iHobby

[ArtinCA]

It could also be a ripple effect from the snafu in China. That could cause problems for awhile. A project that could take 9-12 months could be taking 18 months.

There's still some stuff listed on the A-Z list that's MIA. I'd be more interested in getting product here first instead of tooling up more. That's alot of working capital sitting somewhere that's not doing them any good.

[Packer]

I'd bet there will be no new SD40-2 or C30-7?

Man, U30Bs. Wheres the N scale Proto love?

The proto version is a Phase one and the Altas is a Phase 2. So which phase would most N-scales want?

[eric220]

Any news?

[sirenwerks]

The news according to MR mag - http://mrr.trains.com/News%20and%20Reviews/New%20Products/2010/10/iHobby%20Expo%202010%20preliminary%20show%20report.aspx

Ho scalers get spoiled and we get reruns, pretty much. The MT 4427 and CMW Ford station wagons are about all that we've never seen before. I guess the COLA was Kato's big announcement. How anti-climatic was that?

[Mark5]

Ho scalers get spoiled and we get reruns, pretty much. The MT 4427 and CMW Ford station wagons are about all that we've never seen before.

We already knew about the 4427 four months ago. So the Ford wagon is it.

[SkipGear]

The Ford wagons have been on the CMW website for a while. Also on their site is a '56 Dodge Coronet and Royal.

[James Costello]

OK, folks, nothing new from Atlas in N-scale...  And the only major announcement in N is the COLA from Kato.   

Although there are a lot of bright spots in N these days, it looks like Atlas' light is dimming rapidly. My prediction of a gloomy future for Atlas N stands....   

BTW, folks - Kato has almost exited HO scale (USA) - so why would it be so stunning for Atlas to exit N-scale???

It's a dangerous world out there!

a) Why would Atlas leave N?
b) Considering their vast product range, who (of the existing manufacturers in the current environment) could afford to buy it at the price Atlas would want?
c) Why would Atlas sell at any price lower than what they want?

It's a preliminary show report for crying out loud - the majority of those release announcements have been made before the show doors have even opened. MR is hardly speedy with their coverage anyway and new releases (usually) trickle in over the weekend anyway. Most of the "news" comes from forumers who seek out the news and post it online before it gets to mags, with the possible exception of MRH.

No way Atlas is leaving N. It's a family business and many of the staffers have been there forever. IMO all you're seeing is a family business taking a risk adverse approach to new product development considering the GFC and the China situation...

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Has the N scale market collapsed? Its kind of scary to think, but Bachmann has announced more new tooling than almost all the other major manufacturers combined. Whats up with that?

[James Costello]

Just trying to provoke a discussion of the unthinkable here...

I have plenty of reasons to be concerned - it's a "Jersey Thing" 

There are more likely "unthinkables" than Atlas.... one in particularly I'm surprised there hasn't been more discussion about. Thankfully things now seem to be looking up for them.

[bbussey]

Atlas isn't getting out of N.  Things have slowed due to the economy and the contractor situation in China, that's all.  If they were getting out, they wouldn't be releasing new paint schemes on numerous pieces of equipment on a monthly basis.

[H Lee]

Atlas isn't getting out of N.  Things have slowed due to the economy and the contractor situation in China, that's all.  If they were getting out, they wouldn't be releasing new paint schemes on numerous pieces of equipment on a monthly basis.

Good Grief - how can these guys have any fun if you insist on inserting logic and rational thinking?????

[asarge]

Atlas getting out N......crybabies. :'( Gimme a break.

I already told you guys not to expect alot of blockbusters from the iHobby and guess what, there won;lt be. This show encompasses all aspects of the Leisure hobby industry and is not HUGE for Model Railroading. If there are gonna be anymore, they will be in a couple a few weeks as we get to Trainfest, I have no advance knowledge of any news, but there maybe one or two interesting ones, but "BLOCKBUSTER" is more a personal choice of words than anything.

However, those new trucks from CMW might just be in N and HO.

