I also agree that MTL needs to make more structure kits. Why would something like that have been cut? From my experience these things always sold well. And without structure kits, what incentive do people have to keep going in Z? THis was actually one of my reasons to switch to N scale.
If you are just coming back after a several year hiatus you are grossly over-generalizing the z scale market. Threads like this temporarily detour momentum z scale has been building up. My business (a z scale "mostly" web business) has never been busier and I have said the same thing every year since 2013! Structures are plentiful and have been taken up by other laser or machining production (CNC) folks instead of the dated and very pricey plastic mold technology: Animek Models Luetke Modellbahn Archistories Micro-Trains (some kits are still in stock at my site as well as on the MTL website directly) I have also seen amazing kits by MBZ Thomas Oswald among other manufacturers whose kits I do not stock at present time. Rokuhan have also introduced * City buildings * Shops * Train station platforms * Crossing gates * Convenience stores (coming soon) For even more structures, we also still have the old guard European companies: Kibri, Vollmer, and some Marklin kits There is more available in z scale now than there ever has been and I can attest to growing revenues year-after-year to levels I have never seen before. Further fueling excitement in z is the announcement from Atlas that they are making flex track and turnouts. More exciting news is Marklin now having spare parts available again and dealers such as me are keeping inventory of spares. Even more exciting is that these spares are selling. The economic downturn and Marklin insolvency killed this business segment for a while but we are back at it again. People searching for spare parts means they are running their trains! So, while we will be disappointed to lose you as a z scaler, there are many more new z scale modelers joining the ranks - I "meet" new z scale customers on a nearly daily basis. The future of z is as bright as it has ever been. Respectfully, Frank Daniels owner - z.scale.hobo Irvine, California USA www.zscalehobo.com
Robert Ray produced the starting kits for many of the early years (2006 or so). Then Loren and Karin started making them as StoneBridge Models and then MTL realized, 'hey, why don't we make some of our own' around 2012. Robert hasn't made any in years (sucked into big time work) but Karin continues to make some as Rogue River. It will be some time or never that MTL makes them as these kits sell dozens to *maybe* 100 @ ~$5 profit
Look for Walt (Southernscale) on Shapeways and Z Central Station. The guys is a stud, cranking out 100's of Z designs, many *really* intricate or complex, some quite simple.
@ Frank - yes, I did see many of those while looking at the major retailer sites. I looked at yours too. If I were to get back into Z scale I'd need more options in the area of roundhouses, turntables, and industry. There are a few of super expensive (mnostly European) structures in these categories but not many and none that are affordable and good realistic. Rokuhan's structures are very underwhelming to me. Many of the lazer cut kits are very nice but again, they're mostly old-time kits, and very few modern industries like coal mine tipples, grain and cement elevators, factories, oil refinieries. In other words, the kinds of basic structures you find in the Walthers cornerstone series in other scales. Almost all rolling stock ever made for Z is modern 1960's +, so why so many 1800-1910's structures? I suppose I just didnt expect to find this massive decline in Z when I returned and started looking. It all was accelerating last I saw. I understand that Micro-Trains and others probably are just reacting to this decline, but @ Joe d'Amato and Micro-Trains, it seems that the few that are doing well are the ones that are progressive, innovative, and are trying to develop new and intersting product, trying give us something to buy and boost the scale. Those that are failing are those who have a reactionary, minimalist, "safe-bet" approach.
So, Bob: What I can now gather is that this is no longer a Micro-Trains problem. I guess we are mis-directing our model railroading inquisition: "C'MON WALTHERS! Why aren't there any Cornerstone Series in Z SCALE? What's going on over there? First, they lose the Marklin Z sole distributorship have no spare parts for YEARS and now they aren't making any Cornerstone Series kits in z scale? Can anybody answer these questions?"
Yeah. Look at the Z scale steel mill (same as N scale). If only Outland models begins injection molds that match is flat milled products . . . Bob has to understand that Z is at best 5% of the market, a decimal shift compared to N and HO. The volume just isn't there to tool every imaginable variation, era, style, road specific . . . But, AZL's hobbyist driven business model is going in the greater direction. It's not so much the profits, is the seed money to make all that tooling at a faster time pace. Any Venture Capitalists out there?
Let's just say that MTL is not willing to change their business pratice order to meet the market. Other's have done so, and done well. Not to toot AZL's horn, however the ACe units are flying off the shelves. Uncle Will is a one man show continues to sell out. What this scale needs to grow is modern power and rolling stock. Don't get me wrong, steam is nice to look at, however the younger generation wants to see something they can associate with. This is just my feedback from when I display at shows and see kids eyes light up when they can associate with a specific body styles. What better market can you impress to keep this hobby going?
Ok, let's look at this for a minute...there is a cost to run the tooling, and there is a cost to create the artwork, and a cost to paint the car, and print the car, and a cost for the paper insert for the jewel case. We are looking at doing another special run through Micro Trains in N Scale. The smallest run that they will do is 300cars....now MTL released 5 single cars this month, plus a 4 pack of passenger cars and a 4 car runner pack. They currently have 83 different single freight cars and 18 runner packs in stock....plus the weathered cars, passenger cars, locos, and sets....how much inventory should they sit on when it is not selling? The still have 8 building kits in stock....when was the last time they were produced?
BTW: Uncle Will's costs are low as he made 1-time volume deals on Cylindricals and Hoppers. He just paints and labels a new run here and there. So not quite the comparison to MTL or AZL, with ever changing/new tooling per car/loco.
