Waiting almost 7 years for an Atlas RS-3

A friend received his GM&O Atlas RS-1 in September or so; he had waited 5 years. Doesn't help you, I realize, but, FWIW, his is a very nice engine.

How long is long enough to wait? I'm sorry but 7 years is ridiculous. I am sure that there are people who ordered this and have died in the interim time span. Honestly I would have forgotten or moved on in that span. How many hobby shops have closed since then.

I waited 5 years for some MTH passenger cars so I do know this feeling.

This sort of thing seems to only be ok in this hobby because of how many other things come out to distract a person over that span but if a person was more disciplined in purchaces that would be too long to wait.

OK, I seriously don't have that kind of patience... I would have moved on long ago.

You must really want that loco!

I ordered the nysw bicentennial rs1 when it was first announced.  Can't remember what year now, but probably 2009 or earlier. In 2013 it was reannounced and then cancelled.  Ugh.  

Jeff T posted:

OK, I seriously don't have that kind of patience... I would have moved on long ago.

You must really want that loco!

I have more than enough toys to keep me happy, besides I've purchased other engines during that time. If I cancel the order than I will never see that engine, and I really want one.

. . .  7 years is ridiculous. I am sure that there are people who ordered this and have died in the interim time span.

Pete

Beautiful engine, would love to have one but I would have forgotten about it long ago.  What a silly business model railroading is.

Brings meaning to the word "Seven Year Itch"!

I waited a long time for an RS-1, but it sure is nice.

I don't remember if I ordered one or not.  If I did it would have been from the late Bob Thatcher,so who knows for sure.  I guess that I really don't need an RS-3 anyway.

Norm

At my age I don't want to wait 7 days, much less, 7 years. Holy cow !!

I'm very new to this hobby but have heard or read several similar stories about delays and cancellations from vendors.  Having owned my own business (restaurant) for 17 years I am dumbfounded by any business being able to get away with such tactics.  I guess it comes from being one of a very few vendors for the product and having a devoted audience.  For me personally I wouldn't tolerate that level of service from a vendor and I'm surprised that anyone would, but that's their concern.   I'll just satisfy myself with what is available in on-hand inventories or used equipment and save myself the aggravation.

According to Mr Muffins Trains the RS-3 will be the next delivery from Atlas.

Guess you could have purchased a Weaver RS-3, probably a better model anyway...

Mark in Oregon

I'm right there with you, Richard!  I've been waiting for the blue CNJ version since the original 2010 announcement.  I'm on my third dealer, too, as a lot has happened in our hobby since I placed the initial pre-order!

The Atlas RS3 - RSD4 is oversized  compaired to plans.

AtlasO has been a non player in O gauge trains for years, they have really lost their way.   Most of my rolling stock purchases in the early 2000 were from them, diesels also(when I had diesels).  Over the last 5-8 years, nothing and with these delays in products, not good.

Soo Nut posted:

The Atlas RS3 - RSD4 is oversized  compaired to plans.

Agreed.  However, after dressing 'em up with a few add-on details and some weathering, they look pretty good to me.  Then again, I'm only a "partial" rivet counter...I tend to have problems after I get to ten.

Maybe Lionel will put the former Weaver RS3 tooling to good use and bring out a true scale-sized and highly-detailed Legacy version of this iconic locomotive.

Joeya, I'm just starting to do a bit of weathering on some of my layout and cars, you did a great job on the engine the photo could easily pass for the real thing

joeyA posted:

I'm right there with you, Richard!  I've been waiting for the blue CNJ version since the original 2010 announcement.  I'm on my third dealer, too, as a lot has happened in our hobby since I placed the initial pre-order!

 

The first dealer I ordered from went out of business. The next dealer informed me his wholesaler went out of business, But he assured me he found an other supplier.

I don't understand the math here. If it was announced in January 2010 that would make it 5 years 11 months to this point. Obviously, it's not going to show up before January so you can say 6 years but where did that extra year come in? I agree it's still a long time to wait for a locomotive but we all only have two choices in these situations and that is wait for the item to be made or make it ourselves. 

I would guess that The Lehigh and Hudson is not a big seller when it comes to road names so I don't blame you for waiting. I would too, and I would be happy that an obscure road name like that didn't get cancelled. If Mr.Muffin says it's up next that we be good enough for me. Post pictures when you get it. 

41woodie posted:

I'm very new to this hobby but have heard or read several similar stories about delays and cancellations from vendors.  Having owned my own business (restaurant) for 17 years I am dumbfounded by any business being able to get away with such tactics.  I guess it comes from being one of a very few vendors for the product and having a devoted audience.  For me personally I wouldn't tolerate that level of service from a vendor and I'm surprised that anyone would, but that's their concern.   I'll just satisfy myself with what is available in on-hand inventories or used equipment and save myself the aggravation.

