iHobby

[lock4244]

The atlas catalog is up. No need to hurry, there's nothing to see.


Jason

Oh thank God, I was afraid they were going to announce my muse in N. Fat chance  >

VO-1000, but no S-series. SD26, but no S-series. GP15, but no S-series. RSD4/5, but no S-series. Maybe after they do the NW5, RSD-17, or the Ingalls 4S, they'll risk doing an S-series ALCO switcher.

[MichaelWinicki]

One of these days someone will finally figure out they can make big money by doing an updated S1 to S4 Alco.  Lots of us been screaming for this a long time.  Surprised Atlas hasn't gotten the hint.

I recall reading somewhere (and I don't know how true it is) but at one of those shows they asked a rep from Atlas about the SW1500 and the rep said "No way" to an N-scale version.  It doesn't look encouraging for Atlas to do the Alco's either.  

I think the 4' longer length of the MP15's is what enabled Atlas to do that loco.  They don't want to deal with the engineering involved with anything shorter.   Look what Kato had to do to the NW2 drive-train wise to bring that engine to market, consequently it's not a smooth runner IMO.

If I had to place money on a manufacturer building one it would be Bachmann at this point, based on the success they had with engineering the 44-tonner.  

[Mark5]

I would imagine Atlas has something up there sleave (eventually). Wow. Then again they don't always announce the NEW in the catalogs.

Athearn hasn't done any new locos in a few years either, wonder what they have in the oven ...

[wcfn100]

I don't know...  That Penn Central RS11 is on my wish list.

You mean that loco with the paint scheme one step above undecorated?  Yeah, totally missed that.  

Time to update your sig pic isn't Dave?


edit: FWIW the Atlas Facebook page announced the catalog early this morning.  Might need to check it during events likes this (you don't need to join).

Jason

[Dave V]

You mean that loco with the paint scheme one step above undecorated?  Yeah, totally missed that. 

Time to update your sig pic isn't Dave?

Jason

LOL...  Yeah, probably.  I don't currently have any PC locos (other than 2 that became CR restencils) but I have a PC GG1 on pre-order.





I'm starting to really appreciate the Todd Treaster approach.  He's got stuff spread across several eras, including PC, CR, and NS, and it all seems to work together.  Something about seeing that history of Pennsylvania railroading that just feels warm and comforting.  I have a few Conrail cars in Enola yard right now surrounded by 1950s Pennsy stuff, and it's not offending me the way I thought it would.

Besides PC, I'm also getting interested in late 60s Pennsy...  Big 6-axle Alcos and focal orange cabin cars.

If only I had a larger layout and a much larger budget!

[sirenwerks]

One of these days someone will finally figure out they can make big money by doing an updated S1 to S4 Alco.  Lots of us been screaming for this a long time.  Surprised Atlas hasn't gotten the hint.

Is that "lots of us", or just the echo of a few in a space devoid of any manufacturer listening?

(FWIW, I want the Ss too)

[TiVoPrince]

Mr. Wallet
was due for a holiday.  Probably just means that other manufacturers will pick up the slack for the Winter season.  Then again, Atlas could announce those sweet sweet N scale GENSETS (my HO scale pair runs super great) and completely ruin my budget, in a good way...

[MichaelWinicki]

Besides PC, I'm also getting interested in late 60s Pennsy...  Big 6-axle Alcos and focal orange cabin cars.

Yep.  Atlas was nice enough to do a slew of C628's & 630's in PRR & PC garb.

[James Costello]

The atlas catalog is up. No need to hurry, there's nothing to see.
Jason

I wish they'd hurry up and shrink their HO 89' flat already.....

[Mr. G]

One of these days someone will finally figure out they can make big money by doing an updated S1 to S4 Alco.  Lots of us been screaming for this a long time.  Surprised Atlas hasn't gotten the hint.

Sadly our screams are scaled to 1/160th, so they're not very loud.

[Rossford Yard]

Sadly our screams are scaled to 1/160th, so they're not very loud.

That's why HO guys get more stuff....their screams are only scaled to 1/87th and are more easily heard...... :-\

[ljudice]

My prediction - don't look for much new from Atlas in N...  My guess is that it has declined to a small part of their business and it's just not getting any investment.   What 2-3 new HO engines and 4-5 new cars in the past 12 months - and ZERO in N.   Then compare to Atlas O - which dwarfs HO. 

I suggest that N is a distant third at Atlas and if they listen to typical management consultant BS - would be dis-investing in the product or just using it as a cash cow, milking the tooling for whatever it's worth until it's sold off.

[Denver Road Doug]

Yes, because twelve months is plenty to identify a trend and major shift in their business focus.

I suspect that the biggest problem for model railroad companies business-wise is when passion overtakes business sense to do a pet project.  In this economy, smart companies flat don't do the higher risk "passion projects" as a survival tactic.   So, N is 1/4 or 1/3 of the market of HO to begin with, and if the stars aligned and there were some "far-reaching" N projects in the pipeline, voila!  And we have been getting stuff...like the curved turnouts.

So relax, the sky is not falling.

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't think Atlas is going to divest itself of N-scale.   Creating products for O, HO & N is much more closely related than say a company that produces home appliances, consumer electronics and computer equipment.  

Nor would I judge the intentions of Atlas based upon what they have or haven't done over the last couple of years.  I mean we're coming out of perhaps the worst recession since the 30's.

[Rossford Yard]

I agree that we seem to continue to get product.  Atlas has come out with new tooling for the 25K tank cars, for instance, so its hard to say we got zero this year from them. I am not sure why these can come out as scheduled but the coil cars that seemingly were announced earlier are DOA, but I am sure there is a reason.

IF there is a decrease in N scale product delivery, I would be interested to know why.  I wonder if buying trends, such as N scalers formerly having tended to buy more (like 100 car unit trains for NTrak running) has gone down, whereas HO (trending to more private layouts, perhaps) has stayed steady?  Of if N is trending off its growth mode in general?

I don't know, but both things could be possible.  I am sure that any company only got in N because they saw money there. Its great for us when we are the focus, not so great when we aren't!