New N Scale Announcement from Walthers

[G Paine]

Walthers has just announced the following press release:

Atlas Model Railroad Co. to Acquire Walthers N Locomotive and

Rolling Stock Tooling

 

Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc., and Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

have reached an agreement under which Atlas will purchase all N

Scale locomotive and rolling stock tooling owned by Walthers,

including the Walthers N tooling as well as former Life-Like

tooling. Atlas will incorporate this tooling into its Atlas

Master, Atlas Classic, and Trainman N Scale lines. Walthers will

continue to offer N Scale items in its Cornerstone,

SceneMaster(TM), and Walthers Controls brands, including new

items as well as items currently in those lines.

 

"We feel that this tooling has found a great home with Atlas. 

They have a strong N Scale offering and these tools will help

them bring some exceptional products back to the market," said

Phil Walthers, President of Wm. K. Walthers, Inc.

 

Tom Haedrich, Executive Chairman at Atlas added, "We're pleased

to be bringing these former Walthers N Scale models back to the

market so that they can be enjoyed by present and future model

railroaders alike. These locomotives and rolling stock will fit

right in with our existing N Scale lines and we are committed to

producing them with the latest technology, prototypical accuracy,

and high quality you've come to expect from Atlas."

 

Established in 1932, Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. distributes model

trains, accessories, and related items from more than 200

manufacturers, and also manufactures its own exclusive items for

its WalthersProto, WalthersMainline, WalthersTrainline,

Cornerstone, SceneMaster, Walthers Controls, and WalthersTrack

lines.

 

Incorporated in 1949, Atlas Model Railroad Co. manufactures model

trains, track, and accessories in HO, N, and O Scales for its

Atlas Master, Atlas Classic, Trainman, and Atlas O lines.

 

[Uncle_Bob]

Hopefully this will mean the re-release of the former LL C424.  

[EMD.Don]

I am pretty excited by this news and look forward to what Atlas will be reissuing!

Regards.

[tstage]

I wonder if they'll eventfully do the same thing with their HO line?

I have purchased very few Walthers brand locomotives and rolling stock because of operating issues.  However, I did purchase one of their reissues of the SW1 switcher, which runs well, IIRC.  The original release (early 90s) is still a great little locomotive and one of my favorites.

Tom

[BRAKIE]

G Paine

Atlas Model Railroad Co. to Acquire Walthers N Locomotive and Rolling Stock Tooling

That does not surprise me at all seeing Walthers was never all that interested in  N scale.

Atlas has excellent  N Scale track record so,I can't wait to see the drives under the EMD switchers.

Wonder if Atlas will release those beautiful 0-8-0,2-8-8-2  and 2-8-4s?

 

[dknelson]

tstage

I wonder if they'll eventfully do the same thing with their HO line?

Clearly Walthers is retrenching, but my understanding is that they had some specific disappointments with N rolling stock in terms of market size and being left with too much inventory after the initial purchase "rush" - which is the way rolling stock stuff (less so structures it seems) is being bought and sold these days, like it or not.  In other words the N scale rolling stock market was for them different than their HO market in some key ways.

Dave Nelson

[angelob6660]

This might be great news. Sometimes I get disappointed each month when Walthers releases stuff in HO but not N. (I did bought the TTX &ATSF Maxi-I, III and SW9 BNSF). 

It would be nice to see steam locomotives again and return the old diesel locomotives.