Atlas Catalog

Maybe next month

Atlas ran that car last year and will probably announce another run within the next 12 months delivery appears to be slowing down as the last few months new announcements have been limited also the latest A-Z shipping schedule appears to have at least 17 models for 4Q 2017, now we all know thats not happening, I suspect we will only see one more container report that holds the possibility of a late Dec early Jan delivery. JMO

Atlas is no longer producing semi-annual catalogs.  They are being replaced by monthly offerings from which you must order.  Cuts down on long-term expectations and product delays (maybe), but also gives you the chance to e-mail them with requests.  Who knows, maybe they will act on one of your requests?

Chuck

My request is to see the reissue of the C424 for the PRR and the MP15 diesel in conrail. Funny how those molds along with the C628/C630 were a twice and done deal!

hibar posted:

... also the latest A-Z shipping schedule appears to have at least 17 models for 4Q 2017, now we all know thats not happening, I suspect we will only see one more container report that holds the possibility of a late Dec early Jan delivery.   ...

Agreed.  I've been watching their shipping as well, since the last of my Atlas-O orders (i.e., a bunch of those CSX: How Tomorrow Moves Maxi-IV containers) slipped from a 3Q2017 date to a 4Q2017, which now seems unlikely as well UNLESS those 53' containers make an early October 2017 shipment out of China.

Atlas-O overseas factory shipments recently occurred in late May, early August, and early September... and then Atlas-O in turn shipped the corresponding product out to their dealers in roughly 7-8 weeks.  So for any additional product expected to see the light of day into consumers hands this year yet, it would seem the best chance would be an overseas factory shipment in early- to mid-October.  After that, I think the window will be closing for Atlas-O products arriving in consumers' hands by year-end 2017. 

David 

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER,

Do you model a lot of CSX?

Al Hummel

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

hibar posted:

... also the latest A-Z shipping schedule appears to have at least 17 models for 4Q 2017, now we all know thats not happening, I suspect we will only see one more container report that holds the possibility of a late Dec early Jan delivery.   ...

Agreed.  I've been watching their shipping as well, since the last of my Atlas-O orders (i.e., a bunch of those CSX: How Tomorrow Moves Maxi-IV containers) slipped from a 3Q2017 date to a 4Q2017, which now seems unlikely as well UNLESS those 53' containers make an early October 2017 shipment out of China.

Atlas-O overseas factory shipments recently occurred in late May, early August, and early September... and then Atlas-O in turn shipped the corresponding product out to their dealers in roughly 7-8 weeks.  So for any additional product expected to see the light of day into consumers hands this year yet, it would seem the best chance would be an overseas factory shipment in early- to mid-October.  After that, I think the window will be closing for Atlas-O products arriving in consumers' hands by year-end 2017. 

David 

 

Atlas 10/6 container shipping, balance of Bulkhead flats, wartime gondolas , wagon top box cars, 40' steel rebuilt box cars = late Nov shipping from Atlas on these cars.

hibar posted:

...  Atlas 10/6 container shipping, balance of Bulkhead flats, wartime gondolas , wagon top box cars, 40' steel rebuilt box cars = late Nov shipping from Atlas on these cars.

Is this what you're referring to (from the Atlas RR website)?

http://www.atlasrr.com/containershipping.htm

If so, I'm a bit confused... since it refers to an ETA of 10/6/17.  So it's possible this is perhaps the container that shipped on Sept 11th (according to the Atlas-O website).  Or if that's not the case, it could be more of the same items that shipped in Sept are also shipping in October.    In any event, the Atlas-O website hasn't been updated to reflect a container shipment from China in October yet.

Ugghhhh.... I guess at the end of the day, we'll see this stuff whenever it gets here. 

Alan Hummel posted:

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER,

Do you model a lot of CSX?

Al Hummel

Not "modelling" CSX per se.  But I have a handful of MTH CSX locomotives that I plan to run with some Lionel CSX boxcars along with the Atlas-O TTX Maxi-IV wellcars w/CSX containers.

