Thanks, Paul, for the open words, clarifying the situation. As we are all up to speed now, we can put the case to rest.
Yeah, I must admit that I was surprised and disappointed to hear that Code 100 track is coming first as opposed to Code 83 track.
I would have thought that Code 83 is the more popular size at this point in time.
Rich
Alton Junction
I also want to thank Paul for the reply. This still doesn't help my situation right now. I need code 83, so WHEN will that arrive? I guess it might be on to ME or Peco.
Paul,
Thanks, that was good of you to post and update us on the status of the flex track.
As an avid user of Atlas flex track, it troubles me that flex track has been unavailable for this extended period of time.
Currently, I only have three pieces of Code 83 flex track available, and I am hoarding it like it is gold.
I was working on a project today, adding some track in a yard, and I was scavenging used track and re-using it whenever I could do so.
As I had posted on the Atlas Forum back in April, which was linked earlier in this thread, we were moving our tooling from the primary supplier we had been using to new suppliers. We had expected to have started receiving track shipments by now, but it took a little longer to get up and running than we had planned. The good news is that a container should be leaving the factory around the 15th of October, and we should receive that in the middle of November. The first shipment will be a selection of code 100 pieces, including flex track, but no turnouts. Now that the factory is up and running, we do expect to receive shipments on a regular basis, although with the breadth of our line it will take a little while to resupply all of the items in our line.
If anyone has a dealer with questions, they can direct them to our sales department, or email me directly at pgraf@atlasrr.com.
Paul Graf
Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc.
Atlas O, LLC.
Atlas Model Railroad Company
Sir MadogProbably my poor knowledge of the English language, Byron, but I am not questioning Atlas staying in the track business, but put a question mark to the rumor of them going out.
Ihr Englisch ist viel besser als mein Deutsch!
The ob/wenn translation to English when/if is a little tricky with contextual issues -- so I now see what you were trying to say. And with that point I agree, it's crazy to think that Atlas would go out of the track business permanently. I am sure that being out of stock was not part of Atlas' plan, the realignment of Chinese manufacturers caught many off-balance.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
Probably my poor knowledge of the English language, Byron, but I am not questioning Atlas staying in the track business, but put a question mark to the rumor of them going out.
Sorry for my maybe misleading wording.
Nevertheless, it is not good not being able to supply track to the customer base for quite a long time now,
Sir MadogByron, i am not propagating a rumor here, but merely putting a question mark to the issue.
Since Atlas has said publicly again and again that they are staying in the track business, I personally don't see that it adds anything useful to the discussion to "put a question mark to the issue" -- especially when the supplier themselves has not left any ambiguity in their response.
cuyama Sir MadogWhat´s left, when if Atlas drops out? What is your evidence for propagating that unsubstantiated rumor? There is no indication that Atlas is leaving the track market once this supply issue is resolved.
Sir MadogWhat´s left, when if Atlas drops out?
What is your evidence for propagating that unsubstantiated rumor? There is no indication that Atlas is leaving the track market once this supply issue is resolved.
Byron, i am not propagating a rumor here, but merely putting a question mark to the issue. I just can´t see Atlas dropping such an important part of their business and leave it to manufacturers who won´t most likely not be able to handle that extra volume of business coming from this mainstream supplier.
A hobby shop in Tucson, Arizona had a lot of Atlas flex track on the shelf last week -- and all new. But code 83; no code 100.
I don't think there's any truth at all to the rumors about Atlas going out of the track business -- that's their main product and has been for many years.
Sir MadogWhat´s left, when Atlas drops out?
I just finished, last night, laying all of my track. I used ME Code 70 flex and turnouts. Looks great and performs great.
I wasn't aware that Atlas was having problems supplying track until this morning when I saw this. I chose ME because it is American made and I liked the way it looked.
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
That´s about the worst thing that can happen to a manufacturer - the best way to shy away customers. What´s left, when Atlas drops out? Peco, Micro Engineering ... not really much of a choice then.
richhotrain And then Atlas will announce that it is cancelling the pre-order and retiring flex track.
And then Atlas will announce that it is cancelling the pre-order and retiring flex track.
Dang it. At my age, it's about the only thing in the trainroom that is flexible.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
blownout cylinder Be prepared to pre-order your flextrack......
Be prepared to pre-order your flextrack......
