Long Term Prospects of RailPro

[dfischer71]

I am very much interested in using RailPro and am impressed with everything I see on the website plus what I have seen on this forum.  I noted with interest the threads concerning market share.  RailPro share is basically minuscule and apparently the company is very small.

I love private companies, including the small ones like RailPro.  In my opinion, it appears to be thousands of times better than ANY DCC system I have seen.  But, investing in RailPro and designing my layout around it is a BIG step.  There are no guarantees in life, but does anybody have any inside information or insight into the long term prospects of the company?  I'm just hesitant because where would I be if I set up using RailPro and he sold the company or it went under?

All that aside, I'm probably going to do it anyway!  Just a little leery at this point...

Thanks.

[G8B4Life]

Hi dfisher71 (sorry, we don't know your first name yet),

Welcome to the user group.

Ring Engineering has been around for 11 years, his RailPro system I don't know how much of that but it is in it's second generation so I don't think Ring is going anywhere soon. I can understand you being hesitant, heck I'm probably one of only two people in this country using Railpro so I'm even more stuck if things went bad, but after reading everything I could and watching Kevin's videos (another shameless plug) I still jumped straight in; I saw the benefits outweighed the risks in spades.

As for market share, well yes that isn't in our favour right now, but the more users we and the more we get it out there in the public and modellers eyes get the stronger our position will be.

Designing your layout for RailPro wouldn't really be any different than designing your layout for DCC or even DC. The track wiring should be virtually the same for RailPro, DCC or DC. If you ever had to change systems then adding anything extra that another system might need should be fairly simple if the layout design is well thought out.

- Tim

[KPack]

D (name??) - a very valid question, and one that I'm sure most of us have considered at one point or another.  Being a small operation there is always the possibility of failure of one kind or another.  Thankfully Ring Engineering has a successful track record behind them that gives confidence.  They've been around for over 10 years.  Much of that was with their EOT devices and power trucks, which successfully built the business up enough to allow Railpro to be possible.  If you listen to an old model railroad podcast where Tim Ring was interviewed, he states that Railpro was always the original goal of the company, but they needed a successful product first to allow Railpro to be developed.  Hence the EOT devices, which have been very successful. 

Railpro has been out now for several years and has only gotten better.  There is constant improvement.  The fact that Ring is actively working to make new products and release new features for Railpro shows that there is a plan and there is drive. 

I can't predict the future and so I can't say for certain whether or not something will happen to Ring Engineering.  But the bottom line is this:  if for some reason Ring Engineering went away, would I regret buying Railpro?  The answer is absolutely not.  Railpro is the best money I've spent in the hobby and has brought me far more enjoyment than DCC ever did.

-Kevin

[William Brillinger]

dfischer71, Welcome to our little group!

Kevin and Tim's posts are very typical of how the RailPro owners I have met feel about the product. And I feel the same way.

It's hard to estimate the size of the RailPro user base since Tim Ring has not shared this info with us and since we have a very small reach as a group. I know there are many others out there who are not members here. 

I think the best way to ensure that RailPro continues to advance is for it's users to do what they tend to do.. rave about RailPro and it's features to potential users.

One day, maybe Ring Engineering will promote this forum as a place for their customers and then we might get a little better idea of the number of users RailPro has. Who knows?

[Alan]

Layout design is no different for RP as for DCC so no worries there. If Ring ever does go belly up then my plan is to quickly grab a few more controllers and a box full of modules. Life goes on.

[nodcc4me]

Add me to the list of satisfied customers. Dfischer, if you are unsure of whether or not to get a RailPro system, just try using a DCC controller, then try a RP controller. There is literally no comparison. Another benefit of RP is that it can be updated/upgraded instantly, at your home. There are exciting new features in the works as the folks at Ring Engineering work to make the system even better. As was stated above, if Ring had to exit the market for some reason, I would buy up as many modules as I could get, and if that were to happen, I would think someone else would probably pick up the company. The product is that good.