Typically on the A-Z report the container ship date posted takes 6-8 weeks to hit the Atlas shipping to dealers/customers date column, a number of times there is a later posted container ship date on the atlasrr.com/containershipping.htm possibly indicating balance of original shipment. One of the reasons why some customers receive dealer pick up  notices much later than others.  At some point down the road we will get containers and Berwick boxcars as for the GE 8-40CWs after 7 years who really knows, Rob Pisani stated at the spring York meet that they would be the next engine in production but hes gone now so all bets are off. JMO

The new announcements are for the ACF 70-ton 2-bay covered hoppers and the 20' Containers in new paint schemes.

That seems like a big cut back.

The workers in China must be working on the long delayed Diesel Locomotives, so there are not many new freight cars right now. 

Andrew 

hibar posted:

 

Atlas 10/6 container shipping, balance of Bulkhead flats, wartime gondolas , wagon top box cars, 40' steel rebuilt box cars = late Nov shipping from Atlas on these cars.

Good to hear about these. I own virtually no Atlas products but as a B&O fan I was in for these wagon tops.

Any of you guys going to York later this month will have the opportunity to talk to the current Atlas reps at the MFGs  forum or at their booth about the shipping schedule.

hibar posted:

Any of you guys going to York later this month will have the opportunity to talk to the current Atlas reps at the MFGs  forum or at their booth about the shipping schedule.

Whether you can get any authoritative answer is anyone's guess.  In all likelihood, the answers will go something like this:  "If all goes as planned, we expect <fill in the blank> to arrive <around mm/yyyy."  Some may volunteer extra information like, "We just received production prototypes last week, but we didn't have time to bring them out to York."  

I don't envy these folks, because so much is now out of their control.  All they can do is try to put the best possible spin on a tough situation.  You almost gotta feel a bit sorry for them, 'cause they're gonna get hit with that question at least several dozen times over the course of 3 days.    So I've actually stopped asking.  Because at the end of the day, the stuff is gonna arrive when it gets here.  But it's understandably human nature to feel frustrated when dates continue to slip.

David

When you are a MFGs rep at these shows that comes with the territory, it appears based on recent monthly announcements that Atlas is limiting future production either to catch up with present backlog or O gauge is  going to be a limited run line for them. JMO

hibar posted:

When you are a MFGs rep at these shows that comes with the territory, it appears based on recent monthly announcements that Atlas is limiting future production either to catch up with present backlog or O gauge is  going to be a limited run line for them. JMO

I think it's the former rather than the latter. If you notice on their shipping schedule all overdue motive power is listed towards the top, including such Trainman locomotives like the Dash 8-40CW's and RSD-7/15's. I believe Atlas realizes that backlogged engines take a greater precedence over rolling stock. Aside from the F7's in January Atlas has not delivered any locomotives this year.

Way back when Atlas had about a 4year time when basically nothing was available in any scale,they were supposed to pull everything in China and move it-what happened to that dream?

I surely give Lionel credit for keeping the Lionscale project in North Carolina. I think they could easily take over the Atlas O Scale line and I think O Scale would see BIG improvements in availablity,but that's just my opnion for what little that's worth.

I think I bought the last CSX 4750s from any hobby shop. I researched this & can't find any,so come on Atlas,get to moving. I know O Scale is extremely small compared to HO,but waiting years on a project is ridiculous. Availability is 9/10s of the battle,if new modelers find this out,how many can be counted on to move into O Scale? Sorry,but had I have known all I now know,I'd have stayed in HO. This scale seems to be rooted in the Steam,Early Diesel era,or so it would seem. Start talking about modern things like shelf couplers,and the conversation starts to get sort of ugly.

I was told by someone at Atlas years back that they were "committed" to O Scale. Well,if that's so,they better get out of China too many projects are lagging WAY TOO FAR BEHIND.

