Question about BTS and the Varney/GMC/AN/Babbit Steamers

[R.K. Maroon]

It is my understanding that the tooling and remaining parts inventory for the Varney/GMC/All Nation/Babbitt line of steam locomotives wound up with BTS. What I do not know is whether BTS ever actually offered complete locomotive kits (or anything else for that matter). I have a Babbitt catalog dated 1999 that shows several of the models still being offered as complete kits, but I don't know what happened after that.

Jim

[Tom Dempsey]

Lots of smoke and fury, but no actual flames.

[bob turner]

Check out the used market. They couldn't sell a kit for that if most of the big parts were still in the basement. The big Mountains are bringing less than $300. The Ten-Wheelers rarely sell for more than $200.

Same with box cars. Have you seen how many Athearn and AN boxcars are available for under $20? You could not profitably pack the kit box for that.

[bob turner]

Here is a Mountain $292 + $22 shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/O-Scale-Brass-C ... 1438.l2649

Dave will tell you it ought to be free. I'd say it is right on the mark.

[cole7015]

Its my understanding that Bill wade has severe medical issues over the last 4-5 years. It has taken him 5 years to bring his
O scale pulp and paper mill to market. Which will run you over a 1000 bucks.

I agree about the smoke and no flames. There are other vendors who have don the same thing, Start something and never complete it
as in Des Plains hobby.

It is my understanding that the tooling and remaining parts inventory for the Varney/GMC/All Nation/Babbitt line of steam locomotives wound up with BTS. What I do not know is whether BTS ever actually offered complete locomotive kits (or anything else for that matter). I have a Babbitt catalog dated 1999 that shows several of the models still being offered as complete kits, but I don't know what happened after that.

Jim

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Its my understanding that Bill wade has severe medical issues over the last 4-5 years.

True. Bill seems to finally be back to where he is capable of working after what I recall being brain surgery.

Well, it took over a year, but the conversion to O Scale of the Hyde
Pulp Mill is finally complete!!

The complex is intense and is available in seven kits so you can build
it as your budget and time allows. And all of the kits can also be
used stand-alone as other industries or tied-in with other structures.
Lots of variety here.

Take a look at the complex and the individual kits starting at the Hyde
complex home page at http://www.btsrr.com/bts4095.htm

If building the entire complex, start with the Dock (#14095.6) and
Shipping/Storage Building (#14095.3) as these are critical for setting
the track positions that are key to the rest of the complex.

Now I can get back to finishing some other things like unpacking the
Babbitt Loco parts (Ugh - what a mess!), some C&O structures, and
American Civil War stuff.

Greatly appreciate your continued support.

[ScaleCraft]

Here is a Mountain $292 + $22 shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/O-Scale-Brass-C ... 1438.l2649

Dave will tell you it ought to be free. I'd say it is right on the mark.

Not free.....but the shipping is almost what I consider it to be worth. But again, I am now no longer in the market, so Burner Rules apply.

[R.K. Maroon]

Thank you, all -- For what it is worth, I am not in the market for any of these models. Only the Ten-Wheeler and the Pacific have a prototype, which I use as one of several thresholds to determine my interest in any given model. I have a Ten-Wheeler but it needs some work and it is not very high in the queue. And, while I would be happy to have a Pacific as well, I am not actively seeking one either. My interest here is mostly historical, a small bit of research for my latest column in OST.

Having said all that, I do hope BTS makes the parts available as spares someday.

Jim