Atlas has a good reputation within the hobby. I's not their fault their manufactured blind-sided them. I am surprised and grateful that they still maintained to stay in business.

Strummer posted:

Guess you could have purchased a Weaver RS-3, probably a better model anyway...

Mark in Oregon

I could have, but it was the Lehigh & Hudson River road name that I wanted.

At my age now I do not preorder anything. I can usually find any train item I want. Waiting for a engine 6 or 7 years is truly bizarre no matter how much I wanted it. That would have been cancelled many years ago if I ordered it. 

Richard E posted:

Strummer posted:

Guess you could have purchased a Weaver RS-3, probably a better model anyway...

Mark in Oregon

I could have, but it was the Lehigh & Hudson River road name that I wanted.

weaver did make a lehigh & hudson river RS-3 back in 2006-2007

 I know, my dad ordered his  U23B's over five years ago, and they are just now shipping. Hopefully now that those are out, we will start to see other things. 

Richard E posted:

Strummer posted:

Guess you could have purchased a Weaver RS-3, probably a better model anyway...

Mark in Oregon

I could have, but it was the Lehigh & Hudson River road name that I wanted.

It's not a very complicated paint scheme - I think I would have gotten another RS and painted and lettered it.

Atlas has a good reputation within the hobby. I's not their fault their manufactured blind-sided them. I am surprised and grateful that they still maintained to stay in business.

I am sorry but I will have to differ on this comment. One to two years delay for product I would agree... maybe three, but for a mfg they should be worried after two years out without new product and  have a contingency plan or two just in cases such as this. since we are down to the "Big 4" in O gauge Mfg, I am sure the comment- "where would our customers go" has set in some managers minds. One should NEVER place all their eggs in one basket. MTH and Lionel have seem to have followed this train of thought.

breezinup posted:

Richard E posted:

Strummer posted:

Guess you could have purchased a Weaver RS-3, probably a better model anyway...

Mark in Oregon

I could have, but it was the Lehigh & Hudson River road name that I wanted.

It's not a very complicated paint scheme - I think I would have gotten another RS and painted and lettered it.

I could have, but I have too many other unfinished projects.

Gentlemen,

    If you want a certain engine and you have other toys to keep you happy, let your order stand, me I am guilty of longevity waiting myself, always wanted Lionel to engineer a true Remote Control 263E Work Train, I waited from the time I was 5 or 6 till I was over 50 years old for that Train and Lionel never did make it, MTH finally made a P2 for me, and I am grateful.  I ordered it right away.   With the DCS I can run both my Conventional and my P2 263E engines from remote control, even at the same time, on the same track if I so choose.  Good things come to those who wait.

PCRR/Dave

DL&W Pete posted:

Richard E posted:

Strummer posted:

Guess you could have purchased a Weaver RS-3, probably a better model anyway...

Mark in Oregon

I could have, but it was the Lehigh & Hudson River road name that I wanted.

weaver did make a Lehigh & Hudson river RS-3 back in 2006-2007

I don't remember the Lehigh & Hudson River, but they did a Lehigh & New England.

Weaver did offer the Lehigh & Hudson River paint scheme and it appeared in the Spring 2010 catalog.  I was going to get one but wanted the Atlas instead and they were all sold out by the time it became apparent the Atlas model wasn't going to get here soon.   I attempted to paste the Weaver catalog picture here:  

i think it is a neat looking engine but not worth the wait. Only two things come to mind about things that are worth a long wait-a good woman and a good dog. Not really sure about the woman, though  !!

Bear in mind O scale has never been the main part of Atlas Mfg, HO and N gauge are their core business , at one time O scale may have represented a larger share of their business than it does today. Nowhere do their production numbers come close to MTH and Lionel but in recent years they have shown much improvement in delivery of the O scale rolling stock it would appear they are finally getting motive power production on track I believe the next 6 months will show if this is true. JMO

hibar posted:

Bear in mind O scale has never been the main part of Atlas Mfg, HO and N gauge are their core business , at one time O scale may have represented a larger share of their business than it does today. Nowhere do their production numbers come close to MTH and Lionel but in recent years they have shown much improvement in delivery of the O scale rolling stock it would appear they are finally getting motive power production on track I believe the next 6 months will show if this is true. JMO

Atlas has trouble getting HO & N products to market as well. Unfortunately, this can happen when you do not do your own manufacturing.

I suspect after the SandaKan fiasco they have become well aware of this!

