January 2014 Model Retailer

Transcription

Our 40th year covering the hobby industry!
JANUARY 2014
YEARS
Hobby News &
Reviews From
Kalmbach
JOHN KAUFELD
Is it time to make
a play for games?
Audience is growing, diversifying
Sales of board games and non-collectible card games have risen
steadily, and attendance at the annual Gen Con has jumped 75
percent in the past five years. If you’re not already selling games
in your store, here’s what you need to get started. Page 14
• PLUS A new product review section: Games and Toys. Page 34
A family plays Letters from Whitechapel in the Fantasy
Flight Games demonstration area at the 2013 Gen
Con in Indianapolis. HORIZON HOBBY DIST INC
THINKSTOCK
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/6 V
Spread the good word
with Yelp, Foursquare
A N OT H E R I N N OVAT I O N BY
Mobile social-media sites let customers
talk up your store. We show you how
to join, set up your profile and receive
positive feedback. Page 19
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
INSURANCE SAVINGS
An often-overlooked tax credit
could reduce your bill for employee
health insurance by half. Page 17
• Trainfest honors Walthers, Model
Railroader magazine Page 4
• Gale Cousins takes post at iHobby
and World’s Greatest Hobby Page 6
• A fun way to reach goals Page 16
A NEW ERA
IN VEHICLE STABILIZATION
SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS.
@2013 Horizon Hobby, Inc. AVC, Active Vehicle Control, the Horizon Hobby logo
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. 42886
Vol. 40 • Issue 1
www.ModelRetailer.com
YEARS
JANUARY 2014
Volume 40, Number 1
F E AT UR E S
D E PARTM EN TS
14
4
Games look like winners
By John Kaufeld
The game industry is seeing increased visibility and sales; if your store doesn’t carry
games, maybe it’s time to take a closer look.
16
Have fun as you reach your
sales goals
By Cathy Donovan Wagner
Get your employees on board by rewarding them for achievements.
17
Cash in on health care
By Mark E. Battersby
The often-overlooked Small Business Health
Care Tax Credit may make offering health
insurance more palatable for your store.
19
Spreading the good word
20
Trainfest 2013: A look
around the show floor
By Charlene Oldham
Mobile sites like Yelp and Four-square let
customers talk up your store.
By Nick Bullock
Milwaukee’s annual model railroading convention features several new manufacturers and dozens of new product releases.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Trainfest attendance dips slightly; iHobby adds Gale Cousins as GM; Atlas helps
hurricane relief with “Save the Shore” hoppers; HobbyTown USA gives back through
mentorship program; Walthers promotes
Stacey Walthers Naffah; and much more!
W H AT ’S S EL L I N G
What are some of the criteria you use when
hiring new employees?
30
38
45
RADIo
CoNTRoL
MoDEL
RAILRoADING
Side-Tank Switcher
• Scalextric 1970 Ford Mustang Boss
302
• Atlas 4-4-0 Steam Locomotive
26
34
35
42
44
RADIo
CoNTRoL
GAMES & ToYS
MoDEL
RAILRoADING
DIE-CAST
MoDELS
MoDELS/
DIE-CAST
P RoD UC TS
22
PRoDUCT SPoTLIGHT
Our first impression of:
• Mayfair Games Global Mogul
• Polar Lights 1:8 Wolverine
• Corgi 1:43
LotusHOBBY
F1 Team
E20INC
2012 Car
HORIZON
DIST
• Bachmann
Trains
HO
0-6-0
Porter
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/3 H
Charge up your sales
MODEL RETAILER (ISSN 0191-6904, USPS 395-730) is
published monthly, except two issues in October, by
Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box
1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Periodicals postage paid
at Waukesha, Wis., and additional offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Model Retailer, 21027 Crossroads Circle,
P. O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI, 53187-1612. Canada Publication Mail Agreement
# 40010760.
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WWW.DYNAMITERC.COM
3
INDUSTRY NEWS
BY THE MODEL RETAILER STAFF
Trainfest attendance dips slightly
The Milwaukee show honors Walthers, Model Railroader magazine
T
rainfest, America’s largest operating
model-railroad show under one roof,
is held annually in Milwaukee. At the
2013 Trainfest, held Nov. 8–10, the
show committee honored two local model-railroading companies for their service
to the hobby.
Wm. K. Walthers and Kalmbach Publishing Co.’s Model Railroader magazine were
both presented with the John H. Tews,
MMR, Spirit of Model Railroading Award.
Established in 2011, the annual award
recognizes individuals and organizations
for their dedication to the model-railroading hobby and to Trainfest as exhibited by
the leadership and commitment of Trainfest Executive Director John Tews, according to a Trainfest press release.
Phil Walthers and Stacey Walthers Naffah
accepted the award for Walthers. Model
Railroader Editor Neil Besougloff joined
Kalmbach President Chuck Croft and
Vice President of Editorial Kevin Keefe in
accepting the award for Model Railroader.
“Trainfest is the best-organized train
show in the country,” Phil Walthers said in
the release. “The show draws in families,
kids, inspiring them to take up the hobby.”
Model Railroader magazine and model-railroading manufacturer Wm. K.
Walthers are awarded the John H. Tews, MMR, Spirit of Model Railroading Award
at the 42nd annual Trainfest on Nov. 8 in Milwaukee.
The award presentation took place Nov.
8 during Trainfest's sixth annual Friday
Product Showcase, where consumers and
hobby dealers are afforded an exclusive
chance to walk the show floor early. In
addition to the dealers exhibiting at the
VP RACING
show, 105 store
owners FUELS
attended the Fri-
MOD • 10/01/2013 • 4C • 1/3 H
day Product Showcase. They were joined
by 133 consumers.
Total attendance for the 42nd annual
show came in at 23,417. Following last
year’s record-setting attendance of 25,569,
Trainfest 2013 organizers expected a slight
dip in attendance. They proved prophetic,
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MODEL RETAILER JANUARY 2014
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INDUSTRY NEWS
EDITORIAL OFFICE
21027 Crossroads Circle, Box 1612
Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
Phone: (262) 796-8776 Fax: (262) 796-1383
Web site: www.ModelRetailer.com
E-mail: staff@modelretailer.com
EDITORIAL AND ART
Editor Jeff Reich
Assistant Editor Nick Bullock
Editorial Associate Monica Freitag
Contributing Editor Tom Palmer
Publisher Diane Bacha
Art Director Tom Danneman
Senior Graphic Designer Scott Krall
Photographers William Zuback,
Jim Forbes
ADVERTISING
Ad Sales Manager Rick Albers (x652)
Ad Sales Representative Todd Schwartz (x537)
Ad Services Representative Nanette Hackbarth
Production Coordinator Sue Hollinger-Yustus
K ALMBACH PUBLISHING CO.
President Charles R. Croft
V. P. Editorial Kevin P. Keefe
V. P. Advertising Scott Stollberg
V. P. Marketing Daniel R. Lance
Ad Director Scott Bong
Corporate Art Director Maureen M. Schimmel
Managing Art Director Michael Soliday
Circulation Manager Linda S. Franzblau
Production Supervisor Helene Tsigistras
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© 2014 by Model Retailer, division of Kalmbach Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Title and tagline registered
as trademarks.
Printed in the U.S.A.
6
Trainfest 2013 attendees observe one of the many model-railroading layouts on
display at the annual show in Milwaukee.
but Tews said he was still pleased with the
final attendance number.
The lower attendance can be mostly
attributed to the Nov. 10 Green Bay Packers game that started at noon, he said.
Trainfest organizers expected between
1,000 and 2,000 fewer attendees because
of the football game.
With those numbers taken into account,
Tews said attendance was right in line with
where it should have been.
The show also played host to 70 manufacturers, including nine manufacturers
new to Trainfest. — Nick Bullock
iHobby adds Gale
Cousins as GM
Changes to the 2014 iHobby Expo have
already begun — and they start at the
top. Longtime hobby-industry member
Gale Cousins will assume the position of
general manager of industry shows for
Hobby Show Promotions and Train Show
Incorporated.
Randy Bachmann, president of Hobby
Show Promotions and Train Show Incorporated, made the announcement Nov. 20
via a press release.
In his new role, Cousins will have many
responsibilities for both the iHobby Expo
and World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour shows,
Bachmann said, including marketing,
operations and customer satisfaction. For
iHobby Expo, much of Cousins’ job will be
focused on improving the trade portion of
the show, where Bachmann expects Cous-
EDITOR’S NOTE
BY JEFF REICH
Celebrating 40 years
This issue marks Model Retailer’s 40th year
of publication, and we’re proud of our long
history. MOD (as we call it here) was first
published in 1975 by Doug Boynton &
Associates and was acquired by Kalmbach
Publishing Co. in 1987.
But there’s more to the story than that.
Boynton made an earlier attempt at a trade
magazine in 1971 with
Model Dealer. Even earlier, Kalmbach started
The Model Railroad
Newsletter in 1947,
which eventually
became Hobby Merchandiser and was sold
Our first issue
to Hobby Publications
in 1957. (For a more
detailed history, go to http://bit.ly/1jt3lP5.)
For all of these years, Kalmbach and
Model Retailer have been committed to
bringing hobby retailers the latest industry
news and the best advice on running a successful store. The hobby industry has
changed dramatically since 1975 (and
1947), but we still strongly believe in the
future of the business — your business.
We’re here to help you do better.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
ins’ previous hobby industry experience to
prove valuable.
“I selected Gale to provide a stronger
industry and retailer focus to iHobby Expo,
which is clearly needed,” Bachmann said.
“Gale has over 10 years of experience
working with retailers as director of sales
and customer service at Woodland Scenics, which will help to enhance our trade
attendance and exhibitor participation at
iHobby Expo.”
Bachmann’s business partner Dave
Swanson, past WGH and iHobby Expo
chairman, will continue to work extensively on the consumer portion of the
iHobby Expo. Swanson is the president of
Competitive Intelligence Advertising, the
advertising agency for both shows.
Cousins will also be involved in the consumer portion of the iHobby Expo, as he
will take over much of the responsibility
for both shows from both Bachmann and
Swanson.
“I am thrilled to be joining a successful
team in producing some of the industry’s
leading shows,” Cousins said in the release.
“I plan to make a positive contribution to
the industry by helping bring the retailer’s
perspective and an exhibitor’s experience
to the shows.”
The decision to create a general manager position for both shows was something Bachmann and Swanson had talked
about for some time. But Bachmann said
he began to consider it more seriously
following the 2013 iHobby Expo at the
Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill.
“Clearly there were some things that
need some work,” Bachmann said. Last
year's iHobby Expo emphasized the need
to bring in help from outside Hobby Show
Promotions, someone with hobby industry
experience and skills, he said.
Still, the decision of whether to hire a
general manager was up in the air until
the opportunity to hire Cousins presented
itself, Bachmann said.
“Gale, I think, was the right fit,” he said,
in part because of Cousins’ ties to the
industry.
In addition to his recent work at Woodland Scenics, Cousins serves as the treasurer of the Hobby Manufacturers Association Model Railroad Industry Division and
recently served as chairman of the HMA
Show Committee.
“I’ve always felt like we’re kind of on the
fringe,” Bachmann said of his position in
the hobby industry. “I can’t sit down at a
8
meeting with everybody and talk intelligently about manufacturing processes or
distribution issues or things like that. Gale
could. And has.
“It’ll be a different perspective. I think
Gale will be somebody who [industry
members] can relate to. And he will relate
to them. He’ll understand what their
goals are, what they want to get out of
the shows.”
The 2014 iHobby Expo is scheduled for
Oct. 1–4, again at the Schaumburg Convention Center.
For a schedule of World’s Greatest Hobby
on Tour shows, which introduce the general public to model railroading, visit www.
wghshow.com. — N.B.
SBA releases Internet
sales tax analysis
The U.S. Small Business Administration
recently released a new report examining
the impact of a small seller exemption
(SSE) in any potential Internet sales tax law.
The report concluded that brick-andmortar retailers would continue to be at a
disadvantage relative to small online retailers if an SSE provision were added to an
Internet sales tax law. The report also stated that although an SSE provision would
reduce administrative and compliance
costs of smaller online retailers, it would
also reduce the potential revenue gained
by state and local governments.
Currently, state and local sales tax laws
apply to online sales, but online retailers
aren’t required to collect and remit those
taxes unless they have a physical presence
in a state. Consumers are supposed to pay
those sales taxes each year, but few do.
Proposed Internet sales tax legislation
would put the onus on online retailers to
collect and remit online sales tax.
The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013
passed in the U.S. Senate in May, but the
legislation has since been stalled, in part
because of the proposed exemptions.
The online sales tax legislation as currently constructed would exempt online
businesses with less than $1 million in
revenue. Some businesses and lawmakers have argued this is not a large enough
exemption and that collecting sales tax
and conforming to the different tax codes
of each state is an unmanageable administrative burden. Others have said an
exemption would still put brick-and-mortar retailers at a disadvantage compared
to the small online retailers that would be
afforded an exemption, as the SBA report
concluded.
The National Retail Federation released
a statement Nov. 19 in support of the
report’s findings.
“This objective, non-partisan and peerreviewed academic analysis and report
from the Small Business Administration
confirms what local retailers have been
saying for decades: The lack of a level playing field between brick-and-mortar stores
and their online and remote competitors is
blatantly uneven and unfair, and continues
to place them at a competitive disadvantage,” NRF Senior Vice President David
French said.
Many hobby dealers have also voiced
their support for the legislation, including
National Retail Hobby Stores Association
President Bruce Throne.
“I would say [Internet sales tax legislation] factors heavily into whether a brickand-mortar store can be competitive,”
Throne told Model Retailer following the
Marketplace Fairness Act’s passage in the
Senate in May. “It should help brick-andmortar stores level the playing field that
little bit more.”
The SBA report also found the commonly discussed $1 million SSE would
require the top 974 online retailers to
collect and remit taxes online sales tax
should the Marketplace Fairness Act pass
into law. This accounts for $138.7 billion, or
57.3 percent, of total online sale volume. A
$5 million SSE would require the top 750
online retailers to collect and remit online
sales tax, yet it would still account for $138
billion, or 57 percent, of total online sales
volume.
Donald Bruce and William F. Fox of the
University of Tennessee Center for Business
and Economic Research produced the SBA
report. — N.B.
Atlas helps hurricane
relief with ‘Save the
Shore’ hoppers
A year has passed since Superstorm Sandy
devastated the New York and New Jersey
area. In that year, Atlas Model Railroad
Company has raised more than $5,000 and
counting for relief organizations.
In response to the hurricane, Atlas,
based in Hillside, N.J., created a special run
of “Save the Shore” freight cars. Profits
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/3 V
MOD • 07/01/2013 • 4C • 1/6 H
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INDUSTRY NEWS
LET TERS TO THE EDITOR
Dealers: Manufacturers should tone down the details
I also agree with Joe Rucker’s comments ["Who is to blame for
industry woes?" September 2013].
I’ve been a buyer for a model-train outlet for almost 40
years, and the current way of doing business is insane. If I
underestimate the demand for a certain product, the chances
of getting more are slim to none. I’ve tried to reorder some
items just weeks after its initial release only to get the old
saying, “Sorry, out of stock”. The “limited production runs” to
satisfy the elite 10 percent do one thing: drive up the cost of
production.
Bachmann seems to be the only company left that still markets a basic engine for the beginner and makes the production run large enough to satisfy the need. I hope they don’t
stray away from that. I don’t feel like I have to be their warehouse like I do with some other companies.
