Atlas buys Walthers tooling

ridinshotgun Jun 22, 2018

  1. ridinshotgun

    ridinshotgun TrainBoard Member

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    Rocket Jones and Hardcoaler like this.
  2. Rocket Jones

    Rocket Jones TrainBoard Member

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    Just got the "Atlas Insider" email and they confirm this. Very cool.
     
  3. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

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    Was coming here to post the same thing. The rumors are true...sometimes things can escape a black hole!
     
    Kurt Moose and Rocket Jones like this.
  4. MRLdave

    MRLdave TrainBoard Member

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    And Lowell Smith got their passenger car tooling ..........Maybe we'll see some of the "old" stuff come back!
     
  5. mcjaco

    mcjaco TrainBoard Member

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    These were the rumors at Trainfest last fall. Glad to see them come to fruition.

    Bring on the FAs!
     
  6. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Well this is good news. Walthers did do some upgrades to some of the LifeLike models. Their availability and affordability left a lot to be desired but that is another story for maybe another thread. Would be nice to see the FA/B 1's redone as DCC ready along with some of the other models like the Erie builts.
     
  7. EMD F7A

    EMD F7A TrainBoard Member

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    WOOHOO!!!!! Atlas OWES us a decent 2-8-8-2! Now they just need to twist some arms at Kader and run those beauties again :D:D:D:D
     
    papahnash likes this.
  8. brokemoto

    brokemoto TrainBoard Member

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    This is good news, as the FAs and FM cabs will return. Atlas already has the SD-7/SD-9. As LL and WKW had PAs, perhaps Atlas will issue PAs in P&LE. When you consider how many manufacturers have offered PAs (including PA-2s from BLI), it shall remain one of the minor mysteries of N scale production why no manufacturer ever has issued the PAs in P&LE.

    In addition, some of the steam will return. There are a number of Van Sweringen Berkshires out there, but the USRA 0-8-0 would be welcome. I am sure that many will welcome the return of the USRA 2-8-8-2, as well.

    Perhaps Atlas will fix the problems with the old LL SWs. Those contact tabs on the bottom of the walkway were awful. In addition, those things love to pick the points on Kato #4s and Atlas Code Eighty #4s and #6s. I simply hope that Atlas does not replace the contact tabs with flexing wires soldered to pivotting trucks.

    It is a good thing that I have already sold on FeePay most of the old LLs that I had intended to put up there. I still have a few left, but it will be get what you can for them, as I am sure that many will wait for new Atlas issues. Likely, I will keep a few more than I had intended to keep. I am sure that this announcement will depress the prices on FeePay of the FM cabs, especially the Eries. The last Erie that I put up there triggered a small sniping war.

    Now if only someone would come up with a Baldwin road switcher...........................
     
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  9. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    That would be a neat trick, since Atlas doesn't use Kader anymore I don't think.
     
    EMD F7A likes this.
  10. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hopefully this will result in the eventual return of spare parts for some of the LL models that dried up when Walthers acquired LL.
     
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  11. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    hmmmm.....I might have to get a fictitious Pacific Electric 0-8-0....they had a small fleet of 0-6-0's
     
    Rocket Jones likes this.
  12. SP-Wolf

    SP-Wolf TrainBoard Supporter

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    This will be interesting to watch. To see what Atlas does with the line. Revamp the tooling - redesign the mechs-??

    Wolf
     
    mtntrainman likes this.
  13. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Wolf, honestly, there is nothing wrong with the GP20 chassis
     
    BALOU LINE likes this.
  14. EMD F7A

    EMD F7A TrainBoard Member

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    Heck, I barely care anymore as long as it's produced. Heaven forbid they just test a new/burgeoning country for production... china has enough of our business, but what do I know?
     
  15. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    In addition to locos, maybe a return of some of the freight cars Wathers did as well. Maybe more of the Difco air dump ballast cars and the cryogenic cars would be cool.
     
  16. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Exciting news...but time will tell what comes of it all...:whistle:
     
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  17. YoHo

    YoHo TrainBoard Supporter

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    The reason atlas went through a bunch of supply problems a few years back is because they switched to a new vendor in China, because Kader bought SandaKan
     
  18. jtomstarr

    jtomstarr TrainBoard Member

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    All,
    I just received a email about ATLAS acquiring Walthers N- SCALE loco and car tooling. I wonder how this will help or hinder Walthers down the road.

    Tom
     
  19. Run8Racing

    Run8Racing TrainBoard Member

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    COOL !!! I'm wondering how this will help US !!! Just home from my night shift, After a beer (or two !!!) I will be dreaming of SW9's, GP20's, FA2's, E units in a few different flavors, and...dare I say...BL2's !!! MMMM !!!
     
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  20. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Well, in the short run, Walthers will get a influx of cash for tooling that they acquired and underused. Walthers has always appeared to be HO-centric and was never, considered to be a big player in the N scale arena. Walthers could use the money to invest in new HO tooling or a host of other opportunities. The sale will allow Atlas, who is a bigger player in N scale, to market the items. The LifeLike/Walthers products would be a nice fit for Atlas in their N scale product line. We consumers would benefit as Atlas would probably bring these products to market quicker than Walthers. That, of course, will depend on several factors such as getting the production time overseas as well as maybe redesigning and retooling some of the models for DCC. So, all in all, This sale appears to be beneficial to all concerned. I would not be surprised to see sometime in the near or far future that Walthers sells off their remaining N scale tooling enabling them to concentrate on HO completely and to make their departure from N scale manufacturing complete.
     

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