Here is the correct URL

http://www.atlasrr.com/

Refresh your browser cache?

It sounds like you need to refresh your browser cache if you're still seeing things from 2016 AND the Atlas forum (which has been defunct for a few years now). Their website, as I can see it, is certainly up to date, with their contact information, both phone number and e-mail, easily accessed. Are you sure you're looking at http://www.atlasrr.com?

I understand that you're frustrated, but Atlas continues to be one of the best manufacturers in the hobby, especially for track and locomotives. Perhaps there was some kind of disconnect between your train store and the distributor, although I have been led to believe that Credit Valley is one of the better stores.

Mike in CO

Atlas home page

Thank you boys..that is indeed the Atlas homepage. I have sent them a message... the page I had and was directed to was for their Trainman product with the container shipping and so forth. 

Agreed about Atlas.. I still run my Kato Atlas locomotives from 30 years ago whereas my Athearn blue boxes have all been relegated to the deadline. I don't purchase their turnouts anymore as the switch points are too loose having to use those caboose industry un-prototypical ground throws. 

cheers,
Brad

Unfortunately

The wait is not unusual for an item ordered at the time of announcement. Took about 15 months for an undec Atlas GP7 to arrive. Particularly when you're ordering something out of the mainstream, production runs can be many years apart and if you don't catch them when they come it, you have to scrounge eBay or try to track down unsold stock.

Turnouts are an issue. Atlas aren't as good as they could be with just a tiny bit more effort. The Bluepoint under-the-layout throws work pretty well. Micro Engineering and Peco make good, but more expensive, switches.

Try not to get frustrated early on. It's a fun hobby that can lead you in all sorts of directions.

" I don't purchase their

   I bought one of their code 83 turnouts when I was considering HO scale for my new layout and it seemed fine. I don't know how long it would have lasted though since I decided to proceed in S scale. I was planning to use smaller scale switch  stands with the Atlas turnouts and throw them from under the table. For an Atlas engine instead of waiting for pre orders to arrive I'd check out MB Klein and ebay and see what is in stock now. I have a couple of Atlas "classic" engines that run very well....DaveB

Weird

When I go to atlasrr.com, I can't see a way to get to the Trainman website you have found. Looking at what you posted, I see that the Trainman home page is dated 2005. I see the link to the forums, but that link is long gone on the main Atlas site as they shut down the forums in 2012. What I'm saying is that I am not sure you are seeing up to date information on the site you are looking at. Manufacturers often leave up old information but that is no indication of their viability as a company. Atlas is very much still in business and their updated website is of modern design. I wouldn't call what you see as "cheap" but I'd call it simple and an example of 2005 design. Remember the Trainman line was geared to a basic trainset consumer and was not meant to be as advanced as their other products. Their website probably reflects this.

Trainman

It looks to me like the Trainman site posted is an abandoned web site... an artifact of a bygone era...

Hokey religions and ancient websites are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid!

Ya know I have a client that waited...

more than three years for some cars he wanted.  First we had to wait for the two bay covered hoppers to become available (in the quantity we wanted.)  Then since there were 28 it took four months for me to produce them from kits.  Next, the three bay undecorated hoppers were produced and arrived from China and 52 of them arrived in July.  I’m delivering the last 14 tonight.

What you are asking for from a consumer’s point of view is reasonable.  The reason I got to do the 52 3 bay hoppers is because the client bought two that were kind of like what he wanted and then ordered 50 more.  They were not available at any price.

The reality is that the manufacturers order a bunch of a certain model from China.  When China can fit the batch into their production schedule it makes the batch and ships them to the US.  This can make estimating the production run time somewhat nebulous.  All of those models are usually available on a pre order or reserved basis.  The rest get distributed.  Sometimes the manufacturer will even see if the pre order or reserves are strong enough to warrant a run.  

This leaves you some options.  IF YOU REALLY WANT ONE OF THOSE (?).  

