It has been posted on a couple of other forums that Athearn took out a multi-page AD in Railroad Model Craftsman (Oct 2002) announcing their entry into N-scale. Has anyone seen this, or can confirm this? Or is someone pulling our legs?
Athearn has always been a tight lip company when it comes to annoucements.Production moves to China,Release of locomotives with plastic hand rails,RTR cars,billboards,JD tractors and Ford trucks…Bruce,Indeed something is blowing in the wind.BUT WHAT???
I have received confirmation(s).
ATHEARN IS GOING N-SCALE!!!
First products:
F59PHI Amrak West, Metrolink, Sounder, Coaster, West Coast Express, Dallas
TRE
Bomardier Cab and Coach Cars Metrolink, GO Transit, Coaster, Sounder, West
Coast Express, Florida Tri-Rail,
Dallas-TRE, Metrolink 10th Anniversary
Ford C Trucks - Tractor, Stake Bed, Van - various colors and owners
John Deere Tractors - Model B and Model 50
Billboards - Athearn, See the Country, Great Northern, American Flag, For
Victory
And, by the way, there is a statement the equipment will come with MicroTrains couplers.
N-scale just keeps getting better and better!
Bruce,Being a former N Scaler,this is very dangerous news to me.You see,I been looking at N scale for some time and Athearn going N scale,much heady thinking to do.
Give in and turn away from the dark side!
Well, anyway, I’m sure that N-scale will continue to give you much more to think about…
BEWARE, BRAKIE!
N-scale IS the dark side!
Besides, if you want DCC sound, how big a speaker can you put into one of those nano-scale locos ??? Even if you do succeed, you would get a very SMALL sound, I would think!
Come to think of it, MOST things about N-scalers are small…
- George
“I am a Jedi HO modeler, like my father before me!”
Athearn going N-scale! Geesh, what is the world coming to…
Well, at least the ‘little Woman’ will be happy now. She has wanted some of the Athearns in her scale, and now she can have it her way. Ehhh, make it so, number 1.
-Wolv33
CEO Midwestern Double-line Railroad
“Hmm, I do believeth I seeth too much of Brakie and George on-line…the force is strong with them” 
Fear not,I am also a jedi HO modeler as my father before me,but the dark side of the force is great within me,I must seek Yoda the master of model railroading as he is wise the the ways…
allright, enough with the STAR WARS! (Attack of the Clones" is exellent, BTW. If you haven’t seen it, definetly go!!) But back to Athearn. Yes, it’s true, they are going N scale. I e-mailed them and they said they are. They’ll make a formal anouncment at the East Coast Hobby Show, later this fall.
Check out the Surround-traxx system for BIG N-Scale sound. Although I’ve not heard it in person, it appears to be the answer to your question. It places the large speakers needed for deep base under the layout and it follows the train around the layout for directional sound. It is impossible, even in HO and larger scales, to accurately produce low frequencies like the big boys send out.
Guys,
For confirmation on Athearn in N, just go to their website. They have information there on it. They do not however, list what they may be releasing, but they do say it will be BEFORE the end of 2002.
-Wolv33
CEO Midwestern Double-line Railroad
http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/wolv33/mwdlrr.html
I for one look forward to contributing lots of money to Athearn’s bottom line for their N scale products. Hopefully it won’t be limited like most other N scale stuff.
Ditto to the last entry. Having started all over in late 1999 in N scale I look forward to Athearn’s entry in N scale. I have not been fond of the Life-Like Products, and while I love my Kato’s, they are pricey. And I am still hoping that Atlas will PLEASE re-release the FM Trainmaster so that I can buy one in CP!