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OK...Now hear this...

I just got a letter from Atlas about engine production, which you will all hear about from different sources.  It needs clarification, so here goes.

Atlas is cancelling, for the mean time, orders for the SD-40's, MP-15's, VO-1000's and SW switchers.  The reason for this is that the factory keeps upping the minimum order quantity.  SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT, IS THAT IF ORDERS ARE UP ON AN ENGINE, WE CAN GET IT RE-INSTATED AND BACK IN THE PIPELINE. . THE WHOLE STORY IS NOT SO SIMLE, SO PLEASE READ ON...

1. Atlas production for GP-7's is in progress, and they will be here approx sept of this year.  If you want GP-7's, especially in 2 rail, now is the time to order them.  They are on our pre-order page, and I can still get orders in right now.

2. Atlas RSD-15's are on the schedule. Shipment early next year.  These are all good.

3. Most likely, the SW switchers will be done after the RSD-15's.    They will be re-announced.  I have Atlas's ear as far as road names are concerned.  If I can get enough orders, or solid interest, I can get manufacturing moved up. PLEASE LMK what yoour interests are.  ESPECIALLY SHORTLINES!!!    So far, I'll be encouraging Atlas to do PRR, NYC, SP, SF, RI, Reading.   What else?   I'm thinking BRW, Bethlehem steel, MILW, CNW. Mopac, C&IM, TRRA, EJ&E, IHB, Union RR,     I love the BRC, but it was done before, and didnt sell that well. IF I CAN GET ORDERS UP ON THIS ENGINE, IT WILL GET DONE SOONER.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A RESERVATION with us on an Atlas SW switcher, and want to cancel your order, please email us at pdt212@gmail.com, and let us know and we will refund deposits.  Otherwise, this engine is still expected to be a go after the RSD-15's. 

Also, we do have a few Lionel SWs in stock.  These were all MTO, but we ordered some extras and they are up on the website.

4. SD-40's are dead for the meantime.  I will be refunding deposits.

5. VO-1000's....  I'm going to push Atlas to do PRR, PRSL, Reading, a Beth Steel road, and USN. Maybe SMS?  They were the biggest operators of Baldwin switchers that I know of.  Any other wants.  I'd like to get this back on track.  If u want me to cancel your reservation and refund, LMK tho

6. MP-15's.....I've had a lot of interest in this engine, but Atlas says the order quantity is just not there.  I'm going to refund deposits. Generally, any RR that had MP-15's, also had SW's.  so we'll see if we can get some of the previously announced MP-15 roads done on the SWs.  That's my plan, anyway.  But I need your input and help here.  You can email me at pdt212@gmail.com.  I will be refunding deposits on MP-15's.

I don't love this mess any more than anyone else.  In fact its a huge Pain in my u know where.   But stay tuned, and dont panic, and read and listen. There are sure to be lots of false ideas circulated.  I am talking with the Atlas VP of sales directly.

Thanks,

beth

 

 

 

 

Last edited by Beth Marshall-The Public Delivery Track
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Its all about pre-orders.  Most ppl like to impulse buy.  Its more fun, instant gratification.  Welcome to the Amazon generation.   If someone orders from me and i dont get it out within a few days, I get a "where my train" email.   Ppl cant wait a week, let alone a year or two.  So without pre-orders, someone has to buy on spec. Atlas doesnt want to guess what ppl want, and have money tied up on the shelf, hoping they guessed right.  And us dealers can afford to put out 20,000 $ on one engine run and have product sitting on the shelf.  And consumers....I can tell u from experience, when I ask "what do u want", the most frequent answer is "no  answer", and then I'll get 25 people who want 1 each of 25 different engines.  And I hear all the time.."can u make these, I'll buy one"   Well I need to sell a lot more than  one of anything to make it viable.

There are other factors too...company philosophy...core business...minimum return on investment, buyer habits.

And as someone at York supposedly said...."in 15 years, everyone here will be dead".  So IDK where this is all going.

mlavender480 posted:

Atlas has never recovered from the factory shakeup it experienced several years ago.  Even in HO they’re not the same.  Sad.

Mike:

   Yes, some of the factories over there have suddenly become independent and have begun dictating what they will do and won't do. My friend had this kind of experience with a Chinese factory, and contracts mean nothing to some of them.