Our store gets a lot of tourist traffic, and hardly a week goes
by that we don’t hear about their local hobby shop going out
of business. They’re going out of business not only because
prices are rising but, more important, because the margin of
profit is going down, down, down. The only way to increase
margins is to make larger production runs and have the product available.
It’s sad to look at a distributor’s listing of products on its
website, only to read “Out of stock, ETA unknown.”
Gary Burger
Right Track Trading Co.
Lancaster, Pa.
Atlas Model Railroad Co.’s “Save the
Shore” freight cars have raised more
than $5,000 for hurricane relief.
were divided between the Empire State
Relief Fund and the Hurricane Sandy New
Jersey Relief Fund.
“The genesis of this product came from
seeing the devastation that people in the
state were subjected to,” said Jarrett Schaffan Haedrich, Atlas vice president of marketing, in a press release. “We wanted to
help them out, and in doing so, create a
car that would serve as a unique reminder
10
I have been reading with interest the letters about model railroading. I have to agree with all the comments. The same
things are happening in Canada. There is a market out there
for the new, young families that want to have a model railroad
but find it hard to do, with most train sets starting at $100. For
that reason, we always have Trainline, Bachmann and Model
Power on the shelf for beginners.
Bill Henwood
Paris Junction Hobbies
Paris, Ont.
I agree with the comments on the cost of model trains. There
are few train lines that are available in kit form for those with
a smaller budget. Manufacturers have gone to making the
models so over-detailed and delicate that you do not want to
handle them. This is a hobby to have fun and enjoy the operation of your railroad. Not everyone wants such super detail,
sound and lighting effects. Let's see more basic models at
better prices.
Les Phy
Angelo Hobbies
North Richland Hills, Texas
Do you agree or disagree with the views of these retailers?
Share your thoughts with us at editor@modelretailer.com.
Selected comments may appear in a future issue of Model
Retailer magazine.
of how we all banded together to help
work our way through a difficult time.”
The freight cars — an N-scale Trainman
5250 Hopper, an HO-scale Trainman 3560
Hopper and an O-scale Master Line 5161
Hopper (available in two- and three-rail) —
feature artwork depicting silhouettes of
New York City, Long Island and New Jersey
illuminated by the Barnegat Lighthouse, or
“Old Barney.” The iconic, 154-year-old lighthouse sits at the northern tip of Long
Beach Island.
The HO- and N-scale cars sold out early
because of high customer demand and
were shipped in the third quarter of 2013.
The O-scale version is partially sold out
and were set to ship in the fourth quarter
of 2013.
The N-scale car retailed for $14.95, the
HO-scale car for $19.95 and the O-scale car
for $79.95. To order any of the remaining
quantities of the O-scale model, visit the
Atlas online store or call Jerry Kimble at
800-872-2521 ext. 7118. — N.B.
HobbyTown USA
gives back through
mentorship program
Sixth-grader Peeter Ruckara meets with his
mentor, Bill Graeve, every Wednesday during the school year at 12:45 p.m. sharp. They
have done so since January 2012. Always on
Wednesday, always at 12:45 p.m.
But every Wednesday when Graeve
drove to Peeter’s school, the school staff
had to call the boy and remind him that
his mentor had arrived.
“I just thought he was a typical kid who
was very forgetful,” said Graeve, vice president of finance for HobbyTown USA.
“Because at that age when I was a kid, I
would have forgotten everything.”
As it turned out, Peeter wasn’t forgetful.
Graeve found out the truth later from the
coordinator at TeamMates, the mentorship
program that paired Peeter with Graeve.
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MOD • 01/01/2014 • BW • 1/12
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2C • 1/12
www.replicarz.com
HOBBYTYME DISTRIBUTORS
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/2 H
PLANET HOBBYTYME
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11
INDUSTRY NEWS
Peeter was so afraid that Graeve wouldn’t
show and that he’d be let down, he would
wait until the school staff told him Graeve
had arrived before going to meet him.
Graeve was astounded. “You have to
build that trust,” he said.
With the stability of their mentor-mentee relationship established, the two now
get along famously, Graeve said. They were
even named September 2013 TeamMates
of the Month.
TeamMates is a mentoring program
started in 1991 in Lincoln, Neb., by the inlaws of HobbyTown USA President Bob
Wilke. It now provides mentors to more
than 4,000 mentees across Nebraska and
Iowa.
HobbyTown, also based in Lincoln, has
partnered with TeamMates for several
years and has 15 staff members who participate in the program, Wilke said.
“I think most people want to help their
community in some way,” he said.
HobbyTown employees who volunteer
as mentors are vetted by TeamMates and
surveyed on their personalities in order to
find a good match in a mentee.
Peeter and Graeve were paired together
almost two years ago. They meet for a little
less than an hour each week, always individually. They usually play card games and
board games or talk about football.
“He’s a sixth-grader, you know?” Graeve
said. “They all think they’re going to play in
the NFL.”
Peeter’s older sister attends Notre Dame
University, and Graeve is a big Fighting
Irish fan. Peeter, on the other hand, is an
Oregon Ducks fan, having grown up in
Oregon, Graeve said.
Sometimes they talk about family. Sometimes they talk about Boy Scouts. Sometimes they just throw a football around.
Occasionally Graeve will bring a radio-controlled car along for Peeter to drive. “I’ll tell
him to test it our for us,” Graeve said. “He’s
got a very important job.”
Graeve’s job as a mentor is simply to
establish a trusting, stable relationship
with Peeter. And Graeve knows a bit about
stability: He has worked at HobbyTown for
22 years.
As for trust?
Peeter “made a comment to me one
day,” Graeve said. “He said, ‘When I graduate from St. Joe’s and go to Pius’ — a Catholic high school — ‘will you still be my
TeamMate?’
“I said, ‘Sure I would be.’ ” — N.B.
Walthers promotes
Stacey Walthers
Naffah to new post
Stacey Walthers Naffah
was promoted to vice
president of sales and
marketing for Wm. K.
Walthers Inc., the company announced Oct. 30.
Naffah is the fourth
generation of the WalWalthers
thers family to work for
Naffah
the business, founded
by her great-grandfather in 1932.
”I’m thrilled to be able to apply my body
of experience working in dynamic integrated sales and marketing organizations
to the unique challenges and opportunities present in our model-railroad marketplace,” she said.
Naffah, who joined the company in
2009, previously served as vice president
of marketing and communications.
“Stacey has demonstrated a deep strategic understanding of our markets and a
truly visionary approach to the sales
opportunities that we have,” Walthers President Phil Walthers said. — N.B.
Kalmbach Roundup Items of interest from other Kalmbach hobby magazines
STEP-BY-STEP: WEATHERING OLIVE DRAB CAMO
December 2013
www.FineScale.com
p.22
ARMOR
UPGRADE
World of Warplanes takes off
From the people who created the wildly popular online
game World of Tanks comes your chance to take the fight
to the skies. World of Warplanes allows players to fly
World War II combat aircraft against other players. As you
succeed, you earn points to buy better and better fighters from the
national tech tree of your choice — the
U.S., Germany, Soviet Union, Great Britain
or Japan.
You can download the game for free at
www.worldofwarplanes.com.
— FineScale Modeler, December 2013
HOW-TO TECHNIQUES
FOR IMPROVING
YOUR NEXT
ARMOR PROJECT
Bill Plunk’s 1/35 scale
SdKfz 251/22 halftrack
Pakwagen – p.40
PORTFOLIO:
Master
Modeler
Joe
Fleming’s
amazing
work p.26
18
pages of
product
news!
p.12, 54
Improve a Japanese Zero p.36
Airbrush perfect aircraft invasion stripes p.30
Kitbash a modern Navy guided missile destroyer p.46
OUR EXPERTS BUILD AND REVIEW 8 ALL-NEW KITS
Revell
Germany’s
Westland
Sea Lynx
Mk.88A
reviewed
– p.62
BASICS: Build a plastic structure like a pro
p. 32
We test this
big steamer p. 74
December 2013
www.ModelRailroader.com
Dream
it. Plan it. Build it.
Urban realism
at its best
WIN
$2,00
0
to
Leave the driving to us
New from Classic Metal Works: a Greyhound 1960 “Gold
Stripe” Scenicruiser featuring Atlanta, Chicago, New York,
San Francisco or special destination boards. The kit ($30)
includes a separately applied driver’s side-view mirror,
clear window glazing and rolling vinyl
tires. CMW Holdings Ltd./Classic Metal
Works. 419-842-8114. www.classic
metalworks.com.
— Model Railroader, December 2013
buy
trains!
See p. 34
This HO switching layout models
CSX’s colorful Miami industrial spur p. 50
Room-size
track plan with
a car barge p. 66
Modeler Lance
Mindheim explains
the inspiration for
this gritty HO layout
on page 50.
HOW TO
• How DCC sound decoders work p. 70
• Be a dispatcher on a model railroad p. 58
• Model HO scale birds on a wire — really! p. 36
12
OUR SPECIAL CHRISTMAS ISSUE: 22 PAGES OF TOY TRAIN MEMORIES
Building Lionel’s
Grand Central
holiday layout p.52
New use for a seasonal staple
As my wife and I shopped for a new artificial Christmas
tree at post-season prices, I happened upon a 12”-tall
miniature conifer intended for a tabletop holiday display.
Having just purchased a 16”-tall O scale tree for my
home layout, I immediately recognized the toy-train applications for
this overlooked product.
Things got even better when I checked the discounted sticker
price — less than the cost of a fast-food beverage! In a heartbeat, I
spared each and every tree from a one-way trip to the Island of Misfit
Toys. (Contributing editor Kent Johnson)
— Classic Toy Trains, December 2013
www.ClassicToyTrains.com
December 2013
O and S gauge for the operator and collector
We pick Lionel’s 10 best operating cars p.44
WIN
A $1,000
SHOPPING
SPREE!
p.26
Turn to page 76 to learn
how Jay Cain shot this
evocative winter photo.
NEW SERIES:
From starter set
to scenic layout p.62
Build an under-tree holiday display p.49
Lessons from an innovative 3-rail layout p.38
1953: American Flyer’s best postwar year p.70
HOW TO build durable dirt roads p. 70
HOW TO use rail joiners p. 14
DECEMBER 2013
Adventures in outdoor model railroading
In memoriam
Manfred Regner, 63, the
head of Regner Dampfund Eisenbahntechnik,
Germany’s leading manufacturer of live-steam locomotives.
The company recently celebrated its
35th anniversary.
— Garden Railways, December 2013
Fun in the
front yard
7
PRODUCTS
REVIEWED!
Visit a railroad that combines
reliable operation with a
touch of whimsy p. 44
Advice
for bridge
supports p. 22
HOW TO
Understand DCC decoders
Build a versatile workbench p. 36
p. 40
Ranch hands watch a passing
train while minding the cattle on
Todd Brody’s Tortoise & Lizard
Bash Garden Railroad.
A N OT H ER I N N OVAT I O N BY
A NEW ERA
IN VEHICLE STABILIZATION
AVC EQUIPPED
VATERRA HÄLIX
MONSTER TRUCK
AVC EQUIPPED
VTR03003
LOSI TEN RALLY-X
CAR LOSO3000
INTRODUCING
THE AVC™ (ACTIVE
VEHICLE CONTROL)
STABILIZATION
SYSTEM
Horizon Hobby SAFE (Sensor Assisted
F li g h t E n v e l o p e ) te c h n o l o g y h a s
made it easier than ever for new RC
pilots to conquer the sky. Now we’re
bringing that same kind of innovation
down to ear th with the Spektrum™
AVC™ ( Active Vehicle Control)
stabilization system.
Using a combination of Heading Hold
and Throt tle Management features,
the AVC system makes it possible for
RC drivers of all skill levels to go faster
with more control. More importantly,
like SAFE technology, it vastly improves
the customer experience without adding
much to the price tag. And that’s the kind
of value add that always brings them
back for more.
TO LE ARN MORE ABOUT AVC TECHNOLOGY
GO TO SPEKTRUMRC.COM/AVC RIGHT NOW.
@2013 Horizon Hobby, Inc. AVC, Active Vehicle Control, Vaterra, the Vattera logo, Losi and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc.
The Spektrum trademarks is used with permission of Bachmann Industries, Inc. 42885
Games look like winners
The game industry is seeing increased visibility and sales; if your
store doesn’t carry games, maybe it’s time to take a closer look
By JOHN KAUFELD
T
en years ago, if characters in a mainstream TV series sat down together
around a board game, the game was
about to become the object of a joke.
Fast forward to today, when the gang
from The Big Bang Theory introduces its
audience to The Settlers of Catan (Mayfair
Games), Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder)
and other popular specialty board games.
The Internet is also part of this trend. Wil
Wheaton’s youTube show Tabletop gives
viewers a virtual seat at Wheaton’s game
table, where they can watch their favorite
pop-culture stars and learn how to play
the week’s featured game. The show has
proven so popular that Target has added a
“Featured on Tabletop” display in its stores.
as a result, the last few years have been
a great time to sell games — and from the
look of today’s marketplace, the signs suggest that the trend will continue this year
and beyond. For hobby dealers, it may be
time to enter the fray.
A gaming generation
The increased visibility surrounding games
has come at a time when the audience
for specialty board games is growing and
diversifying.
Children who grow up playing specialty
games are taking those games with them
to college, introducing a broader audience
to the pastime. as they graduate and start
families, we’re seeing new generations
born into the gaming world.
The evidence of this is clear at Gen Con,
the large gaming convention held each
year in Indianapolis. attendance grew at a
steady pace for years until 2008, when the
numbers began ramping up. year after
year, the show set new attendance records;
in 2013, 49,000 people shopped and
played at Gen Con. That’s a 20 percent
increase over 2012 and a 75 percent increase over 2008.
The faces in the crowd tell an interesting
story. not long ago Gen Con attendees
were almost exclusively male, but now the
crowds are more diverse. “Family game
14
MODEL RETAILER January 2014
time” is a recurring theme among event
planners and game companies, as parents
and children dive into demos, decide on
products to buy and engage with each
other in a way that promises to continue
driving game sales for years to come.
Mirroring Gen Con’s jump in attendance,
hobby game sales numbers have risen
steadily for the last four years, according to
the pop-culture news site ICv2. Increases
are coming from all types of products rather than from just one or two sectors, indicating a broader trend of people playing
more games. role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures games and
board games are all selling well.
What to stock
So, how do you capture your own segment
of the growing game market while staying
true to the product mix that makes your
store unique? Try focusing on a selection
of evergreen board games, game expansions and non-collectible card games.
Evergreen products are proven winners
that keep selling year after year. In the
game world, these include titles such as
The Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne (Z-Man Games), Fluxx (Looney Labs),
Sequence (Jax Ltd.), Hey, That’s My Fish (Fantasy Flight Games), and Can’t Stop (Gryphon Games).
This strategy gives you a way to maximize profit while minimizing your risk. It
also offers tremendous flexibility in how
you stock and display games in your store.
Done well, this strategy can present games
as more of a line extension for your existing hobby customers than an entirely new
shopping experience.
Focusing on these games also keeps
your store out of direct competition with
specialty-game and comic stores. The majority of those stores focus on deep support for “cash-cow” products such as trading-card games and collectible-miniatures
games. There’s definitely money to be
made in those lines, but success requires
specialized knowledge, a deep investment
in inventory, and both staff time and store
space set aside for game events.
remember to bring in expansion sets, as
well, especially if you decide to stock Catan
and Ticket to Ride. Carrying the Catan
expansions, for example, gives new customers a reason to visit your store. retailers such as Target and Barnes & noble may
sell the basic Catan game, but they almost
never carry expansions. Even when they
do, they only stock one or two expansions.
