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Australia's leading manufacturer of HO scale model railway equipment
Page Last Updated: 20-3-09
Austrains Newsletter - October 2008
In this newsletter:
Warning
Be very careful when purchasing product from on line auction sites. It has come to our attention that a trader on ebay is using the Austrains name. The individual also has other trading names and is not an authorised Austrains dealer nor does he have any association with Austrains Pty. Ltd.
Austrains Pty. Ltd. does not sell its product on eBay or other web based auction sites. Nor does it sell any other company’s product at all. Be careful of what you purchase on on-line auction sites. In many cases you could be paying an inflated price for something that is generally available in the normal retail market place for much less. Austrains Pty. Ltd. will not cover any warranty for goods purchased secondhand through any source other than Austrains Pty. Ltd. direct or an authorised Austrains dealer.
If you have any problems with items purchased in this manner do not come crying to us.
Unfortunately you have been warned.
Newsy bits
A couple of months ago we were advised by the factory that, effective 1st August, all product prices will rise by 10%. This will be followed by a further 10% increase commencing with product shipped after 1st January. At the moment the price rises apply only to product but we can be certain that individual quotations for new tooling will now also rise accordingly.
We had always worked on the basis that once the tooling was paid for the product price could be held almost indefinitely. This is now longer the case.
As an example. Three months ago the rerun of the JX Cement Hoppers was quoted 30% higher than a similar run at the same time last year. Now we have another 10% on top of that. Effectively 43% more than last year. With the help of the strong Australian dollar we can absorb some of the price rises but not all. In recent weeks the A$ has fallen from a high 0f $0.97c to $0.81c as this is being written. If the dollar falls dramatically we will have to have a major rethink about both product and pricing.
This price rise does not only affect Australian importers. It is the same for the 80+ companies who use the same facility in China and we can only assume that other factories will follow suite.
New products
After having to make a major design change to the 81 class drawings we have now received both the 81 and G / BL final drawings from the factory. These are being signed off as you are reading this. As we lost our original spot in the queue while new designs were completed for the recently modified 81 class we expect that toolmaking will now commence early November. This means that it is possible but by no means certain, that we will have test shots on display at an exhibition in Victoria March 2009. If not almost certainly at Hobsons Bay.
Now for the really good news: The 81 / G / BL will be fitted with QSI sound. After discussions with QSI we have decided to fit QSI sound to the 81 / G / BL models on the production line. The sound will not just be generic but will be different for both locos. It will be taken from recordings of the real locos. The number of sound equipped locos will be limited. We have committed to a certain number of QSI chips and this cannot be increased for this production run. The sound locos will be made available on a first ordered priority basis. A two tiered pricing structure will apply.
$80 deposit will secure your model regardless of when you finalise the payment.
If you pay the balance by the end of February, 2009 the price will be $245.00.
For payments finalised after that date the price will be $295.00.
For a Sound Equipped model add $100.00 to the above prices.
Order forms are now available for the first run of the 81 / G / BL.
The 81 / G / BL has been designed around a state of the art die cast chassis and will be fitted with working head, marker and ditch lights where applicable. Interior cab detail and a crew will also be included. And for those who have been asking YES, there will be two different variations to the sides of the early 81 class. The original version with single access door and the rebuilt double door version.
Now for a bit of fun!
Don’t bother reading this if you don’t have a sense of humour.
Many years ago when many of the mouse modelers on the internet newsgroups were still in kindy one of the leading lights of the hobby became convinced that 8101 had actually been delivered by the builders to the NSWR painted in the correct Tuscan livery then sneaked away under cover of darkness and a heavy military escort to be repainted into the sickly Candy colour scheme.
He had a Casula brass model painted as such. Not to be outdone yours truly, being something of a fan of VR Blue livery, decided that the G class looked much better in Blue than V/Line grey and orange and had a BGM series 1 G class adorned accordingly. This was numbered G220.
Both models were run for a day on a layout at the AMRA Camberwell exhibition in 1986 much to the derision of the purists. They did however raise a great deal of interest and hilarity amongst a much larger group whom God had endowed with a sense of humour. So, to recreate the glory days of the mid 1980’s, Austrains will be offering a Limited Edition run of 8101 and G220 in their correct colours. First in first served.
Price will be $245.00. If these don’t become collectors items nothing will. In keeping with the less complicated times the 81 and G in their correct colours will not be available with sound.
