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CATNAP,

I've been "disappointed" with Atlas and that's putting it mildly for yeas now and this REALLY throws a "wrench in the gears," so-to-speak! What's wrong @Atlas O? Rep's from Atlas used to check in on this site and give some words of hope but now......???

Makes me wonder if Atlas is gradually going out of the O Scale Market? Atlas always advertises "The Future Of O Model Railroading Is Here." Kind of looks like a bleak future,in my opinion of course,based on the lack of past positive developments, now this discouraging news. 

Oh I know China made a mess of things,but Atlas said that situation was well being corrected on their monthly mailing updates last year. So what happened?

I've been waiting on new roadname releases as well as the restocking of current popular models of the Trainman 4750 cvd hopper,but there's been no activity there for about 3 years now,either. Atlas never let more than 2 years pass without new releases. Looks bad to me.

Sorry CATNAP, that had to be a miserable blow for your expectations!

As always,

Al Hummel

Well, Al, I did not make any deposits on any of my preorders so it's not like I'm out any money but obviously, I would've liked to have seen these produced. The last run of SD40's was 9 years ago. I don't see these or any other modern locomotives in the Master series like Dash 8-40B's or GP60's being made again by Atlas. It seems like the only interest is in small road diesels like GP7's and GP9's and switchers.

I reserved 2 SD40-2's from 3rd Rail but there was nowhere near enough interest to get these done. But, the 3rd Rail GP7's and GP9's are getting lots of reservations just like their F3's and F7's did. A lot of O scale operators prefer 4-axle power over 6-axle because of limited space requiring tighter curves. There is also a nostalgic charm of first generation diesels that appeals to many, just not me. 

CATNAP, 

The locomotives you have mentioned Dash8-40B, GP60, SD40-2 seem to be too modern for 3 rail crowd. 

One of the comments about York was that "most of the people at the meet will be dead in 10 -15 years", by the time the Manufacturers get on the ball with "modern" (1970 & 1980s Diesels) it will be too Late as Most of the Modelers have already Left O gauge for HO.

I'm probably going to cancel my Golden Spike Club membership after this year. I'm still waiting on the 2018 club car and it's already the 2nd quarter of 2019. They can't even deliver a lousy club car in a timely manner. They are better off sticking with their bread and butter: HO and N scales, no product cancellations there.

Beth Marshall has a good commentary on the Atlas O cancellations at this thread...

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...93#83931444282750293

Good observation concerning how many of us may be dead in 10-15 years.  If we aren't dead...will we be able to do anything with a layout?  Atlas O could be smart to get out now. 

I think Lionel has won and flooded the market with every permutation of a train possible.  I am not sure who would buy all that fantasy stuff...but, apparently someone does since they announced the best year in a while in that TCA museum video presentation.

Heck...it seemed to me...from the Mike Wolf video...that the reason they don't make anything new is that they cannot afford the cost of the tooling.

Lionel may be the only importer to be able to survive even beyond the climate change cataclysm 12 years from now.

A shame. I feel bad for the good folks at Atlas.

The lack of sufficient orders for the switchers surprises me. They're really nice runners and lookers. Bummer that their factory is playing these games. Hope things turn out as Beth hopes, and a slew of SW's come sooner, than later.

At least the GP7's are coming. I'm going to order an additional one, now that I know about the switchers. Need to get more old decals from Champ.

I'm pulling for ya Atlas .... we're all in this together.

 

SD60M posted:

Beth Marshall has a good commentary on the Atlas O cancellations at this thread...

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...93#83931444282750293

Good observation concerning how many of us may be dead in 10-15 years.  If we aren't dead...will we be able to do anything with a layout?  Atlas O could be smart to get out now. 

I think Lionel has won and flooded the market with every permutation of a train possible.  I am not sure who would buy all that fantasy stuff...but, apparently someone does since they announced the best year in a while in that TCA museum video presentation.

Heck...it seemed to me...from the Mike Wolf video...that the reason they don't make anything new is that they cannot afford the cost of the tooling.

Lionel may be the only importer to be able to survive even beyond the climate change cataclysm 12 years from now.

If such is the case with MTH not able to pay for tooling, then how can one explain the Sunset Models/ Golden Gate Depot O Scale items. That's all new tooling! And Sunset/ GGD is #3-#4 in the O guage market.

prrhorseshoecurve posted:
SD60M posted:

Beth Marshall has a good commentary on the Atlas O cancellations at this thread...

