Good Day Scott Mann, How about producing the Gunderson Maxi Stack IV cars?

Has anyone ever considered a kickstarter funding project for something like this?  I think it could really work and if the order numbers are there to produce then production goes ahead, if not everyone's money is returned and no one is out anything. 

I think the idea of crowd funding trains sounds good in theory, but I believe the issue comes down to the knowledge of how to properly produce the product after the fact. To get these cars produced at a realistic price point you need to have a working knowledge of tooling, paint, material sourcing, project management, etc. Most of the folks with that experience are already working for the manufactures we know.

Until 3D printing really becomes a viable method for large runs of product I think the best bet is to try and appeal to 3rd Rail, Lionel, MTH, Weaver, or whoever and convince them that spending the tooling dollars will show a return on investment and can produce enough subsequent runs to be worth the time and effort. 

Also, the idea that no one is out anything if the funding fails simply is not true. Someone is going to have to figure out the cost to produce the cars which basically requires planning out most of the project from start to finish. Unless you know the cost to produce the cars then how do you know how much funding to ask for? Someone absolutely would be out a significant amount of time, maybe not much money, but time for sure. 

I'm not knocking you at all, I LOVE the idea of crowd funding. I'm just not sure how it translates to this hobby. 

3rd Rail is already close to that except they don't require the deposit up front.  If there is a chance something can be made profitably Scott will try.  With the stack cars it's a case of everyone agrees they will be too popular for [an expensive] limited production. 

How many people here go berserk at the mere idea of requiring deposits.  Whether kickstarter or deposits it boils to how long and that is where the companies get antsy because they have so little control over their offshore builders; much less than you think.

If you get the opportunity to talk to Lionel or MTH or Atlas reps about making them be prepared for a rather rude shock.  You're challenging their marketing and they don't like that and will [politely] tell you so.  In the Jim Weaver days at Atlas if you asked it was "I'm (as in me, myself and...) not interested in such a project.  How different it may be today I have no clue. 

I can assure you we listen to requests.  This forum is only one area we use to gauge the market.  Add in feedback at shows, email, regular mail, phone calls, and a little bit of gut feeling.

Now that we have a somewhat regular flow of product, not where we want to be yet, but getting there, we have kicked off some new tooling projects as well. Keep an eye out for announcements in the next few months.  Not everything we have planned is listed in the new catalog...

I am liking the sound of Paul Graf's post here. I'm hoping to be reading between the lines on this as well. These cars and containers are way beyond welcome here in O scale. Bring them on!!

put me down for two (maybe three) sets

j

Good Day Paul,

Thanks for the post! I'm ready to buy when you supply!

Regards,

Swafford

I must say that I am very impressed that the CEO of Atlas took time to read and post to this forum.  I agree with Jeff78rr that one may be able to read between the lines of Paul Graf's response.

Even though I have only had the Atlas 2015 Catalog for a week I am already looking forward with great anticipation to the June 1025 addition.  As far as the Gunderson Maxi Stacks are concerned... for me personally, it dosen't have to be from the "O Master" series.  I would be very pleased with "O Trainman" for these cars.

As mentioned earlier, I need at least ten 3-car sets to pulled behind my four Atlas GP60M's.  These diesels were part of the Santa Fe's "Super Fleet" used primarily for intermodal service.

Paul, as long as we have your ear... please consider the Santa Fe Super Chief as your next name train now that the California Zepher is nearly complete.  Too many of us Santa Fe modelers were asleep at the switch and missed out when GGD announced the S/C a couple of years ago.  I have already ordered an A-B-B-A set of your just announced Santa Fe F7's (thank you very much) now the Super Chief cars would make me a VERY Happy Camper. 

A guy in our club has the Atlas CZ and the cars they are really special.  I love the Adjust-A-Coupler and working diaphragms on these cars.  He adjusted the couplers on his cars so that the diaphragms are closed at all times.  GREAT EFFECT.

Thanks for listening.

As I have nothing until someone does something I'll take Paul at his word.

How I ended up on the phone with Jim Weaver has me mystified but when I did and asked about GP40s (you can see how far back I'm going here) before the GP60s came out his answer was, quote "I'm not interested in doing those".

I'm sure Frank remembers how long that thread was on the Atlas O forum.

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the response on this thread.

Any chance the Atlas O forum will return?

Jim

He's apparently running for public office because that really doesn't say anything at all,

Oh believe me, after the last car that was going to be the latest greatest thing that ended up being the coil car that nobody I know wants there is a huge grain of salt in there.  It's either contemporary stack cars, that would be the 53' container variety, or modern coal cars, that would be RD4s or equivalent or nothing.  A better full length autorack than the Lionel would attract my money but I think that further fetched.

In the mean time I've got projects cutting the bulkheads off the Atlas double stacks I have and coming up with the CAD parts for conversion to Maxi Stack I's.

Produce them and get them to train stores, and hobby shops.

Andrew