Atlas Spring Catalog

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Different business models. You think LL was making any money selling them for $20???

And there's a reason Life-Like is out of the business.

And sure, some of the tooling costs were incurred way back when, but the paint design, assembly, shipping and customer service on this run are all being done in 2026 dollars.

[peteski]

With a sticker shock price compared to the originals. I think I bought all my Life Like ones (DC only) for $20 bucks.

I doubt that was the MSRP (even in those days). Probably more like a closeout price.  Prices like that remind me of Bachmann white-box model loco prices I paid at Charles Ro in the mid '80s.  Life-Like SW locos didn't come out til at least 10 years later. Actually Spookshow mentions 1997 and $65.

https://spookshow.net/loco/llsw.html

[bbussey]

And there's a reason Life-Like is out of the business.

And sure, some of the tooling costs were incurred way back when, but the paint design, assembly, shipping and customer service on this run are all being done in 2026 dollars.

New mechanism also this time around.  DCC-Ready chassis with speaker included, as has become the standard Atlas practice.  Same body and most likely walkway/handrails thankfully, which means an easy swap to upgrade older Life-Like units.

[cfritschle]

Waiting for this paint scheme:

Cool paint scheme!  However, if it is one of a kind, I am not sure if Atlas would be interested in producing that paint scheme since they only sell the F-150 pickups in 2-packs.   

[randgust]

Like the Shawmut SW, That one got my attention and I have some emotional attachment to that one as it was local, like the LEF&C.   You need a whole lot of hoppers and a Northeastern caboose to go with it.

And they MU'd long strings of SW's together, too.   Only owned one GP.  Had bicentennial cabooses, too.
 https://shawmutline.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/4sw1gp1boxbv.jpg
https://shawmutline.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ps1775_kttg_2-1.jpg?w=1024


But I'll warn you, the Atlas F89J's are the ONLY piggyback I had to condemn out of service because of epidemic stringlining on 15" radius curves.  The couplers are too short, pockets too restricting, and the mounts too far out from the bolster, and physics are not your friend.   BLMI, TrainWorx, N Scale Kits, and MT piggyback flatcars work just fine.

[garethashenden]

But I'll warn you, the Atlas F89J's are the ONLY piggyback I had to condemn out of service because of epidemic stringlining on 15" radius curves.  The couplers are too short, pockets too restricting, and the mounts too far out from the bolster, and physics are not your friend.   BLMI, TrainWorx, N Scale Kits, and MT piggyback flatcars work just fine.

Aren’t these the BLMA cars though? I know Atlas had their own model, but I don’t think they’ve produced them since they acquired BLMA.

[randgust]

I know I got an Atlas when they came out, but I'm not sure 'which car' this is in terms of tooling. 

This was the Atlas - look at the short coupler shank
https://www.spookshow.net/freight/atlas89flat.html

This was the Atlas/BLMA - note the long coupler shank
https://www.spookshow.net/freight/blmaf89flat.html

From their artwork I'm not entirely sure which car we are talking about here.  If it is the BLMA tooling, that has worked fine.

[tehachapifan]

While I really like the car, one thing about the Atlas flush deck 89' flat that has always bothered me, and I almost don't want to mention it here so it doesn't then bother anyone else, is that the side sill on both sides gradually narrows as it goes from one end to the other (the blessing and curse of being able to pick up on even the slightest misalignment). Can't imagine how that came about. The loops for the brake rod and tire guards/outer rubrails are also insanely fragile!

[dcr1793]

I know I got an Atlas when they came out, but I'm not sure 'which car' this is in terms of tooling. 

This was the Atlas - look at the short coupler shank
https://www.spookshow.net/freight/atlas89flat.html

This was the Atlas/BLMA - note the long coupler shank
https://www.spookshow.net/freight/blmaf89flat.html

From their artwork I'm not entirely sure which car we are talking about here.  If it is the BLMA tooling, that has worked fine.

The cars in this catalog are the former BLMA "F89J" cars. Atlas has done at least one run since the original BLMA releases.

[basementcalling]

Different business models. You think LL was making any money selling them for $20???

I think the vendors may have been clearing them out. LL made a gazillion of them, so their unit cost was low, and the mechanism was not DCC ready, or friendly.

[jwaldo]

Seeing the trend of wired trucks in the more recent Atlas sound-decoder-equipped models using revised chassis, there could be a possibility you might get your wish.

Those shell mounted pickups made even the finickiest hardwired trucks look great by comparison. I don't think I have a single SW in my fleet that doesn't have at least one homemade replacement wiper because the original got mangled during routine shell removal, or just vanished into the ether.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think the vendors may have been clearing them out. LL made a gazillion of them, so their unit cost was low, and the mechanism was not DCC ready, or friendly.

LL definitely had an interesting business model. They would over produce to drive the unit cost down. Then, once they got their money out of a run they'd blow out the leftovers through a handful of distributor/retailers who were adequately set up to buy large lots.

MBK was one of those.

It was a model that might've worked for a little while but given the fact that they got out of the business and Atlas is growing it's pretty obvious that that model was not a viable one.

We got kinda lucky to be able to get some stuff cheap for a bit but those days are long over.

[Point353]

Life-Like SW locos didn't come out til at least 10 years later. Actually Spookshow mentions 1997 and $65.

Adjusted for inflation, the 2026 MSRP should be about double that 1997 price, yet the new Atlas price is almost triple.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Adjusted for inflation, the 2026 MSRP should be about double that 1997 price, yet the new Atlas price is almost triple.

Again, if that 1997 price was sustainable Life-Like would still be making trains.

[peteski]

Adjusted for inflation, the 2026 MSRP should be about double that 1997 price, yet the new Atlas price is almost triple.

Isn't the mechanism fully revised (read: new)? Is a decoder also included in that price?