FA's from atlas

[prr7161]

Are not most of the new releases from Atlas shown as "Sold Out" before they arrive in the warehouse?

I think the "Sold Out" indication is a web artifact and not an actual indication of sales - i.e. preorders are closed, the production is complete, but they aren't here yet and can't be purchased and there is no web status indicator to describe all that.  There probably should be another status indicator that is more accurate.

[bbussey]

It’s not. These were announced four years ago and pre-orders were taken. They are sold out at Atlas. Obviously they will be available around the end of the month through the various retailers that pre-ordered them.

[sirenwerks]

The entire run is sold out.

There's a stick in the eye to Walthers.

[peteski]

There's a stick in the eye to Walthers.

Let's face it: They really don't care - they sell more than enough larger scale products not to worry or care about smaller scales.

[Chris333]

Yeah Atlas ran 1/100th of what LL and Walthers ran. So in a few months you won't ever find them for sale ever again.

[Cajonpassfan]

So it looks like only the small number board version is available. Any info on future availability of the large number board version, like UP?
Also, are there better photos of these anywhere other than the crappy fuzzy pics on the Atlas website? I can't even tell whether the grabs are cast on or freestanding...
Otto K.

[Maletrain]

If these turn out to be good performers, and if they eventually run FA2s in B&O, I might be tempted to pre-order again.

It is not that I am "fickle" - it is that too many companies have failed to deliver pre-ordered products or have delayed delivery of for far too many years, and some of those products have had problems that need spare parts to correct or even second runs to replace.

And, why are we currently having multiple companies making "big boys" that were used in small numbers on one railroad, but we are having trouble getting Alco FA1s and FA2s used by in larger numbers by many more railroads!?

Will I someday soon be faced with making a choice between more than one possibility to pre-order something I want, with no guarantee that either will ever be produced, or prove to be satisfactory?

If so, I will be ordering from the company that has the best track record for delivering good products on-time and standing behind the quality of their work.

[CBQ Fan]

This order was my last traditional pre-order and I don’t see placing another one ever.  I will pre-order from Rail Smith because he delivers timely and and is small.

[mu26aeh]

This order was my last traditional pre-order and I don’t see placing another one ever.  I will pre-order from Rail Smith because he delivers timely and and is small.

PO'd with Rail Smith and ended up cancelling bc he still doesn't know what paint scheme he's doing the CSX executive cars in much less when they are getting run.  Wouldn't be as bad but when you collect full payment up front, that's a non starter for me

[Mark5]

I'll be fine unless they decide to do this scheme on the FA-2:

https://twitter.com/americanrails/status/1095493617798524929/photo/1

[Angus Shops]

Not only do we have trouble getting FA’s, but absolute staples such as GP 7/9’s and just about everything else except F units, Big Boys, and big modern things are rare as hens teeth.

[drgw0579]

I wonder what happened to the 100's of units that a retailer from back east would have reserved years ago, but won't be in business by the time they show up on the east coast?

[rodsup9000]

I wonder what happened to the 100's of units that a retailer from back east would have reserved years ago, but won't be in business by the time they show up on the east coast?

  I bet they will be be shipped to the Nebraska warehouse.

[CBQ Fan]

PO'd with Rail Smith and ended up cancelling bc he still doesn't know what paint scheme he's doing the CSX executive cars in much less when they are getting run.  Wouldn't be as bad but when you collect full payment up front, that's a non starter for me

Is that scheme all MicroTrains based cars?  I am thinking they are.  MT isn’t producing special runs for other vendors until they get up to full production capacity again as a result of the fires in the area.  I also recall MT releasing their own car in one of the schemes that muddied the waters. I understand the frustration of prepaying given the circumstances but also find it hard to blame Lowell, or really MT for that matter.

[mu26aeh]

Is that scheme all MicroTrains based cars?  I am thinking they are.  MT isn’t producing special runs for other vendors until they get up to full production capacity again as a result of the fires in the area.  I also recall MT releasing their own car in one of the schemes that muddied the waters. I understand the frustration of prepaying given the circumstances but also find it hard to blame Lowell, or really MT for that matter.

My issue is when CSX repainted into the new scheme he threw out a question during one of his rail talk/FB lives about what scheme he should do the cars in, as announced or new scheme.  Mentioned doing a survey of those who preordered but I never saw one.  Then MT did the new scheme on one of their cars.  When I asked for an update, he had nothing.  Never mentioned any issues with MT other than the fires and covid which I already knew about.  Hobby money was and is tight, I can't have $200 tied up with something that may or may not be produced/delivered.  I don't mind pre-ordering but I'm not paying up front for anything