2 Athearn N Scale announcements this month

[sirenwerks]

We seem to have a problem. It is the same as Atlas'.

If it is, that's just asinine. They are living in their own little world. A better choice would have been a refined version of the Bowser 50' 2 bay, at least.

[TiVoPrince]

Anyone
find the caboose artwork?  C50-7, C50-7, C50-7, C50-7...

Finally the 'wont duplicate a model' industry rule has been broken.  Can a new SD40-2 be far behind?  Perhaps this will break several other 'logjams' of models that 'need' to be produced.  Can a C-Boat line be far off?  We can certainly hope so...

[POVC]

"GATC 2600 Airslide Covered Hopper"


Oh please tell me that's not the exact same car that Atlas already makes.


Jason

Nope, they're not.

They were quiet about it, but they had prototypes of these AND new SP proto bay window cabooses at the WGH show back in Philly.

These cars have sloped ends, not the vertical ones that the Atlas car does. I know someone's done these in HO before. I think it was Walthers, ironically.

Wait a freak'im minute!  You mean you got the scoop on some new releases 2-1/2 weeks ago and we're just now finding out about it?

What kind of damm N-scale reporter are you anyway?  What else did you see that you haven't bothered to tell us about?

Don't bother turning in an expense report for that trip, you're fired!

 ;D

Tim

[Robbman]

The cool thing about Athearm's new releases is that they do multiple phases.

They do? 

[asarge]

You won't find the SP Artwork JJ because ut hasn't officially been announced. The rule has been broken before but to find Athearn doing it now IS news. I'd be willing to bet the Atlas Trainman car would be more popular at this time based on price but it hasn't been released since earlier in '07. I'd be willing to bet they had that car done for HO and just decided to do it in N also. Hopefully we can get some different schemes.

Daniel, they do have nice trailers. Now all they need to do is a car to carry them on.

[Mark5]

I don't think there's a problem with Athearn doing the same model as the trainman. The Athearn should be quite a bit nicer, and priced accordingly.

[wcfn100]

I don't think there's a problem with Athearn doing the same model as the trainman. The Athearn should be quite a bit nicer, and priced accordingly.

Spend 5 minutes comparing the accuracy of the lettering and you might still buy the Trainman version.  Athearn has some really questionable artwork on some of their cars.


I guess now would be a good time to let them know there are two different paint/lettering schemes for the as delivered CGW cars.

(Where are the undecs anyway?)


Jason

[asarge]

The MSRP on the Athearn Car is $22.98. Trainman mighy sell more if they release it again, they haven't had a release in over a year and a half. I'm pretty sure at least the RI and SSW are schemes that haven't been done before.

There are gonna be a few n scalers in Tennessee and Georgia drooling over an HO model announced. The Oneida and Western Shamrock Green Bathtub gons.

[tom mann]

Gee Ed, why don't you tell us more about the show??

[Mark5]

Spend 5 minutes comparing the accuracy of the lettering and you might still buy the Trainman version.  Athearn has some really questionable artwork on some of their cars.

Hehe, if you read 5% of my posts about Athearn you'd know what I think of Athearn's artwork (the recent PS 2600 being an exception, at least as for N&W).

Atlas has been improving greatly on some artwork but they still have to fix some "grandfathered" screw ups.

[Dave Schneider]

I have no problem with Athearn doing the same model as Atlas.

Take a look at the PS-2 versions.

Athearn


Atlas


I am not a PS-2 expert, so these may represent slightly different versions. However I am sold on the Athearn version.

Now the Airslide.

Atlas


Of coarse the Athearn models go for almost $10 more than Atlas, but I am more that happy to pay this difference for a model with finer scale details. I really love the Athearn hatch detail, roof walks, and ladders on the PS-2 and look forward to a revamped Airslide as well.

Atlas has made the decision to keep selling many of their old, outdated models under the Trainman label and I have no problem with that (not that they should care much about what I think). However, I am happy that we are  being given the choice of paying a bit more for a more detailed car. In this vein I would love to see a new 40 foot plug door boxcar produced in multiple (and actual) paint schemes.

Best wishes, Dave

[wm3798]

I've been watching this thread with interest.  Personally, I am and will continue to be a price buyer.  Until I see the actual Athearn car, I'll have to think long and hard before I can justify doubling the amount of money I pay for something.  Maybe if it includes a lot of etched brass jewelry, Fox Valley wheels and all that it might be worth the price, but I'd still be looking for a bargain before I bought it.

With over 300 cars in the fleet, I guess I'm not in the market for much new anyway. 

Lee

[sizemore]

The Athearn car creams the Atlas cars...unfortunately I cant justify buying more than 1 at a time with 14.99 pricetags on the things. If they were say 11.99 I would have bought three on the spot. Same thing for the Intermountain 60' flats.... I can buy 4 or 5 TM 50' flats, stirrups and grabs from BLMA as well as MT trucks, Z couplers spend an afternoon and get the same results that I would pay for 3 of the IM flats. I've been considering going to the bulk order level (quantities in the 6, 12, 18 ranges) for cost benefit vs. want for the number of cars.

 

[Mark5]

I am not a PS-2 expert, so these may represent slightly different versions. However I am sold on the Athearn version.

The Athearn PS 2600 hopper is a newer (mid 1960s and later) and different car than the Atlas car, which is based on a car 1st made in the 1950s.

[asarge]

I believe the Atlas PS car Dave shows is a PS2003 and not a 2600. The 2003 is an earlier and smaller version of the 2600. I wish they would do C&O on those as they got them in 1960 from D&H. C&O also had some of these Airslides and some PS2600's. This could be fun.