I'm really pleased to say that I have bought the assets of ATSF N Scale Models and the intention is to make Dirk's amazing work available in some way for the future. Too many of these brilliant small businesses go by the wayside.
As Dirk says, I'm in the UK and he is in the Netherlands, so there will be a few logistical hurdles until I receive his designs and remaining stock. I will then be working with my son-in-law who has a small 3D print and design business -
https://www.mdndesigns.com.
Time will be needed to inventory the assets - electronic and his remaining prints and etches etc. The intention is then to make the 3D designs available as downloads under Creative Commons licenses for personal use only, either directly through my SiL's website or on a site like Cults3D. I know this could potentially cause copying issues, but the market is so niche that I'm sure it wont be too much of a problem. There is at least one designer in the UK who put his stuff on Cults after Shapeways went, and this has worked fairly well. The effort and cost to print and then ship with the current tariff issues almost certainly precludes making up the models as Dirk did, especially items like his signals. However we can supply all the materials needed for modellers to assemble themselves reasonably easily.
The etches will need to be produced here and then shipped, but this is make easier as Dirk had them make by PPD in Scotland which is much easier for us. I think the etches will be cheaper to ship as they are essentially smaller and lightweight.
There will inevitably be some trial and error, but we will put in the work needed. Any (reasonable!) comments/suggestions gratefully received. I will keep TRW etc updated.
A word about Dirk. I knew him already, as a long term customer, to be a man of integrity and achievement, but in the last couple of weeks I've been able to talk to him a little and appreciate that his is (as I have told him) a man of substance, bravery and humour.