It shows the problem with contract manufacturing and how despite all the blah blah how there are  are SLA's protecting companies and so forth, the reality is that basically a manufacturer can only hope that the manufacturer actually makes what they want, when they want it, and that when it is made it is not junk. Atlas is kind of lucky they are in a niche market, if they were in something mainstream this likely would put them out of business.

I don't think Atlas is faultless, if they were blindsided by their manufacturer it means that they allowed this to happen, they probably did something like choose the cheapest supplier and didn't fully vet the company and its management out (kind of hard in China especially, when the manufacturers often literally pop up overnight), and didn't maintain proper oversight of what the factory was doing; they probably saved themselves some money, and now they are paying the price for it, they left themselves vulnerable. They aren't the only company to find this out and won't be the last, either.

Novel Idea....put a project into research & development, work out the bugs, put it into production, when it arrives in your warehouse advertise it and ship it to the happy customer.  Having said that, if you are alright with the delays more power to you, hope you enjoy the engine when it arrives.  I was just speaking for myself.

Nice thought 42 woodie but who's gonna pay for the mfg? Are you going to tie up your own money for each project? Are you going to use borrowed money for the project and pay interest during r&d to delivery of final stores, customers?

How come nobody suggested repainting an existing model?  Seven years is almost a tenth of a lifetime - if you really, really, really want something, go for it!

That gorgeous, but too wide D&H?  Anybody notice how, when you get rid of the center rail, you are able to overlook the extra width of the carbody?  You are no longer so busy overlooking the track and making sure everything else is perfect?

I had a Weaver for a while - traded it even for a Kemtron.  Never noticed that it was too wide.  Not very discerning, I guess.

bob2 posted:

How come nobody suggested repainting an existing model?  Seven years is almost a tenth of a lifetime - if you really, really, really want something, go for it!

That gorgeous, but too wide D&H?  Anybody notice how, when you get rid of the center rail, you are able to overlook the extra width of the carbody?  You are no longer so busy overlooking the track and making sure everything else is perfect?

I had a Weaver for a while - traded it even for a Kemtron.  Never noticed that it was too wide.  Not very discerning, I guess.

I've painted other locomotives when I could not by a desired roadname. I posted this, not as a complaint, but just as something to talk about. Besides I have plenty of other toys to play with.

For all of you folks with no memory of what went down with Atlas, and a myriad of other manufacturers first read this article http://www.atlasrr.com/News/mrting.htm.  Then, know that later, Kader bought Sanda Kan, and pretty much screwed everyone but Lionel.

Fred

I would like to know how many  employees these model railroad companies really have. We know the old Lionel, Marx and American Flyer had real factories but these modern corporations look like small outfits with a handful doing the planning, financing, marketing and engineering. No modern  normal company could exist today making their customers wait that long for delivery.  They wouldn't stay in business long.  Fortunately we have tons of the old stuff out there that keeps chugging along.

Lionel and MTH have relatively few employees, they basically are an importer rather than a manufacturer, I suspect they number in the hundreds at most. I don't know about MTH (some tell me they own their own factory in China, others tell me it is a contract model), but the basic model is they design the engines and such, and factories there (who make other things as well) bid and get the contracts to build them. Atlas and Lionel definitely are contracted out, which is why they have little control over when stuff actually ships and unfortunately, the quality. The manufacturers rely on inspection at the factory and then a basic checkout here, which is why the quality can be so spotty, that model doesn't produce high quality stuff. 

I just found this thread, I have been looking for a Lehigh and Hudson River RS3 for a year. Can't find one and I am a big LHR fan. The Lionel C420's are 2 of the best loco's I have ever purchased. I just wish I could fins the RS-3 to run with them. If anyone has one..

@jim pastorius posted:

No modern  normal company could exist today making their customers wait that long for delivery.  They wouldn't stay in business long.

That's because the market is small and captive.  Look at all the salivating that goes on every time a new catalog is announced, along with the rush for leaks, even though production is a year or more away.

It's not like 50's when stuff in the latest catalog was already in stock.

Rusty

L&H fans.  Couple of options here, I know Beth Marshall at the Public Delivery Track had advertised a few Atlas 2 rail RS3's in stock a couple of months ago. I also ordered that guy back in the day but gave up on it after three years.  Not sure of the status of late as I am not buying things for a while since I have too many projects as we speak.  Highball Graphics makes THE most accurate set of HO, S & O scale L&H diesel decals I have ever seen.  You can do either of the Alco units RS3 & C420) they operated and if you buy the RS3 set, you can go with whatever stripe (or no stripes) version you want.  Very easy to apply these over solid black or green paint to get a first rate job!  I have the Weaver 2 rail version of the L&H but the graphics are completely wrong.  The Highball Graphics lightning bolt emblem is perfect though and a bit of black paint, a new decal over the Weaver paint and it looks pretty good.  Highball has a really nice set of the early black and yellow D&H RS3's as well should someone want to model them.

