atlas announces production of former MTH premier heavyweight passenger cars

typical Atlas , pick up a good product and double the price.

@Rick Rubino posted:

typical Atlas , pick up a good product and double the price.

Thats still half what Lionel wants Rick.

Pete

@Rick Rubino posted:

typical Atlas , pick up a good product and double the price.

Huh?  Two car sets from MTH had an MSRP of $199.  Atlas them listed for $219.

I'm not seeing what brand of new math doubles the price. Last cataloged 2.5 years ago (2019V1) at $380 for 4 and $99.95 for a single car means they raised the per car price $10 and did away with the $5/car discount that MTH put in the 4 car set. Sounds on par with an amount MTH would have added to it in 2 years between runs anyways.

But sure... they doubled the price. Blue ink for boxes is really expensive. Go buy the lionel ones that show up in pieces.

Good to see Atlas finally making some stuff .  Pricing seems reasonable. 

Not sure what Lionel has to do with this as they haven't made scale heavyweight cars in many years (or ever?) so there is no direct comparison unless I am mistaken.  I see that about 15 years ago Lionel made 15 inch military heavyweights at 4 for $250, but those aren't scale and it's 15 years ago.

Lionel is making 18” heavyweights essentially the same at MTH’s except not as detailed. They retail for about 400 bucks for a 2 pack.

One example of many.

https://mrmuffinstrains.com/co...o/products/l-1927480

Pete

I'd like to see Atlas close the coupler gap a bit and get rid of those "tunnels" MTH used as diaphragms.

Interesting that those Lionel heavyweights Norton mentions were in the 2018 vol. 2 catalog and haven't been delivered 2.5 years later. Perhaps no takers at that price?  Also do not appear in a search on the Lionel website, so perhaps they were cancelled?

If $110 a car is expensive to some, the Golden Gate Depot cars at $300+ a car must seem particularly expensive.  I know it's an apples to oranges comparison, but I think many of these comparisons are exactly that.  As we get older, our idea of what things should cost seem to fail to keep up with reality.  25 cents a gallon gas anyone (1970ish)?

@Landsteiner posted:

  As we get older, our idea of what things should cost seem to fail to keep up with reality.  25 cents a gallon gas anyone (1970ish)?

I'd be happy with 99 cents a gallon back in 2000ish.

Neil, Lionel has been delivering 18" Heavyweights for a few years now. One example is the NYC Pacemaker cars from two years ago. 4 were included in a set with a J3a Hudson and others in add on packs. There was a time maybe 5 years ago when they hadn't made 18" cars but they seem to be a regular catalog item now.

Pete

I'm puzzled by how a simple announcement of MTH/ Atlas passenger cars  inevitably leads to a discussion of Lionel and Lionel prices.  And it wasn't even the Lionel guys who brought it up!

@Landsteiner posted:

Not sure what Lionel has to do with this as they haven't made scale heavyweight cars in many years (or ever?) so there is no direct comparison unless I am mistaken.

Chopped Liver???

From the Lionel 2020 V2 catalog...  Other roadnames have been cataloged.

Rusty

Personally I think the Atlas restrained color scheme on their boxes makes them worth at least $10 more than the garish MTH color scheme.   Do these cars have LED lighting, by the way? (Just checked. They do.)

I am really excited to see the Southern Scheme with the Dark Green and Gold Pin Stripes! This is a rare scheme that hasn't been done a whole lot recently. Great job Atlas!

Trainworld and Grzyboski have a bunch of these non-imaginary 18" cars for about $75-150 each, presumably a blow-out price, but nonetheless, not $200 per car as the MSRP.  Not at all trying to discourage people from buying these new Atlas cars (I own and like Atlas stuff), especially if the detail is superior, just trying to add some perspective to the more "Lionelophobic" comments being made, which help no one new to the hobby,  and are not entirely accurate.  I have yet to buy anything from Lionel in 30 years that has loose parts in the box after many tens of thousands of dollars worth of purchases, for example.  Perhaps my UPS person is less inclined to violence?

I want to buy a couple of the 5-window PRR RPO pictured in the ad, but first I need to get from Atlas the correct window configuration.  The MTH mold is as close to a BM70m I think we will get in O* (need to redo the roof), but the prototypes had all round windows in the doors.  One of the photos in the ad shows slotted windows in the RPO compartment.  Looks like another email to Atlas.

*Because somebody will mention this, Sunset did a correct BM70m in brass.  I have seen one show up for sale and it went for nearly $500.

Ron, I have a few round window doors taken from pre 2005 cars if Atlas doesn’t make them right. My guess they will be right despite whats illustrated.

Pete

Interesting that they've chosen not to make the ever popular NYC, New Haven, Great Northern road names.  Is it because these have been done before?

IMO, using MTH premier tooling with a retail of around $100 is FAR better than the disappointing generic heavyweights that Atlas was selling for about the same price.

