iHobby

[Mark5]

I'm sure Atlas has something cooking ...

[SkipGear]

[Ian MacMillan]

[MichaelWinicki]

Always with the negative waves, Moriarty, always with the negative waves . . .

[MichaelWinicki]

I think given the circumstances that Atlas has had to deal with lately that it shouldn't surprise anyone that no brand-spanking-new locomotive designs have been offered.  My gosh, look at the supply issues they've had just getting code 55 flex back to market.  I know it took the re-released GP7's much longer to be shipped than what Atlas initially scheduled... And I'm guessing other re-released locos were equally delayed.

[asarge]

To be honest, I ahve enjoyed quite a few of the Atlas reissue's in the last year and there are a bunch coming that I'll grab to add to the multiple era disorder I have. Just wish we could get them to do some more DT&I loco's and some Indiana & Ohio and Wheeling and Lake Erie loco's too.

Like Brian Bussey said patience, there is alot of stuff cooking, just not done yet..........and it's not just Atlas either.

[Mark5]

I hope someday to convince Cory, Paul, and co. to produce some "bread and butter" N&W locos perhaps like the GP9, of which N&W was on of the largest purchasers (they dieselized with GP9s and RS11s). Instead Atlas seems hell bent on covering every 1964 merger inherited iteration of the models it produces. Hell, I may be able to roster the entire fleet of N&W Trainmasters pretty soon, but after all these years just 3 N&W ordered GP9s in 1971 NW paint. : Come on! Give us this:



Or the same in black with hamburgers!

I'm not holding my breath though, the paint shop will soon be in action after years and years of dormancy. ;D

Looking at the big picture though, I am really happy to have many of the core models I need for my N&W roster, and Atlas has been really nice to bring us a hi-nose GP38, SD35. and C420.

Mark

[sirenwerks]

I imagine Atlas is giving a fair amount of its allotted N scale resources to cleaning house, as in getting the coil car out the door finally and the curved turnout issue. God speed to them is all I can say, get the bottle neck fixed. Maybe take a model producers laxative or something. But Atlas has done good for us in the last 10 years with plenty of locos and much needed freight cars. Look at all the tank cars they've given us!

I'm obviously an Atlas supporter, given the quality and array they've consistently undertaken. If Bachmann can make good, I'll be happy to support them as well, since they are releasing some much needed models (the GEs spring to mind). I'm waiting to see the quality of its recent announcements though.

Still, MT and Athearn continue to disappoint me. MT for its lack of release hutzpah, and Athearn for its sheer near-sightedness. I applaud its effort to fix the F59, but am waiting for something more useful, at the very least for it to replicate some of its HO line - like the PC&F boxcars, a SW1500 (though I personally don't need any), its 62' tank car (yes, there's no apparent prototype, but it will make excellent kitbashing fodder), and perhaps more variations of the PS1 (though the molded on detail of this car is disappointing, IMO). I'd also like to see it get off the schtick with the vehicles - the F850 is long overdue already, as are beverage trailers and a fuel tank bed for the Macks and Ford C.

And InterMountain has stalled in terms of freight cars. I am puzzled by their move towards supplier, and wish it would re-concentrate on producing more N scale versions of its HO line. I'd love to see a 40', 50' and 60' PS1s by them; the ART reefer; 70-ton flat and bulkhead flat; the open and closed sided 1958 cf covered hopper; and double door and plug versions of the 40' box and a plug 50-footer, and combo door variations of both lengths. Oh, and that Nucor PD hopper. I really think it'd be a contender if it would make its ladders and grabs finer, maybe etched, and return to the N scale rolling stock market with its own products. Personally, I'd like to see more kits too, at least available as special order or a parts order capacity for kitbashers. Hopefully, it is out of its poor production phase.

Kato is lost to me. I was really hoping for a late Hiawatha and the COLA is flat-out disappointing. Either Kato is secretly owned by UP or there's something funny in the water in Kato-land. And Con-Cor is simply a joke, the (hopefully) last vestige of toy N scale manufacturers. Walthers? Meh! What it did to Life-Like is shameful! And its structure line is pittance compared to the HO line. It needs to start listening to N scalers rather than base N production on HO sales. When will it learn that HO and N are two different animals?

Of course, there are the start ups. Trainworx, BLMA, TrainCat, ExactRail, FVM, ESM, City Classics, True Line, Rapido (resurrected), and Bluford. Oh, and Classic Metal Works in the vehicle department (though seemingly stuck in the 50s). Gosh, there's so much potential. Bless them.

[Ian MacMillan]

Bring on Atlas N New Hampshire Northcoast GP9s!

[cv_acr]

Of course, there are the start ups. Trainworx, BLMA, TrainCat, ExactRail, FVM, ESM, City Classics, True Line, Rapido (resurrected), and Bluford. Oh, and Classic Metal Works in the vehicle department (though seemingly stuck in the 50s).

Rapido is not resurrected anything. It was a new company that didn't come from any previously existing company or line.

They named themselves after one of CN's old name trains without realizing at the time that an older company had ever used a similar name.


There's also North American Railcar Corp. which makes a Hawker-Siddeley cylindrical hopper which is an offshoot of Canadian online store Pacific Western Rail Systems.

TrueLine trains is an offshoot of HobbyCraft Canada, a model distributor that's into a lot of R/C models and previously distributed LifeLike and also comissioned custom Proto1000/2000 projects. (The RS10/RS18 models, various Canadian schemes on Proto2000 cars and engines) TLT was created after Walthers bought Life-Like and they lost that connection.

[SirTainly]

If we're hoping for GP9s, then a  Ph3 version would be nice.

[wazzou]

If we're hoping for GP9s, then a  Ph3 version would be nice.

I'll drink to that...

[sizemore]

[ljudice]

What's going on here???   Looks like a serious case of "kato envy"...    ;D

Oh, BTW:

Exactrail is announcing 2 new N-scale cars,

Which makes it something like Exactrail: 8   Atlas: 0  for the year!   

[ljudice]

Re: Athearn...

You gotta be kidding me!!!  Probably the most ASKED for freight car on every forum were LPG tank cars.  Athearn delivered not 1 but three versions (well 1 is still coming).  And possibly the best n-scale freight car ever.

Athearn totally rocks in my mind after that car, the Ethanol cars and the SP cabeese....