Marklin 31860 3 Crocodile set some more available

We have managed to get just a few more units of this set Marklin 31860.

Only 500 units were made so this is very scarce and we are proud to be one of the largest Dealers that have get and sold this item in a pretty large quantity due the rarity of it.

Marklin announces price hike

We have received an e-mail from Walters signed by Tim Wickerham that reads as follows:

"Price Adjustment on February 1, 2010
Märklin Germany has announced a price adjustment will take effect February 1, 2010 on Märklin, Trix and LGB products. Prices have been held stable since October 1, 2008 despite rising costs of raw materials. At this time we have not been informed of the percentage of the increase. We are giving you advance notice so you will have the opportunity to review your present inventory and place fill-in orders prior to the February 1st date. "

This is a joke. Prices held since 2008? Where? Not at Walthers as they increased substantially the prices in February 2009 and not at Marklin GmbH. Do they think Dealers do not keep price lists from one year to an other or what?

But what is a reality is that prices will go higher AGAIN and with an Euro rising daily, this will bring very high values to products from Marklin, Trix/Minitrix and LGB.

While other Manufacturers are struggling to keep prices down to fight against the drop on sales they had, Marklin is doing all what they can to once for all remove the Brand from the face of the Earth because their extreme high prices.

It is clear that Marklin (and all their Brands) have converted in elite only products. There is no more "kids" that can afford these prices nor parents willing to pay for their kid's toys enormous amounts of money required to buy Marklin products.

The new "set of..... (how many?)" is now a common policy from Marklin that make sets of 10, 20 and up to 40 cars. Who the hell can have 40 cars pulled by one locomotive? What has to be the size of that layout?. Oh yes, some of them say "can be sold separately" so everyone wants the car # 1 and # 3 but nobody wants the car # 2 for example, so Dealers will lose a bunch by being stuck with products they can't sell. Why Marklin does not allow Dealers also to but the cars they want from that particular set?

The average Marklin Customer is well over 55 years old, so what is Marklin doing? waiting a few more years to see all Collectors die and then close the Company for lack of Sales?

Widows do not buy Marklin, they sell the wonderful collections their late husbands had for pennies on eBay or given for sale as states to Lawyers that have no idea what they have on hand and also trow away for nothing (other than their fees) immense collections.

If Marklin does not start producing GOOD QUALITY cheap models as entry level where kids and parents can afford to buy them, the future of the Brand is very dark.

If Marklin also does not see that has to eliminate all sources of extra expenses such as subsidiaries that have nothing to do or Distributors that only make a lot more expensive and complicated to provide products from them, then also this will be a problem down the road to recovery and again, future is not bright at all.

It is clear, from the results, that only those Countries where Marklin has sold direct at a global unique price scheme had success during 2009 while all others, went down substantially including USA.

So let's see what the new Nuremberg Fair brings to us but I'm not too confident that will be good news.

In fact, all those not released items from 2009 have new prices as each year they rise prices for non released items.

Marklin 16064 Jolanda Propeller-Driven Steam Ship

Finally the highly expected Jolanda ship has arrived to our Store.
The first lot of ships has arrived and we will start shipping them the first week of November.

It was unfortunate that they were released at the highest point of the Euro, but we have reduced our margin to the limit to help our Customers pay for this unique and beautiful Ship, one of the best Marklin Collectible of the last years.

The quantities available are very limited and we are almost sold out, so we encourage those that were waiting until release date to make their mind, not to delay the decision and buy right away this unit.

Marklin Fall 2009 new items

Marklin has announced the new Fall 2009 items.

We do not know if this is a symptom of the problems they have or what, but only 2 items were announced:
Marklin 48409 HO Christmas car for 2009 and Marklin 80619 Z gauge Christmas car.

Is recession affecting the Marklin production line? who knows.

Any way, we have been receiving consistently new items for 2009 and we have already posted them in our web site as "IN STOCK". Unfortunately, the exchange rate is not helping as we had to pay at a rate of 1.495 Dollars per Euro, so we are doing our best to keep the prices as low as we can by cutting to the maximum our margin.

Marklin MHI exclusive 3/09 and Trix MHI exclusive 2/09 published

Marklin MHI (exclusive program) 3/09 has been published in our web site.

Go to our web site and search for the links to new items 2009, then click either on Marklin or Trix new 2009 items and you will find the pictures and links to order these new exclusive one time run products.

Quantities are very limited so order soon. Once the allocation is sold, it is very hard to get more and most of the times, just impossible.

4MFOR Military line by Marklin metal made

Check the new arrivals for this Military line made by 4MFOR, a Marklin Company.

These great products are made of metal. The detail is superb.

Scale is 1:87 (HO) and a very few in 1:32 (1 gauge)

Many of them are already mounted on flat cars by Marklin (also metal) to compose military trains.

These small marvels are a "must have" for all those that like military models. There is no comparison with Roco Minitanks as those are cheap plastic.

Go to www.rocousa.com/4mfor.htm and check it out.

Marklin 28590 Le Capitole Express Train shipping now.

Marklin 28590 Le Capitole set is being shipped this week of September 21-26 2009.

Those with backorders will be receiving the unit after September 26th. This is a great set and make honor to its original 50 years ago.

Very few units are left for sale still and thereafter, discontinued no longer available.

Large quantity of Preiser just arrived

PREISER has released this item PR28144 for those "politics" that want to have a replica of the President and then First Lady. They have "suggested" even a way to have a parade in honor of the visit of the President to Germany.
If you are not a politic, then even for fun you must have this set. Every friend of yours will laugh a lot seeing this perfect replica hand painted.

All the items of the parade are available in our Store.

Also, we have received over 500 items including many new releases of 2009. check our web site and follow the links for PREISER.

Marklin 60214 Central Station released

Marklin 60214 new Digital Central Station has been released and it is now available.

Don't miss this opportunity to have the latest in technology to control your Marklin trains.

You may see it in our web site, just click on the link above.

This unit replaces 60213 that has been discontinued.