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Subject: 
Re: One New Train in Two Liveries-- Your opinion
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Tue, 8 Nov 2005 20:32:22 GMT
Viewed: 
2098 times
  
In lugnet.trains, Ben Fleskes wrote:
   In lugnet.trains, James Mathis wrote: snip
   Does anyone like the Rail Runner livery enough to spend an additional $100 to purchase a bricks-in-a-box Rail Runner train set (total $630!)?

Does anyone like the Brick Built Trains livery enough to spend $530 to purchase a bricks-in-a-box BBT train set?

snip
   James Mathis

I forgot something crucial! The above prices include a train motor ($25), speed controller ($42), 2x curve track boxes ($26), and 1x straight track box ($13). Maybe it makes a differnce to us LEGO Train fans to not buy all these running gear bits. So, the Brick Built Train version would be more like $425 without all the bits we all already have in our train stock.

   First - excellent work James. Your well of creativity runs deep.

Good Questions. I think there is a market for $500 - $1000 LEGO train sets. But at that point, I think you additional features are necessary. In your case you need to add: Working headlights on the engine Working cablights on the engine Working lights for the passenger coaches Working marker/tail (end of train?) light on the last passenger coach Working diesel sound unit on the engine

Of course, these things would dramatically increase the price. But I think you have a better chance selling 5 trains with these features for $900 +/- then you do of selling 5 trains without these features for $530.

Oh, I whole-heartily agree. Additional features would be great. Step the model up to a much more unique build than simply LEGO bricks and stickers. Thanks for this suggestion.

snip

   For me personally, If I had An extra ~$500 floating around, I would rather pay $530 for the Brick Built Brand artwork, then $630 for the Rail Runner version.

Regarding the license: With such a small railroad, you market is pretty limited. I suspect your market would be limited to employees of the rail line. In which case, perhaps you can ask them to waive the license requirement. However, at $630 this would make an excellent gift for board members and other VIPs associated with the line.

The gift option seems very good. MRCoG and the Rail Runner are tax-payer funded, I think. Private funds must be used to purchase these sets, even (especially?) if for VIP gifts.

   Regarding feedback on the decal desgin for Brick Built Trains. Can the flying bricks be done in color? I really like the ‘flying brick’ look but think it would really good with an assortment of red, yellow, blue and green bricks. Also, you might consider putting your name somewhere no the engine or the coaches. Either as your signature or printed.

I supposed I could use a black Sharpie-pen and autograph one of the bricks on each side of the locomotive.

I can render the flying bricks in color. I thought of that, but went for the black and white livery with the Espresso “coffee” name.

Coffee - Black. Creamer - White. Espresso - Express. Espresso - caffeine, speed, rush, work drink, relax drink. Brick Built Trains logo - black and white. Colored tumbling bricks contrasts/overwhelms BBT logo?

   I think your name is one of the most valued Intellectual Properties in the AFOL train world. Almost like owning a famous piece of artwork. “Look, that’s an original Mathis design running around the track” But that works best if you put your name on it.

My name, eh? I guess I could work in something like: “Espresso...a Brick Built Trains design by James Mathis-- ugh, way too wordy. Although, I would prefer something more subtle, thus the “M” inside the BBT logo- which, by the way is supposed to be a spoked train wheel overtop a 2x2 arrangement of black and whitel 1x1 bricks. Maybe just a small-font sticker which says “James Mathis” on it-- small enough to fit on a 1x4 or 1x6 brick? The engraved brick sounds interesting. I’ll look into that.

Regardless, I can make the eventual instructions and sticker sheets in the Brick Built Train version available. I need to settle on the price and think about coloring the tumbling bricks.

Ben: Thanks for your thoughtfulness on this project. I truly appreciate it.

later,

James Mathis



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: One New Train in Two Liveries-- Your opinion
 
In lugnet.trains, James Mathis wrote: <snip> (...) <snip> (...) First - excellent work James. Your well of creativity runs deep. Good Questions. I think there is a market for $500 - $1000 LEGO train sets. But at that point, I think you additional (...) (19 years ago, 8-Nov-05, to lugnet.trains, FTX)

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