Lionel & MTH could split up Atlas and I think the modelers would be happy & so would Atlas. Again,all this is just my opinion.

As Always,

Al Hummel

I think the time has come to leave AtlasO behind and stop ordering anything from AtlasO. Time to move on.

DAVID 1,

I agree with you but 98% of everything I have is Atlas. My diesels,&hi-cube boxcars,are MTH. I have some used Weaver cars,about a dozen in all. 

Modeling from the '80s to present day,is a challenge for me. Couplers from Atlas are junk. No shelf couplers on modern stock is like having Link&Pin couplers on '50s era rolling stock. Lack of realism will hold serious modelers from going O Scale too. I'm close enough to 60 to call it & don't have ages to wait on things I want that may never happen. I'm willing to be patient if I have reason to believe things will come along in a REASONABLE TIME FRAME,not 20 years from now. I love the size of O Scale,but when that becomes all I have going for me on the plus side of the "checks and balances" column,it's time to sit down & do a serious evaluation of where things stand and where they're going.

Come on Atlas Rep's,talk to your "bread and butter" customers!!

Again,just my 2 cents worth.

As Always,

Al Hummel 

catnap posted:

hibar posted:

When you are a MFGs rep at these shows that comes with the territory, it appears based on recent monthly announcements that Atlas is limiting future production either to catch up with present backlog or O gauge is  going to be a limited run line for them. JMO

I think it's the former rather than the latter. If you notice on their shipping schedule all overdue motive power is listed towards the top, including such Trainman locomotives like the Dash 8-40CW's and RSD-7/15's. I believe Atlas realizes that backlogged engines take a greater precedence over rolling stock. Aside from the F7's in January Atlas has not delivered any locomotives this year.

Interestingly that has never been the case with Atlas to this point and the way they just listed the A-Z shipping schedule with all motive power first  T man or Mline may or may not have any significant meaning. Obviously the erratic delivery of motive power over the last few years has been factory issues for Atlas not their marketing plan. JMO

Alan Hummel posted:

Way back when Atlas had about a 4year time when basically nothing was available in any scale,they were supposed to pull everything in China and move it-what happened to that dream?

I surely give Lionel credit for keeping the Lionscale project in North Carolina. I think they could easily take over the Atlas O Scale line and I think O Scale would see BIG improvements in availability,but that's just my opinion for what little that's worth.

 

Tooling in China will pretty much always stay in China.  The Chinese government is very protective of any intellectual property made in China, even if engineered by a foreign entity.   And in the case of Atlas, or any of the other model train manufacturers for that matter, very little engineering is done outside on these models anyways...  The "importers" generally supply prototype research such as dimensions (drawings), photographs, paint color, lettering data and a check to pay for the factory to make it and then let their Chinese factory have at it, sans an occasional factory visit or video Skype meetings with the factory engineering teams.  Therefore, all the tooling is designed and engineered in China so that tooling is pretty much guaranteed to stay in China.  Now... the tooling can be moved to another factory in China (which is what Atlas had to do several years) but trying to get that tooling out of China takes an expensive legal battle that you are pretty much guaranteed to lose. 

The reason that Lionscale equipment is made in North Carolina is because that tooling was the original Weaver tooling that was made in the USA.  A deal was made that seemed to satisfy both Lionel and Atlas with the split up of Weaver.  Atlas got the Chinese half of Weaver, e.g. recent troop cars, because Atlas only has manufacturing in China and Lionel got the US-based Weaver tooling because they already had US-based manufacturing so they just rolled the Weaver line into the North Carolina factory and everyone was happy.

Scott Kay

Austin, TX

FWIW, there were about five double tables at the INDY show that were loaded with new unopened 2r Atlas freight cars for $25 each.  Same thing last year.  At the average 2 rail show there are always many boxes of new unopened Atlas freight cars $25 to $35 each.  Strasburg show is this coming Saturday.  Atlas has so glutted the market the dealers seem to just want any kind of cash recovery.?????

