# Accucraft Trains and Aster Hobby joint statement



## Accucraft (Jul 30, 2014)

Aster Hobby & Accucraft Trains Joint Statement:

We at Aster Hobby and Accucraft Trains are happy to announce our upcoming collaboration. With over 60 years of combined experience, we hope to continue to bring top quality models to the live steam community. In our collaboration, Aster Hobby will provide the design, quality assurance and services on Aster Hobby brand models. Accucraft Trains will utilize its manufacturing capability and expertise to produce these models to their specification and standard. Our goal is to continue the proud tradition of both companies for many years to come.

Mr. Susumu Fujii and Mr. Bing Cheng


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

so... half the engine comes pre-assembled- and half is a kit?
a have a suggestion for you next locomotive

no need to worry about derailments, busy tracks, ect....



best wishes in this joint venture between you and aster.


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Accucraft said:


> Aster Hobby & Accucraft Trains Joint Statement:
> 
> We at Aster Hobby and Accucraft Trains are happy to announce our upcoming collaboration. With over 60 years of combined experience, we hope to continue to bring top quality models to the live steam community. In our collaboration, Aster Hobby will provide the design, quality assurance and services on Aster Hobby brand models. Accucraft Trains will utilize its manufacturing capability and expertise to produce these models to their specification and standard. Our goal is to continue the proud tradition of both companies for many years to come.
> 
> Mr. Susumu Fujii and Mr. Bing Cheng




Reading carefully, what I come away with:

Aster engines will now be made by Accucraft for Aster, while still promoting the Aster name. I wonder if the new Aster / Accucrafts will be more expensive then the Accucraft / Accucrafts ?


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## StackTalk (May 16, 2014)

Accucraft said:


> Aster Hobby & Accucraft Trains Joint Statement:
> 
> We at Aster Hobby and Accucraft Trains are happy to announce our upcoming collaboration. With over 60 years of combined experience, we hope to continue to bring top quality models to the live steam community. In our collaboration, Aster Hobby will provide the design, quality assurance and services on Aster Hobby brand models. Accucraft Trains will utilize its manufacturing capability and expertise to produce these models to their specification and standard. Our goal is to continue the proud tradition of both companies for many years to come.
> 
> Mr. Susumu Fujii and Mr. Bing Cheng


This is an encouraging message. I am sure that everyone in the hobby wishes much success to the joint venture.

A question . . .

Has it been decided whether future models will be offered in kit form as well as built-up or will all future models be built-up only?

Thank you,

Joe


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Whilst Aster USA seems to still not be saying anything, the Aster UK site mentions future 'kits'.
I just hope that the quality of the Accucraft nuts and bolts and threaded holes improves for the Aster kits.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## dougiel (Jun 3, 2008)

Accucraft said:


> Aster Hobby & Accucraft Trains Joint Statement:
> 
> Accucraft Trains will utilize its manufacturing capability and expertise to produce these models to their specification and standard.


I am hoping that the "their" bit in there ! means Aster specifications and standards and not Accucraft.

Although the latest meths fired loco's do seem to be better than the gas ones.

DougieL


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

This statement, now repeated by Accucraft, is the most exciting news in our hobby since 2010 when Argyle Locomotive Works (Mr Gordon Watson) decided to work together with Accucraft. Before him, Mr Ian Pearse of Pearse Locomotives (established with Ian's father Mr Donald Pearse) made a similar step in 2004. Very shortly before them, in 2003, Mr Lorenz Schug commissioned his first Saxonian live steam engine from Accucraft. While the current news is perhaps also the most unexpected one since 1975, I believe that it is also the best news for our hobby in times when a run of 100 locomotives is considered 'large' and when we learned to expect state-of-the-art modelling technology and superb quality at reasonable prices. Once again, I wish Mr Susumu Fujii and Mr Bing Cheng a very successful and productive collaboration and I am looking forward to see the fruits of this exciting merge in both the future Aster products line and in the entire Accucraft range of products. With best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

So now all our eggs are in one basket, no real competition to keep prices in check.....


