Now that the O guage/scale market is down to two [ and 1/2] "Players" when will Atlas O jump back into the market...at least with reruns?
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Reruns would be fine with me--I'd love the opportunity to buy 2-rail SW8's, SW9's, MP15's, and GP15's again.
While I have several Atlas engines and enjoy them, part of me thinks it would be smart for Atlas to stay out of the O gauge engine market. High production cost, low volume, lack of control over quality, warranty issues, etc. However, if they should reissue their PRR VO-1000 I would not complain.
@Juniatabilt posted:Reruns would be fine with me--I'd love the opportunity to buy 2-rail SW8's, SW9's, MP15's, and GP15's again.
You know I used to see so many of those locomotives in the secondary market but I guess that was over 10 years ago. These days I hardly ever see them. I would go for a SW in 2 rail.
The problem has been mentioned elsewhere.
They have to deal with the production of the models in China.
The new company will produce the Locomotives, only in larger numbers than in previous production runs.
They are going to have to break with their rather harsh built-to-order model for locomotives and have extra units in stock somewhere for people who missed the built-to-order period.
Andrew
Wuf! I have worked on some Atlas locomotives. They won't be getting any of my money.
It has been (3) years since I ordered my Atlas "Rio Grande" GP7's. I am not even sure I want them anymore.
My Horizon passenger cars is going on a 15 month wait and unfortunately I prepaid those for a better price.
Sad.
Donald
While it took a bit of time for their recent F3's and F7's to arrive, the units run well and their decoration seemed fantastic. I think if Atlas ran more in a few new schemes they would sell.
@Juniatabilt posted:Reruns would be fine with me--I'd love the opportunity to buy 2-rail SW8's, SW9's, MP15's, and GP15's again.
Seems to me that lots of people are eager for their 2-rail endcab switchers, including me. Maybe those would be good models to forgo BTO and order the manufacturer's minimum?
FWIW ... last month Atlas told me that they are planning engine production, but had no other info.
I'm pulling for ya Atlas ... we're all in this together.
I had an order for a 3 rail SW that they cancelled. If they marketed it again (road name and color), I'd place another order. I have no Atlas locomotives, so I have no knowledge of their quality. But, their rolling stock is the best.
@RoyBoy posted:Wuf! I have worked on some Atlas locomotives. They won't be getting any of my money.
Then what brand will you buy. Lionel? I have several Atlas locos and have enjoyed them all. Sunset makes a very good model and I have a couple E8s to pull my Atlas Zypher cars. MTH is on their way out. Weaver is gone.
With respect.
Dick
@Oman posted:I had an order for a 3 rail SW that they cancelled. If they marketed it again (road name and color), I'd place another order. I have no Atlas locomotives, so I have no knowledge of their quality. But, their rolling stock is the best.
Their locos are very good and run well.
Dick
With the closure of MTH, I think the hobby needs and should be able to support another O gauge manufacturer. Atlas O has offered lots of well-detailed scale-sized locomotive models that could be rerun if the tooling is still available. My Atlas O locomotives have always run well and been trouble-free. I also like the die-cast SW switchers.
MELGAR
@CBQer posted:Then what brand will you buy. Lionel? I have several Atlas locos and have enjoyed them all. Sunset makes a very good model and I have a couple E8s to pull my Atlas Zypher cars. MTH is on their way out. Weaver is gone.
With respect.
Dick
I will probably stick with the backlog of PS-1 MTH and conventional Williams locos that I already have to convert to TMCC with Cruise Commanders. Spending a bunch of dough for a new loco that does not run well has no appeal to me.
Where Williams will use one screw to separate the motor from the truck, Atlas will use several, all seemingly different sizes, and the bearings and center axle will fall out at the same time. Sometimes the bearings are shimmed also, and those fall out, too. Seems like K-Line did it similarly, but without as many screws.
I also never had a Weaver steam engine that ran well enough to please me. Is smooth too much to ask?
I fix my own locos, so ease of maintenance and simplicity of design appeal to me.
If someone else fixes your locos, then you are spared the headaches, but your wallet is not spared.
These are just my opinions, based on my personal experiences, which caused me to form these opinions.
I have a few Atlas models.
SW's
The Pennsylvania SW9 dates to 1999. (21 years since new in the box). It has a TMCC upgrade. Shawmut Line, and Montour are custom paints. Atlas at one time provided, un-decorated/unpainted models. IMO, You may want to search the secondary market.
I'll say this about my 10 Atlas-O diesels: They're well detailed, run well, and they're almost bullet-proof. At train shows, they have run for hours at a time. So, when I had a choice between an MTH and an Atlas-O Baldwin Vo-1000, I ordered the Atlas version. It was eventually cancelled. Oh, well.
I still have an Atlas Trainman Alco RSD7 on order, but it has been so long that I have forgotten who I ordered it from. This thread was a good reminder to me, to check my pending orders.
I'm not sure where some of the Atlas hate is coming from earlier in the thread. I have two SD35s from the first run in 2000 with TMCC and RailSounds. I upgraded the motor drivers with a CC-M and they run as smooth as butter now. None of the early locos that lacked Cruise/Odyssey ran very well at low speeds in comparison to modern locos. This isn't because of the drive train, but rather the electronics.
The SD35s I have are extremely detailed and not any harder to work on than MTH or Lionel locos. The additional fine detail makes them a tad fragile but that sort of thing is to be expected.
@Number 90 posted:I'll say this about my 10 Atlas-O diesels: They're well detailed, run well, and they're almost bullet-proof. At train shows, they have run for hours at a time. So, when I had a choice between an MTH and an Atlas-O Baldwin Vo-1000, I ordered the Atlas version. It was eventually cancelled. Oh, well.