Very true with a limited number of exceptions the market has been glutted for years, of course a particular model/road name you might be looking for never shows up. just saying.

Atlas O is hands down, the best manufacturer in the O scale market. Their models feature incredible detail and the Trainman prices are great if you don't want to go for Master Line. Sure you have to wait a while to get stuff, but a little patience never hurt anybody. 

Yes,theAtlas Detail is outstanding,not meaning to bash Lionel or MTH.

Al Hummel

And yet, as I have said in the past, how does Sunset 3rd rail do it? Just asking.

Dick

There are more people into 3-Rail than 2-Rail, so these cars would have to be converted to 3-Rail.

Andrew

Can't speak for 2-rail as I am 3-rail, but I have gotten excellent service from Atlas, no way I would leave them behind. I agree with Will above, "a little patience never hurt anybody", and I think Atlas is definitely worth waiting for. Atlas has gone way above and beyond the call for me every time I have called with questions or tried to obtain parts I couldn't find on their website. Lionel and MTH are also very good too, but I think Atlas just provided me with more personalized service. Only my opinion here, of course.

CBQer posted:

And yet, as I have said in the past, how does Sunset 3rd rail do it? Just asking.   ...

Look at Scott's frequent flier mileage!!!  He appears to spend a good deal of time in China -- probably ensuring projects stay on track, and products ship as close to on-schedule as possible.  Scott's also been an excellent communicator -- ALWAYS keeping his clients aware of the latest goings on.  All of the importers could take a chapter out of Scott's way of doing business.

Patience is a virtue but after waiting years for some items it was time for me to move on. AtlasO just cannot get the job done.

I am 70 years old and waiting for years for one locomotive is not going to happen. I don't even stop at the AtlasO booth at York anymore for them just telling me it's close but no exact date. I did that for years, yes for years and the items I ordered were never delivered although still on their shipping chart. 

No thank you, I'm done.

Dave

david1 posted:

I think the time has come to leave AtlasO behind and stop ordering anything from AtlasO. Time to move on.

I'm not sure I'm quite there yet, David1.  But my enthusiasm has certainly fallen through the floor lately with Atlas-O.  Folks talk about locomotives (or lack there-of), and all I can think about are the days when Atlas-O was at its prime... delivering products like the magnificent GP60M's and GP60B's in a variety of roadnames and power/dummy options.  I think that may have been around 2005, and the detail level on those locomotives was WAY ahead of its time.  Aside from maybe a "railsounds" update today, those GP60's could stand up easily to diesels being manufactured today.  Hands down. 

I've seldom had seller's remorse.  However, when I sold off a bunch of stuff that included a set of GP60's (in favor of keeping my roster all-Legacy/DCS), it's the closest I've ever felt to wishing I hadn't.  It might be heresy to folks who are focused so intently on prototype operations.  But if I still had an ABBA configuration of GP60's, they'd look absolutely SWEET heading up a 3rd Rail El Capitan passenger train.  

Sadly... I do think those leading-edge locomotive days are gone for good at Atlas-O, as the company has never really recovered from the untimely passing of Jim Weaver.  I still think Atlas-O produces one heck of a detailed piece of rolling stock albeit a bit pricey.  And I'm still keeping fingers crossed that the company will come through on Part II of the Maxi-IV well cars and containers -- actually containers are all I really care about, since I already have the cars from the first production run.   But for those who missed out on cars from the first production run, I hope for their sake that Atlas-O delivers on the second Maxi-IV run.

But as far as being a serious contender in the O-Gauge locomotive world...  if the last several years are any indication of what the future holds, it's time to quietly write the closing chapter on Atlas-O locomotive production. 

