Atlas March Announcements

[Bob Bufkin]

They got it posted on their site.  New numers on quad hoppers and 40' double door boxcars.  Better than nothing.

[inkaneer]

It's been up since March 21, 2011.  Meanwhile here on April 27, 2011 and nothing announced yet for April.  Not that I'm worried.  They are probably wondering how high to price whatever it is they will announce in order to keep up with Walthers.  Its getting to be a rich man's hobby.

[asarge]

I'm not counting on anything big and exciting. When you have one of your biggest competitor's making things for you.....well it's kinda like a dentist doing a root canal with no anesthesia.

[CBQ Fan]

It's been up since March 21, 2011.  Meanwhile here on April 27, 2011 and nothing announced yet for April.  Not that I'm worried.  They are probably wondering how high to price whatever it is they will announce in order to keep up with Walthers.  Its getting to be a rich man's hobby.

Better be careful what you say about Atlas pricing here!!!  Walking on thin ice.....

[bbussey]

Agreed.  First off, it's always been an expensive hobby in context with everything else.  Second, the "wondering how high" comment is unjustified and unwarranted.  No one gets rich manufacturing model railroad products.

[CBQ Fan]

When you see one company's prices skyrocketing month after month while the competition's prices stay steady or modestly increase you don't see cause for concern or hope that they revisit their business model.  At what price would you stop buying that company's products?  And at what point do they go out of business?  Would you pay 50K for a chevy cobalt?

[wm3798]

Everything on the planet is getting more expensive.  Model trains are not immune.  Our job is to find enjoyment at whatever level we can achieve on our own budgets, and figure out ways to enjoy more with the fewer dollars we have available.

As for me, outside of a lingering desire to build an early Conrail coal train featuring yummy predecessors like those Reading hoppers, I don't see anything in the hunt for me this time...

Lee

[CBQ Fan]

The only item I am really looking for is an F3 in the Q grayback scheme to round out my FT's on order.  I doubt they will do an F2.  If Kato would do a NP NCL I would be really excited.  But I have Rapido coaches and sleepers already, an Intermountain diner on order and a couple WOT baggage cars also on order.  Just needing a good observation, MT maybe .  This will give me a good stand in for an NCL.  Still need to figure out power for this train.  I need more Q E units, kato anyone!!  I understand prices going up, but I see some things that concern me about the long term health of some companies.  What disappoints me is that prices are being pushed to the point of little to no spontaneous purchases.  Those can be the most fun.  I find all those dollars going to other companies and not Atlas.  I will still look to update my older Q non-dcc Atlas engines to the newer model, other than Atlas Classic, engines that are dcc.  Sorry for rambling....

[Mark5]

So we're back on the merry-go-round ...

[Ian MacMillan]

When you see one company's prices skyrocketing month after month while the competition's prices stay steady or modestly increase you don't see cause for concern or hope that they revisit their business model.  At what price would you stop buying that company's products?  And at what point do they go out of business?  Would you pay 50K for a chevy cobalt?

but you might not be able to be able to buy the products of the steady price compeditor...because they no longer exist. An increasing price suggests that one is looking at their business model, and pricing so that they are not operating in the red or with no money for new tooling that we all bitch for.

[inkaneer]

but you might not be able to be able to buy the products of the steady price compeditor...because they no longer exist. An increasing price suggests that one is looking at their business model, and pricing so that they are not operating in the red or with no money for new tooling that we all bitch for.

I wonder if P.T. Barnum was alive today whether he would say, "There's a sucker born every minute."  Maybe he would change that to "...every second."  The birth rate has gone up you know.

[Ian MacMillan]

The birth rate has gone up you know.

I'm too busy looking at shiny things!

[bbussey]

The sense of entitlement that seeps through sometimes here and on other boards is bemusing to say the least.  It seems people get upset because the items they happen to want, or expect to be announced, are priced higher than hoped for.  Speaking in general terms - Atlas is the most likely manufacturer to release the arbitrary model that a modeler is hoping to see, due to having the greatest diversity of product lines and the greatest diversity of the featured railroads.  There are no "suckers" since no one's arm is being twisted to buy Atlas non-track products, and no one is being "tricked" into buying them either.  This is driven purely by "want" rather than "need," and that is the crux of the whole "Atlas pricing is too high" meme. 

The irony, or course, is that no one complains about the price structure of Atlas products that are "required" to participate in this hobby - namely the track product lines.

[John]

The irony, or course, is that no one complains about the price structure of Atlas products that are "required" to participate in this hobby - namely the track product lines.

You have to pay to play .. if a person is unwilling to do that, then I suggest knitting as a hobby

[sirenwerks]

No one gets rich manufacturing model railroad products.

Hmm, are we talking about money rich? There's always the personal gratification and slaps on the back one gets from releasing a model people fawn (sp?) over. And that warm-in-the-belly feeling, as well as the important-man-about-town-I'm-a-manufacturer-and-you're-not status, can be priceless.