ON April 15, Atlas posted a list of Branchline Blueprint Series cars that they are distributing
http://www.atlasrr.com/HOFreight/hobranchlineboxcars.htm
Yea, George, Larry (Brakie) posted about it this past Saturday on the forum. What I’m most tickled about is that Atlas has chosen to still offer them in kit form. [Y] Given Atlas’ track record of RTRs, I didn’t really hold out much hope for that.
Tom
It’s been a busy week or so, I must have missed Brakie’s post.
What Atlas is offering is probably not new Atlas production, but the stock Branchline sold to them. When I talked with the president of Branchline at the Amherst show in W.Springfield, MA in late January, he told me that he was going to be spending the next 2 or 3 weeks after the show packing up everything Branchline had relating to car kits to ship to Atlas. My guess is these are the original Branchline boxes with a new Atlas sticker on the end.
Note that these are the Branchline Blueprint model series of kits that have a lot of fine detail that do not lend themselves to be assembled to be sold as RTR models - even with cheap Chinese labor. Also, where are the passenger cars and less detailed Yardmaster kits???
At least the Branchline line of rolling stock models will not disappear from the market as have the products from a number of other manufatcurers. As the Branchline pres said to me, the Branchline line of rolling stock is a good fit to the Atlas product line.
The Yardmaster ones are at the bottom of the announcement - just not marked as such.
HO 1937 AAR 40’ Box Car Kit
Hope this helps,
Gil, known as Bill somedays … [8D]
Intermountain, Red Caboose and Proto 2000 also have lots of delicate detail and all are or have been offered in RTR form. If Atlas wants to market the Blueprint series in ready to run, it shouldn’t be a problem