By stocking a more complete selection of
products than the big-box stores, you give
new customers a reason to seek you out.
However, adding board games and noncollectible card games to your store won’t
automatically guarantee increased profit.
Just as you need to know and understand
the model trains and r/C cars you sell, you
also need to know and understand the
games that enter your door.
Know what you’re selling
Product knowledge is vital to selling these
games. you don’t have to be an expert or
award-winning player, but your staff needs
to know several basics to make the most of
your game sales opportunities:
How the game plays. Be able to explain
how it works and why it’s fun.
Age range. What ages are best suited for
the game?
Number of players. How many (or how
few) players can take part?
Playing time. Busy people (and parents)
will want to know.
Type of competition. Is it head-to-head
(like Monopoly), indirect (we’re all doing
our best) or cooperative (we’re all working together)?
Learning these things requires some
time and a demonstration copy of the
game. Fortunately, most game publishers
offer demonstration-copy pricing deals for
retailers because they know you’ll sell their
games more successfully if you know how
to play.
JOHN KAUFELD
Magic: The Gathering tournament tables at the 2013 Gen Con in Indianapolis saw a broad mix of tween, teen and adults.
Maintain a variety of price points for the
games you stock, too. It’s not unusual for
specialty board games to cost $50, $60 or
more. By having a broad selection of prices, you help customers get past their purchase anxiety, especially if they’re new to
the specialty board game world.
A solid selection of low-price games
such as Aquarius (Looney Labs), Dungeon
Roll (Tasty Minstrel Games), A Fistful of Penguins (Wattsalpoag Games), Left Right Center (George & Company LLC), Roll for It (Calliope Games), Spot It (Blue Orange Games),
and Continuo (U.S. Game Systems Inc.) can
turn your store into a destination for moms
trying to find unique gifts, which is an
awesome niche to fill.
Where to buy
Adding these games to your store means
working with one or more national wholesale distributors. The main game distributors, Alliance Game Distributors and ACD
Distribution, have warehouses throughout
the country to give you quicker shipping
and faster turnaround. Smaller distributors
such as Southern Hobby, Peachstate Hobby Distribution and Magazine Exchange
tend to focus on narrower swaths of
games but also carry a variety of gamingrelated products. Specialty distributors
such as John Hansen & Co. connect hobby
stores with more mainstream games typically seen in big-box stores such as Battleship, Clue, Jenga, Monopoly and Yahtzee.
When contacting and evaluating a distributor, make sure you ask about any
exclusive lines the company carries. Distributor exclusivity has become more com-
NEW! Look for reviews of games and
toys in Model Retailer this month on
page 34. In future issues, we’ll rotate
games and toys with slot cars and
books and videos.
mon in recent years as game publishers
struggle to keep popular titles in stock
while still maintaining depth in their other
titles. Reaching an exclusive deal with a
distributor gives the game publisher more
breathing room in the form of consistent
cash flow. And if it works correctly, it also
gives retailers the best opportunity to consistently get the game for their shelves. At
this time, both Mayfair Games and Days of
Wonder have exclusive agreements with
Alliance Game Distributors.
Both Alliance Game Distributors and
ACD Distribution also sponsor annual
retailer training days. The Alliance Open
House usually takes place in October, while
ACD’s Games Day occurs in the spring,
usually in April or May. Both events are
definitely worth attending. They provide
training sessions and generous packages
of demonstration and sample products
you can bring home. The opportunity to
meet manufacturers, make contacts and
learn to play new products firsthand gives
your store a unique edge as you add
games to the mix.
Opening your shelves to specialty board
games and non-collectible card games
isn’t guaranteed to improve your margins,
but it’s a good decision with a strong
chance of success. Invest the time to think
through how and where games make
sense in your store, then learn how to play
the games you bring in. By doing that,
you’ll make the most of what games can
do for you!
John Kaufeld is a bestselling author, parenting columnist and longtime game-industry
insider. His latest book, Playing the Dad
Game, explores how playing board games
together helps parents and children improve
communication and build stronger family
connections.
15
ThINKSTOCK
Have fun as you
reach your
sales goals
Get your employees on board by
rewarding them for achievements
By CAThy DONOVAN WAGNER
I
t’s the start of a new year, a good time to
set your sales goals for the next 12
months. But how do you keep your team
motivated while achieving your goals?
One of the most effective ways to do so is
to put together a goal-oriented plan that
mixes fun with work.
Here are the five components of a motivational plan I call G-a-M-E-S:
G = Goal
Set a sales goal every month. If you don’t
know what you’re aiming for, you will
never hit it. It is critical that you post your
sales goal where everyone on your team
can see it.
A = Accountability
your team members must know exactly
where they are in relation to the goal. For
example, if the month is half over, you
should be halfway toward your sales goal.
use quarters or dollars to reward team
members if they know, when prompted,
what the month’s goal is and what needs
to be done that day to stay on track.
M = Mix it up
add other goals with different prizes and
specific focuses, but don’t let your team
get bored. How many of you have played a
game in which participants lost interest?
The likely reason was boredom.
a fun and useful game to play with your
team is bingo. Create a list of 24 items,
including products to be sold and team
behaviors you would like to work on —
for example, getting a customer’s email
address or writing a thank-you note. Write
16
MODEL RETAILER january 2014
these items in the squares of
homemade bingo cards, and vary the difficulty of the items. Be sure to include a free
space in the center. Give each team member a bingo card, but change up the
squares on each one so that no more than
three to five cards are the same.
To play, have team members choose a
bingo card and keep it with them. Every
time they complete a specified sale or
behavior on their card, they should cross
off that square. They win a prize by cross-
If yOu DOn’T knOw
whAT yOu’RE AIMIng
fOR, yOu wILL nEvER
hIT IT.
ing off five squares in any straight line —
either across, down or diagonally. you can
also give prizes for team members who
cross off every square.
you should always have a total monthly
sales goal. In addition, you should add different goals and rewards for shorter time
periods. For example, one goal could be a
certain amount of sales over a one-week
period. Or, reward team members when
they sell an item that isn’t moving. Play the
“Four for $4” game: For every four items a
team member sells in one sale, reward that
person with $4 in store credit.
E = Engage everyone
your team might not be used to being
held accountable in this way. There are
likely to be some naysayers in the group,
but don’t let them ruin the party. It is your
store, your party — and you get to run it
the way you want to.
S = Short and sweet
apart from your monthly sales goals, run
your goals for no more than week. any
longer and your team will start to lose
their motivation. Offer “sweet” prizes and
place them in a prominent place. Here are
some examples:
Candy and food: It’s amazing to see
what people will do for a snack-size bag
of M&Ms
$5 food gift cards
Quarters or dollars
Store gift certificates
an “hour early/late” pass: Let an employee come in an hour late or leave an hour
early with pay
a VIP parking pass, if applicable to your
store
Shop local: your local coffee shop or
bookstore might be willing to contribute
small prizes
Be creative: Small investments often can
create big results
By following these steps, you will keep
your team focused on achieving your goals
for the new year.
Cathy Donovan Wagner is founder and president of Retail Mavens, a company devoted to
helping specialty retailers do better. Web:
www.retailmavens.com.
Cash in on health care
The often-overlooked Small Business Health Care Tax Credit may
make offering health insurance more palatable for your store
By Mark E. BattErsBy
credit, the Small Business Health Care Tax
Credit actually works on a sliding scale. The
potential tax credit goes up for stores that
offer health insurance to even fewer
employees who have an even lower average salary. In fact, it is specifically targeted
for businesses with low- and moderateincome workers.
Bottom line: The tax credit is highest for
hobby stores that have fewer than 10
employees who are paid an average of
$25,000 or less. In other words, the smaller
the business, the bigger the credit.
New IRS Rules
The IRS recently proposed guidelines for
the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit.
The guidelines address the eligibility
requirements employers must meet in
order to claim the tax credit. The guidelines also show how to calculate and
claim the tax credit. They
explain the tax
credit’s effect
on estimated tax, alternative minimum tax
and tax deductions.
To take advantage of this tax credit,
small employers must be making a nonelective contribution on behalf of each
employee who enrolls in a qualified health
plan offered by the employer. The contribution amount must be at least 50 percent
of the qualified health plan’s premium
cost. In addition, the average annual
wages of the employer’s full-time equivalent employees cannot currently exceed
$50,000. Through 2013, the maximum
credit was 35 percent of premiums paid by
the small-business employer. Beginning
this year, the maximum credit increases to
50 percent of the premiums paid by
employers.
And, as mentioned, the IRS has said certain higher-income individuals — specifically sole proprietors, partners in partnerships, shareholders owning
more than 2 percent
of the stock in an
tHINkstOCk.COM
S
urvey after survey reveals that health
insurance is among the top fringe
benefits sought by employees. And
though providing health insurance
can be expensive, many small businesses
find it critical to attracting the kind of
workers they need to succeed.
For hobby-shop owners in the same predicament, or those considering offering
health insurance, there’s a silver lining: the
Small Business Health Care Tax Credit, a
unique, often-overlooked tax credit for
small employers.
The Internal Revenue Service is encouraging small businesses to explore and, if
qualified, claim this tax credit. Two out of
five businesses in the nation will qualify for
the tax credit, according to 2011 studies.
This could affect 19.3 million employees
and possibly provide $15.4 billion in tax
credits to small businesses.
In fact, many small businesses are already
taking advantage of this new tax credit,
which provides a direct reduction of their
tax bill by up to 35 percent of their health
insurance costs. And beginning this year,
that number will go up to 50 percent.
The small-employer credit
A hobby shop that provides health-care
coverage is eligible for the Small Business
Health Care Tax Credit if, for the tax year,
it has 25 or fewer full-time equivalent
employees who are paid an average
annual salary of less than $50,000.
The hobby dealer must also pay at
least 50 percent of its employees’
premium costs in order to qualify
for the credit. The business owner’s salaries and owner’s family’s
salaries are not counted when
determining the average salary.
The maximum credit in 2013
was 35 percent of the annual
premiums paid; it rises to 50
percent this year and thereafter.
Although any hobby store that
meets these standards is eligible
to receive up to a 35-percent tax
17
may be able to carry the credit backward
ums paid by eligible small employers for
S corporation and any owners of more
or forward.
than 5 percent of other types of businesses the 2014 tax year. Cost-of-living adjustAccording to the Government Accountments are made to the average annual
— are not counted as employees when
ability Office (GAO), Congress’s investigawage phaseout amounts. (The credit is
calculating the average wage. Although
tive arm, fewer small employers claimed
phased out gradually when average annuthe tax law does not specifically refer to
the Small Business Health Insurance Tax
al wages exceed certain amounts.)
spouses, the IRS says that spouses are nevAnother difference involves the two-year Credit in tax year 2010 than were estimatertheless excluded from the definition of
ed to be eligible. While 170,300 small
limit on taking the credit. Before 2014,
an employee for those purposes.
employers claimed it, estimates of the elithere was no limit to the number of times
The IRS’s proposed guidelines also congible pool by government agencies and
an employer could claim the tax credit.
tain transition rules if an eligible small
small-business advocacy groups ranged
Employers that qualified could claim the
employer’s plan year begins on a date
from 1.4 million to 4 million.
other than the first day of its
The cost of credits claimed was
taxable year. About 30 percent
ThE TAx cREDIT Is hIghEsT fOR hObby
$468 million.
of employers in the small-group
sTOREs ThAT hAvE fEwER ThAn 10
Among the factors reportedly
market don’t have plans that
limiting the credit’s use is that
run on a calendar year. The preEMpLOyEEs whO ARE pAID An AvERAgE
most very small employers, 83
miums paid by these employers
Of $25,000 OR LEss.
percent by one estimate, do not
under their old plans, as well as
offer health insurance. Accordwhat they’re paying when they
ing to many experts, the credit is not large
switch to the exchange, will be eligible for
tax credit in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
the tax credit.
Beginning this year, once an employer files enough to incentivize employers to begin
What’s more, all qualifying hobby shops
for the tax credit, it can only claim the credit offering insurance. Complex rules on fulltime equivalent employees and average
are eligible to buy health insurance on a
for two years. Employers that claimed the
wages are also limiting use. In addition, tax
special exchange known as Small Business
tax credit before 2014, however, can still
preparer groups that met with the GAO
Health Options Program (SHOP).
do so for another two years.
generally said the time needed to calculate
the credit deterred claims.
Marketplaces, exchanges and SHOP
Paperwork
One of the key features of the Affordable
Not surprisingly, hobby shops that provide
As the tax-filing deadline approaches for
Care Act (ACA) was the creation of health
health care benefits to their employees
many small hobby stores, owners and
insurance exchanges, or marketplaces, for
also face administrative reporting requiremanagers are looking for ways to reduce
the sale of health insurance. For employers
ments under the ACA.
their operation’s tax bills. Although the
with fewer than 50 employees, private
In general, a hobby shop must use IRS
ACA does not require that a business proexchanges will compete with the public
Form 8941 to calculate the tax credit. Most
vide health insurance, it does offer tax
SHOP exchanges required by each state.
small businesses will include the amount
credits for eligible small businesses that
Small hobby shops that want to make
as part of the general business credit on
choose to provide insurance to their
health insurance coverage available to
their annual income tax return. Plus, as a
employees for the first time or to maintain
their employees can choose to offer those
small-business employer, a hobby shop
the coverage they already have.
employees coverage from the SHOP.
One in four small-business owners in the
Should a hobby shop decide to offer
U.S. are uninsured. The ACA will allow 83
this type of coverage, it can select
percent of currently uninsured small-busiwhich plans to make available to its
ness owners to become eligible for healthemployees — and the hobby shop is
care coverage. Additionally, many smallnot required to offer all coverages
business owners who currently buy their
sold through the SHOP to its employown individual health-care coverage in
ees. However, if a small employer
the private market may be eligible to take
determines that SHOP plans will be
advantage of new cost savings.
made available to its employees, then
Finally, if an eligible hobby store forgot
all full-time employees must be offered
to claim the tax credit for the 2013 tax
this coverage.
year on its annual tax return, there’s still
Open enrollment for SHOP coverage
time to file an amended return.
was set to begin on Oct. 1, 2013, and
Naturally, to fully understand all of the
coverage was scheduled to become
pros and cons of the Small Business
effective Jan. 1, 2014. Commencing in
Health Insurance Tax Credit, professional
2016, the SHOP will be open for employassistance is strongly recommended.
ers with up to 100 full-time equivalent
employees.
Mark E. Battersby, of Ardmore, Pa., has
written about finances and tax issues for
Changes are coming
more than 25 years. His weekly column
Every hobby-shop owner will see a numon business taxes appears in 45 newspaber of important changes to the Small
IR S
pers and business journals. He is the
Business Health Care Tax Credit beginning
author of several books, including The Empthis year. As mentioned, the credit amount
Dealers use Form 8941 to claim the
ty-Nester’s Financial Handbook.
will increase to 50 percent of the premiSmall Business Health Care Tax Credit.
18
Spreading the good word
Mobile sites like Yelp and Foursquare let customers talk up your store
By CHARLENE OLDHAM
E
veryone’s heard the axiom “The customer is king.” But thanks to the socialmedia site Foursquare, a shopper can
claim the title of mayor, as well.
By using a smartphone or other mobile
device to “check in” at a location more frequently than any other Foursquare user in a
60-day period, a customer can establish
himself as “mayor” of a store, sometimes
unlocking special deals and discounts.
These review sites can also benefit businesses. They are yet another way to connect
with tech-loving customers who amplify
word-of-mouth reviews and shopping preferences by sharing them with their extensive social networks.
