OT veered far off - here is the latest.

It veered too much off topic.

The latest info is the closing affects Atlas, Intermountain (confirmed), Bowser (announced), Wheels of Time (confirmed), Trainworx (confirmed) and also reportedly Tangent, Exactrail, Arrowhead and Fox Valley.

Wow...

I didn’t see anything in that thread to be offensive at all. I actually found it to be interesting and informative as to how the toys we spend our discretionary income on come to be. Maybe one or more of the manufacturers/advertisers are objected?? 

Tom

Political

I guess you skipped the political posts about wages, where stuff should be built, trade war - Trumps fault, posts at each other, and speculation about what manufactures were affected.

The post would have been fine if all it was factory closed, here are statements from the manufactures who are affected, but we can't keep opinions out of threads like these.

Skipped posts

You are correct in your assumption I skipped those posts. I did notice a few went in a political direction,and when I see that happen in a post,I skip on to next one. While I do have my own political beliefs,I don’t think this is the place to post them,and don’t care to read the political views of others,at least in this format. There are times though,that political decisions do affect the conversation at hand,but when one sets off on an editorial,that is when I skip forward. Tell me that tariffs have caused repercussions in the industry and what they are,and I will  read on. Tell me that those tariffs will be the end of civilization,or the beginning of a super society,and I’m on to the next post. I call it self editing. There are plenty of other outlets if I’m in the mood for pontificating.

I will stand by my original post though,I found most of what was being said about the factory closing and the process of building a commercial model,and what it might mean going forward,be quite interesting and informative.

Tom

Tom, well said - I agree. 

Tom, well said - I agree.  Keep it train related and leave the other discussion for other venues.

I did get feedback from one company who reported that the factory is currently closed for a month and after that they will find out if it will be re-opened of to be permanently closed.  If the former, then delays will be minimal; if not, then much longer while companies find alternate factories to take over their projects and production.

Where did you hear Arrowhead?

I was really hoping not to see that name pop up, since I'm guessing they were about to announce their first product at the NTS in KC.

At least that is what I got from the last video they did.

Me too Jeff.  From what I

Me too Jeff.  From what I understand, the announcement probably is still a go.

Political

And that's why the thread would be locked....

Arrowhead source?

Where is it reported that Arrowhead train production is impacted or delayed?

What is that source?

As for their announcement, Blaine specifically said the container with the first model shipped WEEKS ago from China.  Therefore it is well passed impact of any new factory issue now.

For Jim Fitch, you are on many train forums posting “facts” well beyond anything published.

You now are posting 9 companies are going to delay products, including Tangent.

If anyone thing is veering OT it is spreading rumors like that.

ScaleTrains not affected

Just got this information sent by email:

European companies ?

Would be interesting to know how many, if any of the European manufacturers are hit by this. You know all those European companies claiming, "China ? We do not produce in China."

winTim

Fox Valley Models got hit hard

Not good news for Fox Valley Models:

"July News Update

Good Morning,
 
Over the weekend, news broke that a large supplier of model trains in China has closed its doors. Fox Valley Models has used this factory for a large portion of our products. As of today, there is no clear path that will resume production in short order, or an easy way to move projects. With this news, we must reluctantly list all previously announced products as Postponed/Cancelled. If projects can be moved, it will take a number of months to do so, and then get a new factory up to speed on our projects will take even more time. We will keep all previously recorded pre-orders on file. If a resolution presents itself over the next few months, we will reconfirm specific projects as they get close (well into next year at best). If this process takes and extended time, it may be best to re-announce each project.
 
This is an unexpected and sudden development. We recently received paint samples for new projects and had the indication that many of our orders were moving forward. We were looking forward to getting back to work after our extended summer trip with our son. Sadly this is not the case. But we will keep moving forward.
 
For now, we still have a good selection of recent N Scale locos and cars available. We have a few projects at another factory that will now be our focus while things get resolved. We started as a small model company before, and will continue on. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to announced releases and greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we move forward through this unexpected interruption. We will share news and new products as they become available. Thank you.
 