LOL
So true.
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Hmm ... and I thought I was UTTERLY nuts when I picked up 100 sticks of Atlas code 83 flex this spring .... Wonder how much profit I could turn on E-Pay right about now?
EMD - Every Model Different
ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil
CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts
For us that are Atlas fans I think this is starting to become a little ridiculous. I've talked to many sellers and hobby shops and there still not sure when the exact date is going to be for a shipment. What a good way to make your customers go to the competitor.
My current layout has no Atlas at all, ME and some Peco, along with handlaid track fill the room. Personally I have nothing against Atlas, I just think for me it is toooo flexy.
Bob
Minimum wage was a bit over 3000 dollars a year. Many skilled jobs were around 10,000 to 15,000 per year. A policeman's starting salary was about 6500 dollars a year in my town. Taxes were a smaller portion of our income as well.
I had a short talk with my LHS guy this morning. He's been hearing different things through the rumor mill, anywhere from October-November timeframe to as late as January.
One of his customers made the decision to switch to Peco track, and returned a box of 25 unused pieces of Atlas flex. So, my shop actually has a small inventory of the stuff. I picked up 3 pieces, even though I don't need it right now. By January, I might be glad to have it.
No skin off my back...I prefer the higher detail in the Micro Engineering track anyway.
DigitalGriffin I don't get what the big deal is. If people are so desperate why not just switch track brands to like Peco, or ME, or Walthers? Maybe someone could explain it to me (seriously) I use Walthers rail anyway. I think it's a lil bit more realistic looking and works better with their accessories because of the tie height.
I don't get what the big deal is.
If people are so desperate why not just switch track brands to like Peco, or ME, or Walthers? Maybe someone could explain it to me (seriously)
I use Walthers rail anyway. I think it's a lil bit more realistic looking and works better with their accessories because of the tie height.
DG
Some people, including me, strongly prefer the Atlas flex track for several reasons. Once you become accustomed to a particular brand of flex track, it is hard to change.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Maybe we can convince Model Power to contract with GT (Italy) for another batch of code 83 flex track. The last batch was very good quality (and about equal in detail to Atlas code 100) and the price was much better than Atlas code 83!
Hornblower
I was one of those vultures who helped to deplete the stock held at Klein's over the spring. My last order was in early June, and I am flush with Code 83 with wooden ties from Atlas. I didn't want to get hung up for a year or more in the construction of my layout, and didn't want to switch to Walthers/Shinohara, Micro Engineering, or to Peco for the sake of consistency. However, those other track systems enjoy decent reputations, and not undeservedly in my opinion. In fact, I did purchase a 10 pack of Peco Code 83 for my yard because all of my turnouts therein are of the Streamline Code 83 #6 type from Peco, and I had the joiners for that system.
Nothing makes a person hungrier and more focused than a paucity of food. I grabbed my allotment in the nick of time, it seems.
Ken & Others
I have commented on this a number of times - stating that HOW is Atlas going to stay in business if they do not have product to sell?
They must be making a LOT of Money off the few Engines and Rolling Stock they do have as the Day To Day expenses (wages, utilities, taxes, rent) keep coming in whether you are selling anything or not!
You can't just stop selling your most common products and be able to keep the doors open!
Just my thoughts
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Kudlor Maybe no "conspiracy to deny access to Atlas track, more of a bad business plan on the part of Atlas. They could have continued to produce track in the US while gearing up production in China. Apparently, Atlas just chose to stop US production regardless of the length of time it was going to take to ramp up production in China. Maybe Atlas just thought we were all "chained" to their product and would wait 6 months or more for their track. A few weeks back I just gave up on Atlas and have purchased around $1,000 of ME code 55 flex track and switches to start my new layout. Ken
Maybe no "conspiracy to deny access to Atlas track, more of a bad business plan on the part of Atlas. They could have continued to produce track in the US while gearing up production in China. Apparently, Atlas just chose to stop US production regardless of the length of time it was going to take to ramp up production in China.
Maybe Atlas just thought we were all "chained" to their product and would wait 6 months or more for their track. A few weeks back I just gave up on Atlas and have purchased around $1,000 of ME code 55 flex track and switches to start my new layout.
Ken
And those of us who bought lots of flextrack when there were lots are now sitting there building up the layouts we planned on....