PC: (no subject)

[PathTimber@xxxxxxx]

It is sad to hear that Athearn is in financial trouble.  I can understand, 
when I first switched to HO they were my main brand for the majority, but now 
it is Proto 2k.  I do love the ease of mantinence and usual ample supply of 
parts from Athearn (sometimes not, I know), and how you don't feel guilty for 
scrapping a shell.  I became part of the collectors craze by need, but do not 
mind painting and cutting into them.  It is hard sometimes, I know I need at 
least four of the new GP40's, getting them when they come out is why I have 
so damn many engines that aren't finished.  I spend so much time planning and 
buying, not enough time building. P2k said they are going to make even less 
of their next runs because dealers complain that a lot of them sit on the 
shelf's for too long.  I do love the variety that comes out, but by making it 
limited run, people buy them right off the bat and don't wait until they feel 
the need to buy it.  That is their response, and that in turn gives them the 
ability to keep producing new models.  It gives a high turnover rate. 
But you needn't fret, you can always find the stuff on Ebay.  I have bought 
about fifteen P2k, Kato and Atlas engines there that have been out of 
production for a long time, even finding undecs.  And I usually pay no more 
than 50 bucks- I got three RDG SD45's for $210, a A-B-A set of FA's in LV for 
$110, not bad at all. 

Chris