JopieK

Kickstarter: ME Models Tracks for both metal and ABS only track pieces

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I just looked back through the ME Models store, and I'm really excited! I have a few questions that I've been curious about for a while. How long will it be before you plan to release locomotives and rolling stock? That's the #1 thing I'm excited for, besides the large radius curves and rails. I can't wait until I can individually buy cars and locomotives, without the expense of paying for a whole entire extra set like what Lego does. What sort of rolling stock and locomotives do you plan on releasing in the future? Sorry, it's just that I'm so excited for a aftermarket to open up for custom Lego trains, without the expense and exclusivity of purchasing a MOC on bricklink.

You could just design and build your own MOCs...

Some of us aren't particularly talented in that area. Don't get me wrong, I build MOCs (including some rolling stock), but they're usually not that detailed or good as some of the better MOCers make.

However, "Lego Dino 500," there's a lot you can do. SavaTheAggie (a member here with a great current post about the Texas Brick Railroad) has a Bricklink store where you can buy instructions, but even better is stuff for free - so head over to RailBricks (the free online magazine about LEGO Trains); many issues have instructions, and the website has instructions outside of the magazines, too - all for free.

I know you look like you want to avoid BrickLink, but there's probably a few instructions available on rebrick, but I don't really frequent there all that often - better is that they can link to bricklink stores that sell the parts, now. I honestly don't think ME would be all that much less expensive than building it yourself unless it requires too many different stores to buy from.

So - maybe you know all of this already (and sorry, if that's the case), but it's just that ME has not really made any rolling stock available for quite some time, and I think they are going to be busy for quite some time getting all the track made and making it a regular business - and frankly, after that, I'd rather see them work on something like a replacement motor for 9V than new rolling stock.

Edited by fred67

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Hankdelsi

Just the plastic for now, but we are getting closer on the metal!! See the pictures posted above

Mike

The metal looks great! Getting excited again!

Eric

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Word seems to be that ME models answers all their mails, but that it can take a long time.

Do make sure you've sent them an email rather than a direct message on eurobricks. I had been waiting for a reply to a DM since March, but I got a response within 24 hours as soon as a sent an email.

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They didn't answer my mail, but dropped a message here on Eurobricks, promising to deliver whatever I ordered. So, now I'm waiting with renewed hope.

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Posted recently on KickStarter by ME Models ...

"Our goal is to have everyone taken care of before the Christmas holiday season."

Here's hoping that goal is actually met.

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This one has delivered. You can go on their site and purchase exactly what the kickstarter funded development of. I have not received my backer kit yet, but I did purchase R104s and R88s from their website. They make a huge difference.

I hope someday ME achieves ROI and can ship the backer kits, but this was by no means a kickstarter that didn't deliver.

Edited by greenmtvince

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Agree with greenmtvince; I was a backerkit supporter for metal rails, but even earlier this year I was buying the new plastic rail right off their website. If I had any extra money, I might buy some more to help them out now, because I know I'll want more plastic (as well as metal) in the future anyway.

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They didn't answer my mail, but dropped a message here on Eurobricks, promising to deliver whatever I ordered. So, now I'm waiting with renewed hope.

I finally got part of my backer reward. Taking up the role of the squeaky wheel may have helped. If you haven't gotten a response in a week or two since your last communication, you might try pinging the ME Models folks again.

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I'd just like to add something in regards to kickstarter, there are a lot of posters here talking like they just pre-ordered track, or talking as if these are completed packs for sale, which is absolutely NOT the case.

Firstly, i mean absolutely no disrespect to Eric J. Olson or any of the ME team, I'm sure their intentions are nothing but genuine, and I'm putting some money down myself.

But I want to bring attention to what Kickstarter actually is and how it works.

Kickstarter is 'crowd-funding'. Instead of a company going to a bank or publisher to ask for funds to complete a project, it instead appeals to the fans, the core base, for donations to bankroll development, with some pledging incentives for increased sized donations.