NSWGR MLE Flat Wagon & variants
Final modifications have been complete to the NSWGR MLE Flat Wagon and its variations the TME Pipe Carrier and the FME LCL container wagon. The modifications to the LCL containers to allow the fitting of a separate galvanized iron roof to simulate the insulated version have taken a lot longer than we anticipated because of procrastination at the factory but is now complete.
The LCL containers will each be individually numbered and have small accurate brass etched hooks to simulate the real thing. Melbourne – Sydney and Sydney – Adelaide versions of the containers will be made along with insulated versions. Although LCL’s definitely operated to Brisbane nobody has yet come up with a photo showing lettering for a Sydney - Brisbane LCL. The factory has advised that we will have a production spot before Chinese New Year.
This will get them here around end of February in time to be released at an exhibition in Victoria at the Croydon MRC exhibition at Healesville on Labor Day weekend. If you wish to pre order these models order forms will be on the web site around end November. As with previous rolling stock no deposits will be taken however orders will be accepted if they are on a completed order form with credit card details or a Cheque or money order for the full amount. Credit cards will not be processed or Cheques and Money Orders banked until the models are ready for shipment.
The MLE and its variants are moulded in diecast zinc alloy with plastic detail components. This gives them plenty of rolling weight which makes them sit on the track a lot better than previous all plastic or resin examples.
Because of the factory price rise retail price for a three pack of FME’s with a six container load will now be $159.50. A three pack of unloaded MLE’s will be $140.00 as will a three pack of TME’s with a pipe load. For those who have seen the photos, yes that is a real chain holding the pipes down. We will also make available the LCL containers off the FME, with different numbers, in a separate six pack for $30.00. However the separate LCL’s will only be available with orders for other Austrains product or at exhibitions. It is uneconomic for us to process LCL orders separately. We have given some test shots of the FME to a couple of specialist resin casters who are working on other variations of loads for the FME including liquid containers. These will be available directly from them or their retail outlets. Watch the model press for details.
Finally we would like to thank Trainorama who have generously given us the use of their 2BP bogie tool to allow us to put correct bogies under the MLE and TME.
DL class Co-Co Diesel Electric has now arrived
There are four colour variations of the DL. Original Australian National Green, National Rail Light Grey, National Rail Charcoal and the relatively new Pacific National Blue and Yellow. Despite the factory price rises price of the DL models will be held at $260.00 + Post & Insurance. This price will remain valid until end February 2009 when all Austrains pricing will be re-assessed.
DL models will not be available through the Austrains retail network until we have sold enough by direct marketing to break even on the project.
By the time you read this, deliveries of the C35 /NN should be complete. If you have ordered but not received a C35 please contact us. It is likely that we are waiting to hear from you for some reason.
The QSI sound versions are most impressive and while we will have good stocks of all C35 / NN variants it is likely that the sound versions will sell out first. Now that the locos have arrived the price of the C35 / NN has risen to $475.00 for the non sound version and $575.00 for QSI sound fitted.
NN 1312 in Royal Blue - Photo courtesy: Eugene Azzopardi
Demand for the Cement Hoppers has exceeded our best expectations and the entire first run is now effectively Sold Out.
A rerun has been ordered and will be here by the time you read this. There will be three packs of VR and two of V/Line livery (with new sets of numbers) and Pac. Nat Blue and Freight Australia Green.
One pack will be entirely Freight Australia Green with a small logo. The other will be a combo pack of 2 x Pacific National Blue and 1 x Freight Australia Green with a larger logo. Why? Well we could only find two numbers to correctly paint in Pac. Nat. Blue that matched our model. Before the know-it-alls get wound up, yes, there are other Cement Hoppers painted in Pac. Nat. Blue but they are either VPAX versions, which have different valves on top, or high pressure versions. We are making VPCX 51B & 56A in Blue.
If anyone has any photos of any others numbered between 1 & 108 painted Blue we will stand corrected. Not to leave NSW out we are also making two packs of the recently repainted cement grey Pacific National versions, mostly numbered 50 or less which are now operating in NSW.
Despite recent factory price rises of over 30% on this product, Retail Price will remain at $149.95 per pack of three, for the moment. It will be re-assessed along with many other prices late February.
