Will Atlas O production speed up without their forum?

Personally, I'd bet "Atlas O" is such a shoe-string operation that they are teetering on the brink of "extinction" in this economy and tight O gauge market.  With the passing of Jim Weaver, I doubt the O gauge side of the business has the same enthusiastic support that it once did.  I attribute their slow production to lack of buyers for the equipment they do produce.  Why would they want to rush ahead with producing items they don't have the money to buy or buyers to buy it once it is produced?  MTH isn't giving such a priority to the European market because they are swamped with buyers either.

As for their 89 foot flat car...nice but, way too big for most O gauge guys...except...apparently not you and a few other choice buyers.  I think Lionel has trumped that move with their latest catalog announcements.  I wouldn't be surprised if Lionel isn't using the Atlas O 89' flat.  I am, personally, sure you won't see this car from Atlas O...as the Lionel car will satisfy that requirement.  It appears a company that has the bank roll to make the auto rack has taken up that task.

I, personally, really love Atlas O equipment...but, they have just about priced me out of the market.  Atlas O has really become a niche-market product...best suited for those with deep pockets in a terrible economy.

Just my humble opinion.

I doubt freeing up the admins, or $$$ to run the forum, will do much to speed up production, unless they permanently assign them to China for oversight.  that would cost more than running a forum I'm sure.

As far as needing deep pockets to purchase Atlas O, not necessarily so.  Having some of all the current brands, I like Atlas O the best and am willing to pay for it IF it's what I want.  I just don't buy everything that rolls out the door.  If I don't care for the type of car, the RR offered, or the time period it was used, I don't buy it.  If it's something I've been looking for or is in my favorite RR, then it gets my attention.

From what I've read here on the forum, most people have more stuff than they can run on their layout anyway, some of which never sees the shine on the top of the rail (aka Mint In Box).  If a person keeps it in the box I can see why they would not want to pay top dollar, so why buy it in the first place.

Frankly I think there's a glut in the O scale trains market.  Maybe not in a particular car, but overall there's a load of stuff sitting on shelves at the LHS, online dealers, and tables at train shows.  If I was one of the current big manufacturers I would bring out new product in the fall, just before Christmas.  I would also retire certain items that have been done to death and offer things that have never been done.

I like Atlas stuff and have been a good customer.  I don't know if they run on a shoestring or not,but....a couple of days ago they had an announcement for some new items on their site.  They were new numbers and schemes of existing rolling stock, a 1/43 scale Jeep and large scale 1/18  Coca Cola truck.  Whoa ! 

Closing down their forum and a corporate restructuring makes sense in today's ecomomy.

In the past a monthly announcement from Atlas would have caused there to be a topic here at OGR with lots of responses,but, zip.  Perhaps nobody even visits their site?  With announced  product coming along slowly and nothing new and exciting in their pipeline it makes you wonder.  Their choice of offerings is somewhat boring and same old,same old.  I think that their Golden Spike offerings are also not very good.  Atlas appears to be in a holding pattern.

I applaud their purchase of the rights to K-Line stuff and buildings,but where is the product?

Perhaps this is the best that can be done in a smoke and mirror economy that exists today with no improvement in sight.

I wish Atlas well:I really miss the electricity that they brought to the O Gauge marketplace.

Norm Rish

Atlas killed all of their forums, not just O, right? 

I was under the understanding that they were moving production facilities and that was delaying engine production. 

The recent announcements included new numbers for hoppers I will order, and one new scheme in an Erie box car that I want, but otherwise it's been pretty slow. 

I am waiting on the bi-centennial NYS&W RS1 and the new F's. If we don't see them by the end of the year, I will start worrying then. I sure do miss getting new reefers though. 

BTW - if you check their shipping schedule they have six products on the water including the GP60.

It seems like most O gauge importers are having problems either with quality control or production delays from their contactors or facilities in China. I am not sure if the customer base in the USA can keep the current group of importers profitable.

Guys:

For what it's worth, Atlas' delays in delivery are not limited to the O gauge line. I model in the other scales as well and there are N scale C420s (including much desired high nose units in LIRR/MTA blue and yellow) and RS11s which were announced a few years ago and haven't been delivered yet. In fact, I'm not sure they've even entered the production phase as of yet.

Atlas has indeed been affected by the manufacturer shakeout in the Far East, perhaps to a greater extent than some of the competition. 

Bob  

Atlas better be committed to O!   It's their best scale.   My father who is an avid HO person won't buy Atlas HO at all.  Calling them cheap under detailed and over priced in the HO market.   He was surprised at seeing my Atlas O models stating, "wow if they made stuff this nice in HO I would buy it!"

I applaud their purchase of the rights to K-Line stuff and buildings,but where is the product?

In case you haven't noticed, Atlas O DROPPED the K-line produt. RMT now will be making the former K-line product line. Atlas O posted on a forum that the cost to retool the K-line scale product line was too much and decided to drop that idea. This became light when RMT last October announced the making of the K-line spine cars- a year later than the "infamous" secret Atlas O poster of making the K-line spine cars and F40ph.

Even if the folks at Atlas wear multiple hats I seriously doubt if their webmaster/moderator is working on the production floor.  Usually, IT functions are a full-time job.  I don't know how Rich or Allan have time to spend participating on this forum let alone run it.  So my guess is that having the forum or not won't affect production.

I'm not buying a huge amount of rolling stock but most of what I have purchased in the last 3 years has been Atlas O.  This is mainly because they have been producing a lot of stuff for the Ann Arbor but it is also because I really like the quality of their models.  As long as they continue to produce what I like and with good quality at a reasonable price, I'll keep buying.  I don't mind paying a little more as long as the quality makes it worth it.

I have several items in both HO and O.  I'm really happy to have them in multiple scales.  Since my main road is Ann Arbor, my options are a bit more limited than if it was Pennsy or UP.