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.

Survey running in our web site

As many of you have noticed already, we are inviting some web surfers to enter in our web site survey.
This is a survey very easy to answer and will take you less than 2 minutes, just a few clicks.
Please note that all answer are anonymous, so we can not know who wrote or punched what.

We have received some comments requesting all sort of stuff such as the cost of shipping a product.

The survey does not indicate name or e-mail of user, so there is no way for us to answer any question you may have.
If you have any questions, please use e-mail to us at rocousa@rocousa.com and we will be happy to answer your questions or deal with your concerns.

If you need more info in a particular item, e-mail us, do not request that on comments on the survey as we will not be able to know who you are.

And please, say what you really think without any restriction. (any way, we do not know who you are). This will help us a lot to improve or make the changes our Customers and viewers want.

Thank you for participate.

PD: Not all visitors are invited to the survey. This is not in any way a discrimination, it is just the way the people of the survey work. They say in this way is more realistic that having the opinion of each visitor.

Any way, you can refuse the survey without problems or restrictions to enter our site.

Unfair competence

We are concerned about unfair competence some Marklin, Trix, Brawa Dealers in USA are doing.
It calls our attention, that when cost of Euro goes up and prices at Manufacturers and Distributors also goes up, some of these Dealers show products that CLEARLY they don't have stock (proven) at prices so low that are "too good to be true".

We have placed orders for some of these items at those places and we have received notice that there is no stock available and that price "may" change when available.

We challenge all Dealers selling these products on the Internet, to show, as we do, stock availability.

Of course it may be some errors, we also have a few here or there, but in key items there is NO room for errors.

We are open to anyone willing to come to our Store and we will show cost, what we really pay for these products with the invoice and expenses on hand, so you can see how low margin we have that only our high volume allows us to survive in these days of recession.

The idea behind these acts is to force us to lower more our price and try to make us lose money or go out of business because we can not compete against those [false] prices they publish for non in stock and many times discontinued items.

We had always the lowest price around, but between a reasonable range and very close to well known competitors that also are suffering of this problem.

In some Brands we have a large difference in price (ours lower) because of the volume we buy and the special discounts we get and the lower margin we have, but we can proof at any time, the stock is available at the price shown on our web site.

Our prices are very stable. We do not change price each year because the Manufacturer raises prices in all the line of products. We value each shipment we receive at the real cost of that particular shipment based on the exchange rate when we pay for the merchandise (normally in advance) plus all the expenses such as freights, brokerage, fees, etc., and then we mark up a small margin and we publish that price at that moment.

If we keep stock on a product from this shipment for years, that will be its price until stock is exhausted or may be lower due an offer.

This is why some of our items (such as track for example), during one year, may go up or down more than once if we receive many shipments of it.

We even advise when an item is out of stock, that price will be adjusted when we get it back in stock (may be higher or lower, simple: it will be adjusted) but while in stock, NEVER will change the price HIGHER, maybe can be lower due a special offer, but even this fact, is shown in our web site.

This is your warranty: if cost goes down, sale price WILL go down.
If we do not have stock, price is set to $ 0.00 we do not lie marking a product at $ x.xx to force our competitors with stock lower their prices.
We guarantee that if you place an order for an item not in stock and with price $ 0.00 you will be billed at the lowest price possible once the product arrives to our warehouses and it will be the same price for everyone. We do not have a Customer better than other, ALL OUR CUSTOMERS ARE "OUR BEST CUSTOMER".

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.

Dollar has lost 50% of its value since 2003

These below are the exchange rates in September 2003.

Compare with today's exchange rate of US$ 1.49 per Euro.

A 50% lost of value and if we add an average of 8% increase on prices each year by Manufacturers, it is easy to see why a locomotive today costs as much as it costs.

In the last 7 month, the Dollar has lost almost 20% from 1.28 per Euro to 1.50 now.

Credit card fees also have gone up to 3.9%

XE.com's Currency Update Service writes:

Here is today's Currency Update, a service of XE.com. Please read the
copyright, terms of use agreement, and information sections at the
end of this message.

Rates as of 2003.09.17 20:49:31 UTC (GMT). Base currency is USD.

