Attention Manufacturers A Sales Idea For You

Once upon a time, we did have a company that understood the S market pretty well and was responsible for a good part of the growth during the 90's and early 2000's:  S-Helper Service.

Run by two S Scalers, they used a marketing plan that worked very well.  Everything (except for their 2-8-0, that you had to specify) came with HiRail wheels and Flyer compatible couplers installed.  Plus, the products were set up for Kadee couplers.  The real marketing magic was scale wheels were included in the box, even the diesel locomotives.  The customer was on his own for Kadee's, though. 

Exceptions were F-units and ore cars, which needed special mountings and short couplers.  These included SHS's own Kadee compatible couplers.

Lionel and MTH are aware of the way SHS sold their products, but have chosen not to follow their example.

SHS was done in during 2010 by a seismic shift in model train manufacturing in China that rippled through the entire industry.  The owners of SHS were having difficulty finding a new manufacturer and around 2012, SHS sold their tooling to MTH.  I understand the sale involved a lot of negotiation.

MTH has been glacially re-releasing the former SHS line. 

One of the big bug-a-boos is tooling cut in China, stays in China.  American Model fared better, because not all of their tooling was cut in China and they have been able to recover much of it. 

BTW, a straight DC 2-8-0 (Scale or HiRail) from SHS retailed for $449.99 in 2010.  AC, AC Locomatic, DCC or DCC w/Tsunami sound were extra cost options.  I think nowadays it would be hard to duplicate that pricing.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty I always enjoy your candor.  I have purchased a few SHS found on eBay and it was a great product.  The Global economy makes it a challenge for the model train manufacturers.  I would not want to be in their shoes. 

I wonder how these companies do it?  I'm not sure if they produce exclusively in the US but you have Bowser, Exact Rail, Formerly Weaver etc. that produce here.  Good for American Models I will be buying some of their product soon.   If I was younger and had a little more capital I would not be opposed to starting small and helping to build S scale products.  I still think there is room for growth with the S scale.  Its too bad we could not start a coop and approach someone like Bowser to spec out a piece of rolling stock.

I am learning you basically have to take what you can get in S and be willing to cough up the money.  I guess no one is forcing me to do it I just wished it were a little different.  Thanks for the input I'll try not to clog up the forum with things that have been talked about or brought to the attention of the model train companies. 

I guess I could buy a  laser cutter, a pad printer and develop some kits.  At this point if we had the models that people wanted and were affordable maybe folks would be receptacle to kits.  If fact, maybe that is the answer for our forgotten scale.  For what is charged for the newer rolling stock from Lionel and locomotives from M.T.H. I bet I could come up with something in a kit form for much less money.  I wished I new a little bit more about.

Thanks Rusty

Nah... Don't be afraid to ask or comment.  If folks didn't do that this place would be a ghost town.  Collectively, we sometimes forget our own history of S.

S-Helper Service actually began doing just that: helping by providing financing and technical help for S manufacturers.  American Models was the prime beneficiary.  AM's FA2's, RS3's, GP35's and heavyweight passenger cars are some of the results.  Eventually SHS began their own product line.

Smoky Mountain Model Works produces limited run urethane resin freight car kits and occasionally small diesel locomotives.  These are resin kits for folks that don't like resin kits: everything fits together well with minimal clean-up.  However, SMMW has a real job using the same tools and equipment, so that takes priority over kit production.

You are correct in that there is plenty of room for growth in S.  I've been in S for 30 years now, it has been a bumpy ride at times.

Rusty

There have been several S scale vendors at O Scale West during the past few years.  They seem to have a lot of stock from S-Helper and American Models.  You may want to check out O Scale West and find out which S scale vendors are planning to come.  You can Google O Scale West for details.

NH Joe

Display cases scaled for S would also be nice.

I'm  as guilty as any other manufacturer.  I do not have an abundance of inventory or decent pictures on my website yet.  I'm trying to put together a decent area in the shop and the proper lighting so I can provide good pictures.  I do offer cases in S for 14", 16" 20 " and 26" lengths.  I've been trying to figure out what to use for track in them.  I normally install the American Models track so it will tolerate gauge and scale.  I'm open to ideas.  I'm not a large company I actually scaled down about 6 months ago as I was working so much.  I'm trying to focus on a few of my commercial accounts and of course my train cases.  I have not even had time to list S on eBay or my website.  I should not be on the forum but need a distraction once in a while.  Good people here. 

Again if anyone has any track recommendations for my displays I am open to ideas.

Thanks

Once Fox Valley Models gets their track out, it might be worth looking at.  I believe it's code 138 rail and will still support bot HiRail/Flyer and Scale.

Rusty

Rusty from what I have read the Shinohara track is code 100 and that must work with S scale only correct?  I think I read somewhere that code 138 is the minimum for usage of combined gauge and scale.

Classy Woods, LLC posted:

Rusty from what I have read the Shinohara track is code 100 and that must work with S scale only correct?  I think I read somewhere that code 138 is the minimum for usage of combined gauge and scale.

Correct. 

Code 138 is also what Lionel uses on S-Fastrak and MTH/SHS uses on S-Trax.

Rusty

The display cases I had built a few years ago were built without track and I supplied my own.  Just need to have enough clearance for the widest track which is probably Fastrack.

My one and only display case.  It's a shortened version of the dimensions used to display a baseball bat.  I spiked down a piece of AM flex track.  I can rotate any type of S models through it.  Suits me just fine.

Rusty

Looks great Rusty I like the locomotive inside of it.  The AM track is nice track.

With my S model I keep it wider to accommodate the different S tracks out there.  The cover height is a little lower than my O model.