Athearn's quiet time

[Mark5]

I've been thinking about Athearn's conspicuous lack of new product in N scale (outside the UP steam arena) and here's my theory:

They are busy preparing to roll out the McHenry (Horizon stablemate) couplers to all their N scale product.

This is only a guess. I hope it's not because they lack committment ...

Although I refuse to buy their locos I do watch the freight car releases as they own some tooling that nobody else makes. Finish varies from quite good to poor, so it's caveat emptor but I have picked up a fair number of the releases.

[Ryan87]

I hope it's not because they lack committment ...

Too much commitment between the Big Boy & F45/FP45's, I think that's all the N scale Athearn can handle...

[daniel_leavitt2000]

They have other projects, but the Big-Boy, like the Challenger is taking incredible amount of resources.

[tom mann]

They have other projects, but the Big-Boy, like the Challenger is taking incredible amount of resources.

Yeah, I think that this is most likely the culprit. 

[sirenwerks]

They have other projects, but the Big-Boy, like the Challenger is taking incredible amount of resources.

So does that mean smaller locos = less resources. And what are those other projects (besides the F/FP45 - a thoroughly western US loco). The Big Boy and Challenger are both nice locos, but seem a tad more limited in market than, oh, say Fs or Geeps, etc., which are the mainstay of their HO loco offerings. I guess wishing for them to mime their HO line in N scale, or at least produce those models still not offered in N (CF7, GP40X, MP15AC, SD38...) or not commonly available (GP60, SD40-2...), is pointless? And about those PC&F boxcars....

[TiVoPrince]

Mr. Wallet
appreciates the break provided by Athearn, although Fox Valley and BLMA have more than taken up the slack.  PC&F boxcars would mean I needed a second (and maybe a third) job...

[wm3798]

If their diesel offerings get better drives than the F59, it might be interesting...  but we already have ONE Bachmann.... we don't need two.

Lee

[Mark5]

If their diesel offerings get better drives than the F59, it might be interesting...  but we already have ONE Bachmann.... we don't need two.

Lee

And maybe they can skip the GLUE, and the bottle glass bottom windows, and the wrong fans, etc etc. UNDECORATED is a new concept.

[Sokramiketes]

Is Athearn really all that quiet?  Seems like they have a steady stream of rolling stock going, and plenty of locomotives on the way...

Were you just expecting more because they're a big player in HO, or does it seem like less than it is because there hasn't been much buzz as new releases arrive?

[Mark5]

Seems like they have a steady stream of rolling stock going,

Answer this: what have they released in terms of rolling stock in the past six months? Also, excluding the recycled "weathered" stuff I don't think anything is currently in the "announced" pipeline except the ethanol tankers.

[Ryan87]

Seems like they have a steady stream of rolling stock going,

Answer this: what have they released in terms of rolling stock in the past six months? Also, I don't think anything is currently in the "announced" pipeline.

Past Six Months? How 'bout eight?

Thrall Coal Gondolas       - Announced 05/15/2007
Weathered Seico Boxes   - Announced 08/20/2007
Weathered Reefers         - Announced 09/18/2007
ATSF Ice Reefers           - Announced 12/11/2007
30K Ethanol Tanks          - Due March 2008

add to that two runs of Challengers one run of 2-6-0's, the Big Boy, The F45/FP45(not yet announced)
two tractors and their train sets and that's what Athearn has "announced" since March...

Doesn't seem like a whole heck of alot to me...

[Mark5]

my question was rolling stock.

so, knock off the weathered repeats and yeah not much.

[sirenwerks]

Take away new paint jobs and old toolings, and there's nuttin' honey. I don't know about NandW, but I consider "new product" new toolings. New paint & road numbers are re-releases in my book.

[Ryan87]

Take away new paint jobs and old toolings, and there's nuttin' honey. I don't know about NandW, but I consider "new product" new toolings. New paint & road numbers are re-releases in my book.

If you take away all Re-runs and ex MDC tooling the last thing Athearn Announced rolling stock wise was in September of 2006...

[cfritschle]

Athearn should be announcing the Ford C fire rescue truck in January.  Expect the same paint schemes as the HO version.

OK, it's not rolling stock.  But it is something new, and something we were not expecting to get in N scale.

Carter