While I was away at the Narrow Gauge Convention there was a significant piece of news that arrived at the shop after I prepared the regular homepage shown below. Once again, circumstances around the globe have put a crimp in our hobby. Besides the closing of a manufacturing plant in China there have been price increases due to tariffs in the components that make up products we use.
There’s been a temporary halt of some SoundTraxx Econami® products and an immediate price increase in NCE merchandise. This is the first increase for NCE in the 20+ years Crusader Rail Services has been around. The new NCE prices have been loaded to the webpage and can be seen on our NCE page. As always old stock will be sold at the old pricing until it runs out (we have never marked up our old stock and never will).
Unfortunately we expect to see further tariff-driven price increases from other countries as well.
Back from Minneapolis and another great Narrow Gauge Convention. Kudos to all the great people who put that Convention on. We won’t be attending the 2019 edition in Sacramento, but will see everyone at St. Louis in 2020.
The New San Juan Model Company: We’ve met the new owners (Bob Stears and Doug Junda from The Leadville Shops) and have established our new dealership credentials. All the equipment and molds are being moved from Oregon and California to a new production building in Arvada, CO (suburban Denver). This will require a few months for installation and tweaking to resume production. Some items may not be immediately available if the molds require refurbishing. We’ll be updating our stock and web listings as items arrive. Grandt Line products will now be identified as “San Juan Details” — those and San Juan Car Co products are what we will be initially carrying. Their other lines will be brought in as warranted.
San Juan Model Co is also taking reservations for their new 1926 Tall Dome Narrow Gauge Conoco Tank Cars. Two scales, five different lettering styles, and a wide range of numbers. We’re adding a web listing for these cars and, if you have the new NG Gazette, see drawings of these cars in the centerfold. The cars are Painted and Lettered — Ready-To-Run. HOn3, On30 and On3 Scales. Priced at $89.95 – $109.95 List. Give us a call with your reservation.
The Power of Suggestion: Many people that have looked at the Micro Engineering Co Ladder Track System were enthused but wished for a Code 70 version. I told you to let the factory know — BINGO! — they listened and Ladder Track Turnouts are now available in Code 70! Our initial stock is due in a few weeks. The listing is up on our webpage — same pricing as the Code 83 version. Great job everyone!
The new SoundTraxx® Tsunami2 Steam-2 and EMD-2 sounds are being stocked as this is being written. Expanded whistles and new prime mover selections are the main features of these new offerings. They join the rest of the Tsunami family and are ready for purchase.
Also being restocked are the new Kadee® HOn3 trucks and wheelsets. The Minneapolis attendees liked what they saw and basically cleaned us out.
Shows: Our long overdue visit to the Mid Atlantic RPM Meet is September 21/22 at the DoubleTree Hotel Baltimore – BWI Airport. Note that we will have our “small” display there (DCC, Sound, Bridge Kits, Track, Turnouts, HO Details and PanPastels- call if you want something from our other product lines). October begins with the 45th edition of the Great Berea Train Show (Ohio - 10/6-7) followed by stops in Gardiner, NY for the Fall Mid Hudson On30 Meet (10/19-20) and the Great Scale Model Train Show in Timonium, MD (10/27-28). November sees us in Syracuse, NY and Allentown, PA. Check our shows page for more show dates and further info.
We’ll see all of you somewhere down the line.
Great Berea Train Show @ Cuyahoga City Fairgrounds
Info at www.div4.org
