Atlas acquires Microtrains

[chessie system fan]

I agree that that caboose should be buried at sea in a lead lined container and have been mulling this question too.  All I can say is that embarrassing Walthers coil car got released again. I don't have high hopes here.  I would be surprised if we don't get a 50' boxcar run with that 8 foot door eventually. 

If Atlas is wise, they'll run the variations that don't match the other cars, like the low brakewheel/no roofwalk option.

[Tom L]

Wouldn’t mind seeing the three dome tank car survive and thrive…..maybe Atlas could do a one dome version. 

The drop bottom gondola is nice

Troop kitchen and sleepers done as express cars like in the O line

Tom L
Wellington CO

[Ed Kapuscinski]

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.

This is exactly why.

Because it's either this approach or nothing. MTLs demise should make this even more apparent.

Also because I don't think where someone is born determined their deservingness of earning a living.

[EspeeGoldenState]

I can't think of any major goofs by Atlas in the past decade

John C.

I dont know, I would consider the lastest GP60 release a major goof to me. Every single road name Atlas chose had deck mounted ditch lights per proto and even showed artwork to have deck mounted ditch lights. What did we get on everything? Pilot mounted versions and no snowplow.

I've taken a sit back and see approach to the whole acquisition. I don't think there would have been another manufacturer that could integrate MTL into their system, so I think Atlas will be fine.

[Mark5]

MT has been off dimensionally.

In this case, I hope Atlas retires the dimensionally challenged MTL 60' "hi Cubes" referenced in my signature. 

[thomasjmdavis]

N Scale Supply has a great page to frame this question.  Scrolling down the list, what all blows your kilt up still?

https://www.nscalesupply.com/mtl/mtl-bodystyles.html

Well, I don't have the legs for a kilt anymore... but one car I would buy more of is the 078 body style double door "auto" box with end doors.  When I bought it (undec), I assumed it was just their standard 50' PS-1 car, with an end door added.  But, it is different tooling altogether.  Different panel spacing, wider doors, and a non-Pullman roof.  It was rarely run- or I rarely noticed it being run, anyway.

The only one I own was purchased undecorated, and painted/decaled as an ATSF Fe-29 express car.  Luckily dark green, so the flaws in my paint job don't show too much. 

I also think the MTL tank car, with its larger domes (vs the 'chemical' cars produced by Atlas) and 3 dome car might have a future.  The whole MTL passenger fleet- other than Lowell Smith's new 14 section car, and twin window coach variants from Bachmann and BLI, and the WoT baggage,  the passenger cars are a virtual monopoly.  And, we need the name whoever at Atlas is in charge of the combine project.

And, as luck would have it... a few days ago on eBay, I found a couple of MTL 40' PS-1 that are actually lettered as ATSF PS-1s, and I bought them for 'sentimental' reasons.  I missed out on them when they first came out, and I don't know if they ever re-ran them.  But I agree with a previous comment- the Atlas "Master" line PS-1 is a better car (as are the Atlas USRA cars and USRA rebuilds).  Of course, Atlas also still have their 'trainman' PS-1 version out there.... which is NOT better than the MTL car.

I wonder if some of the older MTL bodystyles- the PS1, 50' gons and such might not become the Atlas Trainman line.  But saying that, I'll admit up front that I don't know the distinctions on MTL v Atlas tooling, or if Atlas has a multiyear contract with whatever foreign corporation manufacturers the Trainman line for them.

[lock4244]

Could have sworn the HO slab side hoppers have been released since the acquisition. Those N scale NSC paperbox models are a disaster and would require a body retool. Atlas would get eviscerated if they reissued that model as is.

I'm in N scale, so once a prototype is done I assume it won't be duplicated by other mfg's (NSC paperbox isn't a Big Boy or an FT), and therefore have upgraded dozens of them. If a better one comes out it'll buy them, but for now this is the only game in town. What I cannot figure out is why they're so derailment prone once BLMA trucks are added, even when the cars are property weighted.

Atlas has had no problems releasing their C-630 on tri-mounts with Canadian schemes... I have never seen Atlas as truly serious when it comes to details on their models. They're in the MTL camp in that regard.

[Spades]

No, the Atlas / Roco models (GP9, GP30, F9A, E7A, and FA1) were made prior to Atlas switching to Kato production.

"Atlas did produce a platic frame Roco GP9 than the RS-3 mechanism GP9"  Maybe I should have used the word later.

I will be removing my anal cap and stepping away from the keyboard.

[Missaberoad]

The DD13 was not offered in the States prior to the RS-3, and the mechanism designs are different.  The RS-3 was the first Kato-designed product available in the States.

Would you consider Sekisui "Kato designed"?

[Dave V]

Given that Bachmann found a way to make Fn3, On30 and 009 established gauges, I wouldn’t put it past an enterprising company to do the same with HOn3.

Rob

Bachmann's doing HOn30 as well (the Thomas the Tank Engine narrow gauge stuff) so maybe that could happen? Maybe some prototypical (with the usual Bachmann WTF mistakes) HOn3? One can hope.

I just don't imagine Atlas doing it. Atlas hasn't done any narrow gauge in any scale that I'm aware of. It doesn't really "fit" into their vibe.

HOn3 is back to where it was pre-Blackstone/MTL. Craftsman kits and brass. And that's OK.

[learmoia]

"Atlas did produce a platic frame Roco GP9 than the RS-3 mechanism GP9"  Maybe I should have used the word later.

I will be removing my anal cap and stepping away from the keyboard.

Lets simplify things..
https://www.spookshow.net/locolist.php?diesels=6&steam=1&traction=2&nonbrass=3&sortby=3&Submit=Submit

Would you consider Sekisui "Kato designed"?

YES!!!...

[Lenny53]

Would you consider Sekisui "Kato designed"?

Absolutely, they are one and the same.

[Lenny53]

Every company makes mistakes, and this is the only Atlas misstep since 1980 that I can recall. 

.
No, the prototype RS11 had a longer frame than the RS3 and the prototype RSD12 was longer still and had a extra carbody door over the RS11.  The RS11 / RSD12 were released 86 - 87.

[basementcalling]

If they can't fix the ride height, I hope never to see the MT modern 56 foot tank cars again. The ride height totally ruins the appearance of those cars,  no matter how beautifully weathered and decorated.

[MRLX1020]

Every company makes mistakes, and this is the only Atlas misstep since 1980 that I can recall.  Micro-Trains has made design and tooling mistakes also, the bay window caboose being the most egregious, and they all were still active items to the end.  Atlas did eventually correct this one.

Don't forget about the Atlas Pogs from 1998 or so...a full set of those didn't sell at the NSE auction this past summer...