Get back on the waiting list. 

Look on the internet dealer’s websites for (!).  PWRS, Tony’s, Yankee Dabbler, etc.

Search on eBay for an old one.

You will probably learn sooner than later that if it is available today to buy it today.  There are locomotives and cars that I’ve seen in the past that I probably will never see produced again.

I’ve got three locomotives on reserve now that I might ultimately wait a year or more for.  

An alternative is to buy an undecorated kit, run it and when your painted lady arrives use the gray ghost for parts....

Nick

Huh

Moving forward...

The Trainman DCC GP38-2 was paid in full as I could afford to do so at the time. My shop Credit Valley are cool about me coming to pick up another locomotive.. And testing out my NCE DCC system which I don't think is necessary if all is good. 

GregW66.. I was unaware the Trainman GP38-2 was of "train set" quality.  The MR review and shop employees claim it is of quality.  

I liked the Trainman South Carolina Central G&W scheme for two reasons. I vacationed in South Carolina for 11 Years straight and have documented, not the South Carolina Central, but close to it.. 'Carolina Southern' that runs down to Myrtle Beach. Inactive for close to 5 Years and restored by RJ Corman. But I plan to model a portion of that line with G&W instead taking it over with South Carolina Central reporting marks. And with my current railroad, I was planning on having G&W purchase it and have a 'visiting' locomotive work the line until I got around to my own 'Ontario South Central' G&W as you can see as my avatar... See where i'm going? South...Central...  

So.. now I need to pick out a new one. I want a locomotive that would be leased or bought with an older paint scheme patched out and so forth. In stock they have Athearn Genesis GP38-2 for a wee bit more. Any experience with this product? Any improvement with Athearn since the blue box engines as forementioned all sit in my deadline. Of course a quality sound decoder as I plan to pump it through the 'mains' of my studio for full quality. 

Another idea is a Canadian National locomotive as I am building an interchange yard and up until then I can utilize the CN locomotive as leased... 

@Rob Spangler. As I hand throw the turnouts I need the spring action like the Micro Engineering turnouts which I am now using and come in at a similar price. 

Thank you for your input everyone,

Brad 

Trainman Quality

Off the wall thoughts....

I have two Athearn Genesis SD70ACes and converted to LokSound decoders.  They are very fine locomotives in terms of detail and running characteristics.  Athearn and Atlas have very good performing locomotives now.  I favor Genesis and Atlas Gold or Silver for the “added details”.  

If you want a G&W sub road why not ask Bill Brillinger to make you a couple of decals and superimpose then over the available G&W model that is available?  The base colors all seem to be the same.

Nick

All is OK

Sorry for the 4 alarm... And thank you for directing me to the right page.. my locomotive is on the way for next month's delivery. This is from an Atlas customer rep. 

Thanks!

Brad

GregW66.. I was unaware the

To be clear, I said; "was geared to a basic trainset consumer and was not meant to be as advanced as their other products." I did not mean train set quality of old. I meant that it has less detail than the other line of Atlas products. It was designed as introductory equipment. The drive and overall quality is pure Atlas, as in very good. 

G&W.. good to go.

@Nick.. yes Bill Brillinger did design the logo in my avatar that will be eventually decalled for my railroad. 

What details are missing in the Trainman? I was a youngster detailing my locomotives.. not a big hassle, but I'm looking for the best bang for my buck.  

From the Atlas website:

From the Atlas website:

Train Set Quality vs Quality...

It has been my experience that in MOST cases, "Train set quality" of today, is pretty damn good quality.

I recently purchased the Bachmann "Echo Valley" train set (several months ago... it was my plunge into the world of DCC) and I found that the engine, a 2-6-0, is of the same quality as the same, and similar engines in Spectrum of only about five years ago. The only difference, was the "Train set" engine didn't have the coloured "badge" on the front of the boiler that the single packed engines had, and while the Spectrum engines had an engineer, and fireman figure in the train, the train set one, I had to add my own. As for construction, mechanics, most of the detail, and operations... they were the same.