This can actually be a great thing, in the video-game world for example, projects have taken off after a large appeal to fans and interested parties has worked after the banks said 'no'. One of the big ideas that has just made the news is the 'Occulus Rift' Virtual reality headset - on pitch, from just an idea in one guys' head, it blew way over it's target, getting millions of dollars in pledge money. after two prototypes, The company was just bought by facebook for $2 bil.

However, the distinction has to me made; the money you're pledging is to help ME 'get on their feet' so to speak, and in return ME will gift you some product as thanks. This IS NOT a purchase of product from the company.

Why is this important? if, god forbid, the kickstarter succeeds but ME runs into unforseen difficulties that have unaccounted expenses etc., it's possible that they may take a long period of time to recover, or worst-case not be able to fulfill your pledge 'reward' at all. Your money hasn't gone to buying a product, remember, it was a investment towards assisting ME buying the equipment necessary for starting production. Keep in mind there is NO date for which your track will be sent to you.

There have actually been a few Kickstarted projects that have failed, a lot of Video games, for example, underestimated the funding they would need to complete their work and nothing ever was released. While I'm not saying this will happen to ME, i'm just saying there is always a risk, no matter how remote.

Kickstarter is there for the general public to be 'investors' in a venture, NOT a customer. Pledgers need to be aware of the risks with such a venture, and not automatically assume 'money goes in = track comes out'

Please, read and above all understand the "risks and challenges" section, as well as the "accountability on Kickstarter" bits. because Kickstarters always have an element of risk, and, while it very likely everything will go to plan, all of that needs to be understood just in case of the worst-case scenario.

Nevertheless, i wish ME all the best for the Kickstarter and the project.

This may be true but.

When i bought my track from them it came from the Me web site. It said nothing about a kickstart. It just looked like a regular old web site to order stuff off. If i was donating with the thought of something in return i did not know it. I just thought it was a normal store.

I got my track and im very happy with it. I hope they can continue to supply our hobby for many years

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Had fun running my trains around ME Models' wide radius curves last weekend.

The horizon express retains so much more speed through those R104s.

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Has anyone received their Backer kits that ordered metal track yet ?

negative for me, last communication i saw said before xmas, my layout is in desperate need of revamping and i've been holding off since the kickstarter order (thinking/hoping i was getting track in what last sept? or whenever). i especially needed some of the half lengths for my situation. still hoping though.

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Has anyone received their Backer kits that ordered metal track yet ?

As I have yet to see any plastic track from my KickStarter pledge and the message has always been that the metal track would be done after the plastic track, you may be waiting some.

The infrequent/inaccurate communication from ME Models is disappointing. e.g. September 10 on KickStarter "... we should have everything (plastic only) taken care of within a month ...". Err, no. It's now two months later and it hasn't been taken care of. As at October 29th, the message is " ... plastic orders are still shipping and hopefully all plastic will be done before Christmas ..." and that was only as a response to a question posted by a backer. So if the plastic rails will only "hopefully" done by Christmas (which year?), I can't see the metal rails being done before Christmas.

David

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A significant portion of our backer support on KickStarter went uncollected for a variety of reasons that are out of our control. This percentage was even higher than KickStarter projections. While $87,000 is posted as the pledged support, less than $49,000 after fees was actually collected.

The KickStarter pledges went to support the funding of our molds and initial runs of material. In the ten months since that time, we have been personally funding the uncollected percentage (approximately $38,000). This is also the reason we chose to begin selling the plastic rails on our website, as every bag we sell allows us to set aside one for the KickStarter pledges. The fastest way for us to produce product for everyone as for KickStarter backers to receive their pledge is for our supporters to purchase rail online until we succeed in overcoming the backer deficit.

Our previous updates have been posted in accordance with timelines given by our manufacturer. As we are not their only client, we do have to wait longer than expected in some cases. While this is not entirely in our control, we are moving faster than we have ever before. It is ME Models' pledge that all backers will receive their order in due time. Again, we appreciate your patience, support and understanding.

