Atlas Rescue Forum - hijacked?

[NorthWest]

This thread-hijacked?

[mbinsewi]

Yep Mark, well, I have learned to look at all the post, because to many people replying, only look at the OP, and not whats in between, which means much info is missed, as far as answering the OP. 

I've not replied to many OP's, because I read  down a few, that answers were all ready offered, and I need not to chime in with a repeat.

I see it all the time.

So how about that for a turn in your OP message.  

The ARF is alive and well.

Mike.

[Paul3]

I signed up for both this forum and the old Atlas Forum 14 years ago.  I was a poster on not only the pre-moderated MR.com forum, but way back when it was just a "guestbook" type forum with monthly questions asked by Andy S.  And in the mid-1990's, I was a regular lurker then poster on the old newsgroup rec.models.railroad.  I've been around.

basementdweller,
Naturally, the new ARF isn't the same as the old Atlas Forum (AF).  The "Atlas" name brought in a regular trickle of newbies, which helped create discussion points.  Now, it's mostly the same group from the old forum with only a few newbies around.  It has slowed down a tad from the old days.

That being said, it's still very influential in the industry.  Most every major manufacturer at the very least monitors the ARF, and some post there.  I've had more than a few conversations with various factory reps at the Springfield Show about postings and people on it.

John Mock (PRR8259),
You are the one that started a huge argument thread over there about how you could never own a model of an Alco because of their failure as a manufacturer.  You are the one that swore you would never buy another Athearn product for as long as you lived because the siderods on their FEF were stamped sheet metal.  You're hardly an innocent bystander, John.  And BTW, neither am I.

Yes, folks on the ARF have been critical of products that they thought were wrong but were actually correct.  I have news for you: the same thing happens here, too.  Remember the gas pump thread? 

MTH...sigh.  You can't deny that accuracy and fidelity are not their calling cards.  They'll paint anything in any scheme they want, regardless of the accuracy or reality of their model.  They do zippo in regards to prototype differences, and maxmize the model's ability to run on 18" radius curves to their detriment (are you happy with the huge gap above every MTH steamer trailing truck?).  They are very much a throwback to the bad old days of Athearn BB, Tyco, Lionel, et al., yet with prices higher than most of their competition.  Add to that their questionable business practices, proprietory sound system, and the fact that they employed a shill right here on this forum, then there's a lot not to like.  I will always give them credit for taking on UP and winning, but that's all I'll do.

RE: new product announcements.  Yes, people posted, "Nothing for me to buy this month," after a steam loco got posted on ARF.  Guess what?  Someone always says that...every time anyone announces anything (diesels, steamers, boxcars, passenger cars, etc.).  Big deal.  I make fun of them about it from time to time because it can get annoying.  But so what?

"The prices are too high" complaint.  Sigh (again).  Okay, let's review.  An LHS has a $180 loco for sale.  Say he paid $120 for it.  He'll make $60 selling it.  Compare that to the old days of Athearn BB where a loco was $30 and he paid $20 for it.  He only made $10.  He'd have to sell 6 of those old locos to get the same profit as just one loco today.  Is he really crying about that?

I'm seriously laughing at the idea that the ARF ruined anything.  It's only been around for 4 years.  If you want to include the old AF, well, at least it's a try at reality.  What's "ruined" about the hobby?  Great detailing, great drives, great paint, super accurate, DCC and/or sounds, knuckle couplers taking over X2F's, hard-to-believe-they-made-it prototypes (seriously...could you have imagined C-430's even 10 years ago?  In every possible paint scheme?).  Oh, I'm ruined just looking at all my super-detailed accurate models in rare prototypes that I could only dream of owning back when I was a kid.  Boo-hoo.

RE: Genesis SD40-2: It was only one guy talking it up.  You do know you can "ignore" people on the ARF, right?  All their posts disappear if you want them to.

Brakie,
Athearn BB's and P2K Geeps aren't up to today's standards.  The bar has been raised quite a bit in the past 10-50 years.  Not to say that they are useless or anything, but just compare the NH P2K GP9 to the NH Athearn Genesis NH GP9 and it's no question which is the better model (and the Genesis axles don't crack).

selector,
Um, no, sorry but the ARF is not heavy into post-1990 modeling.  If anything, it's heavy into 1970's modeling, as a few recent ARF polls have shown.

And are you really being told how to think, or just being exposed to ideas different from your own that you don't agree with? 

Catt,
IIRC, there's a guy on the ARF right now in the middle of a re-build project of a trainset-quality covered hopper model into a work of art.  He shaved off almost all the details and added a boatload of detail parts (walkways, trucks, grabs, etc.), and it's been very well received by the forum.

Paul A. Cutler III

[BRAKIE]

Paul3

Brakie,Athearn BB's and P2K Geeps aren't up to today's standards. The bar has been raised quite a bit in the past 10-50 years. Not to say that they are useless or anything, but just compare the NH P2K GP9 to the NH Athearn Genesis NH GP9 and it's no question which is the better model (and the Genesis axles don't crack).

Paul,That may be true for some but,not all modelers will agree with "today's standards" which seems to be a personal preference.

As far as P2K vs, Genesis. Let's see then. Crack gears vs Genesis short headlight life span and the many CQ issues that has been covered on ARF.