“You can really build up conversations
with your customers,” says Brian Honigman, a freelance writer and social-media
consultant. “Customers are your best advocates. Especially on a small, local scale, that
word of mouth is particularly powerful.”
Although reviews and check-ins are all
about personalization and localization, the
sites themselves are getting larger all the
time. Foursquare members have penned
more than 33 million user-generated tips
about stores, restaurants and other venues.
These sentence-long tidbits from Foursquare’s 40 million-plus users offer advice
on where to find the best customer service
or the most comprehensive collection of
model trains.
Even better known is Yelp, which boasts
108 million unique monthly visitors and
features more than 42 million localized
reviews on everything from hobby shops
to hookah lounges. These sites also offer
advertising opportunities and free tools to
help business owners promote news,
events and discounts or monitor the tips
and reviews customers share.
“It’s a really happy marriage of alerting
your audience that you are active on those
channels and offering a great customer
experience,” says Honigman, who writes
about media and marketing at his website
www.brianhonigman.com.
So how can hobby-shop owners increase their profile on these sites while
also encouraging customers to post posi-
tive reviews? And what are the best strategies to get people into stores once they’ve
read a review? The key is to let customers
know you have a presence on these sites
without directly asking for positive feedback, which may be filtered out as fake.
“There is an important difference between aggressively asking for reviews and
driving awareness about your business on
Yelp,” says Darnell Holloway, senior manager
of local business outreach at Yelp Inc. “For
example, if you post a sign telling every customer to ‘review me on Yelp’ or even go as
far as offering incentives for reviews —
which is against our terms of service — it
can cause people to feel as if they’re being
used as a promotional vehicle.”
Those glowing reviews may also be filtered from your business’s profile page if
Yelp’s automated system senses they were
directly solicited or written by a business
owner or employee. The filters are also
designed to protect businesses against
bad reviews written by competitors, exemployees or other disgruntled people.
If store owners provide great products,
deals and customer service, they will find
that shoppers are happy to promote their
favorite places. Store owners should also
prominently post and publicize information
about where to find them on sites like Yelp
and Foursquare by adding it to their instore signs, Facebook pages and more.
“Offer exclusive discounts, deals and
information,” says Honigman, who says
such extras encourage tech-savvy customers to check in on Foursquare or investigate a store’s Yelp profile. “Then, hopefully,
that will lead to reviews down the line.”
Odds are, most of those reviews will be
positive. But experts say there are also advantages to negative feedback.
“About 79 percent of the reviews on Yelp
are three stars or higher, but every business out there will likely receive negative
feedback at some point,” Holloway says.
Negative reviews offer opportunities to
address shortcomings. Honigman recommends responding to legitimate complaints
by apologizing and explaining how the
issue is being fixed. They should also follow
up privately by offering the reviewer who
levied the complaint a refund, discount or
other exchange to make the situation right.
“You want to take this negative experience,” he says, “and turn it into a positive
PR experience.”
Charlene Oldham is a St. Louis-based freelance writer and professor of journalism and
business communications at Lindenwood
University. Web: www.charleneoldham.com.
GETTING STARTED
Darnell Holloway, senior
manager of local business outreach at Yelp
Inc., recommends store
owners complete their
Yelp profile by adding
photos, updating store
hours and adding other
important information
about their business.
Holloway also recommends that store owners:
Create promos like Yelp
Deals and Gift Certificates
to generate buzz.
Use the revenue estimate tool to quantify the
amount of business that
Yelp is already sending
their way.
Respond to customers
who have written reviews.
Foursquare listings
should include basic
information like addresses and phone numbers,
according to the Foursquare website. In addi-
tion, store owners should
include a business description, hours of operation, and website and
social-media links.
Once owners begin
managing their listings,
they can communicate
with customers by posting updates, offering
specials to those who
check in, and tracking
traffic and social-media
sharing activity.
— C.O.
19
Trainfest 2013: A look
Milwaukee’s annual model-railroading convention features several
new manufacturers and dozens of new product releases
By Nick Bullock
F
or dealers selling at the show, the
highlight of Trainfest 2013, held nov.
8-10 in Milwaukee, was the 23,417
attendees.
But also of particular note to store owners were the number of new manufacturers at the show. river raisin Models,
Chooch Enterprises, Hot Wire Foam Factory, Mood Dog railcars LLC, White river Productions Inc., roco and Fleischmann, and
Osborn Model Kits all exhibited at the
show for the first time. These manufacturers combined with a number Trainfest
mainstays to produce an intriguing list of
new products.
With help from Model Railroader, our sister publication at Kalmbach Publishing, we
selected a few of the new releases that
stood out most.
although there was no sample at the
show, atlas announced details of its new
six-double-bedroom, five-compartment
streamlined sleeper cars. The cars were
originally set to be produced last in the
California Zephyr line. Speculation as to
whether they would be produced at all,
however, led atlas to move up production,
the company said. no release date or price
was announced.
road numbers), norfolk Southern Horsehead (four road numbers), and union
Pacific (four road numbers). Direct-current
models cost $199.98 each; with DCC and
SoundTraxx Tsunami sound pre-installed
they cost $299.98 each. no release date
was announced.
G MAnuAL swITcHEs R7 22.5
DEGREE
PiKo america
HO GEnERAL ELEcTRIc P42 DIEsEL
LOcOMOTIvE, AMTRAk 40TH
AnnIvERsARy
Kato USa
Featuring dual truck motors, directional
headlights and taillights (front and rear),
and Kato knuckle couplers, this new readyto-run locomotive was on display from
Kato. a direct-current version costs $198;
with an ESu LokSound Digital Command
Control sound decoder it costs $318, and
with a SoundTraxx DCC sound decoder it
costs $328.
O cALIfORnIA ZEPHyR 6-5
sLEEPERs
atlaS o
On display from Piko was the Manual
Switch Left r7 22.5 Degree G-track (no.
35226), which retails for $99. The right
switch (no. 35227) also retails for $99. The
switches have a 10’ 3” diameter. They had
just arrived at the time of the show and are
shipping now.
HO EMD sD70AcE DIEsEL
LOcOMOTIvE
athearn
HO GMD sD40-2 LOcOMOTIvEs
after displaying a limited selection at the
2013 iHobby Expo, athearn came to Trainfest 2013 with several new products, including this line of “aCes.” These locomotives are available in EMD demonstrator
yellow (one road number) and blue (four
BowSer manUfactUring
These newly announced locomotives are
still in the design stage, so road numbers
have not yet been assigned. But Bowser
did have engineering drawings on display
at Trainfest 2013.
HO cHEsAPEAkE & OHIO 2-6-6-6
ALLEGHEny sTEAM LOcOMOTIvE
mth electric trainS
One of several new items on display from
MTH, this allegheny steam locomotive features a die-cast metal boiler and tender
20
MODEL RETAILER january 2014
around the show floor
house; a five-pole, flywheel-equipped
motor; synchronized puffing smoke;
sprung drivers; two Kadee knuckle couplers; remote-controlled Proto-Coupler;
and interchangeable RP-25 contour drivers
with traction tires. Proto-Sound 3.0 and
Proto-Sound 3E+ versions will be available.
Pricing has not yet been announced. The
locomotives are expected to ship in the
second quarter of this year.
HO San FranciScO cHieF carS
and unlettered version is also available.
These brass models are produced by Boo
Rim Precision. The factory-painted and lettered models cost $1,399 or $1,474 for the
versions with a green or blue/green boiler.
Unpainted models cost $1,349. They are
expected to ship this spring.
Walthers Proto
Unfinished samples of these new cars were
on display from Walthers at Trainfest 2013.
Walthers has made 12 cars available first,
including an 85’ Budd “Big Dome” BarLounge Domitory car (pictured above
near). The San Francisco Chief cars are
based on equipment in service from 1954–
’71 and are plated to match the Super
Chief & El Capitan cars. They will feature a
real metal finish to simulate stainless steel
as appropriate, prototypically accurate
window tinting as appropriate and factoryinstalled grab irons.
S SOutHern PaciFic claSS
S-12 and S-14 0-6-0 Steam
lOcOmOtiveS
river raisin Models
The class S-12 version features three road
numbers and the class S-14 features two
road numbers. Each road numbers is
offered with Southern Pacific Lines and
Southern Pacific lettering. A black-painted
Z21 diGital cOntrOl SyStem
Starter Set
roco and FleischMann
This manufacturer-neutral digital control
system ($499) features a control center,
network router and the associated cables.
It is designed for Android and Apple tablet
and smartphone platforms. The starter set
is compatible with digital AC and DC locomotives. Assorted cab interiors are available for download.
HO GaZebO
ca Glue
osborn Model Kits
sinbad Glue
This gazebo model ($9.99) was one of several HO-scale, laser-cut wood kits on display from Osborn.
On display from Sinbad was this new CA
glue for which the company received EPA
approval, according to Sinbad. It bonds to
metal, rubber, vinyl, glass, plastic, wood,
leather, stone and cork. It’s available in
20-gram ($15) and 50-gram ($30) bottles.
Nick Bullock is assistant editor of Model Retailer magazine.
21
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
information on selected products to help you sell today
Global MoGul
Mayfair gaMes
Stock No.: 4127
MSRP: $55
Availability: Alliance Game
Distributors
Target consumer: Economy
board-game fans
First impression: This is a
solid economy game that
combines many different
mechanics in an interesting
way. Players will use their
small pool of agents and limited actions to vie for control
of open and existing markets,
bid for high-value government contracts, purchase
companies, and manage and
sell resources in an attempt
to become a global mogul.
There is always a danger
when throwing myriad
mechanics together that one
1:8 Wolverine
Thankfully, the short
rulebook is well-written to
answer almost any questions a player may have.
Additionally, there is a
beginner game mode that
lowers the complexity for
new players and could
almost be considered a
family version of the game
for those with older children (say, 10 or older).
Regardless, most players
should be up to speed to
explore some deeper strategies after one or two games,
which is pretty standard for
most board games nowadays.
Why you should stock it:
Global Mogul seems to fill a
nice little void in economy
games by being relatively
accessible to players compared to others in the economy-game genre. It is not too
Polar lights
Stock No.: POL892
MSRP: $30.99
Availability: Round 2 Corp.
Target consumer: Comic
fans and figure modelers
First impression: One of
Marvel’s most popular X-Men,
Wolverine is an incredibly
popular character featured in
lots of comic books and several movies.
Polar Lights’ all new figure
is molded in appropriately
yellow plastic and is designed
to snap together. The latter
characteristic is aimed at a
younger crowd, but the kit
doesn’t take any short cuts
on detail to do it.
22
particular avenue of play
ends up overwhelming the
entire experience.
Fortunately, Global Mogul
does not appear to have this
problem, rewarding a wellbalanced strategy most of
the time. Of course, powerful
companies may become
available during some games
that can reward more
focused strategies, as well,
making each game potentially unique.
That being said, it isn’t the
most accessible of games.
Some areas of the player aids
could have been put to better use, and at times the
plethora of cards, wooden
cubes and cardboard tokens
could be overwhelming to
new players. In turn, the list
of ways to earn victory points
can be extremely intimidating during your first game.
The sculpt of the figure is
terrific with good muscle definition and an action pose —
the finished Wolverine stands
triumphantly atop a disabled
Sentinel. His singular adamantium-laced bone claws
are even chrome plated.
A great touch is the inclusion of optional heads — one
wearing the cowl, the other
bare with the classic Logan
hair and mutton chops, and a
menacing scowl.
The instructions include a
detailed painting guide as
well as weathering tips for
the base.
Polar Lights included
decals for the black stripes on
the uniform, a feature that
should make painting and
finishing easy.
Why you should stock
it: Large-scale sciencefiction and fantasy figures have surged in popularity in recent years
with a rush of kits from
new and established
manufacturers.
Polar Lights makes this
popular character accessible to novice modelers
with colored plastic and
snap-together assembly.
But there is plenty here
to appeal to experienced
builders interested in
getting to painting as
quickly as possible.
— Aaron Skinner, associate editor of FineScale
Modeler
complex to be relegated to
the hardcore gamers, but
not too simple to be “figured
out” and set aside after a
few plays.
Add on the amount of
replayability it has, and it’s a
game that could round out
many gamer’s collections.
— James Jester, board game
enthusiast
1:43 LOtuS F1 team e20 2012 Car
Stock No.: CC56401
MSRP: $47.95
Availability: Hornby America
Target consumer: Formula 1
racing fans and collectors,
especially those who have
followed the formerly British
Team Lotus since the 1960s;
the boomers, naturally!
First impression: Corgi delivers a beautifully rendered
1:43-scale die-cast F1 car, in
this case the Lotus that former World Champion Kimi
Raikkonen of Finland drove
during the 2012 season. This
is part of Corgi’s Lotus Collection that consists of racers
and street cars created, or
branded, by Lotus.
The F1 car comes in sturdy
plastic case for easy display,
and an attractive cardboard
sleeve protects the box and
includes the Lotus logo and a
photo of the actual race car.
In this scale, some models
corgi
can become a little sloppy or simplistic. But this
black-and-gold
Corgi model
offers good detail
at somewhat of a
value price. Many
high-quality cars
in this scale now
cost much more.
This one has
detailed front
wings and diffusers, the hallmark
of modern F1 cars. It also has
all the logos, such as Renault,
Genii and Total, that cover
today’s racers. The Lotus E20
looks authentic and offers
well-marked Pirelli P Zero
slicks and nicely detailed,
albeit gold plastic, wheels. I
particularly like the red end
plates on the car’s front and
rear wings. They give this
model a bit more flair than
just its overall colors.
There also are small red
mirrors beside the driver’s
cockpit, which features a
driver figure with a helmet
bearing Raikkonen’s design.
The model has a steering
wheel with some detailing on
it, but it’s all black with no
buttons highlighted. The car’s
shape, paint scheme and
aero features are all here too.
The real racer packs a 750horse V8, hinted at by the
Renault logo on the engine
cover, but there is no engine
under this bonnet. Such
detail would push the price
point beyond what many collectors would want to pay.
This is a value-oriented
model aimed at your F1 fans,
the number of which may be
growing due to extensive
coverage of F1 racing on the
NBC Sports network and the
U.S. Grand Prix now held
each fall in Austin, Texas.
Note that Corgi also offers
the Lotus F1 team car of driver Romain Grosjean.
— Mark Savage, associate
publisher of Scale Auto and
other Kalmbach publications
HO 0-6-0 POrter Side-tank SwitCHer Bachmann Trains
Stock No.: Bethlehem Steel
(No. 52101); Midvale Steel (No.
52102); Midwest Quarry & Mining Co. (No. 52103); Pennsylvania (No. 52104); and Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe (No. 52105)
MSRP: $130
Target consumer: 1920s- to
1950s-era steam modelers
First impression: Equipped
with a dual-mode Digital
Command Control decoder,
this Porter 0-6-0 from Bachmann is equipped to handle
HO-scale industrial chores.
The H.K. Porter Co. carved
out a niche for itself by building locomotives for logging,
mining and factories. Like
other industrial locomotive
builders, Porter built
its engines to order
for each individual
customer.
The Bachmann
model matches a
photo of an 0-6-0
side-tank locomotive
shown in the 1892 Porter catalog. The model depicts the
locomotive with a dynamopowered electric headlight,
which would have been a
common addition starting
about 1920.
The model features a plastic body shell with welldefined molded detail,
including hinges on the
smokebox door. Metal detail
parts include handrails,
uncoupling levers and the
bell. The cab doesn’t have
any window glazing, but the
backhead features a molded
firebox door and other detail.