David

Attention to detail is beginning to slip on the Masterline products also , the first run of the new Maxi-stacks lacked end grab irons and reporting marks on the sets something that I do not believe the late Jim Weaver would have let happen on his watch. I suspect Atlas is looking to reduce their O scale product line . JMO

Based on delivered product the Atlas 0 scale product line already is reduced.  Just maybe HO and N product pay the bills better???

Just in my opinion,I think the HO&N Scales definitely pay better because the markets are MUCH larger and thus more product is made for each scale. The products are even close to O Scale in price. Sometimes,so close in my research that it's amazing. 

Now my question is what do we do now that O Scale is downsizing whether on purpose by Atlas or as a matter of "catch up," on long over due products,such as the diesels? The end result is the same-no product. What do I have to look forward to in O Scale? Not much as I see it. I've read everybody's opinions on this subject,most paint the same picture regardless of one's viewpoint on this subject. Just my opinion.

Al Hummel

Tom Tee posted:

Based on delivered product the Atlas 0 scale product line already is reduced.  Just maybe HO and N product pay the bills better???

Atlas is a good sized corporation that has been jn business a long time, return on investment is the business plan, the smaller scales and the track lines represent most of the business, why invest more in an O gauge line that is dependent on a recalcitrant Chinese factory that has consistent production and delivery problems, JMO Bear in mind Jerry Kimble and Rob Pisani  who were the faces of Atlas O both left the company this year, just saying.

The fact that Atlas no longer produces 2 catalogs a year and they are doing more "alternate history" paint schemes is an indication that times are tough for Atlas.

david1 posted:

I think the time has come to leave AtlasO behind and stop ordering anything from AtlasO. Time to move on.

This is the end result of whenever one becomes dependent on any importer, manufacturer, or vendor; eventually things go pear shaped and you get left hanging in the wind.  This is of course perfectly fine if you like flying kites....

Atlas products are much nicer then either MTH or Lionel IMO. Their product delays and smaller O market share have not helped there cause.

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

david1 posted:

I think the time has come to leave AtlasO behind and stop ordering anything from AtlasO. Time to move on.

I'm not sure I'm quite there yet, David1.  But my enthusiasm has certainly fallen through the floor lately with Atlas-O.  Folks talk about locomotives (or lack there-of), and all I can think about are the days when Atlas-O was at its prime... delivering products like the magnificent GP60M's and GP60B's in a variety of roadnames and power/dummy options.  I think that may have been around 2005, and the detail level on those locomotives was WAY ahead of its time.  Aside from maybe a "railsounds" update today, those GP60's could stand up easily to diesels being manufactured today.  Hands down. 

I've seldom had seller's remorse.  However, when I sold off a bunch of stuff that included a set of GP60's (in favor of keeping my roster all-Legacy/DCS), it's the closest I've ever felt to wishing I hadn't.  It might be heresy to folks who are focused so intently on prototype operations.  But if I still had an ABBA configuration of GP60's, they'd look absolutely SWEET heading up a 3rd Rail El Capitan passenger train.  

Sadly... I do think those leading-edge locomotive days are gone for good at Atlas-O, as the company has never really recovered from the untimely passing of Jim Weaver.  I still think Atlas-O produces one heck of a detailed piece of rolling stock albeit a bit pricey.  And I'm still keeping fingers crossed that the company will come through on Part II of the Maxi-IV well cars and containers -- actually containers are all I really care about, since I already have the cars from the first production run.   But for those who missed out on cars from the first production run, I hope for their sake that Atlas-O delivers on the second Maxi-IV run.

But as far as being a serious contender in the O-Gauge locomotive world...  if the last several years are any indication of what the future holds, it's time to quietly write the closing chapter on Atlas-O locomotive production. 

David

 

No more pricey than MTH or Lionel. It was sad to see Weaver go as I have some product from them including the Milwaukee 261. As another writer said he is 70, I am a year behind him and don't know how much more I will buy. I am going to DC next August for the O Scale National more for a vacation and to return one more time to The Wall.

Dick