Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 04:52 PM
Our address will be changing again. I will post the new address soon but until then any snail mail may be lost in transition.
Now to the good stuff.
I have been working on rolling stock a lot lately. Brother Dave has been building stuff before i even finish the designs.
The HOn30 boxcars that have been around for a wile are looking even better. A caboose is looking very promising. A tank car is not quite ready for prime time. a flat car and hopper are looking real good. The coolest thing though is I got to see our box cab running under its own power last week and it is sweeeeet.
Construction of our new touring HOn30 layout is going well. One of the things i enjoy is that I need to fill practical gaps in the layout which means better and more usable structures. Already the kits for Volume II are coming together.
We do have a little back order thing going on but it's not too bad and will be cleaned up next week. Later in June I will be leaving the Chicago area to teach in Philly for 6 weeks. We will do our best to keep on top of orders during this time and I am hoping to hit some local rail shows wile I'm there. Let me know if you have any recommendations.
I'm building a lot of prototypes right now. I have a real nice narrow gage single stall engine house up next. The fun never ends.
happy modeling
Thom
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 10:14 AM
Jim Gore has sent me news that he entered his Engine house in the model compitition at the Sunshine Region NMRA last weekend and it won the President’s Award. this is the first time I'm aware of that one of our kits has received an award. Of course it was Jim and his craftsmanship that won the award but I'm happy we had a hand in it.
Congratulations Jim.
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Thursday, April 23, 2009, 01:31 PM
With the next 4 disks coming out in the next week (HO first) I can finally start thinking about completely new kits. these 4 disks will clear the decks with almost all of the 40 kits we make represented. we have learned a lot about building with paper. Some of our earliest kits do show some less then wonderful techniques. Even though the results are fantastic, we have learned how to make them even better. All of the new kits we develop will be head and shoulders above what we are considering the classics. don't miss understand me. All of the current kits work great and go together easily, It's just that I don't want to go back and spend the next year revising the old kits (I've already done major revisions on many of them).
So It's onto fresh territory. I expect (hope) to release a new collection every quarter. the fifth disk, "brick and Mortar Vol2" is already coming together with the completion of the "Cream city tool Co." as it's center piece. this is the most flexible set of 50's light brick (cream city brick) industrial buildings I've ever scene. originally designed by master modeler John Kosma, we have reworked it and are test building it right now.
happy modeling
Thom
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Saturday, April 11, 2009, 12:49 PM
First the important stuff "Happy Easter"
I lurk/cruse the forums to get ideas and to get and offer feedback about our projects. Usually I am surprised and pleased with the unsolicited comments I read. I don't expect them to be all positive and on occasion they are not. thats the point, to get honest comments and use the info to make improvements.Truth is we get possitives at least 97% 0f the time and the 2% is usually small stuff that I can do somthing about.I get involved with the lists and start dialogs with the people to let them know they have been heard and we are on it.
www.kitforums.com is great by the way.
BUT The Atlas list is pissing me off. I have tried several times to become a list member and they are just completely dropping the ball. this PO's me because there is one particular poster over there that is spreading in accurate information and i can't respond.
What this know it all is saying is that one of our competitors who shall go nameless (paper creek) has better quality printing then we do and that our printing doesn't cut it. Well, I'm sure all of you know this is just false.The resolution of our printing is at least twice the competitors. We recently saw a large selection of this competitors
product at a train show and I tell you I was shocked by how poor it looked. Im not saying that PC doesen't make a fine product. they do. They were an early inspiration to me though not THE inspiration. They were decidedly a bar to beat and we have.
There using a lithographic process. there are very noticeable dot patterns in the images. We ink jet and laser print and there are NO dots. SO, I want to know what the hell this guy is ranting about. Did he get a bootleg kit or somthing.
Since Atlas won't facilitate my rebuttal you have it here. And as soon as i can get a sample of our competitors product I will post pictures of our proof. microscopic proof.
Ahhhh, I feel better now.
Thom
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Thursday, April 9, 2009, 10:12 AM
Yes i think perhaps we are. First let me acknowledge that the web page is sadly out of date. It will be completely new soon. the only part I'm hoping to salvage is this blog which gets read more than you might think.
OK, so heres the crazy part.
Bro Dave and I sat down to decide what to put on the next two disks. originally we had planned 4 disks. well, its going to be a lot more then that. response to the first two has been fantastic with the engine house and water tower combo almost sold out. I think there are 7 left as of this morning. I digress....
What goes on the next disks?
The wood frame building disk Vol 1:
1. Furniture factory, revised with a new add on wing and a new out building.
2. The mercantile
3. The timber dock with an extension
4. The cannery, a brand new kit
5. McElder cycles, a brand new kit. a western style false front. 2 complete different versions, one with an loading dock and raised stone foundation for track side use.
6. The frame garage
PLUS 6 textures:
yellow clapboard
distressed red clapboard
tan clapboard
tar paper
gray asphalt shingle
AND the dark wood fence and the white wood fence
ALL for $39.95
I look at this list and I think, Are we nuts?
Disk 2 Brick buildings Vol 1
1. The small forge, Revised and even cooler if you make it twice as big (which you can now that you are printing the parts)
2. The warehouse, Same thing make a whole warehouse district.
3.Woolworth's warehouse flat (not so flat, about 2" deep) Brand new with lots of signs and ducts.
4.Plant#2 a classic (no there is no plant #1)
5. The Turbine house
6. Akron tools, Brand new. A big, long gothic brick building with rail access.
Plus a bunch of texture.
You get my point... This is crazy, we have more buildings left over. maybe we should break this into two disks. Give us your opinion. I could add two more brick buildings including the brand new "Cream city tool works" a huge kit, and break this into two $29 collections or leave it as it is for $39
Next up steel buildings, Don't get me started.
Thom
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