hibar posted:VGN64 posted:Bringing in the sets for around $130 a car should drive the cost of the cars already out there down. ...
That pricing applies to GSC members only and appears to undercut any posted dealer discount pricing at this point,just saying!
True. Atlas-O hasn't done the early CZ enthusiasts any favors with this pricing. But they're to be commended nonetheless for making a complete 12-car set available at a dynamite price. Folks nowadays aren't typically "investing" in trains anyway, so it doesn't bother me one iota that folks can get a complete train today for basically the same price early CZ enthusiasts paid over time. The advertised dealer pricing thus far is coming in at roughly 10% off MSRP, and as you noted is more than the GSC members will pay if ordering a 12-car CB&Q set directly from Atlas-O. Should be interesting to see how the dust settles.
I suspect folks choosing the dealer route (for the cars) might do so if they want a train with mixed liveries (i.e., CB&Q, D&RGW, and WP), or a train with less than 12 cars (i.e., 4 or 8 cars, or individual cars if dealers break up the sets later).
As good as pricing is for GSC members ordering a 12-car set, pricing for the locomotives most certainly reflects an increase. The most aggressive dealer prices last year for the F7's were around $420 per powered unit (on $499 MSRP), and under $200 for unpowered units. The new F3 advertised prices thus far are around $467, which is $47 more street-dollars on an MSRP increase of just $20 to $520. Seems a bit odd. So in that regard, dealers should be able to achieve an actual selling price below $467... perhaps closer to $435 each -- maybe even slightly less for somebody buying an ABA or ABBA config. 
Best deal is the 12-car set via the Golden Spike Club. Locomotives are a different story though, since Atlas-O isn't offering them to GSC members directly. Should be interesting to see how dealers eventually set themselves apart there, with everyone advertising powered F3 units at $467.
David
