Great news. Another modern model from Atlas. TTX, UP & NS markings. Does anyone know if these cars-prototypes- were (are) marked for other RR's? sic
Cool! I really don't have a need for these but I wonder if they will make standard autoracks in the future to compete with Con-Cor (Maybe drive the price down a bit) Russ
Geez, these look great. Interesting that Atlas didn't include in the email announcements? Or did I miss it?
How are these different from the Auto-Max cars or are they? If not, I hope they come out with the BNSF, KCsouthern, AUTOMAX versions. If not does anyone think Athearn may try to make these a N-scale release? I for one, am a little dissapointed with Athearn's aggressiveness or lack there of in N scale. There products are nice (I don't own a F-59ph) but so few and far between. Hopefully they are just gearing up. Atlas is beginning to steal the show as far as quantity of new items. But KATO is doing well also... so much better than even 5 years ago, not to mention way back when. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! [ 03. June 2003, 03:42: Message edited by: bmalonef45 ]
This is an awesome release, indeed!!! The Thrall car that Atlas is making doesn't come in other roads, just TTX, NS, and UP. There has been speculation on the Atlas board that the reason that Atlas announced it today versus waiting four days and announcing at the Houston convention is because Athearn is planning to announce the Auto-Max cars. ALSO, I think Red Caboose has plans to release a conventional autorack car. So, in a short period we may go from blah Con-Cor to three quality auto rack cars that will make us forget all about Con-Cor.
Interesting also that it isn't announced in HO scale...I wonder if us HO guys will have to wait four days for it. Ref these VS Automax's, they are fairly different, these are to the "standard" autorack height whereas the Automax is built to take advantage of double stack clearances, these get mixed in small numbers into trains of standard racks, whereas a lot of the Automax's seem to run as unit trains (not all of them, granted...)
It looks like Atlas is trying to drive the price UP! MSRP is $39.95 (Undec $29.95). For a 2 unit car, that is $20 for each unit. Is this Atlas' highest priced car yet??
Street price for the decorated cars will be around $28. $14 per unit is about in line with the high-end Atlas cars. (Pressuraides, etc.)
There will be at least two of these racks runnin' on GVR rails this coming winter A GVR blue one suitably lettered for the GVR ,and a Cornell Red one lettered for NARA.
There is a rumor that Athearn will do the Gunderson racks.I sure hope its true [ 05. June 2003, 02:58: Message edited by: Catt ]