The model is an accurate
reproduction of a Porter sidetank engine prototype and
operates on direct-current as
well as DCC layouts.
On our DC test track, the
model ran smoothly throughout its speed range without
any jerkiness or binding, but
there was some motor noise.
The 50-scale-mph top speed
is fast for a slow-speed industrial engine.
The model’s pulling power
is what one would expect
from a light-duty industrial
switcher.
The two-function decoder
allows the user to turn the
headlight on and off, using
function 0. The headlight can
also be dimmed with function 1. When turned on, the
headlight and backup light
operate according to the
locomotive’s direction on
both DC and DCC layouts.
The Bachmann Porter 0-6-0
would look great shifting cars
on the tight spurs of a trackside industry.
— Dana Kawala, senior editor of Model Railroader
23
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
A sure bet for baby boomers
Product: Ford’s Mustang was the Boss of
Trans-Am racing in the early 1970s with
the likes of Parnelli Jones and George
Follmer winning regularly to put Chevy,
Plymouth and AMC on notice.
Scalextric has been mining that popular
muscle-car vein with its fast and furious
1:32 slot-car lineup for several years. Racers in my slot-car group have been buying
Scalextric Mustangs and Camaros for years
because they are fast — period. They also
stir memories of Trans-Am races from the
golden age of muscle and pony-car racing,
the 1970s.
The latest Scalextric offering is a Grabber Green 1970 Mustang fastback driven
in part of the 1972 Trans-Am season by little-known Mike Folsom with Libre Racing
International. The team’s results were
nothing exciting, but this slightly turquoise-leaning green Mustang was a hit
with fans. One reason: It was the only
Grabber Green Mustang created by the
factory for racing.
It also looks great in action on a slotcar track.
Performance: Housed in one of Scalextric’s best chassis, with a sidewinder motor
configuration, this 1970 Mustang runs
great straight from the box. The 18,000rpm motor gives it super straight-line
speed. When I first ran it against an earlier
Scalextric Mustang, using that original
car’s silicone tires, the Grabber Green
rocket was 0.4 seconds quicker per lap.
That’s all the proof I need of this being a
performer.
Then there’s its look. The color itself is
unique and easy to spot on the track. I like
VITAL STATS
Product: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss
302 (Libre Racing International, Mike
Folsom)
Maker: Scalextric
Scale: 1:32
Stock number: C3318
MSRP: $54.99
Availability: Hornby America
BOTTOM LINE
• Unique bright color
• Fast and worry-free
• High quality
24
the black chin spoiler and the funky, psychedelic, 1970s-looking No. 25 on the
hood and doors. The black racing stripe
that Ts off the hood and runs down the
sides gives the car a racy appearance.
Scalextric does its usual fine job of
detailing, with good logos (Goodyear, Castrol and STP, to name a few) that reflect the
original car’s look. Mike Folsom’s name is
stenciled on the car’s roof, and in back
there’s a black trunk lid spoiler, too.
The car also features easy-change pickups, a good selling point for slot-racing
newcomers. Be sure to explain how the
magnet in the car’s Magnatraction system
can easily be moved around to enhance
performance.
Need more to make this one race out of
the store? Check out the black-and-silver
racing wheels that make this one of the
best-looking Mustangs a slot racer could
want to drive. Your customers will feel confident they’ve got a competitive car right
out of the box.
Marketing: This is for serious 1:32-scale
slot-car racers, most likely Baby Boomers
who recall the great Trans-Am Ford Mustangs from the late 1960s and early ’70s.
You can sell them additional magnets for
traction and a set of silicone tires, which
will keep the car’s rear end from coming
around during fast laps.
There are more expensive slot cars available, to be sure, but for pure fun and excellent out-of-the-box performance, Scalextric’s Mustang lineup is hard to beat.
—Mark Savage, associate publisher of
Scale Auto and other Kalmbach publications
Atlas’ 4-4-0
brings back
the Wild West
Product: An icon of American
history is now available in N scale
from Atlas. The old-time American
4-4-0 comes in a variety of road
names and is equipped with a
straight or flared smokestack,
depending on the prototype. The
model is designed with a tendermounted motor and traction tires to give it
lots of pulling power.
The axles of the earliest steam locomotives were fitted onto rigid frames in a way
that made turnouts and rough trackwork
treacherous. If a rail dipped or a drive
wheel banged through a switch, it was not
uncommon for a locomotive to derail.
Leading wheels added to help distribute
the weight of larger locomotives only
made the problem worse. The answer was
a lead truck that could independently
pivot and also rock side-to-side, helping
the locomotive stay on the rails.
The result was the 4-4-0, known as the
“American type” for its development and
popularity in North America. This iconic
design, rugged and reliable, made possible
the explosive growth of the railroads in the
latter half of the 19th century.
Atlas modeled its 4-4-0 design on Baldwin eight-wheelers owned by the Virginia
& Truckee, a Nevada short line. Three of
these engines — named Inyo, Reno and
Genoa, for cities in Nevada — are preserved today. They’ve gone through many
makeovers through the years, but Atlas’
N-scale model — featuring gold lettering
and trim, but lacking any decorative brass
filigree — represents the locomotives as
VITAL STATS
Product: 4-4-0 Steam Locomotive
Maker: Atlas
Scale: N
Stock numbers: 40000732-4000735,
40000464, 40000465
MSRP: $115.95
BOTTOM LINE
• Fine detail
• Historically significant
• Speedy and powerful
they would have appeared in the mid1870s and 1880s.
The black paint on the plastic tender
shell, boiler and cab is smoothly and evenly applied, and the gold lettering and pinstriping is crisp and opaque. The cab number on the side of the headlight is legible
under magnification.
Details like the tender truck sideframes,
separately applied water pump and piping,
bell, and individual bars on the cowcatcher
are finely molded. However, there was some
visible sprue flash on the molded plastic
valve gear. If this bothers you, it can be
trimmed with a hobby knife.
The locomotive is equipped with an
AccuMate knuckle coupler on the tender
mounted at the correct height. Depending
on the date of manufacture, the prototype
would have been delivered with link-andpin couplers. The Janney knuckle coupler
was patented in 1873, so Atlas’ model
could represent a locomotive retrofitted
with a knuckle coupler sometime after the
mid-1870s. There’s no coupler on the front,
nor is there any place to attach one.
Performance: The Atlas model’s motor is
in the tender, with a plastic ball-and-socket
driveshaft connecting it to the gearbox in
the boiler that turns the drivers. This assembly doesn’t leave room to install an aftermarket Digital Command Control decoder,
though some hobbyists have installed a
Z-scale motor-only decoder after modifying
the tender’s molded-on coal load.
I test-ran the locomotive using a Model
Rectifier Corp. Tech 4 power pack. The
engine responded at just 1.5 volts but
didn’t roll smoothly until I increased the
power to 3 volts. After thoroughly cleaning
the track, I could run the engine on 2 volts
with just a bit of hesitation.
Atlas’ 4-4-0 is a speedy little model, top-
ping 50 scale mph at only 6 volts. At the
top voltage of 12 volts, it zipped along the
test track at more than 115 scale mph —
much faster than the prototype.
The headlight, illuminated by two
micro light-emitting diodes, is a solid casting of clear plastic, painted except for the
lens part. This shape isn’t the most efficient
light tube, resulting in a feeble glow that I
could see only when the locomotive was
in reverse.
The model was a standout in pulling
power. Thanks to the traction tires on its
front drivers, the engine registered a drawbar pull of 1.3 ounces on our test bench’s
force meter. That’s enough to pull a train of
30 N-scale freight cars on straight and level
track, more than would typically be
expected of a locomotive of its era.
Though moguls and consolidations
would soon come along to push them
onto branch lines and yard duty, the story
of America’s 19th-century railroad boom is
the story of the 4-4-0. Its sure-footed suspension made the rapid expansion into
the American West possible. It was a
romantic era, filled with possibilities, one
that deserves a closer look from modelers.
Perhaps Atlas’ new N-scale locomotive will
prompt more hobbyists to consider modeling the 1800s.
Marketing: This standout locomotive will
appeal to N-scale enthusiasts interested in
the Wild West era and who care about the
rich history behind each model. Display
the 4-4-0 with the Atlas 2-6-0 Mogul steam
locomotive, and add a few books that
focus on rail in the late 1800s, such as
Model Railroader Cyclopedia Vol. 1: Steam
Locomotives (Kalmbach Publishing).
— Steven Otte, associate editor at Model
Railroader, a Kalmbach publication
25
RADIO cOnTROL
SuRfAcE VEhIcLES
1:10 ScX10 JEEp WRAngLER g6
ELEcTRIc 4WD KIT z
AxiAl
Replete with a variety of upgrades, this
electric R/C kit (No. AX90034, MSRP $515)
includes a custom two-door Jeep Wrangler
Rock Racer Body with deleted rear fenders,
trail-modified smooth sides, and a dovetailed rear section for increased clearance.
It features a certified RECON G6 graphics
package, a five-bucket light bar set (LED
lights not included), officially licensed
Maxxis Trepador tires and Walker Evans
Racing wheels, WB8 Wild Boar splined
driveshafts, and a Poison Spyder Rock
Brawler front bumper.
AIRcRAfT
MSRP $234) comes ready to run with a
2.4-GHz transmitter, 650-mAh LiPo battery and USB-powered charger. The Alias
features an auto-leveling, six-axis flight
system; easy, fast and expert modes; and
high-intensity LED lights. It is available
from Traxxas.
pROTO X RTf
EstEs
This little helicopter (No. ESTE4606, advertised price $39.99) weighs less than half
an ounce. Designed for indoor flight, the
Proto X includes built-in LEDs; a 2.4-GHz
radio (AAA batteries not included); a 100mAh, 3.7-volt LiPo battery; a USB charger;
and spare rotor blades.
ALIAS QuAD ROTOR hELIcOpTER
RTf
SOLO pRO 290 LAMA RTf
NiNE EAglEs
Available in a red-and-yellow (No.
NEAE0100) or black (No. NEAE0105) paint
scheme, the ready-to-fly version of this
heli has an advertised price of $399.99 and
includes a six-channel, 2.4-GHz SLT radio
system. It is also available in a transmitterready version (red/yellow, No. NEAE0101;
black, No. NEAE0106; advertised price
$349.99). Both versions feature brushless
motors; 1,100-mAh, 11.1-volt 3S 25C LiPo
batteries; and four-in-one control units
with a three-axis gyro, 20A ESC, mixer
and receiver.
lAtrAx
p-51D MuSTAng
HitEc
KADET SEnIOR SpORT Eg ARf
sig
Available in red, green, orange or blue,
this new quad-rotor helicopter (No. 6608,
26
Weekender line, this P-51D Mustang (No.
13610, street $119.99) was released along
with a F4U Corsair and a Hawker Hurricane
Mk IIB. They feature assembled airframes,
pre-installed servos, brushless motors,
speed controls, foam construction, military
paint schemes and four-channel control. A
four-channel radio and a 1,000-mAh, 7.4-volt
LiPo battery are required for completion.
Part of the new Warbird series from Hitec’s
Available in white and blue (No. SIGRC96EGARFB) or white and red (No. SIGRC96EGARFR), this new Kadet Senior Sport EG
We Help Hobby
Retailers Grow
When you choose the HobbyTown franchise, you join a family—a big one. Our
family is a network of over 160 franchise locations and 50 corporate staff
members ready to offer the daily support you need. For the cost of one full-time
employee, you receive full-time assistance from the most experienced team in
the industry—as well as access to our inventory management system, high
margin product and national marketing program. In this family, success is shared
and we don’t grow unless you do too. We respect what you have
do
done—hobbies are a tradition we understand. How can we help you grow?
Fun Fact: For every 3 locally owned franchise locations, there is one home office staff member ready to assist.
TM
Let us help you grow.
Mark Moore
Sales@hobbytown.com
(800) 858-7370
RADIO COnTROL
ARF from SIG was originally designed as a
trainer, but it can be used for float flying,
towing a banner or glider, airborne photography, night flying, and more. The price
is yet to be determined. It features a twopiece wing and all-wood construction. This
new sport version includes a tail-dragger
landing gear and wheel pants.
connectors; new steering arms; and a 20T
pinion gear for a secondary gear-reduction
ratio of 1.85.
PARTs & ACCEssORIEs
and mud. The Sling Shot 2.2” Sand Tires
feature low-roll outer sidewalls and include
foam inserts.
MOTORs & ChAssIs
CyCLOnE 10.0 CLEAR BODy
LECTROn PRO LIPO BATTERy
wITh XT60 COnnECTOR FOR DJI
PhAnTOM
Common SenSe RC
sOnIC 540 MACh 2 25.5T BRushLEss MOTOR
Reedy
Reedy responded to customer feedback
and made its Sonic 540 Mach 2 Brushless
Motor available in a 25.5-turn version (No.
228, $149) for use in Vintage Trans-Am
classes. It features a high-strength, balanced, sintered rotor; adjustable timing
with the alloy endcap; silver-plated solder
tabs; and 200-mm sensor wire.
1:10 TRF418 ChAssIs KIT
Tamiya
This chassis (No. 42270, MSRP $1,116)
represents the first complete overhaul to
Tamiya’s top racing chassis in three years.
It features front and rear lower bulkheads
with identical designs; upper arms with an
optimal attachment angle; a center bulkhead that is separate from the upper deck;
redesigned front and rear suspension
arms; a 2-gram weight reduction; newly
designed stabilizers attached using ball
28
This 2,700-mAh, 11.1-volt, three-cell
35C LiPo battery (No. 3S2700-35-XT60,
MSRP $36.95) with an XT60 connector is
designed for use with a DJI Phantom quadcopter. It is rated and has been tested at
94.5 amps of continuous discharge.
PRO-sPEC
FROnT
shOCKs
PRoTofoRm
This clear body (No. 1235-21, MSRP $43.95)
is PROTOform’s latest foray into Dirt Oval
Late Model racing. The 10”-wide body
is 1/2” wider than its predecessor. It also
features offset front fenders, skewed rear
quarter panels and rooftop vortex generators. It is approved by the DirtOval.
com national rulebook and comes pre-cut
with a pre-drilled spoiler kit that features
end plates and hardware. The body also
includes a decal sheet, window masks and
paint-then-peel overspray film.
PRo-Line
Made for
short-course
trucks, this
shock kit
(No. 6308-00,
MSRP $79.95)
features a
12-mm bigbore design
with a single
low-friction
X-ring seal.
Each shock
pair includes three different piston options
and a blank piston for drilling to a custom
size. Also included are custom shocktightening tools, optional shock limiters,
and upper and lower shock pivot balls. A
rear shock kit (No. 6308-01, MSRP $79.95)
is also available.
BATTERy BuzzER
HiTeC
This low-battery voltage alarm (No. 44210,
street $9.99) features a high-pitch warning
sound and an LED status indicator to warn
pilots. It has an input voltage of 7.4-16.8
volts and can handle a 2S-4S LiPo battery.
It features a voltage selection from 3.2-3.5
volts, measures 1.97”-by-1.1”-by-.49” and
weighs 11 grams.
sLIng shOT 2.2” sAnD TIREs
PRo-Line
These paddle-style tires (No. 10101-00,
MSRP $18.95) are designed for Traxxas 1:16
E-Revo trucks and 1:10-scale buggies. The
12-paddle design can handle sand, snow
Email assistant editor Nick Bullock at
nbullock@kalmbach.com.
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/2 H
DU-BRO PRODUCTS
MOD • 09/01/2013 • 4C • 1/2 H
NEW
WHEN PRECISION COUNTS!