   Atlas needs to find a cooperative factory or move production to another country or back home, without affecting final pricing to the consumer.

John

John Knapp posted:

 

   Atlas needs to find a cooperative factory or move production to another country or back home, without affecting final pricing to the consumer.

 

And just how would they do that seeing tooling made in China stays in China?

Manufacturing is more than just the factory that does the decoration and assembly.  Even moving to another factory in China (assuming the original factory doesn't "lose" the tools) would require setting up a new supply chain.

Rusty

"And as someone at York supposedly said...."in 15 years, everyone here will be dead". "

That someone doesn't know the current  actuarial and epidemiologic data.  Life expectancy at age 65 for males is about 18-20 years based upon old data, and it is my experience that the older data are unreliable.  Even at age 70 the median life expectancy using those old data is more like 16 years, so they're at least off by a year , and that's a 50% mortality rate in 16 years (definition of the median), not 100%.  Check out the obituaries online in the NY Times or your local newspaper  for the sizable population of people dying in their 90s.  Unheard of in previous centuries/decades.  Good news if you prefer living as opposed to the contrary.

That said, people in their 80s and 90s likely spend much more on health care than they do on hobbies, so we'll have to wait and see what the effect of an aging demographic is on the hobby.  Local college has a model railroading club and about 20-30 members under the age of 22.  HO, of course.  But that's where many of us started as young adults.  The sky ain't falling, at least not yet.

Last edited by Landsteiner
Rusty Traque posted:
John Knapp posted:

 

   Atlas needs to find a cooperative factory or move production to another country or back home, without affecting final pricing to the consumer.

 

And just how would they do that seeing tooling made in China stays in China?

Manufacturing is more than just the factory that does the decoration and assembly.  Even moving to another factory in China (assuming the original factory doesn't "lose" the tools) would require setting up a new supply chain.

Rusty

     I just read here where Lionel is making product in Eastern Europe. If an uncooperative factory is on the verge of putting you out of business, as is the case here, it may be time for new tooling or a new cooperative factory somewhere else, or both! (in the case of my friend, an uncooperative Chinese factory DID put his company out of business!)

John

"I just read here where Lionel is making product in Eastern Europe."

John, I think what you've read is referencing to Lionel's recent failed attempt to have some rolling stock produced in Romania, which turned out to be a mistake. Lionel tried and was unable to get their tooling out of Romania, so now according to Lionel, the tooling has to be re-created. The scale milk reefer is one of these cars and the other I believe is the one of the modern bathtub coal gondolas.

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

"I just read here where Lionel is making product in Eastern Europe."

John, I think what you've read is referencing to Lionel's recent failed attempt to have some rolling stock produced in Romania, which turned out to be a mistake. Lionel tried and was unable to get their tooling out of Romania, so now according to Lionel, the tooling has to be re-created. The scale milk reefer is one of these cars and the other I believe is the one of the modern bathtub coal gondolas.

Brian:

    Thanks for the reply. So now let's hope Atlas O does the same as Lionel and "re-creates" their tooling and sets it up in a friendlier environment. Otherwise, I would surely miss those great detailed "Steam Era Classics" and other items from Atlas O!

John

I have tried several times over the past couple of years to pre-order GP7s from different dealers and was always told they couldn't get any more ordered. IF Atlas opened up the pre-orders again then why didn't they announce it? I used to love Atlas, but this past decade has been a debacle... 

This is a free market and IMHO Scott Mann at 3rd rail is going to put Atlas out of the O scale engine market. The only hope they have is making a lower cost Trainman product. Why would I buy an Atlas engine over one of Scott's (except the fact that I prefer ESU to QSI)? His will be far superior.

Personally, if I want an O scale engine I'd rather wait for Scott to make it. Better yet, ask him to make something! He is open to making anything that he can get orders for. AND he has a track record of delivering within a year or two of announcing a product, not canceling after 5 years.

Sorry Atlas, I'm done waiting.

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

And as someone at York supposedly said...."in 15 years, everyone here will be dead".  So IDK where this is all going.

 

O ya, I have plans on being here another 25 or 30 .   I am glad I did not go to York or I may have went earlier their saying, gulp. 

Ha! My dad said something along those lines last Friday. And it was a true statement as it relates to him and 90% of people that were with us in the blue hall that day.  

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