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...93#83931444282750293

Good observation concerning how many of us may be dead in 10-15 years.  If we aren't dead...will we be able to do anything with a layout?  Atlas O could be smart to get out now. 

I think Lionel has won and flooded the market with every permutation of a train possible.  I am not sure who would buy all that fantasy stuff...but, apparently someone does since they announced the best year in a while in that TCA museum video presentation.

Heck...it seemed to me...from the Mike Wolf video...that the reason they don't make anything new is that they cannot afford the cost of the tooling.

Lionel may be the only importer to be able to survive even beyond the climate change cataclysm 12 years from now.

If such is the case with MTH not able to pay for tooling, then how can one explain the Sunset Models/ Golden Gate Depot O Scale items. That's all new tooling! And Sunset/ GGD is #3-#4 in the O guage market.

Hey...Mr. Curve...I did not mean to insult MTH or imply MTH would NEVER make new tooling...I was referring to Mike Wolf's comment in the most recent TCA Museum Video...2019...basically between 9:45 and 11:00.  Please check it out and tell me I got it wrong.

Last edited by SD60M

From what I interpret from the MTH replys,as well as the seeming lack of interest on adding new roadnames to existing models that Atlas has had in production for years,I believe that we O Scalers are being told the lack of interest in O Scale is slowly closing the profitability of O Scale which will be its demise.(?) That's just my opinion of course. 

As Always,

Al Hummel

Limey posted:

Haven't purchased an Atlas for years, repaint, after repaint, after repaint. 

Can you clarify your statement?  Do you mean simply adding new road names to existing products or actually painting over products that had not sold previously?  (I have seen die cast airplane manufacturers paint over existing models that were surplus, you could see the lettering from the old paint job show through the new paint).  thank you.

Alan Hummel posted:

From what I interpret from the MTH replys,as well as the seeming lack of interest on adding new roadnames to existing models that Atlas has had in production for years,I believe that we O Scalers are being told the lack of interest in O Scale is slowly closing the profitability of O Scale which will be its demise.(?) That's just my opinion of course. 

As Always,

Al Hummel

With the literally millions of pieces that exist and the thinning of the 3R0 ranks, every importer could go out of business today, and the market for new-in-box trains will remain glutted into the foreseeable future.

I've been a big Atlas critic concerning all of these delays. I remember a thread about a year where I got lambasted for cancelling my Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40 in favor of an available at the time MTH W&LE GP40.  I guess I made the right decision in not continuing to wait for something that wasn't ever coming...

On the plus side the new Atlas F3's are really nice looking and run well.  So perhaps Atlas has pushed the reset button and is focused on a more realistic production schedule for motive power.  I'm glad to hear the GP's are in production and coming.

I'd rather be ice fishing posted:
Limey posted:

Haven't purchased an Atlas for years, repaint, after repaint, after repaint. 

Can you clarify your statement?  Do you mean simply adding new road names to existing products or actually painting over products that had not sold previously?  (I have seen die cast airplane manufacturers paint over existing models that were surplus, you could see the lettering from the old paint job show through the new paint).  thank you.

Sure..... the same item reissued over and over again with just a new livery, sometimes not even a prototypical livery but what they refer to as alternative history I believe.  

Someone wrote on the forum a year or two back that the high water mark had been reached, I believe they were right.  

And yes there is an awful lot of  s/h models out there on ebay etc. There are still a few items I would like to see done but I don't believe they will be, Atlas's attempts seem very half hearted,

European manufacturers like Lenz, Heljan, Dapol etc seem to be able to get the product from  China to market without the drama - on I assume, far smaller production runs. 

US modellers also will not pay what Europeans are prepared to pay, I guess Atlas have just decided O is not worth the aggravation compared to the smaller scales.

just my 99c worth.

 

 

 

I've got 7 MTH locomotives (1 GP35 and 6 GP40's) and I'm really pleased with how they run under DCC. I like them so much that I have 3 CSX 2-rail locomotives preordered (1 AC4400CW and 2 ES44DC's). For awhile I was thinking about selling off my MTH locomotives and going straight Atlas but I'm glad that I reconsidered. I'll just continue to scour eBay and other sources to add to my collection of Atlas locomotives. I have 11 so far with a B&O F3 on the way.

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