I still have an Atlas Trainman Alco RSD7 on order, but it has been so long that I have forgotten who I ordered it from. This thread was a good reminder to me, to check my pending orders.
I had the same type of order placed with Pat’s Trains. Subsequently given up and deleted the related emails. Such a shame because I really like my Atlas locos.
You guys sent me to the Atlas web site. Now I see a locomotive with pre-orders in 2016 that is slated for Q1 2021 delivery. I hope they make them and there are a few order cancellations, so I can buy one.
Well, with a 5 year wait I am sure at least a few folks made some cancellations. Even sadder to say is I hope that the hobby did not lose anyone who pre-ordered those locomotives.
Royboy, FWIW I was once at a train club and a guy there had a 2 rail Weaver die cast 2-8-0 and I thought it ran extremely well. Can’t say anything about their brass steam locomotives as I never saw one run but I was impressed with that 2-8-0. I eventually bought one for myself but with no layout I can’t really test it. It runs good on the test track though.
I thought it was a long shot, but I asked Jeff at Mr. Muffins. He called Atlas and they confirmed that Mr. Muffin had 1 extra of the model I wanted coming in. 
It's mine. Kudos and thank you to Mr. Muffin.
As much as I prefer DCS over TMCC, I would like to see Atlas back in the motive power game. I'm leaning toward the 2-rail offerings which I'd have to modify for hybrid operation. DCC is a potential option, but I'd likely modify the engines for TMCC operation. I'd like to see the SD40's and the U23's come back.
I wish Atlas would make RS-1's again and C636 again. I want a new Lehigh Valley snowbird version and a NYSW RS-1.
I only have two Atlas locomotives. A RS-1 and a set of Erie Built that I was lucky enough to get. Don
RS-1 from catalog
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@AGHRMatt posted:As much as I prefer DCS over TMCC, I would like to see Atlas back in the motive power game. I'm leaning toward the 2-rail offerings which I'd have to modify for hybrid operation. DCC is a potential option, but I'd likely modify the engines for TMCC operation. I'd like to see the SD40's and the U23's come back
Its as easy as removing the wiper and insulation plate and putting in a pickup roller with its insulation plate.
Of course, there’s always the buy 2 and merge parts together option as well...
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@scale rail posted:I only have two Atlas locomotives. A RS-1 and a set of Erie Built that I was lucky enough to get. Don
Those Erie Builts are beautiful.
@Cincytrains posted:I wish Atlas would make RS-1's again and C636 again. I want a new Lehigh Valley snowbird version and a NYSW RS-1.
Ahem... Atlas O NEVER made an ALCo C636. The biggest Alco Atlas O made was the C630. Thsts the same for MTH and Weaver models. In fact no 3 rail Mfg has made/imported the ALCo C430 and C636!
@Cincytrains posted:I wish Atlas would make RS-1's again and C636 again. I want a new Lehigh Valley snowbird version and a NYSW RS-1.
Not to mention the Lehigh Valley never owned any C636s. They were all C628s.
Weaver C630
@ecd15 posted:Not to mention the Lehigh Valley never owned any C636s. They were all C628s.
Whatever they were, I wish they made them again.
@prrhorseshoecurve posted:Now that the O guage/scale market is down to two [ and 1/2] "Players" when will Atlas O jump back into the market...at least with reruns?
Nobody knows except Atlas.
No love loss for their one attempt at a scale steam loco. (0-6-0). The baby 4-4-2 wasn't that great, either.
@RoyBoy posted:Wuf! I have worked on some Atlas locomotives. They won't be getting any of my money.
I was thinking the same thing! I cringe whenever an Atlas locomotive is in for repair, especially the narrow body models! They crammed the stuff in there, and the routing of the wiring is, shall we say, ugly!
As for the thread title, more and more it seems like this
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I'm a bit dim today. I don't understand the Pink Floyd reference. 
Is it a thinly veiled reference to Roger Waters and David Gilmore putting aside all their differences to join Nick Mason in his current band "A Saucer Full of Secrets?" which in other words translates to "when pigs fly". Perhaps a play on the lyrics of the song Eclipse - "When an engine comes from Atlas O, I'll see you on the dark side of the moon?"
On a serious note, I just acquired 2nd or 3rd hand 11 comet cars and two AEM7s from a fellow forum member and friend and the tooling is still competitive with many trains you see new on the market today.
It's hard to predict the future in this industry, especially O scale. I won't begin to opine on something I have no knowledge about and simply enjoy the locomotives and cars I currently have from Atlas O.
@GG1 4877 posted:I'm a bit dim today. I don't understand the Pink Floyd reference.
On a serious note, I just acquired 2nd or 3rd hand 11 comet cars and two AEM7s from a fellow forum member and friend and the tooling is still competitive with many trains you see new on the market today.
It's hard to predict the future in this industry, especially O scale. I won't begin to opine on something I have no knowledge about and simply enjoy the locomotives and cars I currently have from Atlas O.
When pigs fly. That’s it, nothing more, nothing less. Although I appreciated the reference to the Gilmore/Waters conflicts. 🙂
Maybe Atlas should work a deal with the MTH, (former), builder. Whoever it is, will soon have a lot of unused capacity it appears.
Jeff
This thread directed me to find new Atlas O cars that I will pre-order. In the mean time, I hope to receive an Atlas locomotive that is slated for delivery Q1 2021. Most of my new rail car orders over the last 5 years have been Atlas O.
Always a good time for a "WKRP" clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1enfo8zn3_g
Edit: originally embedded the YouTube clip in here, but since there could be copyright issues, decided to just put the link instead.
David