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## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Jeff, it is not only competition which drives forward our civilisation. Cooperation is arguably even more important for that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperation Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Zubi
Well stated.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

JEFF RUNGE said:


> So now all our eggs are in one basket, no real competition to keep prices in check.....


Jeff 
Not so...Bowande, Roundhouse, Regner have offerings that will compete with this merger.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

They all tend to have their niche range of offerings though.
Like with the sparkies, Marklin are fine if you like your trains to be made of pressed tin. I do appreciate them but not for me.

Andrew


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Charles, of the 3 you mentioned, I would consider a roundhouse if they did a North American model in 1:32. ( Pigs will fly before that) I don't know much about the quality, service and replacement parts availability on the other 2.
I will sit on the side line for a little while and see how it shakes out.


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

zubi said:


> Jeff, it is not only competition which drives forward our civilisation. Cooperation is arguably even more important for that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperation Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi




Cooperation, trust, and loyalty with China.  I do not see it happening.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve
It happened...
The cooperation, trust, and loyalty has already been established with the merger established by Mr Susumu Fujii and Mr Bing Cheng for the good of the hobby allowing a future in gauge 1 for both Accucraft and Aster models.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

We will see if the first Aster- Accucraft North American 1:32 kit is delivered in our life time..... my guess would be 2019 or later, (if ever) not counting any re-makes of earlier releases.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Which brings up some questions.
Is Hans going to have another loco designed and built?
With the 'new' arrangement, does Hans want to be involved?
If not will there be a new arrangement with the companies for North American releases?
Only time will tell where this will take us.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

i agree with steve


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## Pauli (Jan 3, 2008)

*Cancel Aster "garage sale", save Aster brand value.*

If Accucraft and Aster are sincere about continuing the Aster brand, the uppcoming "garage sale" of Aster spare parts has to be completely cancelled. It is an insanely damaging thing to do to the Aster brand value.

Both Accucraft and Aster claim as the future plan, that Aster will continue to provide service and repair to Aster brand name locomotives. Having the "garage sale" of buckets of spare parts, damages credibility to any such future claims. It's shooting yorself in the foot, so to say.

I do not now specifically what assets the Aster company has. But I expect the brand name to be a major value - perhaps the only irreplaceable asset. I don't know how much money the sale might bring. Perhaps a few thousand US dollars? The damage to the Aster brand has to be many, many times that sum!

If practical conciderations really are decisive, the dissposal should have been done in utmost discrete, in fact secret manner, making sure the parts never surface in a questionable way.
But I think practicality isn't a viable reason. If the new Aster office space is too small, surelely there must be self storage services in Japan too?!?

And even if parts are scrambled out of order due to the terrible earthquake, then just heave the parts in big boxes, perhaps roughly sorted by categories. Any future spare parts requests, could be done by the customer supplying a photo with measurements. In my experience, a human is surprisingly effective in finding different shapes in a pile of parts.
I'm sure a lot of you keep boxes of unsorted material. Apart from the sorted screws in my workshed, I also keep thre buckets with unsorted odd fasteners - "screws", "pointed screws" and "nuts and washers". The other week a neighbour dropped a screw in the sea while repairing his outboard motor. To my own astonishment, it only took me a few minutes to sift through the rubble of screws, to find a near perfect replacement - only the head was another type.
In fact, when I was 5-6 yers old, all my considerable number of LEGO bricks were kept in a rubble in a "huge" (by comparison - I could sit in it ;-) ) wooden basket. It's a strong an vivid memory of mine, the sound of all the bricks as I sifted through the rubble ours on end, in search of the partickular part I wanted for the project at hand. (It was wery practical for my mother. Just put the LEGO-basket in front of me on the carpet, and I was occupied for hours. When the rattling noise of me sifting through LEGO-bricks ceased, it meant that I had fallen asleep on the carpet. ;-) ) The point of this story, is that I knew exactly how many of the more unusual bricks I actually had. Sometimes it took time, but I'm a persistant type, and eventually I always found the partickular part I wanted.

