There is a BIG question.  MTH says Atlas will produce PS3 locos.  Who will produce the PS3 hardware?

Great news.

I hope the 2//3 rail option is there .

Great news!
I hope they keep the 2/3 rail option as well.

Potentially great news as long as Atlas can actually bring something to market.  I use both DCS & Legacy so I don't really care which they produce as long as they make something.

Maybe now we will get an E8 with fixed pilots and 2/3 rail trucks instead of that blind dummy axle on the end of the trucks.

great news to me!

One thing that sits in limbo is the track tooling. While ScaleTrax and RiteTrax may have their issues, they both had their benefits -- ScaleTrax being the rail profile and ease of flexing (down side is turnout and fixed curve offerings).

Atlas did acquire some of the building/structure tooling as well, so we'll probably be seeing those again.

@RJR posted:

There is a BIG question.  MTH says Atlas will produce PS3 locos.  Who will produce the PS3 hardware?

I'm guessing they will figure it out since the components of PS 3 and DCS system is part of the license Atlas acquired.

"

Atlas has also acquired a license for the MTH Proto-Sound 3 Sound & Control Electronics Boards, which adds realistic sounds to locomotives and also allows control via DCS (Digital Command System). Part of the license will give Atlas the option to sell DCS components as well."

Great news

Very interesting

So will Atlas O FINALLY announce a new locomotive?

@clem k posted:

Maybe now we will get an E8 with fixed pilots and 2/3 rail trucks instead of that blind dummy axle on the end of the trucks.

And maybe in Penn Central white worm paint scheme.!

David, we don't know if the license gives the power to produce, or only to use, DCS.  If the former, Atlas probably doesn;t have an in-house electronics department and thus will need to team up with both an electronics engineering firm and a production company.  Hopefully, they'll keep this in USA.  If the latter, the future of DCS is still up in the air.  Certainly, if Atlas becomes the source for DCS components and parts, I'll become a customer

I wish Atlas the very best of luck with their purchase - I hope the contacts in the factories comes with the purchase!!! There seems to be a lot missing from the wide range MTH has offered recently (steamers leaps to mind). I don’t use DCS, but I am wondering if Atlas will use the MTH tooling with the TMCC boards they currently license...

Hopefully Atlas also "acquired" Andy,Rich and Midge.  I am all for Atlas doing MTH stuff but doesn't Atlas take years and years to get diesels out to the dealers?

Next York meet should be interesting

PS3 electronics, wonder if we’ll be seeing it in all there product lines?  As others have stated, hope the 2/3 conversion continues

as info atlas has purchased many other companies in the past in the HO world and has been very slow to produce them and some have never appeared. not trying to jinx things but I have watched this before. I was hopping more for the steam and electric locos as I am not a diesel fan . but the DCS licensing will be a big help for all the MTH fans out there.

I'd like to see mth tooling with tmcc in it.

This is indeed great news but I didn't see any steam locomotives listed in the announcement.  Did I miss something?

Dale

I was hoping someone like Atlas would get the molds.  Glad DCS 3.0 will continue.   Great News!!

I’m finally getting into DCS and couldn’t be happier with this news. The BNSF anniversary locomotive pushed me over the edge!

My question is where is all the other first generation diesels going? Did not see F units, GP7, SD9, GP20, U25B, etc.

Hmmmm, it'll be interesting to see what pricing will be like.

I hope we get some 2 rail out of this.

@Chuck Sartor posted:

My question is where is all the other first generation diesels going? Did not see F units, GP7, SD9, GP20, U25B, etc.

I thought the same thing. We'll just have to wait and see.

Dave

@Chuck Sartor posted:

My question is where is all the other first generation diesels going? Did not see F units, GP7, SD9, GP20, U25B, etc.

I reckon if no one steps up with the sizable chunk of change it would take to pick 'em up: The scrap bin?

Andre

I wish we could just get 1 thread going. So hard to pick one to post to.

Good luck to Atlas. Glad to see the tooling get used!

Even though they licensed PS3 that still leaves one to wonder who will get DCS. Without DCS PS3 isn’t a big deal. I would assume since they are licensing PS3 then DCS components have a future.

@MartyE posted:

I wish we could just get 1 thread going. So hard to pick one to post to.

