Atlas high-rise buildings

[kalbert]

Now it could just be a good warehouse cleaning. But they are also selling broken up Trainman sets too. And then they tries to clean their parts stock out a few months ago before repricing everything. New anouncments have slowed. New tooling has slowed as well.

Maybe in addition to nixing the forum they are also getting out of some storage units or PODs in the parking lot or something. Oh well, someone can use them for something I'm sure, and they aren't making Atlas any money sitting in a box in their basement! Maybe they are making space down there to put in some injection molders and pad printers   

I don't know about slowed announcements or new models. Looking back on their site it looks like there was a dry spell of new models in 2010, but just about every month had several reissues. In 2011 it seems there are a few months where there were only 1 or 2 things announced, but there were also a few new models here and there and a few months with quite a few reissues. This year we've had quite a few reissues and some new models already, including the Middlesex building that I think was well recieved. The only thing I think has slowed is the delivery! Seems like time between announcement and shipping is getting longer, anywhere from 6 months to never! I'd almost prefer they keep the cat in the bag a little longer and announce when the ship leaves China so we'd only have to wait a few weeks instead of a few years  Alas though this is just my observation, none of it really matters.

Edit: My bad, I thought the Middlesex building was announced earlier this year, but it was actually July last year.... At least they eventually showed up.

[Bob Bufkin]

Made with Mica-based plastic - exactlty what is this?

[jnevis]

Made with Mica-based plastic - exactlty what is this?

Think Formica countertops instead of styrene.

[rickb773]

Actually bought one of them a lonng, long time ago.
Then found some later on ebay.
They originally listed for 32.95 and had sale price stickers (probably BLW) for $25.95.
I have 3 of the regular rectangular black buildings, 1 octogonal highrise and an add-on kit.
I only built 1 and it suffered damage on my move.

There are additional photos at:
https://plus.google.com/photos/117979710150548241973/albums#photos/117979710150548241973/albums/5741105448396655937
But I can't guarantee you will see them.
I am still lost since Google changed the Picasa phot links to Google+.

[peteski]

I also remember seeing them in the Model Railroader magazine (when they originally came out, many moons ago). I just don't recall if I saw them in ads or in a feature article.  I also didn't know that there was a story behind these (as told by Daniel).  Interesting...

These were too modern form me so I never bought them bit there are plenty of people who model large comntemporary cities that might find these handy (even if just for kitbashing).

[Atlas Paul]

The add on kits were found in the warehouse.  There is no long story about this as suggested by Daniel.  The actual story is the company that created these (Patal) also had a line of HO structures that we were marketing at the time.  One day they showed up with these high rise buildings, so we marketed them too.  A few years later, Patal went out of business.  The HO tooling was sold and those items still show up from time to time, but I have never seen any other production of the high rise buildings.

[TiVoPrince]

Bueller? 
Bueller?  Anybody out there know anything about the pricing.  Mr. Wallet needs to be properly sedated...

[Pomperaugrr]

The add on kits were found in the warehouse.  There is no long story about this as suggested by Daniel.  The actual story is the company that created these (Patal) also had a line of HO structures that we were marketing at the time.  One day they showed up with these high rise buildings, so we marketed them too.  A few years later, Patal went out of business.  The HO tooling was sold and those items still show up from time to time, but I have never seen any other production of the high rise buildings.

See, closing the Atlas forum was a good thing.  The nice folks at Atlas can actually spend time doing their jobs now instead of babysitting!  Cleaning out  the warehouse, R&D, etc.      

I'm happy about this find and have my order in with Chuck already.  The window panels will be perfect to use in building a much more prototypical looking office section for my Kimberly Clark plant! 

Eric

[sizemore]

Seems odd to say the least..Kinda like that 4-4-0 with no cars to go with it.

If the base kit is long out of stock maybe a another release is on the horizon?

Maybe cause MT is coming out with early steam era cars (1850's - 1860's) and MDC has already flooded the market with period cars?

Doesnt seem to odd to me....

The S.

[wazzou]

I'll take IRS audit for 20 chuck.

I think you mean Alex. 

[Roger Holmes]

I have built a half dozen buildings for my Chicago scene with the Atlas kits and add-on kits including selectively compressed versions of the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building.  My favorite is the freelanced Aqua Building which is loosely based on the American Medical Association HQ.  The ugly brown brackets on the walls in several of the photos have been removed.

If anyone is interested I have skads of bases, roofs, elevators, RTU's and antennae that came with the kits since I did my own bases and roofs.  I did make the entire front of one building from the elevator shaft parts assembled in a concave fashion. The plastic in these kits can be easily sawed but the score and snap method doesn't work.  Mine were glued with Testor's liquid stryrene cement and have held together long enough that I've had to buy them back from TWO ex-wives!



The red angled building, light gray and dark gray (with spire) buildings against the wall are all from cut-up Atlas kits along with the Aqua Bldg in the foreground and the Sears Tower in the background.



The Hancock Building with its distinctive X bracing (Evergreen styrene that glues fine to the Atlas material) is in the background.  The copper colored building to its right is the one with the front made from the elevator shaft sides.



The base of the Sears Tower is visible in this photo.

[Scottl]

Awesomeness.  You've been holding back Roger.

[rogergperkins]

Roger, thanks for refreshing the memory of the more seasoned n-scalers and updating the newer one on these kits.  I never purchased them because while you do Chicago, I focus on down state Illinois where none of this style building existed in 1940s.

[rickb773]

See what you can do with them!