[GaryHinshaw]

Here is some data on new releases from Atlas, gleaned from their own site.  A ? indicate that I'm not sure if that was the model's first release date.

N locos:
<2000?: GP-7, GP-9, GP-35, GP-38, GP-40, GP38-2, GP40-2, RS-1, RS-3, RSD-4/5, SD-35, SD-50, SD-60?, U25B?

2000: B23-7?, FM/TM
2001: B30/36-7?, 8-40B?
2002: 8-32/40BW, VO-1000
2003: 2-6-0, C-628, H15/16-44, SD-7?, SD-24, Shay
2004: C-630, SD-26
2005: MP15DC, RS-11
2006: U23B
2007: C-420, GP-30/ph1
2008: 8-40C/W, GP15-1
2009: -
2010: -

So 2003 was an anomalous year, but things really ground to a halt after 2008.

N rolling stock: (excluding Trainman)
<2000: ACF 2-bay CF?, 33K tank, 5250 CF, 40' Airslide?, 40' plug box, 40' PS-1 box, 40' wood reefer?, 42' gon.?, 53' Evans box?, 55-ton hopper, 60' auto-parts box, 70-ton ore, 90-ton hopper, beer can tank, coalveyor gon.?, 50' flat, FGE box?, Kaolin tank, PS-2 hopper

2000: 23K tank, Pressureaide CF
2001: 17 K tank
2002: 11K tank
2003: 50' Precision box, artic. auto rack
2004: CS tank, NE-6 caboose, USRA box
2005: 70-ton ballast
2006: Evans gon., USRA/wood box, USRA/steel box
2007: 2-bay offset hopper, 5701 CF
2008: 1932 ARA box, 5800/5748 CF
2009: Thrall gon.
2010: 20K tank, 25K tank
2020: NSC coil car

So rolling stock production has held much steadier, especially when you deconvolve the China effect.

-gfh

[bbussey]

So you guys are upset that Atlas hasn't dropped a couple hundred Gs on new motive power the last year and a half (not two years since this year isn't over yet)?  Yet they've released other new N scale tooling and a ton of reissued models.  Why are you panicking?

You're looking for something that isn't there.  Stuff is coming.  Be patient.

[GaryHinshaw]

Same data as above for Atlas HO:

HO locos:
<2000: AEM-7, C-424/5, GP-7, GP-38, GP-40, RS-1?, RS-3, RSD-4/5?, RS-11?, S-2/4?, SD-35, SDP-35, U23B?

2000: 8-40B?
2001: 8-32/40BW?
2002: H15/16-44
2003: 8-40C
2004: SD-24/26, FM/TM, U30C
2005: B23/30-7, MP15DC
2006: C420, 8-40CW
2007: C420/ph.1/2
2008: GP40-2, H600/660, U30B
2009: NRE Genset (Trainman)
2010: -

Looks pretty similar to N, except for 2003 (which was much better for N!).  Am I missing any recent locos?

HO rolling stock: (excluding Trainman)
<2000: 2-bay hoppers?, 23K tank, 3/6-bay cyl. hopper?, 33K tank, 4650 CF, 50' Precision box?, 53' Evans box, 60' auto-parts box, Coalveyor gon.?, Kaolin tank?, PS-2 hopper

2000: Pressureaide CF
2001: 17K tank
2002: -
2003: 11K tank, 36' reefer, 70-ton ballast
2004: CS tank, NE-6 caboose
2005: -
2006: Artic. auto rack
2007: 20K tank, 5701 CF, 5800/5748 CF, Thrall gon.
2008: '32 ARA box, 48' AP well car, 89' flat
2009: 73' centerbeam, 25K tank
2010: trash flats

There have also been some recent HO Trainman releases: high & low bulkhead flats, Colaveyor gon.  I think these may account for the perceived difference between HO & N release rates.  But there is not that much actual difference that I can see....  Aside from the loco lull, things seem pretty good to me in both scales, especially given the China effect and the recession.

-gfh