Considering that there is a relatively small dealer network, most of whom do not push RailPro, and the fact that Ring Engineering doesn't go to train shows other than Trainfest, the user base is growing. When folks see it and try it, they eventually buy it. I have converted three of my fellow club members. The main aversion I have experienced is from guys who have a lot of money invested in DCC equipped engines. That is really not a major consideration since RP locos can run on DCC power.

[BruceRogers]

I have been a RailPro user since early 2012. My only regret was not buying it sooner. This was when there was only one sound.
I've spoken to Tim on numerous occasions and this company isn't going away. They have more exciting plans for the future.
So far 2 friends have converted  to RailPro and from there they have jumped in with both feet.
I've been so taken with this product that there is now 67 engines equipped with RailPro on the layout, and have been actively recording actual engine sounds with them under load. The sounds are amazing compared to even LOKsound I think.

[William Brillinger]

Bruce,

Will you posting some of your recordings here to share?

I think you mentioned that you've been sending them to Ring Engineering for editing. I'm sure we have people here who can help process sounds like horns, clunks, and other non-primemover recordings.

[Abiqua]

RailPro is an excellent group of products and they should financially grow as new users begin using their products. However if there is concern for long term viability, users should buy all products direct from RailPro (Ring) allowing them full profit from each transaction. Just another method to bolster their viability and longevity.

[KPack]

Bruce - I can't wait to hear some of those recordings!!!  I'm glad you're able to get some.  Like Bill said members here would be happy to help edit sounds.  Prime mover files are best left to Ring at this point, but we'd be happy to help edit other recordings.

-Kevin

[William Brillinger]

I had 2 visitors to my layout this weekend and they had a lot of questions about RailPro. It was their first time using it, but they were familiar with it from discussions on the MRH forum and elsewhere.

After about 1/2 an hour of using it, they both indicated their intention to ditch DCC and purchase RP, and they were serious!

One of them, Rico, has a large investment in DCC and the other did not. Rico concluded on his own that RP is not nearly as expensive as DCC.

He posted this on MRH today:

ACK.. Caught on video!

Had a blast Bill, and the layout  provided both a challenge and and a fun time! I ran my layout the next day, that is tried to MU three diesels to pull that coal train I was telling you about. (six six-packs of BN  Bethgons) an hour later I was on Ring Engineering's website making my Christmas wish list. Maybe next session I'll bring them down and really throw a wrench into the works!

Thanx again for your hospitality, and for not laughing too loud at our endeavours!

The best way to improve RailPro's long term prospects might bee putting a controller in somebody's hand.

[BruceRogers]

Kevin; At this time I'm only providing Ring with the sounds myself and friend record. We're currently working on recordings for the 12 & 16 cylinder ALCo 251 engines. I figure once they have them on their site they're there for all RailPro users.

[KPack]

Fair enough Bruce!  Glad that you're submitting recordings.  Can't wait to see them on the download list!

-Kevin

[SD90]

After using DigiTrax for over 10 years, and getting out of the hobby, selling everything, I have to say, even without ever seeing RailPro in person, I fairly confidant I'll be going with RailPro for this layout.
The great thing is, I am starting over, so it's not like I've got lots of money tied up in another control system! 
I always hated programming and speed matching locomotives with Digirax, especially the time when I reprogrammed all 50 locomotives to the same address! I was ready to give up for sure!
RailPro seems like a no brainer!

[hirailer]

I'm gong into my third year with RailPro and I am still wow'd by this system. I have been in the hobby for 40 years and all my layouts have DC because of the many problems that DCC owners were having. Many of the same problems people were having 20 years ago are still the same problems that modelers are having today. DCC has not improved much over all those years.

I don't believe that Ring is going anywhere soon and I don't worry about that happening. Even in the several years since I took the plunge and bought a RailPro system, there has been many improvements to this great system with many more coming. The future for RailPro is bright.

Mel