Currency Unit USD per Unit Units per USD (how many US$ you need to buy one unit)
================================ =================== ===================
USD United States Dollars 1.00000
EUR Euro 1.12865
GBP United Kingdom Pounds 1.60904
CAD Canada Dollars 0.732297
JPY Japan Yen 0.00861816
CHF Switzerland Francs 0.725103
AFA Afghanistan Afghanis 0.0233727
ALL Albania Leke 0.00836960
DZD Algeria Dinars 0.0130743
ARS Argentina Pesos 0.344095
AUD Australia Dollars 0.665288
BSD Bahamas Dollars 1.00000
BBD Barbados Dollars 0.505051
BMD Bermuda Dollars 1.00000
BRL Brazil Reals 0.345168
BGN Bulgaria Leva 0.580047
CLP Chile Pesos 0.00149409
CNY China Yuan Renminbi 0.121117
COP Colombia Pesos 0.000355209
XOF CFA Francs BCEAO 0.00172061
CRC Costa Rica Colones 0.00247084
CYP Cyprus Pounds 1.93813
CZK Czech Republic Koruny 0.0345161
DKK Denmark Kroner 0.151953
XCD East Caribbean Dollars 0.376364
EGP Egypt Pounds 0.163800
FJD Fiji Dollars 0.534147
XAU Gold Ounces 376.500
HKD Hong Kong Dollars 0.128209
HUF Hungary Forint 0.00443280
ISK Iceland Kronur 0.0126930
INR India Rupees 0.0214280
IDR Indonesia Rupiahs 0.000118329
XDR IMF Special Drawing Rights 1.39171
ILS Israel New Shekels 0.224014
JMD Jamaica Dollars 0.0169668
JOD Jordan Dinars 1.41084
KWD Kuwait Dinars 3.36243
LBP Lebanon Pounds 0.000664805
MYR Malaysia Ringgits 0.263123
MTL Malta Liri 2.64723
MXN Mexico Pesos 0.0916321
MAD Morocco Dirhams 0.104573
NZD New Zealand Dollars 0.583734
NGN Nigeria Nairas 0.00768935
NOK Norway Kroner 0.137850
PKR Pakistan Rupees 0.0173943
PHP Philippines Pesos 0.0182083
XPT Platinum Ounces 694.500
PLN Poland Zlotych 0.248697
ROL Romania Lei 0.0000298776
RUR Russia Rubles 0.0327667
SAR Saudi Arabia Riyals 0.267368
XAG Silver Ounces 5.25000
SGD Singapore Dollars 0.570311
SKK Slovakia Koruny 0.0273300
ZAR South Africa Rand 0.135364
KRW South Korea Won 0.000856113
SDD Sudan Dinars 0.00385060
SEK Sweden Kronor 0.124937
TWD Taiwan New Dollars 0.0294377
THB Thailand Baht 0.0246539
TTD Trinidad and Tobago Dollars 0.163425
TRL Turkey Liras 0.0000007280
AED United Arab Emirates Dirhams 0.272991
VEB Venezuela Bolivares 0.000627349
VND Vietnam Dong 0.0000643459

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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.

Faller bankruptcy update

On Friday, 28th August 2009 Gebr. FALLER GmbH has filed a petition in bankruptcy at the Inferior Court of Villingen-Schwenningen. Dr Volker Grub was duly appointed interim judicial receiver in bankruptcy.Grub is willing to reorganize FALLER.

Gütenbach / 2nd September 2009 – The appointed interim receiver in bankruptcy, Dr. Volker Grub, considers FALLER to be able to assume a sustainable development. He said that FALLER is a major brand, comparable with Märklin.

Even though the sales figures have decreased, FALLER remains the undisputed market leader for model railways decoration.

That means house and building models, miniature figures and terrain construction materials.

To reorganize FALLER it is necessary to modernize radically the production processes and manufacturing plants.

To this end, it is essential to perform a concentration of staff and premises.

Dr. Grub pointed out that FALLER has still a difficult course to follow.

All persons involved, shareholders, employees, trade union, customers, banking houses, the staff pension association as well as all other creditors will have to cooperate in that task.

It will be unavoidable to dismiss some staff.

However, the production site of Gütenbach will be maintained.

The family of owners rallied round Mrs. Ursula Herbertz is prepared to commit itself one more time financially.

It is Grub’s intention to submit a financial rescue plan intended to settle the outstanding liabilities amounting to some nine million euros.

Grub proposes to submit this very year the financial rescue plan to the vote of a general assembly of creditors, so as to be able to leave again the bankruptcy procedure early in 2010.

For any further information, please turn to: Dr. Volker Grub

Follow us in Twitter

You can also follow us in Twitter. Search for "ROCOUSA"

We are in Facebook

We are in Facebook.
We have created a page open to everyone and it is open to discuss any topic or ask questions about anything in the Hobby field.

We would like to have it limited to the Brands we carry. Answering specific questions on product we do not have is very though.

Generic questions are welcomed.

We encourage you to up-load pictures of your models or layouts/dioramas (please make a reference of your work and have your name to distinguish the ownership of the work)

NO COMMERCIAL EXTERNAL LINKS will be allowed and will be removed immediately.

No pornography accepted and will be immediately removed and reported.

Please visit the link http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=128765954546&ref=ts to open the page.

Euro rises to the highest point this year

Not to good news for those dealing with Europe.

The Euro has risen to the highest point this year and it looks that will go even higher.

Today the interbank exchange rate was 1.46 what means that for regular people like us, it costs $ 1.49

In March, the time of pre-ordering Trains from the new items programs the Euro was 1.25 per US Dollar. Today we have a 20% increment on cost only for exchange rates.

Now, some of the Manufacturers want to increase prices starting in October 1st. 2009. If this is allowed, I believe that it will be more than one Marklin or Faller falling to bankruptcy as Collectors can not keep paying these very high prices for a non indispensable item like Train Toys and accessories for them.

Collectors are starting to be tired paying the mistakes of these Corporations that have to rise prices to pay for their mistakes and their bad policies marketing their products.

Let's fight for Universal Prices and Dealer Direct programs with Factories and avoid the middle man by eliminating Distributors that today, in this electronic World, are not needed any longer.

We are battling the increased cost by lowering as much as we can the mark-up, just to the point of be afloat and pay expenses.

We will continue to mark-up our new arrivals as low as possible. You can easily test our prices on Preiser, for example, that were received today, against any Dealer you like based in USA or Canada. You will see the wide margin we have with them being our prices sometimes up to 40% lower than the rest of our competitors.

We hope our Government can do something to turn this Country on what we were, a power without any discussion, but as things smell now, we have our doubts.... who know, maybe I'm wrong.

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.