Here is a link to a thread I started on the old Atlas board early this year. The contents are interesting in retrospect. I'll bet Atlas was already planning to do a modern switcher. We will never know if our enthusiasm for the idea carried any weight, but it still makes an interesting read, and there are some good links in the thread: MP15 thread on old Atlas Forum
Now that's a surprise. Does the cut lever mean a good omen for future loco releases? (Sorry, Craig, but the photoetched ones look awesome but require more patience than I usually have) (Plus it's a lazier solution)
It looks as if the old credit card 'aint going to get a rest just yet, I'm in for a brace! ConrailPete
Well it shouldn't be too hard for them to release an SW1500 sometime in the future. That's a model that I still need.
Oh Wow! I checked out Charles Biel's BNSF site and #3700 wears Heritage 1 paint and was photographed in 2000. And.....one of the pics (horn in front of cab) matches the BNSF. So looks like I'll need two (or three) for my yard. I just hope I can get a decoder in one of those babies. Better plan for fall money.
And there are other pictures here of BNSF 3701-3704 from 2001 still in BN paint. Well, no ATSF MPs I can find, but the reborn California Southern is going to be able to use a couple. If Atlas runs true to form they should provide them with a preinstalled decoder. They did that with the VO-1000s. In any case, I put decoders into a couple LL SW9/1200 while still keeping the weight in the cab so this should be an option with the MPs too.
Those ATlas boys sure have a goofy sense of humor - close the boards and then slip in an announcement of something major there, but not on the new products page. Well, I am one who wanted these, and (ahem) predicted them, kind of. With other switchers made, and the mechanism practical, it was only a matter of time before these came out, at least I thought..... As to why not the SW 1500, didn't Con Cor announce those? We know the Atlas policy of not duplicating...... And, I would say the chances of some terminal roads and short line paint schemes would be good, at least in second runs, based on some of the recent Dash 8 schemes. Thanks, Atlas. You made my day!
Wyatt, you still have C&NW! They had a few. Looks like MoPac and Southern modelers will be the big winners here. (and consequently UP and NS) Other roads with 10 or more and likely candidates... PLE Reading/Conrail L&N/CSX US Steel also CNW, SP, KCS, Amtrak and Frisco/BN/BNSF would likely make the cut. Fan favorites (mine anyway) would be G&W, HBT, and BRC. BN mostly uses Geeps for switching in my neck of the woods, so I'll likely save some money on this release. I always liked the looks of the SP switchers, and they made transfer runs to BN's North Yard (Fort Worth) so that might be the exception. Here's a couple of ex-MoPac units, along with an SP SW1500. [ 30. December 2004, 05:46: Message edited by: Doug A. ]
I just hope atlas gets the model correct per the prototype though when it comes to the roadnames and features. Most roads have the outer two windows on each side of the cab plated over. But the Atlas model has four on each side...
Plating over often occured post-delivery (at least on other locos I'm familiar with). Atlas will most likely offer these "as delivered". But who knows? Good news for those modelers that need these!
Longtrain, Even if Atlas had this on the "to do" list, your modern switchers post probably gave them the push they needed. Thanks! The MP15DC has a c-c truck spacing of 24'02". The SW1500 spacing is 22'00", the same as most of the other SWs. The SW8 & SW1200 are very capable models previously released by LifeLike. More than likely, Atlas wants to get into the switcher market, but they don't want to invest in a mechanism that would have the same dimensions as a (good) model already on the market. While in theory, LL could crank out an SW1500 relatively easily; those wanting a SW1500 may want to lobby LifeLike. Hmm...does anything else have 24' truck spacing? ~Tim
The LL mechinism is far too wide for an SW1500. My suggestion is before atlas tackles a project, they look to see if others are doing it first. MP anounced an SW1500 a while back, maybe they are giving them a chance first. The CC anouncment came out of left field last week, so i doubt Atlas knew about it. I bet you can bet the reason for this neak preview was because of the con-cor anouncment. I don;t hold out much hope for CC's MP, but if they indeed do a model that reflects their HO counterpart, it should be a solid model.
Are you suggesting that Atlas bow out to Con-Cor !? I think that instead I would make that same suggestion to everyone else....check with Atlas and Kato before you produce a piece of junk that does nothing but keep the top tier companies from doing the same model. I know you like Bachmann, but do you think that Bachmann didn't do this exact thing by rushing their Dash 8 Crapomotive to market to keep Atlas from doing the same? And MP is worse. They announce vaporware 3 or 4 years before they even get close to releasing it. So these games are going on all the time. The only suggestion I would make to Atlas is "don't worry about Bachmann, Life-Like, or Model Power." Oh, and Con-Cor.
In comparing pics of SW1500s and SW8/1200s, the long hoods appear to be about the same width. Is the LL mech really too wide for an SW1500? IMO, my LL SW1200 is a much better model than the ConCor SW1200 I have, which I regretfully bought before LL came out with their release. The CC SW1200 is still undec; I won't waste the time to paint it. You're probably right - if CC announced an N-scale MP15, then Atlas' announcement will torpedo that initiative. Given their pre-production models, Atlas already has an investment in R&D, molds, and may even have production orders committed or pending. CC has had several years to match their HO release and never jumped on it. At least Atlas is backing up their announcement with pre-production models. Who knows, maybe CC caught wind of Atlas' plans and tried to preemptively announce their own MP15, not realizing just how far along Atlas was with their initiative. Hmm...the intrigue and secrecy of the N-scale model RR business...all the makings of a corporate spy novel... OK, maybe not. ~Tim