Today's "train set quality" is pretty freeking amazing, to be honest. But it stands to reason... for many, a train set is what hooks them... it's the razor to this hobby, while everything else is the blade!

(for the younger crowd... back in the day, you bought a razor for cheap, because the manufacturers knew that once you had the razor, you were going to buy their blades, even if other company's blades would also fit, and that's where they would make their money)

What's missing?

Instead of having multi-piece radiator fans, you get a solid piece with shading to represent the blades (which it does very well). You won't get MU hoses. The bodies will not be roadnumber (or even roadname) specific.

This is a Trainman GP39-2 (until Athearn released their Genesis ones, the only GP39-2's in plastic):

The handrails are a solid color, the horn is generic, no lift rings or jackpads, no grab irons (although there are dimples to locate where you can add them). So it's a compromise - because they didn't have to create all the different detail parts and pay someone to assemble them to the locomotive, it's a lot less expensive than a "Gold" Master series locomotive - which are nicely detailed.

I have three or four Trainman GP39-2's and a GP38-2.

One thing I like to see on

One thing I like to see on locomotives is the word Atlas on the box. There are others I like as well, Broadway Limited, and the Rivarrossi Allegheny. It is hard to beat the Atlas models. I also think the Bachmann Spectrum has some nice locomotives in its line. I have worked on some for other guys in the club and after doing so can say I liked the design, and they knew I could get it apart and back together.

I have a fleet of Atlas Master & Trainman Engines...

They run very well, and if you're not so picky about some of the details, they are worth it. I put non-sound decoders in them and I'm set! 

Detail if you like (or not) and run them. Unless you are within 6 inches and staring at them, to some it doesn't matter. 

I'm waiting for the new run of SD35 engines to come out to add to my fleet..

Neal

Brad, re: Atlas vs. ME

Brad,

re: Atlas vs. ME turnout at similar price.  MBK sells the Atlas code 83 #6 turnout for $14 and the ME code 83 #6 turnout for $19.  How is $14 vs. $19 similar?  And add that up over a bunch needed for a good sized yard an that $5 difference really adds up.  Worth it for the ME turnout. That is a personal and budgetary choice.  Some spring for the not so similarly priced Peco code 83 #6 for $26 each.

Anyway, Atlas is alive and well.  Some of their items hit the market within 8 or so months of announcement and a few of them well over a year.  Just by comparison, MOST of Athearns products usually hit the market 12-15 months after announcement, and Intermountain - their products are delayed more than any other company, target delivery dates routinely get pushed off by 6 - 8 months and as you get near that date, another 6 - 8 months.  With IMRC, they come when they come and you just have to be patient.

BTW, I'll vent here.  When a

BTW, I'll vent here.  When a train company updates their website, I often find pages and resources that I often rely on for information and product research disappear and the new and "improved" website is user hostile and often as much use as a wet fart. 

I used to use Walthers site regularly and the new site I tried for some time and for the past year completely given up.  Giving up on a company website means ultimately less money in Walthers pockets.  When I can't follow products, I forget about them and buy someone elses products.  Sometimes I'd like to buy more Walthers models, but out of site, out of mine and no money spent.  Walthers loss.  It isn't as if there isn't tons of other toys out there vying for my limited hobby budget.

So Atlas has updated their website and while it isn't as bad as Walthers, it's worse.  Thank goodness some links to the old resources still work.  Here is one y'all may find useful.

http://www.atlasrr.com/hoproducts.htm

re: re: Atlas vs ME

@jimfitch

Those are really nice prices for turnouts..unfortunately with the Canadian Dollar Atlas at my shop come in at $31.95 and ME are $32.95 each. Actually last order the ME's were on sale so I picked them up cheaper than Atlas. 

Brad