Athearn/Horizon Hobby is Squeezing the Life out of Brick & Mortar
- Thread starter bigB
- Start date
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Yep, you are right Bruette...thank you.
Speaking of Model Train Stuff (MB Klein), since they are brick and mortar too, I'm a heck of a supporter...just from a distance!
Walthers did acquire the entire Life Like product line and tooling, including the Life Like, Proto 1000, and Proto 2000 lines. These have evolved as Walthers revised their branding. Life Like continues to be the brand for entry level train sets marketed around Christmas, While Mainline incorporated Walthers Trainline and Proto 1000 brands. Proto 2000 is now simply branded as their Proto Line. Check out their site to see their current stuff and how it relates to the old branding.
Joe
Just one??? There was certainly a lot of caffeine flowing at one point, LOL!!!
Wow, I thought I was on another forum for a while.
Caffeine or something, for sure.
Joe
I gotta agree here. I own a small business myself (S-corp rather than LLC, but the two are VERY similar). Personally, I try to buy local whenever I can, I'm not a fan of "big box" anything, and there are many things that make it harder to be a small business all the time... (though on that count I'll utter the word "government" way before I start ripping on my vendors and suppliers...)
Asking the partner(s) of a newly-formed LLC with no track record, no credit history - and possibly no real assets - to sign a personal guaranty is not only common, but pretty much standard. Otherwise you are basically asking someone to extend credit to a new company which has just been formed up in a specific manner to avoid liability... I don't think I've EVER had a supplier NOT ask me to fill out a credit application, and for the first few years they ALL required a personal guarantee. I've advised others on their businesses and I would say that is 100% true for them too.
But, you say, "I've been doing business with them for years! They know I'm good for it..." No they don't. You just TOLD them you officially & formally are NOT good for it."
Would we all think better of Horizon if they had said "sorry, we don't give credit to companies without at last 24 months operating history, so it's cash-on-the-barrelhead from now on, bub"... That would be another evil/wicked conglomerate move.
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RCShadow
Member
Yep, you are right Bruette...thank you.
Speaking of Model Train Stuff (MB Klein), since they are brick and mortar too, I'm a heck of a supporter...just from a distance!
Last edited by a moderator:
Boris
Beach Bum
Concerning Athearn parts. I'm not exactly sure what is not available. I recently acquired a Genesis GP15-1, with a damaged rear handrail assembly. I contacted Athearn, at the e-mail addresses provided with the locomotive, and requested a replacement part. That was on a Saturday. They responded on Monday, and I had the parts the following Saturday. They are also a source of replacement gear axles for defective Proto 2000 gear axles. The Athearn web site lists a database of parts and what may be available. I'm sure some of the old part #s may not be available, but since their products - especially their R-T-R Line, are very similar to the old BB Line, the new part probably will work.
Boris
Beach Bum
Walthers did acquire the entire Life Like product line and tooling, including the Life Like, Proto 1000, and Proto 2000 lines. These have evolved as Walthers revised their branding. Life Like continues to be the brand for entry level train sets marketed around Christmas, While Mainline incorporated Walthers Trainline and Proto 1000 brands. Proto 2000 is now simply branded as their Proto Line. Check out their site to see their current stuff and how it relates to the old branding.
Joe
kbkchooch
Verified Human
Wow guys! I haven't seen a thread like this in a long time! 
It was like War & Peace, the Hobbit, and Twister all rolled up in one!
Drank a whole diet Dew just reading from page 1 to here!
BRH, you do what you feel is best for you. I can see both sides of the argument, pros & cons.
On the Athearn parts situation, Bruette is right, ebay is your best friend here. Actually, no matter whose engine it is, ebay can be your friend. If you need Athearn parts, just type in Athearn Parts in the search engine and "presto", Athearn parts appear. needs Proto parts? Do likewise! Mantua, Penn-line, Bowser, Kato, all the same. I do a considerable amount of shopping on ebay for my own, and other folks projects I've been charged to build. Even parts that are out of stock with Walthers and Horizon, I can find usually on ebay.
Now I do support my LHS as much as possible, but when he can't get a part I need, (and sometimes these projects have deadlines) I will search ebay.
Steve You are dead on here. One mans trash is anothers treasure. I was at a local auction last week and passed what appeared to be a box of old HO body shells. Sitting on top was a perfect GP38 shell. (I can always use another GP38 shell) I bid and won the whole box at auction for 5 bucks. Got it home and started matching pieces, shells, chassis, and trucks together. Final talley? 1 Athearn GP38 shell, 1 SW7 shell (undec) and 7 blue box freight cars, plus still more leftover junk, ooopss, I mean stuff!
Oh, and AFAIK, Life-like is still in business, as a division of Walthers. The Proto lines went directly to Walthers, but the train set quality stuff is still Lifelike. There is still staff at the Baltimore location, just a lot less than there was.
It was like War & Peace, the Hobbit, and Twister all rolled up in one!
Drank a whole diet Dew just reading from page 1 to here!BRH, you do what you feel is best for you. I can see both sides of the argument, pros & cons.
