sd40a
New Member
Posts: 49 
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Post by sd40a on Sept 6, 2013 18:13:46 GMT -8
OK, I just took a look at the new announcements from Atlas, and I saw that they had newly licensed Coke vehicles. Multiple scales, but the one in HO was truly frightening. I never saw such junk in my life; the trailer was so bad that it made Trainman look like Overland brass. Now, keep in mind, I like Trainman, and Trainman Plus has been very good quality with excellent detail (for the money). The Genset II will be a big hit with me, and I've been a big fan of Atlas for over 30 years. When you start to introduce toys as part of your line up, you become a toy company. That HO truck belongs in Toys R' Us, not in a hobby shop. Sorry Atlas,that was one of the worst announcements I have ever read from ANY MANUFACTURER IN HO. You can do excellent work in your vehicle line as I have 20 Ford Tauruses alone. Add the Explorer and it's another 15. My 10 year-old son, who has seen a vehicle or two in his life took a look and said, "That's a toy!" His second sentence was, "That's frightening!!!" PLEASE don't release that trailer as your reputation in the vehicle world will take a major hit. Is Coca-Cola that desperate to license a blob of plastic passing as a trailer? Right now, it seems like we're moving backward, not forward. Here's the link: www.atlasrr.com/Images/Cars/Coke/440682_End.jpgVito L. |
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Post by fr8kar on Sept 6, 2013 18:27:41 GMT -8
LOL
That trailer is hideous.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2013 18:42:08 GMT -8
I believe Atlas is producing the Coke vehicles more for the Coke collectors and not necessarily the standard core model railroad market. If Atlas makes money on the project it can help finance other projects. Times have been tough, you've got to make money when opportunity knocks.
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Post by riogrande on Sept 6, 2013 18:44:02 GMT -8
Yes that looks like a toy ... but that product wouldn't be aimed at the likes of us I would assume.
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Post by Brakie on Sept 7, 2013 3:03:09 GMT -8
Yes that looks like a toy ... but that product wouldn't be aimed at the likes of us I would assume. Jim,The collectors will buy those trucks simply because its Atlas and Coke..The less finicky modelers and general public will buy 'em as well. Serious modelers will soil their Fruit Of The Looms while the serious truck collector will buy the larger scale and better detailed truck.. www.atlasrr.com/Cars/coke-vehicles.htm |
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Post by ambluco on Sept 7, 2013 4:20:03 GMT -8
Yes, my cousin collects Coke items and had already heard about from her "lists".
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Post by atsfan on Sept 7, 2013 6:28:08 GMT -8
I think Atlas has money issues. They are not coming out with new products, just repaints of old tooling for the most part.
This trailer is most likely some Chinese made toy, that Atlas can quickly do a run of painted up for Coke. No upfront money to pay for new tooling.
I think their trash trailer line hurt them. I see them on clearance all over and hear from dealers they did not sell well except to a few.
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Post by riogrande on Sept 7, 2013 7:23:35 GMT -8
Really there is nothing wrong with Atlas making items which make them money... Athearn has done the same thing with John Deer blah blah... the people who like that stuff will buy it. If it keeps Atlas and Athearn cash flow going so they can do projects we modelers like, then thats a good thing isn't it?
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Post by Paul Cutler III on Sept 7, 2013 8:45:28 GMT -8
To be fair, it's only $13.95 in a world of Athearn RTR (ex-BB) tank cars going for $27. It's still a joke, however.
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Post by tdspeedracer on Sept 7, 2013 9:13:21 GMT -8
Really there is nothing wrong with Atlas making items which make them money... Athearn has done the same thing with John Deer blah blah... the people who like that stuff will buy it. If it keeps Atlas and Athearn cash flow going so they can do projects we modelers like, then thats a good thing isn't it? Especially since this shouldn't suck up any assembly line time from their other rr specific products. Trevor |
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Post by riogrande on Sept 7, 2013 9:23:32 GMT -8
Trevor,
So now we are getting to the heart of the problem, that Atlas is wasting factory time on toys. Is that it? As I said, it doesn't bother me. But what I'd rather see is people express their feelings to Atlas directly rather than create "yet another" complaint thread in a forums. As it is, I can't keep up financially with all the products coming out anyway.
(moved to crew lounge as this is a philosophical discussion fundementally)
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Post by tdspeedracer on Sept 7, 2013 12:06:00 GMT -8
Trevor, So now we are getting to the heart of the problem, that Atlas is wasting factory time on toys. Is that it? (moved to crew lounge as this is a philosophical discussion fundementally) I meant just the opposite. Do you really think that the same skilled person putting parts on Atlas Master products will be putting these together? These might roll out of the same factory, but I would be shocked if they go through the same assembly line. |
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Post by riogrande on Sept 7, 2013 12:52:32 GMT -8
Fair enough; if it's not taking up factory time that could be used to make better models for the likes of us, then no big deal.
Either way, I really don't see a problem with Atlas producing collector toys. Different strokes for different folks.
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Post by acelaphillies on Sept 7, 2013 13:04:38 GMT -8
Who knows, maybe these will end up in mainstream Wal-Mart type stores around Christmas time? The big stores may want something that they can sell for $13.95 instead of having a parent look at a well-detailed but $30 truck and say "that is too much to spend on a toy".
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Post by bnsf971 on Sept 7, 2013 13:23:28 GMT -8
I don't know if anybody noticed, but the only really bad truck is the only HO scale one. All the others in the larger scales are not bad, and even the more serious O and S scalers wouldn't be horribly upset to get one as a gift.
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Post by Brakie on Sept 7, 2013 15:45:54 GMT -8
I don't know if anybody noticed, but the only really bad truck is the only HO scale one. All the others in the larger scales are not bad, and even the more serious O and S scalers wouldn't be horribly upset to get one as a gift. Terry,I mention that fact in my reply when I mention the truck collectors will buy the larger and better detailed trucks. |
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Post by bnsf971 on Sept 7, 2013 17:48:31 GMT -8
I don't know if anybody noticed, but the only really bad truck is the only HO scale one. All the others in the larger scales are not bad, and even the more serious O and S scalers wouldn't be horribly upset to get one as a gift. Terry,I mention that fact in my reply when I mention the truck collectors will buy the larger and better detailed trucks. Yes, you did, I re-read your post after I posted, and saw it. |
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Post by gasmith on Sept 10, 2013 20:16:13 GMT -8
The HO truck is really the only "clinker" in the group. I was hoping that the Santa Claus truck was HO, since the tractor was a passable Freightliner FLD112.
I know what you mean about some of the paint schemes on the HO trailers. For years I've said that Atlas was missing a bet by not selling the 45' van in a set with the Ford LNT9000 tractor (If anyone at Atlas is reading this, a re-run of the LNTs would be appreciated!). There are literally dozens of "fallen flag" truck lines that these could be lettered for. A friend of mine and I bounced this idea off of Atlas at a show. Their reply? "We're a model train company, not a model vehicle company"
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Post by Brakie on Sept 11, 2013 1:20:18 GMT -8
Their reply? "We're a model train company, not a model vehicle company"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
And yet both goes hand in hand..If one has industries,roads and small town on his layout he needs trucks.
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Post by Spikre on Sept 13, 2013 11:59:20 GMT -8
 Atlas could use the Ford Tractor and 45' Pines trailer if they wanted to. this must be some sort of "All or Nothing" bundle deal and HO gets a toy. Spikre 
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