I. I've only met two people living in the US who I know have purchased models from Lombardi:
- The first is primarily a Gauge 1 collector who collects quality models [ Bockholt !! ], but who saw some Lombardi locos at a trade fair, was impressed with the quality, subsequently visited their workshop, and was even more impressed, so he bought some.
- The other person is a true 0 scaler who likes both American and European prototype. As he works for a European company, he's compensated in Euros, which certainly helps his train budget !
- I hope there are others, just UTR.
II. Regarding manufacturing products of this quality in the US, it should be borne in mind that
- Lombardi was and is very much a family business; Roberto [ in the video ] learned his craft working with his father when they started building locomotives back around 1960. [ Elettren of Italy is similar; there, I think it has been three generations.] Thus training the workforce, which has been very stable, is simplified, as is the learning curve. Lombardi is a mature company.
- There is of course more to the model industry than just making the models. In the case of Lombardi, they really got into mass production [ in these relative quantites, of course; 50 - 100 units, say ] by being a contractor to Metropolitan and later Fulgurex, who marketed the models and thus built up a non-local clientele who appreciated them. Elettren and Hermann [ going back ever further ] were the same way.
The internet may have increased the ability to sell direct on a world wide basis -- but unless you have some product that's already "on the rails" you're still an unknown to most potential purchasers. And trade shows are not inexpensive.
So if a potential US model builder who can not only build models [ and all the same way, too ] is also well rounded enough to understand marketing, selling, cash flow, training, vendors, warranty, etc AND wants to make money and have health insurance for his wife and kids -- he is, in my opinion, probably smart enough to get a "real job" and keep the model building as a recreation.
With best regards, SZ
