Atlas acquires Microtrains

[Lenny53]

Atlas revolutionized motive mower design in 1983 with the introduction of the RS-3.

It was Kato that revolutionized N scale motor power with their GP38-2 and it was Kato that produced the Atlas RS-3.

[ridinshotgun]

It's a combination of etching and packaging the items so that they would remain affordable.  You can't find anyone in the States that will de-sprue and package and keep the cost reasonable.  That is the issue.  Atlas is turnkey, they don't have the ability to take raw etchings and package them into tiny baggies and attach cardboard header cards.  They lost that ability in the last century when the ceased manufacturing and assembly line operations in Hillside.

I have to ask if they couldn't follow through with this for their BLMA etching stuff even with their Asian production base what makes you think they will be able to do it with the injection molding that is done for the couplers and trucks?  I mean that stuff doesn't just detach itself from the mold sprues and jump into a package.

[Ngineer]

Just out of curiosity, why do some of you think that moving production away from the USA to Asia is a good thing?

I am pretty sure that the prices for Micro-Trains will go up, not down. The tariffs will do the rest.

https://hobbycoalition.org/

   Javier

[bbussey]

It was Kato that revolutionized N scale motor power with their GP38-2 and it was Kato that produced the Atlas RS-3.

Atlas contracted Kato to produce the RS-3 to their specifications. Kato then took that knowledge as the basis for their GP38-2 and entered the USA market. The RS-3 was first to market.

[bbussey]

I have to ask if they couldn't follow through with this for their BLMA etching stuff even with their Asian production base what makes you think they will be able to do it with the injection molding that is done for the couplers and trucks?  I mean that stuff doesn't just detach itself from the mold sprues and jump into a package.

Because they do it now with their legacy trucks and the ex-BLMA trucks, and have been for years if not decades.

[bbussey]

Just out of curiosity, why do some of you think that moving production away from the USA to Asia is a good thing?

I am pretty sure that the prices for Micro-Trains will go up, not down. The tariffs will do the rest.

https://hobbycoalition.org/

   Javier

Because the infrastructure, regulations and workforce no longer exist in the States to manufacture the products at a cost low enough to keep the products marketable.

[ridinshotgun]

Because they do it now with their legacy trucks and the ex-BLMA trucks, and have been for years if not decades.

Ok got it so in other words they shouldn’t have an excuse of why they can’t produce and package etchings.

[Lenny53]

It could always be worse.  Remember those great Rowa passenger cars back in the 80s?

And all the Rivarossi tooling?

Lee

Rowa passenger cars went on to be produced by ConCor (they even added a slumber-coach) but I heard the tooling eventually was no longer usable.  ConCor was producing stuff based off Rossi, steamers, E8 shell on Kato drives and HW passenger cars (adding a full baggage and coach).  HW cars were been produced under the Arnold brand more recently.

[Olivani]

Ok got it so in other words they shouldn’t have an excuse of why they can’t produce and package etchings.

 

[bbussey]

Ok got it so in other words they shouldn’t have an excuse of why they can’t produce and package etchings.

No profit in the etchings at the price point that you want.

[Lenny53]

Atlas contracted Kato to produce the RS-3 to their specifications. Kato then took that knowledge as the basis for their GP38-2 and entered the USA market. The RS-3 was first to market.

Sorry, Kato's DD13 pre-dated the RS-3 by 5 years.   Kato offered the GP38-2 to ConCor which balked at the MSRP so Kato opened Kato USA.

[learmoia]

Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc.
Join us this Monday 11/24/25 at 2PM Eastern as we reveal ALL of the exciting new Atlas product announcements within the Atlas Winter 2025 HO and N Scale Catalog!
Link for Monday's Live Stream: https://www.facebook.com/share/1KyQPoqZFG/
(There is a Youtube stream too)

Me:

[learmoia]

Sorry, Kato's DD13 pre-dated the RS-3 by 5 years.   Kato offered the GP38-2 to ConCor which balked at the MSRP so Kato opened Kato USA.

Yeah I was going to bite my tounge...
The Atlas contracted design looked alot like the DD13, and Japanese Electrics that pre-dated it, as well as the Con-Cor SW1500 along side it.
.. I assume Atlas sent the RS-3 specific drawings and details and paint schemes... and Kato built the model per normal standards.

Knowing that the GP38 and GP50 were intended as Con-Cor models explain the seemingly odd design, because it is very similar to the PA/E8/DL109 drive.

[Chris333]

Wait are we talking about the first RS3 or the first one with pin point axle end pickups that became the standard?

[Point353]

Is whoever at Atlas that thought this was a good idea still there?