Heavy Duty Clevis
Horn System
#3355 (8-32)
#3356 (10-32)
Full Dual
Servo Arm
“I’m a big fan of DU-BRO Products because of quality, price
and the availability of their parts. They just work, day in and
day out...it’s a no brainer! I would recommend them highly.”
John Schauble IMAC Competitor
NEW
Dimension from center to
the end mounting hole is:
1.5645” (39.75mm)
#3344 - For Futaba®
#3345 - For JR®
#3346 - For Hitec/Tower
#3347 - For Airtronics
NEW
Heavy Duty
XL Dual
Control
Horn
L
Height from base to C
1-5/8”
#3353
DU-BRO Products, Inc | (800) 848-9411 | www.dubro.com | facebook.com/dubrorc
29
What’s selling: RaDiO COntROl
COMPILED BY MOnICa FrEItag
Now on ModelRetailer.com
Charles Downing, King R/C, King,
N.C., looks for someone who “is
friendly, a good listener and who
understands the product.” Visit
www.ModelRetailer.com for more
questions and responses.
What are some of the criteria you
use when hiring new employees?
“Experience in R/C models, both cars and
aircraft.”
Mike Darnell
Mike’s Hobby Shop
Carrollton, Texas
“Well, that’s a tough one. Since we’re a
mom-and-pop shop, we tend to keep it
in the family. However, in the years we’ve
been in business, we have had some
employees that were not family. When
they were hired, it was important that
they were involved in the hobby. This gave
them more confidence when speaking
with customers. It also means they didn't
need too much training.”
John Brown
Brownies Pro & Sport Hobbies
Staten Island, N.Y.
“We want to know what kind of hobbies
they have and if that corresponds with our
merchandise. We check their math skills,
WIN THIS PRIZE!
their people skills, their penmanship, what
other jobs they've had in the past, personal references, their health and muscular
flexibility, ability to climb a ladder/stepstool — and when all that fails, we check
to make sure they are warm-blooded and
have a pulse.”
Kimberly Miller
Turn 4 Hobbies
West Boylston, Mass.
“Somebody who's in the hobby itself and
enjoys it. What their records are — attendance, personality — just the normal, general things that every employer looks for
generally. If you don’t have some knowledge of remote control, you’re not going
to fit into the department at all. And if you
don’t have some sort of interest in model
trains, what are you going to do in the
train department? The same thing goes for
building models. The die-cast department
is a little different, but we consider that
part of the hobby, the model-building
industry. Die-cast is more for a collector,
and plastic models are more for the people
who like to build. And the person who
works in the art department is usually a
person who likes to draw and do crafty
things and projects. That’s basically what
we look for in employees. We don’t have a
huge amount of employees. For us, it is
definitely a necessity to enjoy the department you work in; otherwise, you’re not
going to produce anything.”
Debbi Popanda
Greenfield News & Hobby
Greenfield, Wis.
“The person must be enthusiastic about a
hobby and willing to engage the public. A
good personality is a must.”
Roy Ballard
Loose Caboose Hobbies
Napa, Calif.
W RTH
MORO
E THAN
30
RETAIL0
!
$
Win this Tamiya 1:10 Lancia Delta
Integrale TT-02 in our next quarterly drawing. All you have to do
is participate in the What’s Selling
survey. Email Monica Freitag at
mfreitag@kalmbach.com or call
262-796-8776 ext. 326 for more
information.
Congratulations
Jason Wester of Baker’s
Hobbytown in Waite Park,
Minn. He received a tamiya
1:10 aero avante off-road
racer. thanks to all the
retailers who returned the
survey!
30
MODel RetaileR JANUARY 2014
MOD • 07/01/2012 • BW • 1/12
Boaters everywhere have come to rely on Octura Models for
the best RC Model Power Boating needs such as:
PROPELLERS - METAL & PLASTIC
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UNIVERSALS
RUDDERS
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WATER PICK-UPS
DRIVE DOGS
PROP SHAFTS
TAIL NUTS
PROP BALANCER
STRUTS
FLEXIBLE SHAFT HARDWARE & MORE
PAUL K GUILLOW INC
MOD • 10/01/2013 • 2C • 1/12
Why spend more for less...insist on
genuine Octura Model Marine Supplies!
OCTURA® MODELS, Inc.
Books
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7351 N. Hamlin Ave. • Skokie, IL 60076 • (847) 674-7351
• FAX
(847) 674-7363
WE SELL DEALER DIRECT
MOD • 1/1/2014 • 4C • 1/2 H
A sure-fire way to keep
sales on track!
E s
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Basic
ORK
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ilro
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M
for
—
D
SECON
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EDITIO
—
Jeff Wilson
ED NE
ITI W
ON
!
Keep model railroaders up to speed on the latest advancements in trackwork with
Basic Trackwork for Model Railroaders, 2nd Edition. Updated to showcase
the newest products, current manufacturers, and the latest techniques, this new
edition shows modelers how to:
• Lay flextrack • Install turnouts • Use all-inand switch
one and other
• Handlay track
machines
sectional track
• Install
•
Ballast
and
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And much
subroadbed
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more!
9.99
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Make sure you have this title in stock!
Contact your distributor or order direct:
Phone 1-800-558-1544, press 3.
Fax 262-798-6592
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST. E-mail tss@kalmbach.com
Outside the United States and Canada call
Trade Website
262-796-8776, ext. 818
Retailers.Kalmbach.com
P21386
31
Sponsored by:
WHAT’S SELLING: RADIO CONTROL
Store
Vehicles
Aircraft
Boats
Accessories
Mike’s Hobby Shop
Carrollton, Texas
Slash
Traxxas
Super Cub
HobbyZone
No trend
DX8
Spektrum
Star Hobby
Annapolis, Md.
Twin Hammers, Glamis Uno
Vaterra
Helicopters
Blade
No trend
2.4-GHz radios
Spektrum
Napa, Calif.
No trend
CX2
Blade
Wildcat
AquaCraft
Super Cub DSM parts
HobbyZone
Brownie’s Pro & Sport Hobbies
Staten Island, N.Y.
1:8 Glamis Fear Four Seat Buggy
Vaterra
Carbon-Z Cub BNF Basic
E-flite
Impulse 31 Deep-V BL RTR V2
Pro Boat
Replacement nylon parts
RPM
Gilroy Hobby
Gilroy, Calif.
Various models
Traxxas
Various models
ParkZone
Various models
Pro Boat
2.4-GHz radios
Spektrum
RC Hobbies Plus
Lafayette, Ind.
1:10 Caldera
Redcat
Proto X Nano Quadcopter
Estes
Various models
Pro Boat
LiPo batteries
Venom
Hiawatha Hobbies
Pewaukee, Wis.
Slash
Traxxas
350 QX
Blade
Pro Boat
DX8
Spektrum
Hub City Hobby
Hattiesburg, Miss.
Telluride 4x4 RTR
Traxxas
Duet RTF
HobbyZone
Barbwire RTR
Atomik
DX9
Spektrum
HobbyTown USA
Oshkosh, Wis.
Kemora
Vaterra
Duet RTF
HobbyZone
Pro Boat
No trend
Jake’s Performance Hobbies
Rohnert Park, Calif.
1:18 Ruckus, Torment
ECX
Carbon-Z Cub BNF Basic
E-flite
Various models
Pro Boat
Brushless motors and ESCs
Various makes
King R/C
King, N.C.
Slash
Traxxas
350 QX
Blade
No trend
Realflight
Great Planes
HobbyTown USA
Longmont, Colo.
Slash, Dominus 10TR
Traxxas, Helion
Apprentice S 15E, Gamma 370
E-flite, Ares
Blast
Traxxas
LiPo batteries
Venom
Turn 4 Hobbies
West Boylson, Mass.
1:18 various models
ECX
Carbon-Z Cub, Micro SE5a
E-flite, Flyzone
No trend
Onyx Lipos, Proline bodies
Duratrax
HobbyTown USA
Orland Park, Ill.
Ken Block Mini RS4
HPI
350 QX, FP110
Blade, Ares
Mini Lagos
Helion
DX9
Spektrum
location
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
HORIZON HOBBY DIST INC
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/3 H
Lists are based on retailer reports of hot-selling items in each category. Survey was taken in November.
Get AS3X-cited!
Technology
ThaT Means
higher ProfiT
When you offer E-flite® and ParkZone® BNF airplanes equipped with an
AS3X® system, it’s easy for customers to know that you’re offering them
the best flight experience possible. That’s because no other technology
delivers the feel of a much larger airplane like the AS3X system can. Plus
it’s available in an abundant variety of airplanes for the widest appeal and
the margin making potential that’s worth getting excited about.
Put one of the season’s hottest selling technologies
to work on your bottom line. call your Horizon Hobby
Sales representative right away at 800-553-5551.
©2013 Horizon Hobby Inc., E-flite, ParkZone, AS3X and the Horizon Hobby logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Horizon Hobby, Inc. 43309
32
D
E
GAMEs & TOys
Clubs (No. NSG-400, $13.99) combines tricktaking fun with a hint of risk. The goal: Get
rid of your cards as fast as possible while
winning tricks with clubs in them. But
watch out! The last player to get rid of his or
her cards scores nothing. It’s great for kids
and adults alike and can be played with two
to six players, ages 8 and older. It’s available
in a six-pack POP display.
BOARD GAMEs
The WiTches
Mayfair GaMes
Based on the hilarious and ironic series
of Witches novels by Terry Pratchett, Martin Wallace’s new adventure board game
(No. MFG3310, $50) can be enjoyed solo
or with up to four players ages 13 and
older. This is a follow-up to Mayfair’s first
Pratchett-based game, Discworld AnkhMorpork, which sold more than 50,000
copies. It’s available from Alliance Game
Distributors.
makes players the leaders of one of 13
tribes, each with a special ability. Three
prophecies, revealed at the beginning of
the game, affect the outcome and are fulfilled during the course of the game. For
two to five players, 13 and older.
WaRMachiNe
high coMMaNd: iNTo The
bReach
Privateer Press
The High Command: Into the
Breach expansion
(No. PIP 61008,
$15.99) for Privateer Press’ deckbuilding game
gives players the
ability to wreak ever more havoc upon the
world of Immoren. Each pack includes 21
cards for Cygnar, Khador, Menoth and Cryx
(84 in all), and a rule reference card. It
requires the Warmachine High Command
core set (No. PIP 61002, $44.99).
ROLE-pLAyInG GAMEs
asgaRd’s choseN
Mayfair GaMes
TickeT To Ride: NedeRlaNd
Days of WonDer
The fourth map expansion for Day of Wonder’s extremely popular Ticket to Ride
game, Nederland (No. DOW 720120, $25)
presents players with the challenge of
routing trains over the Netherlands’ low
country, traversing canals and rivers using
bridges and paying tolls. It includes 44
destination tickets, bridge toll tokens, a
board map and rules. It Requires Ticket to
Ride or Ticket to Ride: Europe and is distributed exclusively in the U.S. by Alliance
Game Distributors.
Players use the newly discovered technology of forging iron to secure their family line
and ensure that their lands prosper. But it
won’t be easy because every other player is
trying to do the same thing. What’s a
Bronze Age lord to do? Appease the gods,
of course! Asgard's Chosen (No. MFG4128,
$42) is for one to four players, 12 and older.
CARD GAMEs
FiReFly
MarGaret Weis ProDuctions
Head into the ’Verse and misbehave with
Mal, Kaylee, Wash and the rest of the gang
in the new Firefly Role-playing Game (No.
MWP 7020, $49.99). Based on the Cortex
Plus game system, players will find everything they need to outrun the Alliance or
shoot their way out of trouble. It is available in February.
Tzolk’iN: The MayaN caleNdaR —
TRibes & PRoPhecies
rio GranDe GaMes
An expansion for Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar, Tribes and Prophecies (No. 502, $39.95)
34
clubs
northstar GaMes
Email freelance games editor Tim Kidwell at
tkidwell@kalmbach.com.
moDEl RAilRoADing
Rolling Stock
o 40’ REFRigERAtED StEEl BoXcAR
Williams by bachmann
New from Williams by Bachmann are three
colorful reefers: Mariposa Apples (No.
47466), Golden Eagle Oranges (No. 47467)
and Tropicana (No. 47468). The models
($64.95) feature durable ABS plastic shells,
die-cast trucks, metal wheels, operating
couplers and prototypical graphics. They
were expected to arrive in late November.
n AmtRAk coRRugAtED pASSEngER cARS
axles and 36” wheelsets. Arrival is expected
in February.
con-cor trains
Con-Cor has released 12 streamline corrugated passenger cars with the latest Amtrak
4b “wave” paint scheme. They include a
coach car (No. 001-041267); a 10/6 sleeper
car (No. 001-041292); a slumbercoach (No.
001-041317); a 72’ full baggage car (No.
001-041342); a Budd dome/observation
car (No. 001-041392); a parlor car (No. 001041417); a 72’ railway post office car (No.
001-041442); a diner car (No. 001-041467);
a twin-window coach car (No. 001-041492);
a round tail-end observation car (No. 001041517, $38.98); and a Pullman Standard
corrugated, mid-train dome car (No. 001041544, $38.98). The MSRP is $35.98 each
except where otherwise specified.
n FREigHt, pASSEngER cARS
micro-trains line
New cars from Micro-Trains include a 40’
Canadian Pacific despatch stock car (Nos.
03500161, 03500162; $27.30); an Erie Lackawanna bi-level auto rack featuring stainless steel vandal panels (No. 11200530,
$44.95); and a Baltimore & Ohio 100-ton,
three-bay open hopper with a yellow
Chessie logo (No. 10800240, $24.90).
locomotivES
Ho 54’ utlX 23,000-gAllon FunnEl-Flow tAnk cAR
Walthers
New road numbers include ADM (Nos.
920-100219, 920-100220), Corn Products
(Nos. 920-100223, 920-100224), Procor
(Nos. 920-100225, 920-100226), Sunoco
(Nos. 920-100227, 920-100228), Terra (Nos.
920-100229, 920-100230) and UTLX (Nos.
920-100231, 920-100232). The model
($39.98) features etched-metal walkways
and platforms, road-specific placement of
manways and safety valves, rolling metal
RR (Nos. ATH96741–ATH96743). Features
include separately applied wire grab irons,
prototype-specific details, and McHenry
scale magnetic knuckle couplers. The models (MSRP $124.98 each) are expected to
arrive in May.
Ho EmD Sw1500 DiESEl
Ho EmD F7 unitS
boWser
New paint schemes include Boston &
Maine (Nos. 24028–24031); Chicago &
North Western (Nos. 24032–24035); Canadian National (Nos. 24036–24043); Alaska
Railroad (Nos. 24044–24047); Kansas City
Southern (Nos. 24048–24051); Louisiana
& North West (Nos. 24052–24055); Lehigh
Valley (Nos. 24056–24063): New York
Central (Nos. 24064–24071); Spokane,
Portland & Seattle (Nos. 24072–24075);
and Wellsville, Addison & Galeton (Nos.
24076–24081). The MSRP for analog
A units is $179.95 each; with DCC and
sound, $279.95. Analog A/B units retail for
$329.95; with DCC and sound, $499.95. The
units are expected to arrive in May.
athearn
New road names include Chicago
Short Line (Nos. ATH96727, ATH96728),
Kansas City Southern (Nos. ATH96729–
ATH96731), St. Louis-San Francisco (Nos.
