http://www.rokuhan.com/english/news/2011/09/z---fookey-series-trees.html First is was the MTL Roadbed track system, then Lajos mini power chassis and now...Loren's Trees. When will the madness stop! Up to now no one seems upset at the trend, (of course unless MTL was doing it) but this is where I take a stand...no more. It must stop here. Loren just invested heavily in a tree making machine and now...Rokuhan feeling the heat of a one man operation in the dark confines of a clutterd garage, have moved to stomp out the competition. what next??? Driving Robert Ray to the soup kitchens when they announce a comprehensive line of Laser cut Center Beams, Challenging Rob Kluz to a battle over who has the most long winded list of compaines under one's signature? Driving Gerd back to herding sheep when they flood the market with custom built locomotives based on MTL chassis? Sorry for the rant...weathering today and the filters are not working properly. Joe
Agreed. The plain brown, twisted wire trunks? The cheaply glued on clump foliage? And it appears you get a handful for the price of a blister pack, I imagine we would make more money than them simply repacking those chintzy Ebay (made in china) trees! I'd hesitate to put those trees into a "modeler" category.... IMHO woodland-scenics style clump foliage does not translate well onto smaller trees, but as they say "opinions are like........"
When have I ever been serious Zac? I'm surprised you didn't get some sarcasm on your shoes when you walked by just now )
Hey, anyone want to buy some cheap trees? I'm having a fire sale.......... $1.00 for 500 fire damaged specimens from Eastern Oregon. My son who is a wild lands fire fighter just came from a fire and says he can get me a lot of product... )
Hmmmmmmm!!! Was talking last night with a fellow Z scaler and our conversation came to Lajos's mini traction monster and the soon to be released imposters!!!! I mentioned that during the NTS my DCC MOW Truck was photographed heavily with and without the shell by the guys from Rokuhan. Who knows, might see some super tiny DC or DCC chassis/MOW trucks being released soon too!!!! That would be the straw!!!! You wanna know what they should be working on???? A modern beer can tank car or several versions. Or, how about a tank car to fill the gap between the MTL and the AZL tank cars. So many decades to model there. Why do the few manufactures persist in copying the little guys stuff???? Dammit!!!!!!! Although I am appreciative of it, I do believe it started when MTL made the 48' Gunderson Huskys. I could almost pay for 3 of them to ever one that FR sold, but.... FR made the 48' Husky first. Then comes to mind the popular 2 bay covered hopper that was similar to Robert Ray's, then the 3 bay covered hopper that was similar to that of FR's, and then the snap track of MTL's, The open 2 bay hoppers of Uncle Will's, the mini monster of Lajos, Lorens trees and Robert Rays Centerbeams!!!! Nope, I see nothing to say that anyone is stealing the thunder of anyone else!!! Z is so competitive though, no one is safe!!!!! (That last bit is sarcasm!) The one thing I know multitudes of Z scalers are praising a manufacturer for is the new wooden reefer boxcar (I think that is what it is) as so many have fought over the Father Nature/PennZee wooden reefers in the past. Finally now more souls can be set free with this release!!!!! I don't model the era these were used in but so many do and I have heard it for many years why can't someone make that boxcar!!! Thumbs up for that one!!!!! Me, I will just sit back and wait to see if they decided to make something of my MOW Truck!!!! (if they did I know Fred will be one super happy camper!!! NO FRED, you can't have my MOW Truck!!!
Joe, before somebody is starting to copy them: when can we expect the SD40-2 back? I'm running dry...
HAHA! hAHA! tHIS IS GREAT (spoken to the tune of Booger in revenge of the nerds!) I do believe "Imitation" is the highest form of flattery! It don't matter who copies what, because everything I do is a copy (and shrink) of what someone else did before me. The true satisfaction comes from being the "First" haha! ....And there's so many First's left in Z Scale that we can keep this going for many, many years to come.
At one time the Christmas set coming out in Oct had an SD40 to pull it. It appears to be replaced by a GP35. Some may want to add the Micro Mouse GP9 from last year.
Robert, You might not need the money you make from your stuff, that doesn't mean this doesn't or couldn't hurt other people/businesses financially. What if this starts people from coming out with new products, because the copiers take their clients away? -James
irregardless, the more any manufactur makes, new, 'copy' nearly-sorta-copied, whatever; believe me they are NOT really very close. Always a difference whether size, shape, quality, detail(s), paint, etc. So bring it on. While one manufacturer may so-to-speak step on anothers, I would say that not only do both of them still sell out (some still near instantly) but we also add that many more Z scalers (or motivate them). Got my PP, e-check, CC and cash right here. Someone delays getting something out that I am waiting, well, they might loose a sale or two to another but I more than certainly be back to continue buying from them. .
What about the rokuhan roling stock? In my opinion this locomotive looks very well... They focus on the Japanese market as it looks. [video=youtube;rSXytpK5SBw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSXytpK5SBw[/video]
Chris, I agree with you and that was my very first thought looking at them that they were "We-be honest" eBay trees! I bought some of those this past year from "We-be honest". I will never use these trees cause they're cheesy. I don't think Loren has anything to worry about. People will see the difference. John
