell a minimum number to make money and generate cash flow to continue in the business.....no matter how much anyone says they know what they are talking about.....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

That Athearn caboose still isn’t prototypical.....model’s side windows are too high.....model has 2 corner steps, prototype has 3.....model has a roof walk, prototype does not.....Athearn made it, and people will buy it because it’s “close enough”.....but some will argue that the model is fantasy because it’s not totally accurate....


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## Trackjockey05 (Jun 30, 2020)

Old_Hobo said:


> That Athearn caboose still isn’t prototypical.....model’s side windows are too high.....model has 2 corner steps, prototype has 3.....model has a roof walk, prototype does not.....Athearn made it, and people will buy it because it’s “close enough”.....but some will argue that the model is fantasy because it’s not totally accurate....


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Collectors.

Gotta have one of every possible paint scheme ever.

I.e: NS and UP "Heritage" locomotives. You damn skippy they'll make them. But I'll wager the majority sold will be on static display or wherever the rest of the collection is stashed. I'd love to have one of each, but that _is_ a fantasy.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Trackjockey05 said:


> Actually my friend knew exactly what he was talking about, Athearn produced a model of an ex CNW exx Lehigh Valley 4 window caboose that was assigned to an American crane in MoW service, except that Athearn released this scheme on the 2 window version, at a train show my friend saw one displayed at their booth and mentioned that the prototype was actually the 4 window version, to which he got a "what do you know?" well my friend was the operator of that American crane and the prototype for that model was his waycar with his crane, had been for 20 years at that point so he wasn't some "know it all modeler" and I'm not a f-----g rivet counter, I had no issue with the details, go back and read the original post, I stated that I passed on the first release for that reason, I don't particularly like cutting holes in a decorated model to apply nose clusters, my "issue" was with why they won't produce a model for which there is a prototype, but they'll produce a fantasy what if scheme, I never said a word about cost by the way, I don't have a problem with Athearn I love and use their products and will continue to do so, and I have no problem customizing myself, and like it or not marketing reps should be prepared to deal with that kind of stuff, and be more professional than "what do you know?" because some of us are more than modelers and know what we're talking about


I'm sure your friend knew exactly what he was talking about. I'm equally sure that the model in question was, in fact, inaccurate.

That doesn't change the fact that pointing it out to a sales rep is boorish and tactless. Like I said, someone calling you a "rivet counter" isn't a complement. Being correct is never a justification for being a jerk. Even if you're a polite or professional jerk.


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

I've experienced the opposite side of the coin with guns. People come up at gunshows and spout off like they're experts who really know nothing of what they are talking about. Often they are trying to argue the price down. After a few of those even knowledgeable people are looked at suspiciously.


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