ATH96732–ATH96734), Southern Pacific
(Nos. ATH96735–ATH96737), Union Pacific
(Nos. ATH96738–ATH96740) and Union
Z uSRA 2-8-2 mikADo StEAm
american Z line
Great Northern is the latest paint scheme
on American Z Line’s 2-8-2 heavy Mikado
steam locomotive. The model is available in four road numbers (Nos. 50103-1,
50103-2, 50103-3, 50103-4) and features
35
Two ways hobbyists can
build interesting layouts!
MODELING & PAINTING SER IES
L AYOUT
Realistic Model Railroad Operation, Second Edition
Structure Projects for Your Model Railroad
STRUCTURE
PROJECTS
FOR YOUR MODEL RAILROAD
DESIGN
AND
PL ANNING
REALISTIC
MODEL RAILROAD
OPERATION
— SECOND EDITION —
Koester
This collection of
Model Railroader
favorites includes
17 popular HO and
N scale how-to
projects for scratchbuilding, kitbashing,
detailing, painting,
and more. Display
this title alongside
your structure kits
and detail products
to generate extra
sales!
#12478
$19.99
Tony Koester
Tony Koester
knows how to keep
model railroading
fresh and exciting
for hobbyists! His
tips on timetableand-train order
operation, how cars
are switched, how
yards function, how
signals work, and
more add a realistic
dimension to model
railroad operation.
#12480
$19.99
Make sure you have these titles in stock!
P20575
Contact your distributor or order direct:
Phone 1-800-558-1544, press 3
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST.
Outside the United States and Canada
call 262-796-8776, ext. 818
Fax 262-798-6592
E-mail tss@kalmbach.com
Trade Website Retailers.Kalmbach.com
Mail Kalmbach Publishing Co.
21027 Crossroads Circle
P.O. Box 986
Waukesha, WI 53187-0986
mOdel railrOadiNG
accessOries
injection-molded plastic details, filigree
handrails, directional light-emitting diode
headlights and AutoLatch knuckle couplers. The MSRP is $219 each.
N traNsit mOtOr cOacH
Wheels of tiMe
N 40’ cOrruGated iNtermOdal
cONtaiNer
deluxe innovAtions
N GP15-1 diesel
AtlAs Model RAilRoAd Co.
New paint schemes include Larry’s Truck &
Electric (Nos. 40001785, 40001786), Richmond & Pacific (Nos. 40001787, 40001788),
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (Nos.
40001789, 40001790), Burlington Northern (Nos. 40001791, 40001792), Norfolk
Southern (Nos. 40001793, 40001794) and
Apalachicola Northern (Nos. 40001795–
40001797). The models are DCC-ready and
have directional lighting and Accumate
magnetic couplers. The MSRP for standard
DC models is $94.95 each; undecorated
(No. 52600), $89.95. Delivery is expected in
the third quarter.
structures
veHicles
New containers from DeLuxe include a
“K” Line five-pack ($39.95) and an Atlantic
Container Lines two-pack ($18.95). Arrival
is expected in the second quarter.
HO, N 53’ dOmestic iNtermOdal
cONtaiNers
Con-CoR tRAins
Con-Cor Trains has announced a large
selection of new HO and N containers.
Road names include Axsun, Bison Transport, Canadian National, Canadian Tire,
CSX Intermodal and J.B. Hunt Intermodal.
Four container numbers are available per
scheme (two differently numbered twopacks). HO two-packs cost $27.98, and N
two-packs cost $18.98. They were expected to arrive in late November.
Wheels of Time has announced new paint
schemes on its N-scale transit motor
coach. They include Niagara Frontier Transit System (Nos. 90665–90668), The Yonkers Transit Corp. (Nos. 90669–90671), Public Service Coordinate Transport of New
Jersey (Nos. 90672, 90673), Boston MTA
(Nos. 90674–90677), Houston Transit Co.
(Nos. 90678–90681), Rose City Transit (Nos.
90682–90685), Chicago Motor Coach Co.
(Nos. 90686–90689), Cleveland Transit System (Nos. 90690–90693), Kansas City Public Service (Nos. 90694–90697), Montreal
Transportation Commission (Nos. 90698–
90701), Long Beach Motor Bus Co. (Nos.
90702–90705), San Francisco Municipal Ry.
(Nos. 90706–90710), Greyhound (Nos.
90711–90714), Union School District (No.
90715) and railroad maintenance-of-way
(No. 90716). The coaches ($25.95) feature
changeable route destination signs,
detailed interiors and rolling vinyl tires.
They are expected to arrive in the spring.
Email editorial associate Monica Freitag at
mfreitag@kalmbach.com.
HO siNGle-track PONy truss
BridGe
WAltheRs
This laser-cut Walthers Cornerstone kit (No.
933-4030, $59.98) is based on an Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe prototype and fits layouts from the 1900s to present time. The
bridge holds two sound-equipped locomotives and can be used with Walthers
Code 83 Bridge Track (No. 948-899, $31.99).
37
WhAT’s sELLIng: MODEL RAILROADIng
Matt Drennan, Wisconsin-Illinois
Trains, Muskego, Wis., looks for
people with “a wilingness to learn
the products and help the customers." Visit www.ModelRetailer.com
for more questions and responses.
“Neat appearance and a bit of knowledge
of the product.”
James Pentifallo
Ridgefield Hobby
Ridgefield, N.J.
“Can’t share much there. It's just a oneman operation here.”
Scott Millican
Elm City Hobbies
Hanwell, N.B.
“We look for employees with integrity who
demonstrate a good work ethic and good
customer skills. Product knowledge is nice,
but we can teach that, if necessary.”
Michael Magee
Hub City Hobbies
Hattiesburg, Miss.
“They have to impress me. If you can’t sell
yourself, you can’t sell for me. I’m pretty
old school, and I'm sorry but first impres-
WIN THIS PRIZE!
sions are everything. I have a family store,
and [my customers] don’t have to interact
with someone who displays 'attitude' or
'uniqueness' in their dress and grooming.
A bit of enthusiasm in the types of things
we sell and a little bit of product knowledge [helps]. I can train and teach them
the rest.“
Bill Chappell
The Hobby Centre
Ottawa, Ont.
“We're a family business.”
Daniel Veiga
Star Hobby
Annapolis, Md.
“We do not hire."
Larry Lillo
Holly Beach Train Depot
Wildwood, N.J.
“Knowledge of the products and manufacturers. Friendliness, math skills, computer
ability, honesty and compatability with the
staff. References.“
Dennis Stephen
Ye Olde Train Shoppe
Boyertown, Pa.
“I've been in business since 1973 and have
had as many as eight people (in the 1980s)
and now just two (since 2007). Most of us
who are left in the business are sole proprietors with minimum help. We do not hire
anyone. We just ask a longtime customer
to work a few hours to 'cover,' and we owners do all the heavy work.“
Paul Scopetski
The Spare Time Shop
Marlboro, Mass.
W RTH
MORO
E THAN
60
RETAIL0
!
$
You can win 30 N-scale train cars
from Micro-Trains in our next
quarterly drawing. All you have
to do is participate in the What’s
Selling survey. Email Monica Freitag at mfreitag@kalmbach.com
or call 262-796-8776 ext. 326 for
more information.
Congratulations
Pat Barcello from Columbus trains & Hobbies in
Columbus, n.J. He received
a prize package of Woodland scenics products.
thanks to all the retailers
who participated.
38
MOD • 10/01/2013 • 4C • 1/2 H
KPC ADVERTISING ACCOUNT
MOD • 1/1/14 • 4C • 1/2 H
Magazines are still the universal medium
92% of Americans read magazines — including hard-to-reach millennials
Magazines read in the last six months
(print or digital versions)
91% of adults
Base: US adults 18+
Source: GfK, MRI, Spring 2013
For more information, please
call 1.800.558.1544, ext. 818
or visit AirAge.com
94% of those under 35
96% of those under 25
Sponsored by:
WHAT’S SELLING: MODEL RAILROADING
Store
Scale
Locomotives
Rolling Stock
Accessories
Napa, Calif.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Kato Amtrak P42
Kato F40PH Caltrain
Used Lionel
InterMountain stock cars
Kato Kobo custom Caltrain passenger cars
Used Lionel
Bar Mills scenic details
Kato Unitrack
Tracks n Trains figures, accessories
Star Hobby
Annapolis, Md.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Bachmann HO sound engines
Bachmann Alco S2, S4
Aristo-Craft diesels and Pacifics
Bachmann flats with trailers/circus cars
Bachmann
Aristo-Craft, Bachmann G scale
Trees
Model Power building kits
Aristo-Craft structures
Gilroy Hobby
Gilroy, Calif.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn
Athearn
Bachmann
Athearn
Athearn
Bachmann
Woodland Scenics
Woodland Scenics
Bachmann
Wisconsin-Illinois Trains
Muskego, Wis.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Piko sets
No trend
Piko G scale moguls
Thomas & Friends
No trend
Bachmann G scale cars
Life-Like buildings
Piko buildings
Piko buildings
G and G Model Shop, Inc.
Houston
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn RTR, Walthers TrainLine diesels
Kato diesels, Bachmann steam
No trend
Walthers Mainline, Athearn RTR
Micro-Trains, Atlas Trainman
No trend
Walthers Cornerstone bldgs., tunnel portals
Woodland Scenics scenery
No trend
Holly Beach Train Depot
Wildwood, N.J.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Bachmann GG-1
No trend
MTH 3.0 RailKing engines
No trend
No trend
MTH
Woodland Scenics scenery
No trend
MTH
Ridgefield Hobby
Ridgefield, N.J.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Kato, Atlas
Kato Heritage locomotives
Lionel post-war steam and diesels
Athearn
Atlas
Lionel, MTH
Bachmann
Bachmann
MTH buildings
Angelo Hobbies
N. Richland Hills, Texas
HO scale
N scale
Other
Kato, Athearn
Kato
No trend
Accurail
Bachmann
No trend
Testors Floquil Polly Scale paints
No trend
No trend
HobbyTown USA
Oshkosh, Wis.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Bachmann DCC
Kato
No trend
Bachmann
Model Power
No trend
Woodland Scenics grass mats
No trend
No trend
Hiawatha Hobbies
Pewaukee, Wis.
HO scale
N scale
Other
InterMountain ES44AC
Atlas SD60
Bachmann Thomas & Friends
Walthers Santa Fe Chief passenger cars
Micro-Trains Milwaukee passenger cars
No trend
DCC decoders
Micro-Trains couplers
LGB track
Niedzalkoski’s Train Shop
Jeannette, Pa.
HO scale
N scale
Other
Athearn NS Heritage units
Fox Valley ES44
MTH RS-3
Bowser H30a hoppers
Trainworx gondolas
Lionel animated gondola
Walthers Cornerstone buildings
Kato Unitrack
Lionel FasTrack
Ye Olde Train Shoppe
Boyertown, Pa.
HO scale
N scale
Other
MTH Heritage diesels, Athearn Heritage
Kato diesels, Model Power steam engines
Lionel post-war engines
MTH, Athearn, used freight cars
Micro-Trains new rolling stock
Atlas Gundersons, containers
Woodland Scenics built-ups
Williams by Bachmann tubular track
No trend
location
Lists are based on retailer reports of hot-selling items in each category.
Survey wasINC
taken in November.
WM K WALTHERS
StockUp_Ad Third Jan14_MOD_Layout 3 11/19/13 8:36 AM Page
1 • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/3 H
MOD
Make Holiday Shoppers
Year ’round Buyers...
Take advantage of the industry’s most experienced and knowledgeable
team of model railroading distribution, merchandising & sales experts.
• Industry Trusted Resources
for Product Information
• Thousands of Lines and Items
in Stock
• Low Minimum Orders
• Same Day Shipping
• Web Based Ordering System
• In-Store Merchandising
Support
• Margin Improving Programs
Keep Train Sales Rolling
WALTHERS FAMILY OF BRANDS:
Whether it’s track, new cars, buildings
or much more, holiday train set buyers
are looking for accessories to expand
new model railroads right now.
Great Prices on Select Accessories Now!
Stocking accessories turns holiday
shoppers into year ’round regulars,
and it’s easy to customize an inventory
when you order from Walthers.
Annual Track Sale — Happening Now!
Keep sales going strong with must-have track and
accessories for the busy season – available at great
prices during Walthers Annual Track Sale
from December 20 - February 15.
Mark Your Calendars:
Walthers Winter Buy Program
February 1 - February 28, 2014
You Can Get It From Walthers!
• Fast and Easy One-Stop Shopping
• Easy Access to Walthers Exclusives
& 300 Different Suppliers
• All Popular Scales from Z to G
• Products for Every Skill Level
Call 1-800-877-7171 extension 7336 or email
newdealers@walthers.com to learn more about how
we can get train sales rolling in your store today.
©2013 Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.
EXCLUSIVELY FROM WALTHERS:
Die-Cast
Cars
1:18 1971 Gene snow rambunCtious DoDGe CharGer Funny
Car
Auto World
Another model from the Legends of the
Quarter Mile series, this die-cast replica
(No. AW1118, $89.99) depicts Gene Snow’s
1971 Rambunctious racer. That year Snow
was the reigning NHRA champion and
repeated as the AHRA champion. Drag
News named him 1971 Driver of the Year.
The replica is available from Round 2 Corp.
chassis, a detailed interior, Goodyear poly
stem radial tires, a chrome foil detailing
and a clear display case. It is available from
Round 2 Corp.
truCks
retails for $106.95. It also includes a
360-degree rotating chassis, moving metal
tracks and authentic New Holland graphics. It is available from b2bReplicas.
armor
1:43 reD bull raCinG renault
rb6, abu Dhabi GP 2010 worlD
ChamPion
MinichAMps
Driven to victory by Sebastian Vettel in the
2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Red Bull
Racing Renault RB6 is now available in a
1:43-scale replica (No. 410100105, $69).
It features 57 parts with 107 decorations,
including 27 mask sprays, 29 tampo prints,
37 decals and 14 free sprays.
1:43 1977 PontiaC FirebirD
trans am
Auto World
Part of Auto World’s new line of 1:43-scale
resin models, this replica (No. AWR1114,
MSRP $69.99) depicts a 1977 Firebird Trans
Am with a yellow body and a red interior. It
features authentic graphics, a fully detailed
42
moDel retailer JANUARY 2014
1:64 wesley wulFF’s “never settle” show truCk
die-cAst proMotions
This replica (No. 33051, MSRP $79.99) of a
Peterbuilt 379 with a three-axle livestock
trailer features die-cast metal construction
with only a few plastic parts, a detailed cab
interior, authentic hub detailing, realistic
tire tread, five positionable front wheels,
and a full, working suspension. It is available from b2bReplicas.
1:72 iJn tyPe 2 “ka-mi” amPhibious tank, 27th naval sPeCial
GrounD base GuarD, aitaPe
July–auGust 1944
drAgon ArMor
ConstruCtion
1:50 new hollanD 215 C traCkeD
exCavator
MotorArt
Featuring a moveable boom, stick and
bucket, as well as working cylinders and
rams, this die-cast replica (No. 13781)
Previously only available in 1:35 scale,
Dragon recently produced this 1:72-scale
version (No. DDR-60584, $34.50) of the
Japanese Type 2 “Ka-Mi,” the first amphibious tank used by the Imperial Japanese
Navy. It was designed for Japanese landing
forces performing amphibious invasions of
Pacific islands without port facilities. It is
available from Dragon Models USA.