Postage is free, however, we charge $3.00 per pack insurance and $4.00 per parcel receipted delivery. Order forms for the new JX / VPCX Cement Hoppers are online. If you can’t pick them up at Croydon or Hurstville exhibitions fill in the order form and either fax, post or email it to us. We will not process any monies until the models are ready for shipment.
In the Pipeline - Future Releases
Tooling for the ELX and its variants is now well under way. We will have test shots on display at the Hurstville exhibition in Sydney. If there are no major alterations we could get a production spot before Chinese New Year which will get the models here for release at an exhibition early 2009. If not release of these models will be delayed until mid 2009. Check out the samples and compare with the other ELX’s being offered.
The variations we are tooling in the first production run are:
- ELX Original version with flat sides.
- ELX Heavy Duty version with reinforced flat sides.
- ELX Ribbed sides with strengthened underframe.
- ESX Steel carrying wagon.
- The SAR / AN version will also be made.
We cannot yet quote prices for the models in this project. It will depend on the final factory production quotation and the value of the A$ at the time of shipment.
After being delayed for four months while the factory completed design drawings for the ELX & variants design work for the NSWGR American End Platform Cars generically know as the FO’s is now under way in China and should be complete by end November. We already have some preliminary 3D drawings. Check out the web site under End Platform Cars. Note that these are preliminary only sent to us for comments. They are not final drawings.
There will be in three variations, platforms both ends, enclosed guards compartment and for the ever diminishing band of branch line modelers the CCA which effectively manages to combine First and Second class, smoking and non smoking and a guards compartment into one coach. These coaches will have interiors and the current plan is that they will be lighted with provision for a DCC chip for those who want to dim the lights. An alternate proposition is a simple on / off switch under the floor of each car to manually control the lights. A decision on this will be made once the designers in China come up with a few ideas.
Additional two car sets will be available as add ons. Expected delivery time for the FO’s is now late 2009 to early 2010. Because of the recently announced factory price rises expected price around $360.00 + for a six car set.
Research has begun on the Flat Top T / P class but being realistic it is unlikely that this project will be delivered before sometime in 2010 but this will probably stretch to 2011. The T / P will happen all in good time.
Once again we have asked the factory to requote the Z19 / Z20 class: The two quotations received so far for the Z-19 0-6-0 tender loco and the Z-20 class 2-6-4 Tank loco have been ludicrously expensive. There is no way we could break even on what has been quoted so far. The factory has promised to redo the maths on this project and come up with something better. Also to try to find a way to fit sound into these extremely small locos. Until we receive a better quote the project is on hold.
Drawings for the NSWGR - PTC WH / WHX Grain Hopper have been completed and forwarded to the factory. This will be followed by the CH Coal Hopper. Drawings are underway on this model now. Delivery of the WHX will be late 2009 at best but probably later.
Upgrades and Re-releases
Work is now almost complete on the upgrade of the NR class. This involves retooling the chassis to accommodate sound speakers and the addition of working marker and ditch lights. For those not using DCC separate exterior switches similar to the CLP / CLF and Y class will enable the marker lights and ditch lights to be switched on and off independently. A further modification will be to close the gap in the pilot and a new mounting system for the couplers.
The NR production will now be split into two separate production runs. The modifications are running ahead of schedule and if all goes well we expect to go into production immediately after the factory returns from Chinese New Year 2009 shutdown. This will consist of the original releases of National Rail grey and orange ( 4 new numbers ), Sea Train, Trailerail and Steelink. The last three of these will be very limited runs and this will definitely be the last time they are run. In addition there will be two numbers of the NR livery as they are running now with original decals removed. We can’t recreate the grotty paint but it will give modern image modelers with a talent for weathering a good starting point. There will also be three numbers in the new Pacific National paint scheme. The first shipment will get here around end of February next year.
The ‘Ghan’ and ‘Indian Pacific’ versions will be delayed until a second run following immediately behind the first.
The NR models are being produced in two production runs totaling approx. 11,000 units. Some colours, however, like the Sea Train, Trailerail and Steelink will be very limited and together with the standard National Rail colours we can almost certainly say that they will not be rerun again.
The cost of the modifications has been substantial and we had hoped to hold the retail price at $245.00. Unfortunately this is now likely to rise. A retail price of $275 is now very likely when the NR rerun is done early next year.