Best regards,
 
Matt Gaudynski"

winTim

I think this topic is important enough to keep alive but maybe

...in a different way.  I'm wondering if it wouldn't serve the community better to have this presented in two forms:  a) a daily/hourly/(whatever appropriate interval) blog, written only by MRH staff, devoted to presenting only information that can be objectively verified and is directly to the point, e.g. the impact it is having on the hobby;b) some form of monthly synopsis published as a column in MRH magazine or perhaps as the first topic in the monthly news section.  It could also be a place for including comments directly from the vendors most affected by events like this should they care to participate.  Given the state of the entire hobby is potentially affected by things like this I think as much coverage as that offered for a new rolling stock kit is justified.

As to whether there is enough news as far reaching as this to warrant this approach I don't know; I just suggest it as a way of getting reliable information out there in a way that is as timely, relevant and as objective as possible.  (It also does not prevent individuals from posting their own opinions as they do to any other item appearing in MRH.) 

.

I see another one of the listed companies, Fox Valley has officially announced.  In time we will know more officially.

Ignored posts...

I ignored the political posts, but was loving the "how our models get to us" posts. They were very informative, and a big thank you to those who were posting such useful information.

Maybe we'll get more useful posts on that here...

I guess we are doomed then

Time to dump everything on eBay before the collapse.

At this rate no more trains are coming from any company so the end is near.

It was fun while it lasted.

multiple companies affected?

   That doesn't bode well for a thriving hobby , it seems more like the hobby shrinking if we don't require multiple factories to meet the hobby demand. Where was the competition for this large factory, why was it the only one getting this work? ....DaveB 

That just means...

... you have time to save up for a ProtoThrottle. (or other somewhat more expensive than normal hardware).

Arrowhead

They said they are announcing their first release on August 3rd with lots of hints toward an East Coast model they hunt at more to come so I hope they are not affected. 

You got that right Jeff!

You got that right Jeff!

Well, Athearn, ScaleTrains and Rapido have all publicly reported they are not affected so maybe it will take a little longer to save up for that throttle, but it's on my want list!

Intermountain has officially

Intermountain has officially announced.  

https://www.intermountain-railway.com/

Interestingly they say: 

Some of the comments in Intermountain's Open Letter seem encouraging.  They say the expect to be shipping a selection of new product within four months and also arranging alternate vendors.

Does anyone know which

Does anyone know which factory it was.

You would have thought that after Sanda Kan got bought by Kader and sent everyone scrambling and then after Atlas had their major issues a few years back that these guys would have learned to diversify. 

Politics not withstanding. It may be time to start looking to Vietnam, or even Brazil or Africa Or some other low cost of living location. Can still get costs reasonable with relatively low costs without it being "slave labor"

NorthBessemer's post in the

NorthBessemer's post in the locked thread was ON TARGET... that is, in short how the molding industry works.

Having been in the packaging industry, making injection-molded parts,  our moldings were done on company owned presses and tools.   Some customers rented our presses and made their own tools.   We owned, operated and maintained the presses and maintained and repaired the tools...  tool making was often (not always) in house.  That, in brief is the industry... expensive to enter, and demanding to schedule and maintain production.

What the old thread had lots of was rumor and speculation... sad.   It also had plenty of opinions and some finger-pointing.

What it had none of was discussion of why Atlas and Walthers and Horizon have been consolidating, and shipping production overseas...  I can't FACTUALLY answer any of that, and my opinions will remain with me, because None of us need more of that!

I applaud the staff of MRH for being patient and letting some of us vent.

I posted Years ago on another forum, that taking sides via political comments will alienate HALF of this audience.  Be careful, you may lose a friend because of your opinion.   So far, this thread has been neater - please keep it that way!

Affa Technology Ltd.

@YoHO-  I believe the vendor is AFFA Technology, Ltd.

Lou in Utah