Our model projects

The C&O Historical Society has been initiating special runs of models and has begun to sell regular run models pertaining to the C&O over the past year and a half We have had some success. We find that when we hit the right subject and do it well, such as the GP7s or the Atlas hoppers, we are able to clear a quick and fair net income for the Society. We plan to continue to expand the program, whenever the opportunity presents itself

We are, however, very new to the model production and sales business. We are feeling our way, and we have made some mistakes, partly from my flawed judgement, and partly because we did not understand how the model industry works. We are becoming more immersed in modeling projects because it does offer a wonderful opportunity to serve you and to raise capital for the Society's purposes.

I again want to solicit your patience when we have delays and assure you that in each case we are acting on the best information available when we offer things. The Atlas 50-ton hoppers with the second set of ten numbers finally arrived the first week of January and are now mailed, about nine months after we expected to do it! Our venture into the N-scale field with the specially decorated and numbered hoppers also was promised for August or September, and we still don't know when they'll be ready, though we do know they're moving along in the production schedule. As soon as we have them and have shipped the advance orders, we'll let everyone know how many remain to be sold.

We are exploring some closer relationships with some of the model makers, and are talking to some about products made especially for the Society. As each of these matures, we'll let you know what to expect. We continue to provide manufacturers with all kinds of data for their use in the creation of new products, as we always have.

Your support, of course, in buying the models is absolutely essential in continuing the business, just as in every other phase of our sales operations. I also want to solicit modeling ideas for consideration. None of the people in daily management of the Society are modelers, so we need your help. I get a lot of input from the directors when we meet, because they know modeling well, but we need some outside advice and recommendations. Please send comments to me at the Lynchburg address in the masthead.

Thanks, again, for your fine support in 1999. We all look forward to serving you in the New Year.

- Thomas W Dixon, Jr., President

Copyright Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society, Inc. Jan 2000
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