@Traindiesel posted:Atlas acquired a license to use DCS if they choose to use it. What they will do is anyone's guess, but I doubt they are paying for a license and not use the licensed product. They won't control the production or development of DCS. The yet unannounced DCS entity will be doing that. That company will be able to license DCS to any other model train company (such as the possible entity that will manufacturer the still available former MTH diesel, electrics and steam locomotives and rolling stock, maybe a MTH 2.0?)
The video on the Atlas website specifically says the items acquired will be marketed in Atlas O packaging, not MTH packaging.
It will be interesting to see what happens with TMCC. It's an aging technology (as is DCS and Legacy) that Lionel abandoned for the Legacy system. The initial modernization for those systems has been to eliminate the hand held remotes and transfer the functions to already available smart phones. Lionel has even mentioned eliminating the Cab 2 down the line as components become obsolete. This will not likely be reversible. Back in the mid 2000's when Atlas O was routinely delivering locomotives, they were having difficulty with sales, from a conversation I had with a well known supplier of Atlas O product. It wasn't because their engines were not good. They were and still are marvelously detailed engines. But buyers were more attracted to the DCS and Legacy Command Control systems. Buyers liked the better sounds and functionality of those newer systems than the Railsounds 4.0 in TMCC. That, combined with Kader pulling all manufacturing of trains from all the train companies, including Lionel, and sidling up with Bachman, severely curtailed Atlas O production (and to a lesser extent, their HO & N scales too). Once K-Line went out of business, only Atlas and 3rd Rail were left to license TMCC to.
Other than some of the tooling, the real prize was the use of the MTH factory. Time will tell if Atlas production and delivery gets better now that they'll have a dedicated manufacturer.
Lionel abandoned TMCC? You can run TMCC locomotives with the CAB-2 so there is backward compatibility. LionChief’s job is to get an easy to use, simple remote into the hands of those new to the hobby. From LionChief it’s an inevitable that Legacy will find its way to their layouts.
im not surprised to learn that the locomotives made with the old MTH tooling will come in Atlas boxes. (It was mentioned on the forum though that they would be in MTH boxes)
As for the option to use the DCS license, it could be included with the MTH tooling at no additional cost to Atlas. In any case, I would find it hard to believe that Atlas would market O gauge trains that could come with either TMCC or DCS. It would be a complicated approach to the market. That’s why I believe that Atlas will only offer one command control system for its locomotives. If you’re Atlas and you have to choose one system, which one do you choose? Think ahead to 2023 or 2024 when these locomotives finally show up.