Any people coming to the announced garage sale, should be offered a sincere apology and explanation, and perhaps be offered a nice buffet lunch?!? In fact, it might be turned into a successful celebration on continuing the Aster brand!?!! After all, the people turning up are probably Aster supporters!


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Pauli
While I agree with you as to other options might have been available. That the garage sale was bad PR...it is a done deal(ends Friday). 

I also can understand Fujii-san situation. Some what like the real railroad business which scrapped steam locomotives that were no longer making revenue for them. Probably enraged some, but customers continued to travel on the railroads. If one goes down a street and sees a vacant house (some one moved, downsize) there is always a pile of stuff that relatives did not want, garage sale left overs thus off to the dump,.

Yet, once the dust settled from going through all the boxes, the agreement with Accucraft and determining what could/needed to be saved then the excess had to be dealt with based on timeline with lease of building. Keep in mind there is no staff per say at Aster capable of dealing with this volume for the purpose of a storage area (effort was going to the new location for inventory). 

So, if you, me and all the other hobbyists wanted badly to rescue the items the opportunity was there as per the garage sale offer.

Lastly, this was no all of the stock of parts only what was determined not to be necessary for the business and obligations to the customer (yes, there are times one must make a tough business decision). The parts from the mid-90's on the most recent release(42 models plus the saved old models parts) on are boxed and off to the new location.


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## StackTalk (May 16, 2014)

Charles,

PR was not handled well at all despite what may turn out to be a reasonable outcome.

What I have done in my few posts in this thread was to hint at what may be going on in such a way as to encourage someone who actually _does_ know what is going on to step forward and clear things up.

Now for the first time, you have said what I and others hope to be true - that parts for many models (42 plus other saved old parts,) have actually been conserved.

We hope what was actually sold were bushels of unnumbered and unlabeled parts not easy to identify, but which may be treasured by some.

Aster/Accucraft should have either said nothing at all (all secret as Paulii suggested,) or else explained enough to make people understand the true nature of what was happening.

However you got the information, Charles, thank you for sharing it.

There are still unknowns - what will be produced for which markets and when - and whether there will ever be any kits in future.

We'll have to wait and see how things pan out.

Cheers,

Joe


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

David Leech said:


> Which brings up some questions.
> Is Hans going to have another loco designed and built?
> With the 'new' arrangement, does Hans want to be involved?
> If not will there be a new arrangement with the companies for North American releases?
> ...


David;
I cannot see the deal ever having come together without everyone, all the major business partners, agreeing. The business model for each before the merger was both in-house and investor/commission based. Accucraft and Aster are dependant on that. If it changed hard to see the marriage ever being consummated. None of use should be prudes and think there was not some pre-marital relations involved - I think this had been acknowledged. Your major player list would include Accucraft UK. Accucraft was and remains the foundry for multiple brands.

I don't remember from all the traffic on this topic any discussion of brand names change. That said, I would be surprised if Aster and Accucraft did not keep their brand names separate and not create and Accucraft-Aster brand. The confusion factor and having to explain it would be nightmare. Look to any number of industries for a similar situation. Volkswagen owns Porsche but we have and will never see a Volks.-Porsche brand - it becomes fairly obvious - even if they make same parts in the same factories/foundries.

Footnote; 
1. Surprising as it may be to some, there are folks who do not like things about Aster products. One example I've heard mentioned is Aster's use of metal tabs on parts. Some feel the tabs are reminiscent old toys and not something they would pay the Aster price premium.

2. It would be very surprising if Aster did not continue to make kits. Offering kits is a fundamental of Aster's history, image, reputation and customer expectation. That said, the kit maker market may be dying off, literally.


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