Sounds like the QC bar was lowered in the process of gaining today's "standards" again this has been covered many times on the old Atlas forum and ARF..

As far as BB locomotives there are budgeted minded modelers that can gain two BB SD40-2s for the price of one Athearn RTR SD40-2 or in some cases a Kato SD40-2 for less then the price of one Athearn RTR SD40-2..

Some times its more common sense over spending mega bucks for a locomotive that can be had cheaper.

I bought two SCL GP9s(1025/1027) for less then the price of one Genesis DCC Ready GP9.

Now with that said the Genesis GP9s are great looking locomotives.I own one SCL GP9 (1036) it came with some tiny glue spots and some minor chip paint but,for what the LHS sold it to me for I won't complain. Of course it was collecting dust since it was rejected  by the person who ordered it due to those tiny glue spots and chip paint-engine black covered those quite nicely and under normal layout viewing you can't see the touch up..

[PRR8259]

Paul--

Fact check:  I subsequently backed off the Alco statement, which I acknowledged several years ago now was stupid (wasn't that on the actual Atlas forum?), and my issue with Athearn was not stamped siderods on an FEF 4-8-4 (I've never owned any FEF 4-8-4) but their QA/QC has been lacking on a number of models that I have tried through the years.  That said, I have given credit where credit is due and complimented Athearn on the quality of the Genesis steamers which is exceedingly much better than some of their other products. 

I did experience an issue with the P2K USRA Heavy 2-10-2's siderods, years ago, which bent way too easily if a screw backs loose, and as a result a brand new engine failed and was subsequently replaced by Walthers after the selling dealer's repair tech could not make it run properly.  I was really upset about that, but did subsequently buy other Walthers products.

I also have kids in the house, who occasionally get rough in the basement, and that is not at all conducive to plastic handrails on anybody's diesels holding up, except perhaps Kato's delrin handrails.  That's another reason for my preference for brass steam.  If the kids with a ball, or the cat, knock a brass one over on its side, it doesn't break (cat just tested new BLI hybrid by knocking it over on its side; engine was ok without a scratch).  Cat has tested vintage brass too.  Normally I keep them on a shelf she doesn't get up to.

Your mileage may vary.

[riogrande5761]

Paul,

Thank you for susinctly addressing most of the compaints and issues raised about ARF.  Like I said, no forum is perfect, but by and large I think ARF has settled down into a good forum with some people who like to model and do great work as the Sunday Photo Fun topic demonstrates.  It's a testiment too that a number of high profile manufacturers post there and sometimes discuss products or ideas, even issues and contructive solutions. 

I can live with the fact that you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.  I used to hear this saying about churches, but it seems true for forums as well, "if you find a 'perfect' church, if ou join it, it will no longer be perfect".  Afterall, forums are composed of people, warts and all.  The best that anyone can do is keep it to a dull roar, as my dad used to say, and try to have a fun and constructive time.  Model Railroading is Fun after all!

[Anonymous]

I am surprised that Steven Otte lets this one slip by ...

The discussion has long meandered away from the OP´s initial log-in issue and is lost in the nirvana of ranting about another forum/participants(contributions, which actually have no place here.

 

[Steven Otte]

Sir Madog

I am surprised that Steven Otte lets this one slip by ...

The discussion has long meandered away from the OP´s initial log-in issue and is lost in the nirvana of ranting about another forum/participants(contributions, which actually have no place here.

I've been keeping an eye on it. And as long as people are debating the state of model railroading, it's more on-topic than the original subject of discussing the fate of some other forum. The OP was actually off-topic.

[BRAKIE]

riogrande5761

Model Railroading is Fun after all!

Yup,I said that many times after slicing my finger with a new Exacto blade,down on all fours looking for a dropped part,replacing a KD knuckle spring etc.

As I mention even in 2016 I still enjoy my older Athearn SW7,GP9s and those old wide body GP35s just as well as my Atlas Classics,P2K, Atlas/Roco,Atlas/Kato, the Kato GP35 and of course my Athearn Genesis GP9 and Athearn RTR engines and oh yes, my Bachmann DCC/Sound Alco S-4  and my 70 Tonners.

Getting down to the finer point I could and would enjoy switching cars with a (gasp!) Hobbytown RS-3 or RSD4/5.

Why is that?

Model Railroading is fun and that fun is what you want to make it.

 

 

 

[riogrande5761]

BRAKIE

 

riogrande5761

Model Railroading is Fun after all!

 

 

Yup,I said that many times after slicing my finger with a new Exacto blade,down on all fours looking for a dropped part,replacing a KD knuckle spring etc.

As I mention even in 2016 I still enjoy my older Athearn SW7,GP9s and those old wide body GP35s just as well as my Atlas Classics,P2K, Atlas/Roco,Atlas/Kato, the Kato GP35 and of course my Athearn Genesis GP9 and Athearn RTR engines and oh yes, my Bachmann DCC/Sound Alco S-4  and my 70 Tonners.

Getting down to the finer point I could and would enjoy switching cars with a (gasp!) Hobbytown RS-3 or RSD4/5.

Why is that?

Model Railroading is fun and that fun is what you want to make it.

It is fun.  Hah hah, during the past few months I've burned my fingers with hot glue and cut them a few times, even cut one while cutting cardboard with a pair of scissors.