Early Prospector equipment from Sam Tech ATM

[Pacific Limited]

Neat tidbits from my friend Jack Vansworth. It’s been long enough gone and done of a project to share some behind the scenes stuff.

These cars were a treat, for a DRGW fan in HO an absolute masterpiece and these cars sell above 1K a piece now. I tried to get enough reservations together to do a run and was met with high minimum order, 500 models. Ouch! In O that’s tough!

Target price was around 1200 per car at the time in 2017, built at SamTech and ATM finishing. I wanted Wasatch trucks, (of course), no way not at 1200, more like 1800. I am still on board with it and Jack and I talked a few weeks ago about it. Maybe?

These are ATM Sam shots after painting in Korea for my tests, the Mt Massive diner is a masterpiece. Oh to have this in 1/48. I might think on it. Run an ad in next years OSTA and in Mr Dawdy’s mag.. see what I get for interest. I have all the data.

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdJyVj][/url]IMG_0632 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdJyVu][/url]IMG_0631 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdK44Q][/url]IMG_0630 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdDc6b][/url]IMG_0629 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]

[Pacific Limited]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdDm2h][/url]IMG_0633 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]

Penalosa was a very popular car photographed by everyone in the 40s. You can’t run DRGW anything passenger without it.

[up148]

Beautiful cars and great photos Erik. I'm not that familiar with Rio Grande equipment (love some of the diesel paint scheme), but I can really appreciate a beautiful model.

[Pacific Limited]

This project was a plan for me in 1/48, I had the G.O.D.s done with Jack in 2013. We didn’t hit the mark, darn it. Why not try again huh ? Combined with the Exposition Flyer (extreme similarity in equipment and some were pooled)? Jack says run an AD and see what happens? I see over at NK the guys are talking Jay the new guy at GGD doing it.. that’s more practical for sure in plastic but all new tools, yikes not cheap either, doing it right. At least 5 totally new cars for 1/4 scale never done before except for scratch-builds.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

.........that’s more practical for sure in plastic but all new tools, yikes not cheap either, doing it right.

It's the "right" that's the real challenge - good enough for some at one level and not for others and then vs. costs / sales. Quite the balancing act - not a business that appeals...

[Pacific Limited]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdKpFy][/url]Book Division Point brass models 2017 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]
Book I produced for DVP fans.

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdL5gb][/url]IMG_0637 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdMqjN][/url]IMG_0638 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]
Spare parts from SamTech

[Pacific Limited]

[url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2sdL8ek][/url]IMG_0639 by Erik C Lindgren Fine Art, on Flickr[/url]
Fun times, I designed all the logos for DVP they still use now.

[Pacific Limited]

.........that’s more practical for sure in plastic but all new tools, yikes not cheap either, doing it right.

It's the "right" that's the real challenge - good enough for some at one level and not for others and then vs. costs / sales. Quite the balancing act - not a business that appeals...

You are right, no matter what, this is a project for a B-man or someone else willing to write the check, any-cost, get-it-done. That is how some managed the last few projects I was told thanks to a billionaire friend. Now he and his similar colleagues have heavenly departed.

A plastic set is a maybe if they are done right, it can be done... Class 1 Model Works, Scaletrains, and Rapido do it all the time in HO........... oh, that's right, HO has hundreds of thousands of buyers not under 100. I wish I could get these models and I think there is a small market for them, can it be done? I would like to propose it again to Jack, and or a plastic alternative to Jay at GGD. I want the models done, that’s my only want, it’s a numbers game. Some guys don’t care spending 75k for one of 4 built models to get them made. And this has happened in many scales not just 1/48.

Rufus, you speak in wisdom. This is a dead end.

[hibar]

Similar subject what is the status of the Cal Zepher Cars from Wasatch Models, they used to send out emails with pics from the factory, more recently nothing.

[bob turner]

I think Roger got to the point of diminishing returns. As I recall, he was a Delta pilot, which is close enough to the status of being able to risk piles of money on a hobby. I think he is still in the hobby, but doubt we will see more Wasatch.

A Billionaire hobbyist, maybe. But they can simply commission the models they want, and pay the price. Why bother with mass production?

There is this 3D printing thing, which may make 100 models doable. We might have to return to the days of kits, since assembling stuff still takes tiny hands, and they no longer work for a dollar a day. In fact, perhaps the Chinese and Indo-Chinese may wind up having higher wages than we do.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

There is this 3D printing thing, which may make 100 models doable.

I keep hearing and reading that this is the future.....for a long time now. The promise of 3D printing as the savior of O scale hasn't delivered to the masses of this segment of the hobby. There are still too many gaps left that are not being filled.

We might have to return to the days of kits,

That's a major challenge in the marketplace - the decline of brass was preceded by the decline in the numbers of kit builders which was only eclipsed by the reduction in scratchbuilders and the supply of parts for that segment of the hobby.

Some of us are very lucky to have well stocked workshops that will support out personal activities, but I can already see gaps and holes in my supplies that are proving hard to bridge or re-supply. The suppliers/vendors simply no longer exist and/or the price has increased by an order of magnitude.

[Pacific Limited]

All the rules of engagement are off the table now, so much change thus far. Without a middle class able to buy, mass production is done. Our small o scale community is in a way putting a spot light on this change. The numbers don’t lie. It’s a reset, at the fundamental level, how much more change is on the way? And AI says, hold me beer.