To LUGNET HomepageTo LUGNET News HomepageTo LUGNET Guide Homepage
 Help on Searching
 
Post new message to lugnet.lego.directOpen lugnet.lego.direct in your NNTP NewsreaderTo LUGNET News Traffic PageSign In (Members)
 LEGO Company / LEGO Direct / 4911
4910  |  4912
Subject: 
Re: B-unit kit...??
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego.direct
Date: 
Wed, 24 Jul 2002 21:21:40 GMT
Viewed: 
3156 times
  
Jan-Albert van Ree <javanree@vanree.net> writes:
> Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> > Since the B is all grey, you basically need 2 A unit models to make one B or
> > you have to compromise on how the roof is done. Even then you're off on the
> > portholes (many B's have 3 grey ones). You then end up with a lot of (mostly
> > useful) leftover parts.
> > 
> > There was talk of a conversion kit that would have just the extra parts
> > needed to convert an A to a B. (roof pieces, extra portholes etc, but not
> > wheels and not an extra wagon plate!) Not sure how many units it would move
> > though so maybe that's why LD held off.
> 
> Wouldn't need a fancy box or anything, just a baggie / plain white box
> would be fine to most. That would cut some cost.  Toss up instructions
> on the Internet and let people print it out by themselves and you win a
> few more cents. I'd think a run of 2-4000 of these might be possible
> this way. Besides, even if they wouldn't make a profit but just come up
> even, they would show some spirit to fans, which over time would help
> them much more (just IMHO though)
> 
> Ofcourse the best would be to just release a total separate B-unit, not
> a conversion but that truly would be expensive. Would love to hear
> Jake's comment on this (although he probably can't say too much since
> it's "ongoing")

I think that this may be the right approach.  The market for B units
is obviously a lot smaller, so a "parts pack" that includes the extra
grey bricks, door pieces, and two extra windows would be all that is
needed.  Probably 80% of the parts are either the same as an A unit,
or relatively cheap (e.g. plain grey 1xN bricks).

It could be sold like the Pumpkin Pack is, with instructions posted on
the website and a bag of bricks that you order.  Call it the Super
Chief B-locomotive Conversion Kit.  It would be better to include
instructions with the kit, and better still to include the story
behind the A and B units, for the benefit of kids who don't know so
much about railroad history.  (The B-unit concept is obsolete today,
and was never very glamorous, so it may need some explaining...)

--Bill.

--
William R Ward            bill@wards.net          http://www.wards.net/~bill/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    "When it comes to humility, I'm the GREATEST!" -- Bullwinkle J. Moose



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: B-unit kit...??
 
(...) Wouldn't need a fancy box or anything, just a baggie / plain white box would be fine to most. That would cut some cost. Toss up instructions on the Internet and let people print it out by themselves and you win a few more cents. I'd think a (...) (24 years ago, 24-Jul-02, to lugnet.lego.direct)

5 Messages in This Thread:


Entire Thread on One Page:
Nested:  All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:  All | Brief | Compact
    

©2005 LUGNET. All rights reserved. - hosted by steinbruch.info GbR