As we have noted on our web site, the Atlas Forum has been temporarily
closed for upgrades to the Atlas Forum software and maintenance to the servers.
At the same time, Atlas will also be carrying out a major upgrade to our
internal business software, requiring the detailed attention and training
of Atlas staff.
In addition, the extremely busy schedule of the NMRA convention, preparation
of new catalogs and other publications, overseas business travel, normal
day -to-day product preparation and the staff summer vacation schedule,
necessitated this temporary condition on our popular Atlas Forum.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing and
hearing from you on the new Atlas Forum sometime this August.
Best regards,
Paul Graf
Atlas Model Railroad Company
Atlas O, LLC "
So there was more going on than we thought.
And if Paul says they will be back, they will be back - count on it!
They will more than likely turn it back on, but there will probably be more stringent rules and oversight. No doubt that the reasons given are valid and they do have busy summer, plus the upgrades. I do believe that the amount of shenanigans that went on over the last month, and really the last few months or so probably led to the abrubt shutdown. The same topics were rekindled every weekend, to be locked come Monday. Either they were put under pressure from above or outside, realized it was becoming a poor reflection on their company, or simply got tired and frustrated.
I hope they do reopen the Atlas forum. Each forum has a different personality and something to offer.