HY83407
1:700 Scale USS Bonhomme Richard LHD-6
MMD Directly Imports
Both HobbyBoss and
Trumpeter Products
HY81709
1:48 Scale A-6E Intruder
Profit + Lines
50% Off
TR02852
1:48 Scale US T-38A Talon
No Minimum Orders
TR02338
1:35 Scale Soviet BR-2 152mm Gun M1935
e
Get thes
and
s
t
c
u
d
o
r
fine p
by
b
o
h
r
e
h
t
all o
e at
s
i
d
n
a
h
c
r
me
MMD!
There are no minimums; you
can order as much as you like.
1-800-527-0674
Tel: 972-323-0525 Fax: 972-242-3775
e-mail: mmdsales@militarymodel.net
www.militarymodel.net
MODELs
ARMOR
AuTOs
1:24 LAFERRARI
TaMiya
ishing options. It is available from Hornby
America.
1:35 FREnch FT-17 LIghT TAnk
(cAsT TuRRET)
1:48 F-4c usAF vIETnAM WAR
Meng
Available from Model Rectifier Corp., this
kit (No. 12294, $75) features an authentic
cockpit and ejection seat, a positionable rudder and speed brakes, and
AIM-9B Sidewinder and AIM-7D/E
Sparrow missiles. A set of stencils
and markings for weapons are
included.
This kit (No. TS8, $69.95) features a realistic
and movable suspension system, a workable track, a full detailed interior, optional
doors in open or closed positions, three
weapon options, a Hotchkiss 8mm M1914
machine gun rack, photo-etched detail
parts, and optional painting schemes. It is
available from Stevens International.
Tamiya’s LaFerrari kit (No. 24333, $92) features front air intake and rear cowling
openings, a rear bumper mesh opening,
metal transfers to depict side and rearview mirrors, Ferrari logos, and full engine
details. Masking stickers to protect windows during painting are included.
acaDeMy
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION
1:35 sAs RAIDER 1/4 TOn 4x4
TRuck ETO 1944 + 2nD sAs
REgIMEn
Dragon
The new Dragon kit (No. 6725, $36.95)
shows a 1/4-ton 4x4 truck modified by the
SAS for ETO missions. This SAS vehicle is
heavily armed with fast-firing, twin-mount
Vickers K machine guns and two large fuel
tanks fitted in the rear compartment. It is
available from Dragon Models USA.
AIRcRAFT
1:48 gLOsTER JAvELIn FAW.9/9R
airfix
The Gloster Javelin was an all-weather
interceptor aircraft that served with Britain’s RAF in the 1950s and most of the
1960s. The kit (No. A122007, $69.99) consists of 222 pieces and includes three fin44
(Required by 39 USC 3685)
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2013.
1. Publication Name: Model Retailer.
2. Publication Number: 395-730.
15. Extent and Nature Average No. Copies
Actual No. Copies
of Circulation
Each Issue During
of Single Issue
3. Filing Date: October 1, 2013.
Preceding 12 Months
Published Nearest
4. Issue Frequency: Monthly.
to Filing Date
5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 12.
a. Total Number of Copies
2,324
2,316
6. Annual Subscription Price: $85.
b. Paid and/or Requested Circulation
7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication:
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612.
1) Paid/Requested
8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General
Outside-County
Business Office of Publisher: Same.
Mail Subscriptions
2,149
2,169
9. Publisher: Diane Bacha; editor: Jeff Reich; 21027 Cross2) Paid In-County
roads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612.
Mail Subscriptions
0
0
10. Owner: Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads
3) Sales through Dealers &
Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Stockholders Owning
Carriers, Street Vendors &
or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Stock:
Counter Sales
0
0
Deborah H.D. Bercot, 22012 Indian Springs Trail, Amberson,
PA 17210; Gerald & Patricia Boettcher Living Trust, 8041
4) Other Classes Mailed
Warren Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53213; Alexander & Sally
through the USPS
0
0
Darragh, 1200 W. 3rd St., Waterloo, IA 50701; Melanie J.
Duval, 8642 Bronson Dr., Granite Bay, CA 95746; Harold
c. Total Paid and/or
Edmonson, 6021 N. Marmora Ave., Chicago, IL 60646; Laura
Requested Circulation
2,149
2,169
& Gregory Feltzer, 714 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202;
d. Free/Nominal Rate
Susan E. Fisher Revocable Trust, 3430 E. Sunrise Dr., Ste.
Distribution by Mail
200, Tucson, AZ 85718; George A. Gloff Revocable Trust,
c/o Ted & Lois Stuart, 1320 Pantops Cottage Ct. #1, Charlot1) Outside-County
0
0
tesville, VA 22911; Bruce H. Grunden, 255 Vista del Lago
2) In-County
0
0
Dr., Huffman, TX 77336; Linda H. Hanson, 363G Bateman
Circle S., Barrington Hills, IL 60010; George F. Hirschmann
3) Other Classes Mailed
Trusts, 363G Bateman Circle S., Barrington Hills, IL 60010;
through the USPS
42
43
James & Carol Ingles, P.O. Box 2161, Waukesha, WI 53187;
Charles & Lois Kalmbach, 7435 N. Braeburn Ln., Glendale,
4) Other Classes Outside the Mail 0
0
WI 53209; Kalmbach Profit Sharing/401(k) Savings Plan &
e. Total Free/Nominal Rate
Trust, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187; James & Elizabeth
Distribution
42
43
King, 2505 E. Bradford Ave. #1305, Milwaukee, WI 53211;
Mahnke Family Trust, 4756 Marlborough Way, Carmichael,
f. Total Distribution
2,192
2,212
CA 95608; George Steven Mahnke, 4756 Marlborough Way,
g. Copies Not Distributed
133
104
Carmichael, CA 95608; Mundschau Revocable Trust, N24
W30420 Crystal Springs Dr., Pewaukee, WI 53072; Daniel &
i. Total
2,325
2,316
Mary Murphy, 10200 W. Bluemound Rd. #333, Wauwatosa,
WI 53226; David M. Thornburgh Trust, 8855 Collins Ave., Apt.
Percent Paid and/or
3, Surfside, FL 33154.
Requested Circulation
98.04%
98.06%
11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and other Security
16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Printed in the
Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total
January 2014 issue of this publication.
Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities: None.
12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12
Months.
13. Publication Title: Model Retailer.
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and
complete. Michael Barbee, Corporate Circulation Director.
Date: September 30, 2013.
What’s selling: models/die-Cast
"Pulse, check. Smiles, check. Good
attitude, check. When can you
start?" said Jake Rosen, Jake's performnace Hobbies, Rohnert Park,
Calif. Visit www.ModelRetailer.com
for more questions and responses.
“Hiring new employees has been a challenge. Currently, we are considering
contacting the local high schools. We are
looking to hire students that are businessminded and [have] better grade averages.
They have proven to be more trainable
and have excellent computer skills. They
tend to be more reliable as to time schedules and accountability. It’s easier to train
someone to be beneficial rather than trying to correct bad habits from past work
situations. They have a strong desire to
learn and achieve good results for the
store. They see this as a benefit to their
work ethic.“
Les Phy
Angelo Hobbies
“We don’t have a criteria, as the last couple
of hires have been long-time customers
who retired. In the future, we may eventually do background checks for new hires
WIN THIS PRIZE!
when our current employees retire from
working with us.”
Diane Kopfensteiner
Houston
“They must be willing to go above and
beyond. I’m willing to pay more than minimum wage, but I expect more than minimum-wage performance. With the shrinking margin and higher costs of doing business, we are not able to go out and hire all
these laid-off professionals or trained factory workers at a wage they can afford to
live on. We can only afford to hire people
seeking a second job or kids with almost
no work experience and, as of late, very little work ethic. If we just hire bodies to fill
voids, they come in and stand around, and
are happy to collect a paycheck while
watching your business crumble. I don't
get it. When I worked for someone else, I
knew if I did well sooner or later I'd get
rewarded, and for some reason I felt good
at the end of the day knowing I did a good
job doing what I was supposed to do. Not
only that, the day went faster if I worked
hard, and I slept better, too.“
Robert Mazza
HobbyTown USA
Oshkosh, Wis.
“My number-one criteria is: How will hiring you improve the store or make it more
money? Additional criteria include: Will
sales increase or costs decrease sufficiently
to cover the costs of your wages or salary?
Do you bring something to the store that
either I or one of the other employees do
not have?”
Scott Thorne
Castle Perilous Games & Books
Carbondale, Ill.
W RTH
MORO
E THAN
40
RETAIL0
!
$
You can win eight Meng kits in
our next quarterly drawing. All
you have to do is participate in
the What’s Selling survey. Email
Monica Freitag at mfreitag@
kalmbach.com or call 262-7968776 ext. 326 for more information.
Congratulations
Diane Kopfensteiner of
g and g Model shop, inc.
in Houston. she received
eight plastic model kits
from Bronco. thanks to all
the retailers who returned
the survey!
45
Sponsored by:
WHAT’S SELLING: MODELS/DIE-CAST
Store
Vehicles
Aircraft
Ships/Die-Cast
Accessories
Napa, Calif.
1:16 Renault FT
Takom
1:32 B-17G
HK Models
1:48 U.S. Navy Swift Boat
Revell Germany
Tools
Zona
Brownie’s Pro & Sport Hobbies
Staten Island, N.Y.
1:35 U.S. M1A2 SEP Abrams TUSK II
Tamiya
1:48 Skyraider AD-5 (A-1E)
Revell
1:350 USS Liberty John W. Brown
Trumpeter
Foam CA 1oz., Activator 2oz.
E-flite
RC Hobbies Plus
Lafayette, Ind.
Muscle cars
Various makes
WWII models
Various makes
WWII models
Various makes
Paint, glue
Testors
Star Hobby
Annapolis, Md.
No trend
Various models
Trumpeter, Revell, Hasegawa
Various models
Revell
Glue, paint
Testors, Tamiya
Gilroy Hobby
Gilroy, Calif.
Various models
AMT, Revell
Rockets
Estes
Hot Wheels
Mattel
Paint, glue
Testors
HobbyTown USA
Oshkosh, Wis.
Mulitmedia kits
Dragon
Various models
Hasegawa
No trend
Sanding sticks
Squadron
Elm City Hobbies
Hanwell, N.B.
1:35 Russian T-90A
Meng
Various models
Airfix
1:200 USS Hornet
Merit International
Paint
Vallejo
Wisconsin-Illinois Trains
Muskego, Wis.
No trend
No trend
1:18 die-cast cars
Maisto
Excelle Lubricants
Phoenix Unlimited, Ltd.
Hill Country Hobby
San Antonio
1:35 Object 279 Soviet tank
Amusing Hobby
1:32 Bf 109G-6
Revell Germany
1:200 USS Hornet
Merit International
Model Color, Model Air paints
Vallejo
Ridgefield Hobby
Ridgefield, N.J.
1:35 6x6 M561 Gama Goat
Tamiya
1:72 models
Hasegawa
1:700 Waterline ships
Tamiya
Photo-etched parts
Eduard
Angelo Hobbies
1:24 Datsun 720 pickup truck
Aoshima
Black Hawk helicopters
Various makes
No trend
No trend
Houston
Armor
Tamiya, Meng, Zvezda
Various models
Airfix, Revell
Titanic; USS Constitution
Revell
Sprays, paints, Precision cement
Tamiya; Vallejo; Model Master
HobbyTown USA
Longmont, Colo.
Panther German tank
Revell
1:72 various aircraft
Revell
1:110 HMS Bounty
Revell Germany
Plastic cement, CA
Testors, Bob Smith Industries
The Hobby Centre
Ottawa, Ont.
1:35 M19 tank transporter
Merit International
1:32 Lancaster
HK Models
1:72 Type IX U-boat
Revell
Plastic-Cure Brush-On CA glue
Bob Smith Industries
location
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
manufacturer
ROUND 2 LLC
MOD • 01/01/2014 • 4C • 1/3 H
Lists are based on retailer reports of hot-selling items in each category. Survey was taken in November.
LATEST INNOVATION FROM AMT
THE KATS at AMT® have designed the Dual-Color Kit Program to cater to all skill levels of
the modeling hobby. Select AMT® and MPC® kits are now available in two color options! First is
standard white plastic–the popular choice with experienced modelers who wish to paint the kit’s body in
any color they wish. These same kits are also offered with the parts molded in color!
It’s the preferred format for new or less experienced modelers who may not wish
to paint the kit’s body. Grab one today in the color of your choice and build some
excitement! On the shelf now at your favorite hobby or variety store!
Visit ROUND2MODELS.COM for more information updates
and current releases!
MODEL KITS FEATURED: 1:25 SCALE
AMT730/AMT850 1940 FORD COUPE
AMT812/AMT851 1975 CHEVY® RESCUE VAN
AMT854/AMT855 BALDWIN MOTION 1970 CAMARO ®
GENERAL MOTORS Trademarks used under license to Round 2, LLC. Ford Motor Company Trademarks and Trade Dress used under license to Round 2, LLC. www.FordMotorCompany.com. Firestone and F Shield Logo are registered trademarks of BFS Brands, LLC
and are used with permission. Other names and trademarks used under license to Round 2, LLC or by permission. AMT and design is a registered trademark of Round 2, LLC. ©2014 Round 2, LLC, South Bend, IN 46628 USA. All rights reserved
46
The standard for quality,
performance-tested
Derby products since 1985
®
BSA®, Kub Kar™ and RA Racer® compliant
when used with approved wheels and
axles. Local race rules may vary.
93% of PineCar products are manufactured in America
pinecar.com
All Students are Assigned
School Projects.
Be Their Number One
Source for Supplies!
scenearama.com
ol Projects
Creative Materials for A+ Scho
A division of
Woodland Scenics®
WOODLAND SCENICS®
Quality Brands
woodlandscenics.com
Call your favorite distributor and order today.
NeW
e
WW
Ne
N
e
eW
HIGH Perf
PerfOrMaNCe
P
erfO
erf
OrMaNC
NCe
e QuaD-rOtOr
Qua
Q
uaDua
D-r
DrOtOr HeLICOPter
He
H
eLICOP
LICOPter
ter
fLYING fuN re-IMaGINeD
snaps Alias back to level controlled flight no matter what situation you
elements that make flying, and learning to fly, fun. The first mission was
find yourself in. New pilots can fly faster and perform stunning aerobatic
durability. Alias is built around a unique molded-composite frame that is
maneuvers sooner than they ever thought possible with Alias’ unique flight
combined with clever high-tech construction to make it extremely light and
control system. Superior visibility is enhanced by special high intensity LED
virtually indestructible. Your flying fun goes on and on without worrying
optics that clearly define the shape of Alias and can be seen from above
about breakage from crash damage. Fun always comes from having more
or below. The lights are so bright and colorful that Alias makes a whole
power so Alias is equipped with motors that are 50% more powerful than
new world of night flight possible. Alias is uniquely engineered to satisfy
standard motors. A completely new flight control system was developed
the needs of both new pilots who want to experience the fun of flying and
that provides unmatched 6-axis stability that works in the background
experienced pilots who want a fun and relaxing way to sharpen their skills.
without impacting performance and speed. It acts like a virtual spring that
Ready-to-Fly with everything you need for $149.95
fe
at
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Alias™ is a clean-sheet design that focuses on the performance and design
TELEMETRY
2.4GHz Transmitter
with Telemetry
Up to 15 Minutes of
Flight Time
Battery Fuel Gauge Provides High-Intensity
Visual and Audible Alerts
LED Optics
Patents Pending
© Copyright LaTrax 2013. 1P-Alias-HM-131115
va l
ue
Q
ity
ual
Per
x.com
.latra
www
m
for
anc
AS
RAXX
8-T
| 1-88
e

January 2014 Model Retailer

Transcription

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