Atlas's "Open Letter"

[ljudice]

The forgotten casualty here are dealers, who are most certainly not praising the virtues of ANY manufacturer right now.  (with the exception of Kato who delivered a huge Christmas present in the form of the FEF)

It wouldn't surprise me in the least that unfounded rumors pass from dealer to customer to internet. 

The dealer I do work for is full of horror stories - like pre-orders arriving years late - only to find the customer passed away.  Or piles of merchandise showing up with massive invoices that no one wants anymore - or the track problem at Atlas, where people who usually come down for a few pieces of track and then buy a car or loco just stay away.  Or entire runs coming in with shipping damage.

And then to pay back the dealers, the manufacturers and distributors turn around and sell direct.

Suggestion - visit your LHS and buy something before the holidays if you want to keep the hobby healthy!! 

[Philip H]

I'd love to . . . but since my LHS is Klein's . . . . I let Ed and Sizemore keep them afloat!   

[mcjaco]

I don't think it was odd, because there was a thread recently on nScale.net where someone was spreading a nasty rumor about Atlas filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy.    Scroll down to the fifteenth post on the first page, and you'll see where the fun begins.  I'm not sure if it's trolling or stupidity.

http://www.nscale.net/forums/showthread.php?35299-Anyone-having-problems-contacting-Atlas

DFF

That's a straight up troll.  He posts twice, gets stuff churned up, and never posts again. 

[conrail98]

That's a straight up troll.  He posts twice, gets stuff churned up, and never posts again.

I noticed that too, he's posted like 25 times there and from some of the other comments seems to have the same doom and gloom feel to his posts. Glad Atlas at least put this out there for everyone. Another source of rumors, etc., has been a few of the podcasts, Model Rail Radio in particular, as the "lack of Code 55 in N scale" or other Atlas track allowed people to hypothesize whatever they felt like saying resulting in inaccurate info being sent out,

Phil

[mcjaco]

^ And that bothers me, as a couple of the guys with MRR have good information on the production issues with all the companies, not just Atlas.  Creating drama for the sake of creating drama.  I'm tired of it. 

I read the open letter as more with issues in the O scale stuff than any other scale.

[basementcalling]

Never heard the rumors, but maybe the better time for such a letter from Atlas would have been before their supply problems reached the point where such rumors could be spread where folks would believe them.

[davefoxx]

Never heard the rumors, but maybe the better time for such a letter from Atlas would have been before their supply problems reached the point where such rumors could be spread where folks would believe them.

Except that by issuing the letter now, Atlas is corroborating its statements with a return to production of its products.  Actions speak louder than words.

DFF

[Rich_S]

Suggestion - visit your LHS and buy something before the holidays if you want to keep the hobby healthy!! 

Lou, I try to do just that as often as my hobby budget allows. 

Just recently posted to Facebook:
http://www.atlasrr.com/News/atlas-open-letter-1214.htm

I hope everything said there is true, because I want to see a strong Atlas that's hitting the same stride it was 10 years ago when I was worried about how I'd handle all the orders coming in!

I don't want to sound like an Atlas cheerleader but, I've always felt Atlas is a stand up company with quality products. I'm not trying to point any fingers, but in this day and age, it's not out of the realm of possibilities that the person spreading these rumors might just work for one of the companies that were dropped? In my opinion, it was nice to see Atlas put an end to these rumors via the message posted on their webpage. 

[peteski]

LOL!

But a naysayer like that troll could say that Atlas letter is a lie, to try to save their face (and that they still are going bankrupt). People like that can twist pretty much any statement into whatever they want it to say.

[eric220]

That's the great thing about unsubstantiated theories. Anything that tends to disprove it can be dismissed as a coverup.

[basementcalling]

Except that by issuing the letter now, Atlas is corroborating its statements with a return to production of its products.  Actions speak louder than words.

DFF

True that, Dave, but I am still in believe it when I see it mode on the code 55 #10 turnouts.

[Atlas Paul]

The code 55 #10 turnouts, as of right now, are scheduled for the January container, so should be here in February.

[Rich_S]

LOL!

But a naysayer like that troll could say that Atlas letter is a lie, to try to save their face (and that they still are going bankrupt). People like that can twist pretty much any statement into whatever they want it to say.

Peteski,   That is true, but who has the most to lose? Since I do not know the troll, I'm going to side with Atlas. Now the disclaimer, I do not personally know anyone at Atlas but, I've been purchasing their products since the early 70's and have never had an issue with the company. This whole things sounds like a Mark Twain quote "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." 

[peteski]

Peteski,   That is true, but who has the most to lose? Since I do not know the troll, I'm going to side with Atlas. Now the disclaimer, I do not personally know anyone at Atlas but, I've been purchasing their products since the early 70's and have never had an issue with the company. This whole things sounds like a Mark Twain quote "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." 

I was not trying to imply that Atlas is going under. That was the furthest thing on my mind!  I just said that no matter what Atlas says or does, some troll can twist it around into whatever they want to see.  Kind of like what happens in politics. 

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

The code 55 #10 turnouts, as of right now, are scheduled for the January container, so should be here in February.

Great news Paul after this showed up at the LHS for me yesterday.