Mike

ME Models

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Our previous updates have been posted in accordance with timelines given by our manufacturer. As we are not their only client, we do have to wait longer than expected in some cases. While this is not entirely in our control, we are moving faster than we have ever before. It is ME Models' pledge that all backers will receive their order in due time. Again, we appreciate your patience, support and understanding.

Mike,

I'm not questioning your intent. It's the communication that is poor. For example, after the September 10th communication on KickStarter in which you stated the plastic tracks should be taken care of in a month, once you found out that your manufacturer wasn't going to meet that timeline, you should have posted an update on KickStarter. Please keep your backers informed in a timely manner. We accept there are difficulties but telling us nothing isn't a very good way to keep us informed. Under promise and over deliver. Simple stuff.

Let me give you some context. Nearly 18 months ago, I pledged (and paid) $1000.00. I have seen nothing. I suggest that when you discover that your expected timelines are not going to be met, please take 5 minutes to update the KickStarter community.

Regards,

David

Edited by djm

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Finally we got an update this week. I pledged for both plastic and metal track so I expext to be waiting for at least another 2 years before I see any return. Shipping from the US is just too expensive for me to just buy some plastic track to cover my needs until that point.

(An EU based re-seller would be great.)

Anyway here is update 23 "Holiday Update"

Happy Holidays from ME Models! With that said, we thought we would drop a few lines with an update of where we are at with the project.

First of all, we would like to thank everyone again for their tremendous patience and understanding. As we have said throughout the year, we will be completing our project. Everyone who supported the project will receive their reward per pledge level. Unfortunately, our timeline has been stretched and has taken us a lot longer to product a product that we know everyone wants and expects.

As of December 17, 2015 we are now completing the remaining orders for the ABS plastic rail system. We are picking up a very large parts order from our manufacturer on Tuesday December 22. We have the Holidays and the New Year upon us. We will be working throughout those vacation days to package and ship the plastic reward pledges that we owe.

For those of you that have pledged for metal rewards, we want to let you know that we have been diligently working on our metal rail production. As stated earlier, holding the tolerances has been the biggest issue. As we were testing and re-testing the tolerances, another concept emerged and our ME engineering team developed a second metal rail system in tandem over the past six months. We now have a 9-volt rail system.

As of December 17, 2015 we are going forward with the procurement of the materials needed to manufacture the system. Manufacturing will begin shortly and we will update you with expected shipping dates as we build inventory.

Thank you once again for all your patience. We sincerely appreciate the loyal support from all our hobbyist friends in the building community.

Kind Regards, ME Models

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Well, I think this is a great step and I'm excited!!! I understand Technic-Kobaltz's wait, as I didn't get my ABS plastic track pledge until this week, but I'm quite satisfied. With the update, it feels like progress to me. I'll happily wait for my metal to arrive, as it seems like they're on their way. I wanted another couple of bags of plastic in the mean time so I placed an order yesterday, which has already shipped (minus the one still in production). I hope everyone has a great time this week with their family and friends…stay warm and take care of each other! Happy Holidays!

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I just ordered quite a lot of plastic track. The cost of postage to the UK was slightly eye-watering *oh2* but I bit the bullet.

Of course, I'll be charged import duty too (and a handling fee), but I'm expecting that. :sceptic:

Edited by Paperballpark

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For those who actually bought track (rather than pledging on the kickstarter), how long did it take for your order to be processed and delivered? Mine is still showing as 'processing', 11 days after I ordered it.

I know it may take a while to deliver (especially with me being in the UK), but taking nearly two weeks just to process it is rather longer than I was anticipating. I didn't order that much!

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In the states I probably had mine within a week of ordering it, but that was back in August. If there was a major convention recently or they are processing the Kickstarter backer kits as they had indicated in the last update, I can imagine there might be some delay.

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