On the Athearn parts situation, Bruette is right, ebay is your best friend here. Actually, no matter whose engine it is, ebay can be your friend. If you need Athearn parts, just type in Athearn Parts in the search engine and "presto", Athearn parts appear. needs Proto parts? Do likewise! Mantua, Penn-line, Bowser, Kato, all the same. I do a considerable amount of shopping on ebay for my own, and other folks projects I've been charged to build. Even parts that are out of stock with Walthers and Horizon, I can find usually on ebay.
Now I do support my LHS as much as possible, but when he can't get a part I need, (and sometimes these projects have deadlines) I will search ebay.
Steve You are dead on here. One mans trash is anothers treasure. I was at a local auction last week and passed what appeared to be a box of old HO body shells. Sitting on top was a perfect GP38 shell. (I can always use another GP38 shell) I bid and won the whole box at auction for 5 bucks. Got it home and started matching pieces, shells, chassis, and trucks together. Final talley? 1 Athearn GP38 shell, 1 SW7 shell (undec) and 7 blue box freight cars, plus still more leftover junk, ooopss, I mean stuff!
Oh, and AFAIK, Life-like is still in business, as a division of Walthers. The Proto lines went directly to Walthers, but the train set quality stuff is still Lifelike. There is still staff at the Baltimore location, just a lot less than there was.
Wow guys! I haven't seen a thread like this in a long time!
It was like War & Peace, the Hobbit, and Twister all rolled up in one!
Just one??? There was certainly a lot of caffeine flowing at one point, LOL!!!
Boris
Beach Bum
Wow, I thought I was on another forum for a while.
Caffeine or something, for sure.Joe
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
Wow, I go offline for some medical treatments, and what happens? Did he get up on the wrong side of the bed continuously?
Anyway, my High School debate teacher once said that as soon as you use personal insults, you've lost already.
Anyway, my High School debate teacher once said that as soon as you use personal insults, you've lost already.
Bruette
Well-Known Member
See what happens when your not here!
How are you feeling? I hope you are well.
Louis
How are you feeling? I hope you are well.
Louis
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
Doing alright now. I have to have monthly treatments for my immunodeficiency. I had one on Thursday, and as usual, had the joint pain and everything. (joint pain is a misnomer, it feels like I been beat with a baseball bat!) I'll deal with a few days of that to prevent from getting sick!
Bruette
Well-Known Member
You're are a good man all around! A positive attitude will carry you through almost anything.
Glad to have you back and as you have seen we need your stabilizing influence.
It was defiantly a little bit unstable around here.
Louis
Glad to have you back and as you have seen we need your stabilizing influence.
It was defiantly a little bit unstable around here.
Louis
kjchronister
Member
I gotta agree here. I own a small business myself (S-corp rather than LLC, but the two are VERY similar). Personally, I try to buy local whenever I can, I'm not a fan of "big box" anything, and there are many things that make it harder to be a small business all the time... (though on that count I'll utter the word "government" way before I start ripping on my vendors and suppliers...)
Asking the partner(s) of a newly-formed LLC with no track record, no credit history - and possibly no real assets - to sign a personal guaranty is not only common, but pretty much standard. Otherwise you are basically asking someone to extend credit to a new company which has just been formed up in a specific manner to avoid liability... I don't think I've EVER had a supplier NOT ask me to fill out a credit application, and for the first few years they ALL required a personal guarantee. I've advised others on their businesses and I would say that is 100% true for them too.
But, you say, "I've been doing business with them for years! They know I'm good for it..." No they don't. You just TOLD them you officially & formally are NOT good for it."
Would we all think better of Horizon if they had said "sorry, we don't give credit to companies without at last 24 months operating history, so it's cash-on-the-barrelhead from now on, bub"... That would be another evil/wicked conglomerate move.
HOW ABOUT THIS: had 2 proto 2000 E6s (A&B) given to me in Seaboard Air Line White/red and I love the oddball and over looked RRs so I thought this was a great thing.
HOWEVER, the side frames on 1 truck each unit was shot or missing. I took the side frames off the other unit and created one out of the 2, but I hate to have that B unit going to waste. I have been searching for 6 years. I even thought that, for a 6 series EMD, on the B unit, the bodies were not totally unlike the 7 series and tried to find E7 side frames to no avail.
I like everyone else though originally that those proto trucks and all the detail parts were a coop among model railroad items. That has turned into a bad dream. These products are unique enough that other brands drive trucks are not interchangeable as far as I can find and neither are the bodies since every one elses E unit bodies were after Rivarossi tooling in the 70s.
If anyone knows how to solve this I would really appreciate. THANKS MUCH- steve
HOWEVER, the side frames on 1 truck each unit was shot or missing. I took the side frames off the other unit and created one out of the 2, but I hate to have that B unit going to waste. I have been searching for 6 years. I even thought that, for a 6 series EMD, on the B unit, the bodies were not totally unlike the 7 series and tried to find E7 side frames to no avail.
I like everyone else though originally that those proto trucks and all the detail parts were a coop among model railroad items. That has turned into a bad dream. These products are unique enough that other brands drive trucks are not interchangeable as far as I can find and neither are the bodies since every one elses E unit bodies were after Rivarossi tooling in the 70s.
If anyone knows how to solve this I would really appreciate. THANKS MUCH- steve
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