New Atlas Stuff

[bnsfdash8]

I just knew Atlas would do a patched NS coil car after I did mine. 

[kalbert]

Yawn.

By the time that stuff hits the shelves, if it ever does, a guy could strip and paint one of the plethora of previous GP15's that are still readily available and have a good time doing it while he waits for track to run it on. 

[eja]

Meh!

[Chris333]

I don't call it "stuff" till it is for sale.

[Chris333]

Hey I just noticed. Those two LTEX road numbers sure look familiar:


 

[Ian MacMillan]

They should get flak for the code 55 debacle. They've lost thousands (maybe millions?) because they can't keep something that anyone can see is a core product in stock. I'm sure the guys a Peco and Micro Engineering will send them a Christmas card this year thanking them for increased turnout sales. Peco got the money from me for 20 turnouts, not to mention the track. If Peco had more realistic code 55 turnouts, Atlas would be out of the track business.

As far as the new releases, the GP15-1's look cool, but not enough to plan that far out. I agree the manufacturers that make us plan/pre-order/pay a year out for stuff we want kill my interest in the hobby. It's like we're being held hostage for liking the roads/cars/locos we like. My spending has definitely decreased because of it and will continue to do so.

They should? They are trying to get it back on track, including replacing molds that were damaged from the move.

It appears by your statements on this and the planning on the 15-1s that you really dont know how manufacturing works in the hobby industry.

[Iain]

You know, the flipside of the whole track thing is that you could learn to hand lay.   

[mcjaco]

They should? They are trying to get it back on track, including replacing molds that were damaged from the move.

It appears by your statements on this and the planning on the 15-1s that you really dont know how manufacturing works in the hobby industry.

Thank you.

And didn't we just go through all this a week or so ago?  Hey, let's start bashing MR again too, well we're at it.

[CodyO]

Due to the code 55 debacle me and my dad where unable to build our upper level before I leave for the Air Force
So he's alone on that now so thanks atlas!

[Dave V]

To be clear I'm only suggesting Atlas be open to flak regarding the publication (fabrication?) of the delivery schedule which for me is maddeningly remeniscent of the PCM M1 sliding calendar debacle (the obvious distinction being that Atlas actually delivers its product!). Production issues in China including damage to the equipment are not things I would blame Atlas for.

I think we all understand Atlas wants to give us good information but has to balance optimism and reality.

[H Lee]

Atlas has announcements for Nov on it's website:   

http://www.atlasrr.com

Anyone else somewhat stunned that these are due 3rd Quarter 2014 - which is like a year from now.

- Lou

Hate to throw some accuracy into your rant but the 3RD QUARTER is JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER - Summer 2014. 'like a year from now' is well into the 4TH QUARTER - Fall 2014.

[Atlas Paul]

1) The estimated delivery date seems like it is far off right now, but first, there is a month where we gather the orders, so that shortens the lead time by a month.  Then, Lunar (Chinese) New Year falls into that time frame, and just about every factory adds a month to production to account for the workers heading home and some not coming back after the holiday.  Add in another month or so for transit, and from the announcement date we are already at 3 months before we could even get something if it was made instantaneously.

With the move of our tooling from one primary supplier to a number of smaller suppliers, it has taken some time to get production back into full song.  Now that we have been through most of our rolling stock product line in HO and N, we have a pretty good handle on the schedule.  Locomotives are still a little bit harder to grasp, and there is a backlog as well.  We have seen some items come in sooner than planned, though, so hopefully we'll be able to get shorter lead times going forward.

2) Track - this has admittedly taken longer than we had ever expected.  We do have 8 complete track lines to deal with (HO Code 100, Code 83, True Track, N Code 80, Code 55, True Track, O 3 Rail, O 2 Rail) and we have tried to move through the lines starting from the most popular and working our way down.  We will be visiting with the track factory in China next week and this will be a main topic of conversation.  I just received a new schedule and will get it posted to the web site as soon as I can. Our web guy is at Train Fest so it will likely be next week.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You know, the flipside of the whole track thing is that you could learn to hand lay.   

Eh, I've been doing that since I was a teenager...

[wazzou]

I would be lying if I said I hadn't considered weathered, ballasted Unitrack.   

Stay cool and run steam... 

[Dave V]

Those last two posts contain equal amounts of win!