Bachmann has scored some real winners in the last few years with unique models of units not done by other manufacturers. So why a GP7? Are more geeps on the way with the same mech? Hummm????
Yeah... this decision was a bit strange... but perhaps it is a different phase than the ones Atlas has done. I probably have all the D&RGW GPs I will need (want??) from the previous Atlas release(s).
Bachmann has been reporoducing most of their HO anouncments in N for several years now. They anounced a GP9 in HO, I assume this will follow in N in the next year or two. For any manufacturer other then Bachmann, I would say the reason for a GP7/9 would be the many paint schemes over a very long service life many of these engines enjoyed. For Bachmann, which seems to prefer running an engine in just a few famous paint schemes, I would say that these engines were used by the most popular roads in the most popular paint schemes. From the pre-production photos, the mosel looks quite nice. The tooling may even be on par with the Atlas version. The model will lack molded in grab irons, which is a plus in my opinion. I don't know about hood width, which has always been a problem for Bachmann. If the B30-7 and HH44 are any indication, these will be great train set engines. Modelers looking for a more prototypical appearance can add details, which would also be required by the more expensive, non DCC Atlas version.
Its a no brainer (for Bachmann)... the GP7 sells in N-scale and they want a part of the action. Whether or not anyone will find it to be as useful as the Atlas model is hard to say but trainset wise it could offer a beginner an interesting and fairly common model to choose from.
I hope Dan's right about the quality. I think we could use another player making these locos as Atlas's limited run production mentality always seems to make them harder to find (and thus priced high).
The price is ok for these locos the only thing I don't like is they still come with those EZ mate mark 2 couplers just like the other Bachmann locos, looks like they still didn't make a good coupler like Kato who came up with they're own knuckle couplers.
But these arent in the spectrum line and the price is right up there. Will it have flywheels or just a mech like the trainset stuff?
The price is "up there" due to the exchange rate between Chinese and US currency. For example, Atlas is now selling Chinese-built locos with an MSRP of $150, rather than $99, and almost all of that extra money is going straight to China. And yes, I know this is a Bachmann thread, I just used that as an example of something I've observed first-hand.
You guys make me feel good. $150.00 retail for Atlas GP 7-9's!!!!! I was at the Bedford, PA N-Scale Weekend about three weeks ago and I bought four Atlas GP 7's [with the fast motor] for $45.00 each. Got two LifeLike SW's for $25.00 each. All six were undecorated and along with several Atlas undecorated rolling stock will make up the "Gray Ghost" train.
I doubt that Bachmann loco's will ever go for that much even with DCC. I would guess $49-59 at best. So still a bargain for those that like to add the details themselves.
I'm surprised that more manufacturers don't produce GP-7/9's. It appears that almost every manufacturer in both N and HO produce some variant of the F-unit, yet how many offer the far more common early GP's?
They are making them because they feel they can sell them. So far indications are that they will be very successful. I have already had a customer put in an order for 6 of them. He needed a large pool of Gp's for his layout and he could buy twice as many of the Bachmann's as the Atlas with DCC in them already for the same price. These loco's are made in the same building that the Atlas loco's are assembled in. The Chineese exchange rate has nothing to do with the pricing of Bachmann vs. Atlas. It is the sales model that each chooses to use and the fact that Atlas has to pay Bachmann (Kader) to build their loco's for them. Kader own's Bachmann so there is one less step in the food chain for Bachmann product. Bachmann will produce these first 6 road names, in mass quantity. The more they produce, the cheaper they can produce them. Atlas on the other hand in the same time will produce 4-5 times the varitaions (Paint schems and numbers), but probably close to the same overall number of loco's. Each production line change over for the next version adds to the cost. Some of the Atlas schemes are produced in as few as 500 copies. I've even heard of as low as 300. The Bachmann schemes will probably eclipse 10000 copies of each paint job before they decide to change things. The larger the batch, the cheaper the production costs per unit. I love my H16-44 and if these are anywhere close, they will be a great seller. $99 retail ($~70 at the counter) on a DCC included loco. It is a price point that will entice more people to try DCC. Bachmann has already been doing this in HO, making their basic DCC loco's only a few dollars more than the same loco in DC only or even eliminating the DC version completely and keeping a similar price point.
So, if it now costs $1.50 to get a dollar's worth of stuff from China, this has nothing whatsoever to do with increased cost and higher prices? How do you figure that?
The Bachmann GP7 will lack grab irons like their HO GP7 however,for those with keen eyes and steady hands you can add the grabs.I suppose for the rest of us we can have it done or live with the missing grabs..If I decide to buy one of these Geeps I will hire one of the younger fellas at the club to add the grabs-no shame here I know my left handed modeling limitations. Anyway,I also feel Atlas needs the competition.
The comparison was made as to the difference between the Atlas price and Bachmann price. Both come from the same plants in China. The exchange rate is not the reason for the difference in pricing. Exchange rate may be some of the reason for the overall increase in pricing but still, it is not the primary reason. Atlas lost it's original manufacturing deal when Kader took over Sanda Kan. Because of the take over, Sanda Kan pricing increased. In an effort to streamline things, Sanda Kan has since dumped a bunch of smaller contracts in order to conentrate on the big ones such as Atlas, and Lionel to keep pricing competitive but they still have to make the big boss (Kader) happy. We don't know the whole store but I am guessing there was some consolidation of facilities also which has cut more production and driven costs and lead time higher. Shipping has also come into play. The shipping companies mothballed a large portion of their fleet to artificially create a backlog, increase demand for space on the ships and as a result, almost double prices to get the product here.
That's the one right there. I luv the stuff Atlas puts out, but they haven't been aggressive in the market since they brought out GP15. Props to Bachmann for bringing out several new loco's. You can only use the "Well the economy sucks" for so long.
I can't understand why they made the same phase as the Atlas.We've been bugging Atlas for years to make a PHIII.The people that don't know it's a PHIII would still buy it,the people that do will buy the PHIII if they need them rather than buy the Atlas and convert it.I won't buy a single Bachmann because they're the same as the Atlas,I'd buy a dozen if they were a different phase.Right now,I'm making PHIII Geeps by putting Life Like GP18 shells in a lathe and cutting down the fan rings,and sticking them on Atlas chassis....
Not really...when the economy tanked, manufacturing lines were setting idle, ships were leaving port only 30% full and they were loosing money just like we were. Sanda Kan would have been gone completely if Kader hadn't bought them and rescued them from possible bankruptcy. The shipping companies lost billions of dollars sending ships out half empty to maintain promised shipping schedules in 2008-2009. When it came time renew contracts, they cut the number of ships back to what was needed to keep up with 2009 levels and raised prices to recover what the lost the previous year. When things started picking back up in 2010, there weren't enough ships, but still not enough demand to justify bringing the mothballed ships back into service. As a result it was harder to get a container on a ship and get it here on time. If you wanted to keep a schedule, you paid extra. If you wanted the cheapest price, you waited till there was space on a ship.
