Atlas is now doing graffiti cars

[peteski]

I guess I didn't realize that until I saw a mention of this in the latest N scale Enthusiast magazine.

The company that makes cars for Atlas acquired a printer (likely similar to what MTL uses) and they will now start producing cars featuring factory applied graffiti (just like MTL does).  That should be an interesting addition to the MTL cars, since Atlas covered  hopper cars are different from what MTL makes. That widens the range of models available for "tagging".

Looks like Atlas models, like MTL, is basing their models on 1:1 cars.  Even the Christmas car is based on an actual 1:1 car.

[ednadolski]

that looks like an HO model.

E

[EspeeGoldenState]

that looks like an HO model.

E

Quite possibly is as they did both a HO an N scale version of the car. Honestly, until the NSE magazine I could not find legit pictures of the car other than from the Atlas Holiday Gift Catalog. I found a 2017 pic where the car looks very clean, and a 2020 pic where you could see a paint over of graffiti. So I would assume it was a recent car. The blue on the model appears to be darker than on the prototype as well.

I wish manufacturers would show the proto pic and/or timeframe of when the car was photographed with the graffiti. I have to go looking through websites when MTL does it just the same.

Chris

[peteski]

that looks like an HO model.

E

It might well be H0 - manufacturers often use stand-in models, but the reason I posted this was to let everybody know that Atlas now has an ink-jet printer at their disposal for decorating cars, so I woudl expect them to produce good-quality graffiti decoration on they freight cars (likely in any scale).

[mu26aeh]

Quite possibly is as they did both a HO an N scale version of the car. Honestly, until the NSE magazine I could not find legit pictures of the car other than from the Atlas Holiday Gift Catalog. I found a 2017 pic where the car looks very clean, and a 2020 pic where you could see a paint over of graffiti. So I would assume it was a recent car. The blue on the model appears to be darker than on the prototype as well.

I wish manufacturers would show the proto pic and/or timeframe of when the car was photographed with the graffiti. I have to go looking through websites when MTL does it just the same.

Chris

When MTL posts the releases on FB, there is a few followers that post proto photos pretty quickly if you're on there.  It's usually one of the first things I look for if it's something I'm interested in

[peteski]

Here is a scan of the write-up from NSE magazine.

[EspeeGoldenState]

When MTL posts the releases on FB, there is a few followers that post proto photos pretty quickly if you're on there.  It's usually one of the first things I look for if it's something I'm interested in

I'm usually one of the ones doing that among the few others. I'll be honest, sometimes its like finding a needle in a haystack with some of the graffiti.

Chris

[Englewood]

I get a kick out of seeing the real car out on the rails after it's been done by Microtrains. I've seen about a half dozen of the graffiti cars at work, and it's a bonus if I can go touch it.

[EspeeGoldenState]

I get a kick out of seeing the real car out on the rails after it's been done by Microtrains. I've seen about a half dozen of the graffiti cars at work, and it's a bonus if I can go touch it.

I agree with this, thought I can't touch them.

Every Nov/Dec I keep hoping that MTL will do this CSX/TTGX autorack even though prototype is a bi-level, I'd take it on one of their tri-levels. Just to run at train shows

TTGX 978427
http://www.upcoaltrain.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2935874

[Rivet Miscounter]

I have (or at least had) a photo somewhere of that holiday car, or at least the same/similar graffiti applied to another car.    It's been a few years but I do know the characters looked the same.

[MetroRedLine]

Graffiti with no weathering? Hmmm.

Well, at least this is an entire carside piece, so I guess it's not too obvious if you want to weather the untouched parts of the car.

[peteski]

Graffiti with no weathering? Hmmm.

Hey, these are the initial 2 cars with ink-jet printing (done in China, not in-house like MTL does).  I say give them a chance to see what they come up with.

If we go back to the early graffiti cars from MTL, the printing quality (resolution and ink thickness) were rather crappy (but we liked them anyway), and if there was weathering, it was done by a human being actually airbrushing the weathering on each car.  Yes, manual labor.  As they gained experience (and more advanced printers), the quality improved, and they started to print some incredible weathering (with some minimal manually airbrushed weathering added on).

Let's see where Atlas takes this after making a dozen or so of different graffiti'd cars.

[ryan_wilkerson]

If Atlas is watching this thread, they will make a lot of money if they release graffiti ARMN reefer cars.
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[Albert in N]

   Remember this one?  Will Atlas do one in N?
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/13537903711299420/filePointer/13537903711299434/fodoid/13537903711299429/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/sask.jpg

[ryan_wilkerson]

  Remember this one?  Will Atlas do one in N?
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/13537903711299420/filePointer/13537903711299434/fodoid/13537903711299429/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/sask.jpg

I don't believe that's a car type Atlas makes in N. I think that's a car done by NARC.