Too bad there aren't any Monon or GTW on the list.

Wonder if they have interior detail? No mention in the description.

Gunny

Lehigh Gorge Scenic RR cars!

While there has been RBMN products on the market previously, this is definitely a welcome surprise.

I will not be purchasing them, but it's nice to see that the major manufactures are offering more tourist/ short line road names.

@Norton posted:

Ron, I have a few round window doors taken from pre 2005 cars if Atlas doesn’t make them right. My guess they will be right despite whats illustrated.

Pete

Pete,

Since I will need to do some work on the car anyway, I'll keep your stash in mind.

Ron

I expect that these cars will be pretty much the same, physically, as the last of the MTH heavyweights that were made.  They are fairly well detailed, and have interiors, overhead lighting, etc.

The baggage cars and RPO are good prototypical size.   The other cars are basically  80' cars,  shortened to 70' as a compromise for sharp high rail curves.   They still look nice in a train, despite the shorter length.

Im still hoping that some day someone will make real 70' coaches, which are typical east coast commuter cars.   GGD did 70' Harriman prototype passenger cars a few years back...

the last few four car sets I bought were about$225 on eBay.

Where are the Maine Central cars??

@Rick Rubino posted:

the last few four car sets I bought were about$225 on eBay.

You are seriously going to compare eBay prices to MSRP?

@Rick Rubino posted:

typical Atlas , pick up a good product and double the price.

That is really not fair.  It has been a long time since a set of five was $299.95 and I don't think   this number is that far out of line.

I see on the Atlas site that unlettered cars will be available. Any idea on the color of the cars?

@Rick Rubino posted:

typical Atlas , pick up a good product and double the price.

@Bill DeBrooke posted:

That is really not fair.  It has been a long time since a set of five was $299.95 and I don't think   this number is that far out of line.

Correct.  The 2019 catalog showed a Premier 4 car set for $379.95.  That's $94.99 per car.

It's 2 years later and costs have gone up.

Image: MTH Product Locator

Rusty

@gunny posted:

Wonder if they have interior detail? No mention in the description.

Gunny

@BlueComet400 posted:

Where are the Maine Central cars??

The Maine Central  was partly owned by the Boston & Maine Railroad and MEC locomotives often pulled B&M passenger cars. Atlas O may be thinking that the B&M passenger cars that they will be selling for B&M Pacific #3713 can also be used behind MEC 4-6-2 #470.

MELGAR

Thanks Melgar, I didn't know that;  I'll probably just run my 470 Pacific with the MTH B&M heavyweights I already own. There probably isn't much demand for ME Central equipment compared to other railroads, although I'm glad there's enough to justify production of the 470. I've chased the one Weaver made for several years, but no luck. 470 was a regular sight for me for the 14 years that I lived and worked in the Waterville area, and I'll be very glad when I have one in my train room.

Do people realty think the price of anything will go down?

I am in for the Lehigh Gorge. Pretty excited about this set.

@Landsteiner posted:

Interesting that they've chosen not to make the ever popular NYC, New Haven, Great Northern road names.  Is it because these have been done before?

The reason Atlas is making these road names is to match the final run of MTH Premier USRA 4-6-2s.
I assume that they want to show that their "new" molds will be used and products will be made in a more timely fashion (These cars have a Sept. 2021 delivery date).

The News Article from Atlas: The Atlas Model Railroad Company Online Store - Atlas Reveals First MTH Model

Personally, I am waiting for some NYC, Pullman green, cars. I could order the unlettered cars and decal them but that would be too much of a headache (my decal skills are not the best haha!)

Bryce

@rplst8 posted:

You are seriously going to compare eBay prices to MSRP?

Some men you just can’t reach,.....🙄......

Pat

@Oscale_Trains_Lover_ posted:

The reason Atlas is making these road names is to match the final run of MTH Premier USRA 4-6-2s.
I assume that they want to show that their "new" molds will be used and products will be made in a more timely fashion (These cars have a Sept. 2021 delivery date).

The News Article from Atlas: The Atlas Model Railroad Company Online Store - Atlas Reveals First MTH Model

Personally, I am waiting for some NYC, Pullman green, cars. I could order the unlettered cars and decal them but that would be too much of a headache (my decal skills are not the best haha!)

Bryce

MTH has been making NYC cars every other year for the last 25 years. They have evolved from silohuette windows to interiors, to interiors with figures, to LED lighting. I suspect the Atlas cars will be close to if not identical to the cars with LEDs.

There are a number of sets on the auction sites now including the last runs.

Pete

MTH will be producing a Maine Central Pacific, which I preordered.  I understand that Atlas was intending to make the passenger cars to go with the Pacifics.  Where is the Maine Central set, Atlas??  Very disappointed.  

In these postings, the first and major thing I want to see is a complete list of available roadnames.  I still have a stash of unlettered K-Line Heavyweights that l can correct omissions with, if forced to