Athearn's quiet time

[slickwillie]

They have other projects, but the Big-Boy, like the Challenger is taking incredible amount of resources.

True... but then again, it's hard to think of a more noble and worthy use of those resources!   
As Mr Kato used to say: "Go West, young modeler, go West!"  ;D

[ljudice]

You have to assume that if they took back unsold cars to weather them, sales have been disappointing.

They've just been so spotty....  Beautiful ethanol cars... Then those 65' gons with thick paint. Nice job on the Sieco cars - then releasing the MDC tank cars with no improvements, but never releasing the waffle side boxcars...

I just don't get it!

[tom mann]

I just want to point out the all of the artwork for the MDC re-releases appears to have been revamped.  That's a lot of work.

[ljudice]

That is a good point - and by and large it was pretty well done!

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them roll out more MDC stuff!

[Mark5]

That is a good point - and by and large it was pretty well done!

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them roll out more MDC stuff!

Aye, this is part of my frustration, as a coal road modeler, and they've been sitting on this tooling:



Maybe they lost the tooling sorta like the legendary Rowa passenger car tooling. :

[TiVoPrince]

Seems
kind of fitting.  Hopper car tooling in a black hole...

[sirenwerks]

I'm not knocking the ex-MDC stuff, and am glad it's sticking around, but I just expected/wished for more from Athearn along their old lines. I just don't look at new paint jobs with the same enthusiasm as brand new models, even though I buy the new paint jobs often. Even though Atlas already has a number of Athearn's HO diesel staples sewn up in N, Athearn still has a couple they could do (CF7, GP60, MP15AC, SD38, SD40/40-2) that would be more than welcome in N. Maybe even a GP15 and/or MP36? And I keep saying it, but those PC&F cars...   :'( :'( :'( ... and those new PS-2 2600s would be sweet too. Or 89' TTX flats...?

[Bob Bufkin]

Just found this.  Kinda took me by surprise since I haven't heard about them doing this:
http://www.4nscale.com/products.asp?m=75&t=49

[Wlal13again]

The first time I spoke with an Athearn rep after the N scale announcement was made years ago he gave me a very assertive "We will be eventually have everything we offer in HO available in N". OK, you have my attention, Now I know it`s going to take a while to catch up to the HO offerings, and I do like the 50 ft box cars, 57 ft reefers and the gons (the 65 footers do need some work). But reality is I have little use for most of the N releases. Not my era, etc. I have been a bit disappointed, thought for sure we`d have an Athearn SD40-2 in N by now..

[wm3798]

I'll take a straight 40, thank you.
Lee

[Wlal13again]

I'll take a straight 40, thank you.
Lee

OK Lee, I`ll meet you halfway.. I can use some SD40`s too

[sundowner]

Even though Atlas already has a number of Athearn's HO diesel staples sewn up in N, Athearn still has a couple they could do (CF7, GP60, MP15AC, SD38, SD40/40-2) that would be more than welcome in N. Maybe even a GP15 and/or MP36?

If they make a new diesel they need to copy Kato and Atlas because right now there SD70 and F59 are trully sub par. That means no glue together shells, coke bottle windows and loud mechanism. Maybe the F45 will be better like the Challenger.

[brokemoto]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them roll out more MDC stuff!

The mogul was nicely done.  I would like to see them do an eight-wheeler on the consolidated/mogul base.

I would like to see the Blue Box line in N, start with HW passenger cars with both round and clerestory roofs available, just as the HO Blue box line had.

Still, aside from the MDC mogul, and the nineteenth century passenger cars, they have not done much that interests me, lately.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The mechinism on the SD70 was fine save the motor controversy. It runs well with Kato engines. The windows did need some work but I thought the rest of the body was nice. They really need to loose the glue and offer replacment parts. Neither of those are tooling issues. It would take a few grand to flatten out the rear die for the windows, or it could be a shrinkage/heat-timing issuie. If thats the cae then just run the parts slower and they would be fine.

The challenger shows what they can do in N scale locos. I think we will see that level of quality from them from now on.

I think another big boos would be to do some tooling changes t6o the cars. They need to get new underframes and brakewheels, both can be adapted from their NACC or SEICO cars. How about etched end walks? that would be an easy upgrade too. I was a bit pissed that the coal gons didn't get freestanding ladders. The molded on parts destroy the look of the model. They also could re-issue the MDC Huskystack isig densified plastics so they could run empty. I am betting they are waiting to produce a container for them first. I hope they will do some JP hunt style containers.

[sirenwerks]

I hope they will do some JP hunt style containers.

To be pulled by the Ford C tractor? How prototypical of Athearn. I think this is one of my complaints across the board for Athearn, besides the aforementioned not producing their HO line in N. Their vehicle lines' not in synch with the rest of their product lines. I mean, an SD75 (yawn) and F59PH goes with the Bombardier cars, the Coalporters (yawn), the Auto Maxs (yawn), SIECO box cars, etc. The old timey steamers go with, all their 36' cars and varnish. But the vehicles are kinda out there? They're perfectly in line with the bulk of their HO loco and rolling stock lines (and, admittedly, will work with the new N scale PS1s), but we don't get the luxury of having those in N... Hurrumph...