Atlas has so much potential.  The quality of what you get is so good.. I just wish they could deliver some more product!  So sad that things are the way they are..

@MichRR714 posted:

Atlas has so much potential.  The quality of what you get is so good.. I just wish they could deliver some more product!  So sad that things are the way they are..

So true!!! They easily sell updated RS-1 and RS-3's as guys still are always looking for them. A friend of mine, for example, paid a obscene amount for a Washington Terminal RS-1 w/ TMCC .  I would but a Susquehanna in a second along with the above L&H RS-3 I am looking for.

@Rusty Traque posted:

That's because the market is small and captive.  Look at all the salivating that goes on every time a new catalog is announced, along with the rush for leaks, even though production is a year or more away.

It's not like 50's when stuff in the latest catalog was already in stock.

Rusty

And we all know how varied and realistic that 50's stuff was.

There are/have been "scads" of Atlas RS-3's on ebay.

I've been looking for an MTH RS-1 (Illinois Central Gulf) seems like forever and all I ever find are RS-3's!

That being said, various road names  can be scares or none existent.

@D500 posted:

And we all know how varied and realistic that 50's stuff was.

And we didn't care.  I know as a pre-teen I surely didn't.

Not until I got into HO in the 60's did I start really beginning to learn about the prototypes and scale.

Rusty

@Fred Brenek posted:

For all of you folks with no memory of what went down with Atlas, and a myriad of other manufacturers first read this article http://www.atlasrr.com/News/mrting.htm.  Then, know that later, Kader bought Sanda Kan, and pretty much screwed everyone but Lionel.

Fred

Maybe so but Atlas o has since made and released some models like the trainman c40-8 and the F7's. If they did than than why can they release more locomotive that have yet to be rerun especially in this O gauge/ O scale market that has lost much of its competition?

OLD but interesting thread. What I would like to know is did Atlas ever release the Lehigh and Hudson River RS3? And did Richard E ever get his?

Atlas flushed all of their on order diesels in O like 2 years ago, except the GP7's. The painted samples of the GP7's arrived at Atlas right before Christmas. They still expect them in 1Q21.

They later reannounced  the RSD 7/15's and they are scheduled for 1Q21, too.

@MrMuffin'sTrains posted:

Atlas flushed all of their on order diesels in O like 2 years ago, except the GP7's. The painted samples of the GP7's arrived at Atlas right before Christmas. They still expect them in 1Q21.

They later reannounced  the RSD 7/15's and they are scheduled for 1Q21, too.

That “painted samples ... arrived” seems like a miracle - but seeing a delivery is “the real deal”.  How long since First announced?  Maybe 8 years ???
Man what a shame the new issue diesels have been soooo Scarce. Atlas diesels were always the best for the money IMO. I guess we will see if they Really show up “on time (?)”. I Sure Hope So !!!!

There were "painted samples" of the Trainman Dash 8-40CW's in 2014, 4 years before they were actually delivered.

My freind Joe bought one yesterday at our go to train store...it’s conventional but he loves it ! You can see it running in the background of this video I posted showing my new Lionel Docksider.

They only had one in stock and he bought it.

As Bob mentioned above, our go-to train store had one sitting conveniently on the shelf when we went over last time. Needless to say, there was little hesitation! This is a beautiful locomotive.

@catnap posted:

There were "painted samples" of the Trainman Dash 8-40CW's in 2014, 4 years before they were actually delivered.

Ah sweet encouragement 😑

I believe that I would have long ago bought a mint condition Weaver RS-3,  paid whatever it cost, and moved on.

This hobby is suppose to be fun, not frustrating. 

@Joeb2497 posted:

As Bob mentioned above, our go-to train store had one sitting conveniently on the shelf when we went over last time. Needless to say, there was little hesitation! This is a beautiful locomotive.

Love it!  I am a L&H guy, I love the Lionel C420's. They are perfect loco's and look fantastic. I am have been searching for the Atlas RS-3 L&H for months to no avail. Oh well, maybe someone will part with theirs one day.

When I purchased the engine (in the video above) it was a simple conventional locomotive. Horn and bell but nothing else. This past week I had it upgraded by Alex M to ERR Cruise & Railsounds, and it made a world of a difference! Here it is running on our friend Steve’s layout in Frenchtown!