Next in line for an upgrade will be the NSW 442 / SAR–AN 700 class. Factory time constraints however have put this back to mid / late 2009. After discussions with the factory as to what is possible ( within a fairly extensive budget ) and what is not we have decided that the upgrade will involve separate brake cylinders on the bogies and separate air hoses to replace the moulded on relief of the first runs.
The coupler pockets front and rear will be made smaller and the coupler mountings redesigned similar to the NR class. Provision will be made for sound speakers and the staff exchanger pockets on the 442 will be made deeper doing away with the low relief detail of the earlier versions. While they won’t be completely up to recent standards they will be as good as we can make them.
No upgrades will now be done to the 80 class.
Some Austrains models are now well into the 10/12 year age bracket and starting to show their age. While they are mechanically very sound they lack the panache of most of the more recently released models. The original Austrains releases of the 80 class, C class and 421 class certainly fit into that category. We also realise that there is still a market for these models and that they can be used as a lead in for those new to the hobby who are put off by the high costs of newer Australian models or by the mechanical quality of some lower priced product.
No cosmetic upgrades will be made to these models however consideration is being given to retooling at least two of them from the ground up as state of the art models in the next few years. At the same time we will be extending our dealer network although our strict stock and payment terms will still apply to any new dealers. Hopefully we will now be able to get the product into some smaller dealers who currently push American and British prototypes because they don’t have access to adequate supplies of Australian product.
The first three Austrains Basix locos will sell for around $185.00 per unit and will be fitted with Kadee type couplers only. No provision will be made for the antiquated European coupler which unfortunately has been retained on the re-released Lima range.
VR liveried C501 at McIntyre Loop
Stock Items
After a somewhat slow start sales of the Y class have picked up and we now find ourselves once again running short or VR Blue versions. While the situation is not critical at the moment it is likely that we will have sold out of this colour scheme by the end of October. If you really want a VR version procrastinate no longer.
We still have good stocks of all other Y class models. The price for the Y class is $255.00.
We now have very few items left of the CL series locos. Most of the remaining models are now in AN Green. Refer to the price list for availability. A few ANR Red and Silver locos have turned up in a box returned from an exhibition but not to enough to warrant putting them on the price lists. They will be offered at exhibitions only until all are sold.
The price of individual unit CL’s is $255.00
CLP 10 in AN Green, Gold and Silver - Photo courtesy: Eugene Azzopardi
Are now SOLD OUT. Please don’t ask. We don’t have any.
X37 in VR Blue and Gold - Photo courtesy: Eugene Azzopardi
All advertised items are in stock. We have ordered enough C36 models to last some time. A working headlight has being fitted, the rods and valve gear have been upgraded to stainless steel and provision has being made in the tender for a DCC decoder. Kadee #5 clone couplers are fitted to the tender and the fitting of longer couplers, if required, is made simple by having a standard coupler box moulded into the tender. The C36 is available with the option of a factory fitted decoder for an additional $45.00. Price for the C36 will be $395.00 standard and $450.00 with decoder. This pricing should ensure that the C36 remains the least expensive high quality Australian steam locomotive available for some time into the future. 750 units of the rerun have been made with the factory decoder which works quite well.
We still have good stocks of all remaining T class despite some more being water damaged in the second deluge that hit Sydney while we were away in China during January. Most of the water damaged stock was sold at exhibitions earlier in the year but a few remaining items will be offered at the Caulfield, Croydon and Sydney exhibitions until they are sold out. They will not be sold by mail, mainly because in many cases the boxes are so waterlogged many literally full apart in the hands or the cardboard is glued to the inners. The contents however are fine and covered by a full 12 month warranty.
Price for all the undamaged T class remains unchanged at $239.00.
Water damaged boxes depending on how we feel at the time but pretty cheap.
HO Scale V/Line liveried T364, Austrains' file photo
All items posted by Austrains have compulsory receipted delivery and optional insurance.
Compulsory receipted delivery now costs $4.00 per order.
Optional insurance is $5.00 per loco.
If you do not nominate no insurance and we have your credit card number we charge it automatically.
Austrains accepts no responsibility for packages posted uninsured.
Austrains Office Contact Details:
Phone: 02 9817 2333
Fax: 02 9817 2377
Postal Address: P.O. Box 3076, Putney, NSW, 2112
E-Mail: info@austrains.com.au