I have alot of money invested in Atlas track and it seams as though less and less dealers are carrying it. Are people not buying this track? I plan on building a larger layout in the future and if this track is going out of production I may need to either switch brands or buy all I can get my hands on. What are your thoughts?
The demand for Atlas track may of seen a dip lately but it is still popular amongst hi railers. Atlas has continued to add to the line. I would have the same amount of faith in it being around in the future as I would any other popular track system. If it does get discontinued for some reason, count on blowout sales when the time comes. Don’t stockpile it now for full price.
Do you mean that less Dealers have ATLAS O Track products readily in stock?
Are you saying that there are less ATLAS O dealers on the East Coast?
Found this on Google
| The Internet home of AM Hobbies, a Pennsylvania-based model train retailer. Browse our inventory of thousands of O Gauge trains, track and accessories. www.amhobbiesonline.com/ - 2k - Cached - Similar pages |
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That might be a place to consider.
Andrew
One of my LHS stopped carry in Atlas line and now a large dealer Just trains in Delaware is having a closeout of atlas track. This makes me a little nervous when I see large train retailers no longer carrying a product.
It’s my understanding that the Atlas steel track is or has been discontinued but the nickle-silver is and will be around for quite some time. The only problem with any of the Atlas product lines is that they just don’t seem to have the dealer network such as MTH or Lionel. With the acceptance of the Trainman line and picking up the Industrial Rail products hopefully this will increase the dealer base.
Do you know that Atlas makes adapter pins for tubular Lionel style track and for Gargraves track? This is just a thought in case you can’t find any more Atlas track right away.
Maybe Atlas is re-tooling their equipment and is making an updated track that will work with their older track, or they could be waiting for a time more suitable to them to release new track. Atlas has been around long enough not to just quit making one of their track systems, they are a good size player in the H.O. train market, so I don’t see Atlas going out of business any time soon.
Lee F.
We carry the Atlas track but there are only a handful of customers that have used it. As their layouts have neared completion demand has dropped drasticly. I note that most track purchases are by those just getting into the hobby. Having started with starter sets they tend to purchase Fastrack. Since these are individuals setting up layouts for little ones it’ll be quite some time till they consider highrail and possibly Atlas.
The Atlas Track is still available and being manufactured.
Call around and you will find it, if they don’t have it in stock they can most likely still get it (I would ask your LHS if you place and order if they will get it for you), if not send me an email and I’ll put you in touch with some local dealers who can ship to you.
Just Trains is not going to be stocking any Atlas product, so what you see “on sale” at their site is just what they have on hand and it applies to all Atlas product.
When this was first announced I ordered some of the Trainman rolling stock.
Not a track question, but does anyone know how an Atlas Trainman caboose would look with my traditional sized Lionel rolling stock? Dont know if a scale caboose would look too big.
My local dealer quit carrying the Atlas track line about 3 years ago when they downsized. He doesn’t carry much of anything anymore, so I wouldn’t consider this typical.
As for the trainman caboose, that depends on what you are used to. If you are used to the postwar Lionel-style SP caboose, the trainman caboose will look too big. I’ve always considered the Lionel SP to be small compared to 6464 boxcars, so I use scale cabooses. They just look better to me.
A little trick I’ve come up with when I’m using scale engines with traditional rolling stock, is to place a gondola right behind the engine, then the boxcars. Same could be done with the caboose. Place a gondola right ahead of the caboose. A longer flatcar would also work.
Atlas Trainman bay window and cupola cabooses are scale and look a bit oversize coupled to traditional size rolling stock. The body is slighty wider than a 6464 boxcar, and close in length and height minus the cupola. A 1980’s/90’s Lionel extended vision caboose is somewhere between traditional size and scale and would probably be a better choice.
Atlas Trainman bay window and cupola cabooses are scale and look a bit oversize coupled to traditional size rolling stock. The body is slighty wider than a 6464 boxcar, and close in length and height minus the cupola. A 1980’s/90’s Lionel extended vision caboose is somewhere between traditional size and scale and would probably be a better choice.
Thanks for the feedback. I have a couple of Lionel extended vision cabooses so I think I will pursue that path for the road name I’m searching for.
I don’t know from a personal knowledge, only what I have read and been told by some dealers. Atlas had, or has some kind of pricing structure that some can buy at one price and others at another price…Some dealers felt betrayed that they had been purchasing at a higher price structure, even though they are big movers of Atlas product. They have since stopped dealing with Atlas. I know this is how some dealers can offer other product line for sale on the internet for less than some dealers can purchase an item. Regardless, I am sure Atlas will be around and so will the track, you just have to make a few calls.
dennis
TrainMan is O Scale.
Industrial Rail is Traditional O Gauge.
The Industrial Rail Cabooses will be more appropriate for the Traditional O Gauge train.
You could make one train all TrainMan and one train all Industrial Rail.
Andrew
From talking with some hobby shop owners here in south Florida; certain companies require a minimum of $5000.00 order before they will do business with a hobby shop, other companies require a $500.00 order in order to get any discount.
From personal experiance I have bought new products from an affilated company’s website, example I have bought DZ Industies products from Ross Custom switches because I needed less than 100 of something. Maybe another company is carrying Atlas O at a cheaper price or has in stock items for Atlas O.
Have you tried Trainworld in New York? www.trainworld.com
Lee F.
If you can find Atlas track at a local dealer, that is the place to buy it, if not then AM Hobbies is the place to buy it. Bob Thatcher at AMH is a great guy to deal with. I have one local dealer that stocks some of it, and others within easy driving distance. For most of us this is a one time purchase unless we enlarge the layout.