Athearn announces...

[Ian MacMillan]

The new Genesis GP9s in B&M that just arrived look hawt!

[Leggy]

The thing is Athearn could quite easily launch their SD70ACe/M-2 in N on the back of doing all 10 NS Heritage liveries that are on the ACe, if they're good enough they'd no doubt steal the ACe/M-2 market from Kato...

[mcjaco]

The CFNR Geep 15s are going to kill my wallet....

[Hyperion]

The thing is Athearn could quite easily launch their SD70ACe/M-2 in N on the back of doing all 10 NS Heritage liveries that are on the ACe, if they're good enough they'd no doubt steal the ACe/M-2 market from Kato...

Well they could... if they ever made an ACe.  But they didn't.

The closest they've got is the 70M, which looks about as much like an ACe as it does the ES44AC.

[Leggy]

Funny that, there's that larger scale where they've made a bunch...I was referring to their comment about doing what they've done in HO in N.

[kalbert]

Athearn makes HO scale models. They dabbled in N for a bit, and bought some old N tooling, but only because it was included with the HO stuff they wanted. N is not for everybody. And that's ok. Pepsi Co. didn't announce any N scale models this month either, but you can't really blame them. They don't make N scale models.

My only wish for Athearn is that they offer their N product line to someone who is interested in producing N scale. They do have some nice products in their stable that deserve a run now and then.

[Hiroe]

Pepsi makes cola. They dabbled in Mug Root Beer for a bit, and bought some old root beer formulas, but only because it was included with the other brands they wanted. Root beer is not for everybody. And that's ok. Athearn didn't announce any root beer this month either, but you can't really blame them. They don't make soda.

Fixed that for you.

[asarge]

I doubt Athearn is trying to dump their N tooling. I don;t doubt that it will be QUITE AWHILE before we see any new N tooling from them. Looking at all their N products, probably the most successful has been the Ethanol Tanks. EVERY run they have done has sold out quickly. NONE of their other freight car or vehicle products have come that close.

The Challengers and Big Boys have done pretty well but I think the main reason they are releasing them again is they need the cash and they want to at least keep the N product line alive.

While Athearns policy of "N scalers don;t buy enough" doesn't bode well for any strategic plans for N scale, I kinda doubt their tooling will be sold anytime soon, especially at the price they would probably ask for it since Athearn had to pay for it twice. So unless someone gets a sweetheart price for it, don't look for it to go anywhere.

[ljudice]

Andy - I'm sure you're right although the LPG tanks I think were even faster sellouts....

- Lou

[kalbert]

Fixed that for you.

Thanks! 

I doubt Athearn is trying to dump their N tooling. I don;t doubt that it will be QUITE AWHILE before we see any new N tooling from them. Looking at all their N products, probably the most successful has been the Ethanol Tanks.

Agreed. I doubt too that tooling will go anywhere. Also agree that it will be a long time before ethanol tanks, and others, are available again. That's the real shame, they are sitting on some good stuff too bad they probably won't sell it or produce it. Maybe while it gathers dust in the closet at Athearn, BLMA or somebody will seize the opportunity and churn out some ethanol tanks of their own. We'd probably never see the Athearn ones again!

[JSL]

I just want my Green Procor's sometime this decade

[Brakie]

Guys,Like Walthers  Athearn's bread and butter has always been HO and I don't think that will change any time soon.

Even Atlas has release far more newly tooled HO then  N Scale..

We all know why or at least should know...

[jmlaboda - RIP]

"I was told by an Athearn Rep when they first announced the N sclae line that they would be doing everything in N they did in HO."

Sounds a lot like promises that were make by a manufacturer on the other end of the Alphabet but their releases have fallen far short of what they were claiming that they would do.  Sad really... there is room for improvement as far as what is available in N scale... but then maybe the improvements are what would really shake the Horribly Over-sized tree just a little too much.  While there has not been a mass exodus of modelers from larger scales coming to N there is none the less a steady flow of modelers giving N-scale more than just a casual look, and the more that do will change the figures for HO scale's profitability.  I just hope that things will improve at a bit quicker of a pace than what it has been the past couple of years...

N-scale deserves that, and more!!!  Much more!!!

[Brakie]

While there has not been a mass exodus of modelers from larger scales coming to N there is none the less a steady flow of modelers giving N-scale more than just a casual look, and the more that do will change the figures for HO scale's profitability.
---------------------
Jerry,That's exactly what it will take for the manufacturers to take  N Scale production seriously then they currently do.

Sadly,I've seen more  N Scalers change to HO then HO scalers changing to N and there's still several years of old myths about  N Scale that needs to be overcome as well and until those myths are overcome N will continue as it is in the foreseeable future.

[lock4244]

With the general decline of the west economically, lower incomes and standards of living should give N scale a boost as available space to model shrinks. We huddle in our condos and forget what a basement was...