Hi Ed, True, but model trains over all is in the decline stage of the product market cycle, the TCA membership, a measurement of model trains, maybe is down to 29,000 members as it was about 35,000 when I joined in 1991, as I know the TCA is not a topic here, but numbers are numbers.
Many of you on this list are one of kind, dedicated to your love S, but what will the hobby look like in 10 years. Unless the makers of these products find new buyers, as you have to be doing that all the time to continue to grow, things could be bleak. I hope I am wrong. But if new generations are not introduced to S then new and current product sales will fall. Ed, I hope your shoulder is better, sorry to hear about your job. I wish you the best with this. I am typing this having a knee replacement done a week ago. Our annual trip to Maine ended in disaster with a wet basement issue. Keep up the good work you do in the hobby. Mike From: Ed Kozlowsky Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 7:50 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: Market Hi Mike, There's always improvements to what you have. I doubt I'll ever be fully satisfied with the work I've done, so there's always the possibility of replaceing cars, locomotives, track, structures, scenery, etc. with something better. I have a spot on my layout that's hidden trackage right behind my workbench. It's the only place where it's 24" radius. Because all the work gets done on my workbench, I was reluctant to clear it off and stop work on everything else to fix it. Since I got layed off from work, I moved my workbench into the house so I could save money heating the trailer. Well, they asked me to come back to work, I turned the heat back on, the area is open now and ready to repair, and I actually have the money to buy the materials I need :o) While I am looking forward to having it finished enough to operate, I still enjoy modeling. If it should ever happen that I have nothing else to build, I'll tear everything out and start over. Only this time..... Ed Kozlowsky Sanford, Maine >________________________________ >From: Michael & Linda Marmer <mailto:mlmarmer%40verizon.net> >To: mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com >Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 7:31 AM >Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: Market > > > >Actually, what I really meant to write, that the makers of any product has a >cycle in marketing. The decline part of the cycle, as many products go through >these, is not a pretty picture > >New customers has to be sought after, as for me, I have enough rolling stock, >engines, etc. so I am pretty much done in buying any new S products. I don’t >need new buildings, track, too. The one thing I hope to get is about 8 Western >MD hoppers from SHS someday, as I hope that will happen for SHS and the other >companies to get back on board with a new maker of product. > >Maybe a S scale Hudson, but then I am done. > >So the key in growing the hobby is finding new customers, selling the product >to new users, etc.. > >Mike > >From: Michael & Linda Marmer >Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 10:25 PM >To: mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com >Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: Market > >Advertising is what it takes to build product sales, without it, your done, >basically. > >Even the number one soft drink has to continue to advertise, or number 2 will >take over in time, Coke, Pepsi, as Pepsi is not too far behind Coke now. > >Service is key, too, as Coke’s service to the food service industry is >terrible. > >real estate agents who fail, did not market themselves, and so on. > >Lionel so > >From: gsc3 >Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 10:06 PM >To: mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com >Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: Market > >I looked through the last Model Railroader I bought and there was one S ad, >from American Models and 1 other ad that mentioned an item in 4 scales. No way >to tell, but I would bet S provides maybe 1/2 of 1% of MR's ad revenues, but >receives about 2% of the coverage. > >George Courtney > >--- In mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com, WJJIM@... wrote: >> >> Statistically HO is 60% of the TOTAL toy/scale train market, ALL the rest >> are the other 40%. >> I believe I read somewhere that "S' is about 5 % of the 100% that is the >> other 40%. Scary, huh???? >> >> Jim Lyle >> >> >> >> In a message dated 11/17/2011 4:26:33 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, >> armstong5717@... writes: >> >> "Gauging" the thoughts today is like comparing Bells original phone with >> an I phone. >> >> Als National A'ssn S Scalers won't sit well as NASS. At least it would >> draw attention. >> >> No wonder Model Railroader pushes HO at Christmas and says it's the top >> one. It is also Santa's favorite. >> He is always going HO HO HO. >> >> John Armstrong >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Scaler164@... >> To: mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com >> Cc: mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com >> Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 3:10 PM >> Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: What's in a name? >> >> >> >> >> >> The fore-runners (Tom's "old timers") in S may have chosen the term >> 'gauge', but I doubt very seriously that they sat down and discussed whether >> to >> use it or the term 'scale' instead. They, like I'm sure is the case with >> the vast majority of folks, probably just went with what they had always >> heard/used... right or wrong without even thinking about it. >> >> Believe it or not, I agree with Tom as to where the true dividing line is >> in the association... but coming to this conclusion does nothing for those >> not in S. The problem we have is in making an effective statement to the >> other SCALES that S is NOT just AF and that there are some real modelers >> amongst us... and real MODELS as well, not just all toys. Until we get THAT >> message out there EFFECTIVELY... nothing is going to change. But the >> paradox is that something is going to have to change to get that message out >> there. >> >> Let the crucifixion begin. (again) >> >> John Degnan >> >> Scaler164@... >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> From: "Tom Hawley" <t.hawley@...> >> To: mailto:S-Scale%40yahoogroups.com >> Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 2:42:09 PM >> Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: What's in a name? >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Lamont Heppe >> Also, as Dick Karnes recently pointed out, NASG was created by scale >> modelers not hi railers or AF guys and I have to assume they selected the >> name. >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ----------Response----------- >> That's what I tried to say recently. I agree with the sentiment in the >> above, but it needs a little technical correction, if I'm not mistaken. >> >> Some of those old timers (peace be upon them) I believe did use >> AF-compatible track & wheel standards. But they were modellers. They >> took >> whatever would work, frequently AF equipment, added & removed detail, and >> modified it into cars, locos, &c, that more closely represented real RR >> prototypes. This is real the dividing line in our Association - those who >> try to model what they know of real RRs (irrespective of track & wheel >> standards) - versus those who just want to accumulate a lot of a certain >> quasi-defunct brand of toy train. >> >> Tom Hawley -- Lansing Mich >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 6639 (20111117) __________ >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus >> signature database 6639 (20111117) __________ >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------ >> >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> >> >> >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