Good luck to Atlas. Glad to see the tooling get used!

Even though they licensed PS3 that still leaves one to wonder who will get DCS. Without DCS PS3 isn’t a big deal. I would assume since they are licensing PS3 then DCS components have a future.

Marty,

Just after the first announcement of Mike’s retirement there was a press release that said MTH created a new venture to keep DCS,  and maintain and improve on it.

What it didn’t say was the this new venture would also to license DCS out.

https://mthtrains.com/news/659

DCS/Proto-Sound Lives On

June 9, 2020 - With the scheduled closing of M.T.H. Electric Trains next year, support for the DCS Digital Command System and the Proto-Sound 3.0 onboard locomotive systems will continue through a new independent company headed up by current M.T.H. staff once direct M.T.H. support for the systems concludes on June 1, 2021.

The new tech company will continue to manufacture and provide support including any necessary software updates to the DCS hardware or DCS WiFi App. In fact, new and exciting product ideas are currently under development.

The DCS System controls any Proto-Sound 2.0 and later equipped locomotives and first debuted 18 years ago. It has been an integral part of the M.T.H. product line family since its inception and its continuation beyond the closing of M.T.H. is an important part of the transition envisioned by retiring M.T.H. president Mike Wolf.

As the retirement transition process moves forward, more details about the new company's creation and ongoing development of M.T.H.'s technology packages will be announced. Stay tuned.

@Traindiesel posted:

Hmmmm, it'll be interesting to see what pricing will be like.

Am I too optimistic for ~$400 diesels, assuming they got a sweetheart deal on dcs and tooling? If dcs is cheaper than tmcc, this could make sense.

@Craignor posted:

Marty,

In the first announcement of Mike’s retirement the release said MTH employees created a new venture to keep DCS and maintain and improve on it.

What it didn’t say was also to license DCS out.

https://mthtrains.com/news/659

DCS/Proto-Sound Lives On

June 9, 2020 - With the scheduled closing of M.T.H. Electric Trains next year, support for the DCS Digital Command System and the Proto-Sound 3.0 onboard locomotive systems will continue through a new independent company headed up by current M.T.H. staff once direct M.T.H. support for the systems concludes on June 1, 2021.

The new tech company will continue to manufacture and provide support including any necessary software updates to the DCS hardware or DCS WiFi App. In fact, new and exciting product ideas are currently under development.

The DCS System controls any Proto-Sound 2.0 and later equipped locomotives and first debuted 18 years ago. It has been an integral part of the M.T.H. product line family since its inception and its continuation beyond the closing of M.T.H. is an important part of the transition envisioned by retiring M.T.H. president Mike Wolf.

As the retirement transition process moves forward, more details about the new company's creation and ongoing development of M.T.H.'s technology packages will be announced. Stay tuned.

But we really haven't heard much since.  It would be good for Atlas and all those wanting new PS3s if another mention of the progress of this new tech company.

@MartyE posted:

But we really haven't heard much since.  It would be good for Atlas and all those wanting new PS3s if another mention of the progress of this new tech company.

The press release mentions this:

"Part of the license will give Atlas the option to sell DCS components as well."

Sounds like a Win- Win for Atlas

@Traindiesel posted:

The press release mentions this:

"Part of the license will give Atlas the option to sell DCS components as well."

I'd still like to get an update on the tech company that will move PS3 and DCS forward.  I guess in time as things seem to be starting to come out.

@MartyE posted:

I'd still like to get an update on the tech company that will move PS3 and DCS forward.  I guess in time as things seem to be starting to come out.

Same.

100% awesome news

Atlas has outstanding track record of bringing excellent O scale products to market. DCS is a great platform, very excited to see atlas continue using it

Hopefully Atlas O will be provide more competition to Lionel, this hobby needs better quality control

Special thanks to Jarrett Haedrich, COO of Atlas and the Atlas team for making this deal happen

On the engines list Atlas acquired the mold for certain diesels, NO STEAM HMMMM????  Did I miss something????

Too bad that MTH had to break up the company in the many ways it did.

Any of the O scale locomotives that are unwanted could be sold to Bachmann for the Williams line or MENARDS. 

Andrew