Just heard this today, but as of May 1 Atlas is going close and shutdown their online model train forums. I guess Atlas no longer wants the expense of running and administrating their online forums.
They have an announcement to that effect on the their forum site. And yes, it's money.
I never used their forums since they are scale specific, but it's a sign of the economic times.
Paul
No problem for me. I don't go there much anyway. Too many guys there who pick fights over nit-picky stuff for my taste.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I dont really go on that forum either. So its not really a big deal to me either.
I guess i will have more time to work on the layouts !
They say that cost of the forums is alot. . They say that money will be spent on more R&D .
Hopefully that means moving production to the USA ! ?
I will miss the Atlas forums.
CHARTER MEMBER OF THE MILWAUKEE FALLEN FLAG MODEL TRAIN CLUB . I COLLECT HO, N , O-3rail & On30 Trains & run them ! I Use KATO HO & N scale Track . I also Use Lionel Fast Track ! I change track layouts Often !
Wow, I consider that big news.
Before I joined this forum, I spent a fair amount of time on the Atlas forums, and I am still a registered member over there. That is a shame and a somewhat troubling omen.
At one time, I had three LHS within a 15 minute drive of my house where I could get a lot of great advice. Once the last of those three LHS closed, I began to rely more and more on this forum for expertise. Quite frankly, I would be lost at times without this forum. This forum is a constant source of expertise for me.
Nuts, I am getting depressed.
Rich
Alton Junction
WRGMILW I guess i will have more time to work on the layouts ! They say that cost of the forums is alot. . They say that money will be spent on more R&D . Hopefully that means moving production to the USA ! ? I will miss the Atlas forums.
Typically, R&D means "research and development". Of new products or processes, generally.
Production will only move to the USA when it becomes cost-effective to do so: Chinese laborers demand higher wages, the cost of shipping to / from China becomes too high, high unemployment in the US drives down wages and increases incentives, some combination of the above, or something no one has foreseen, could do it, but not a company spending more on R&D.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
BLI pulled the plug on their forum last year. However, they shut their's down for different reasons.
It does cost money for the host for servers, storage space, and management.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
They were probably tired of the incessant whining from certain rivet counters over there. Or, they couldn't take the heat on quality issues from the customers any more (read: newest HO intermodal car set).
I really enjoyed the Atlas forum and hate to see it close. They have good HO products but don't have a lot of new items that fit my era or my pocket book.
Gale
I've never used the Atlas forum so it won't be missed by me. However, it does make me appreciate what Kalmbach Publishing provides us modelers on this site. I'm very pleased with this forum and consider it one of the best I've seen.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
This is a true pity. The Atlas N-scale Forum was clearly the best, most informative of the alternatives. I for one will miss it.
I never signed up at Atlas but I would occasionally pop over and read through some threads, so I wont really miss it, but anytime you lose a site that has as much info on it as the Atlas forums did it's always a sad thing.
I can understand how some are disappointed with this news about Atlas. However, there is no reason why this forum can't pick up the slack....we can be as informative as they were.
Atlas had a forum? It won't be missed here at my house. But I spend less and less time on this sort of thing anyway.
Actually, after the first "discovery" of online forums in general, I have become less interested in them, only spending time on them when I am "trapped" in my home office and unable to escape to the train room or garage to actually do something.
I use Atlas track, buy some of their other products, rolling stock, etc, and hope they do good things with the Branchline rolling stock, but very few of their locos are in my era, so they are not on my radar much for locos - in fact I don't have even one Atlas loco.
The manufacturer run forums seem to have a few pit falls, so its no surprise to me.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Actually, after the first "discovery" of online forums in general, I have become less interested in them, only spending time on them when I am "trapped" in my home office and unable to escape to the train room or garage to actually do something.
To me, this is kind of similar to news that the library in the next town burned to the ground. I never used it, but I feel sorry for those that did, and for the loss of that store of information - some of which may be unique or difficult to replace.
As for farcebook and other social sites, they've stopped sending me invitations to join - which has reduced wear on my delete button. And, again in my not very humble opinion, the short form of Twitter is ... you guessed it! (just replace the two Es in tweet with an I.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - when not writing novels)
I never really used it, but it did seem like every time I did a search regarding N scale...that's where Google was leading me.
I checked out the Atlas site a few times. I found that there were a few members who were somewhat offensive in that if any one disgreed with their point of view or opinion they were outraged.
There were also a few members who thought that any brand other than Atlas was not worth buying and you were a fool if you did.
Unfortunately, with the Atlas forum closing they will be looking for a new home.
jeffrey-wimberly No problem for me. I don't go there much anyway. Too many guys there who pick fights over nit-picky stuff for my taste.
Should we worry that they may decide to come here?
Crandell
selector jeffrey-wimberly: No problem for me. I don't go there much anyway. Too many guys there who pick fights over nit-picky stuff for my taste. Should we worry that they may decide to come here? Crandell
jeffrey-wimberly: No problem for me. I don't go there much anyway. Too many guys there who pick fights over nit-picky stuff for my taste.
Probably not ....
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Not at all, we have some excellent moderators here and I can't see where there will be any serious issue or problem. I can remember a number of years ago where there were some rather pointed and rude comments on this forum, but those days seem to be gone.
We have a lot of veterans here that always seem to find the right words to correct an inappropriate response and if that doesn't work then our moderators kick it up a notch.
Odie They were probably tired of the incessant whining from certain rivet counters over there. Or, they couldn't take the heat on quality issues from the customers any more (read: newest HO intermodal car set).
Baloney,
That is a symptom of the modeling community at large and not a problem of Atlas forums in particular.
I have been a member of Atlas since it's earliest days in 1994 and personally I think this is a symptom of the poor economic conditions of the hobby and possibly Atlas too. If Atlas cannot continue to maintain it's forums, which was IMO an ambassador of good will and good PR to the model RR community, then they must hurting financially. The forums have always made me feel much better about Atlas and their products and kept me more informed of them. Now they will be dropping off my Radar - and no, I don't give a hoot following them on facebook and twitter.
This is an end of an 18 year run and a bitter shame. I hope Atlas recovers enough financially in a few years to revive the forums. To me that will be a sign of them becoming more healthy again.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I find it sad how arogant some people are on this topic. For starters, quite a few hobbiests have been on mulitple forums for years, including here, Atlas and others. I too have been a member here for a few years and Atlas since the beginning in 1994. Yes, there have been some negative people at Atlas, but IMO, that is a sypmtom of the hobby, not any one place. Atlas never had a staff of volunteer moderators to help clean things up, and thats probably why this forums apears to be a little more positive - not because it is somehow just a holy place. I like this forum too and will rely more heavily on it now that Atlas is too feeble to maintain their forums anymore.
Some comment on how this will give them more time in their basements. Well, some of us don't have space for a Model Railroad so we rely on forums for periods of time to enjoy the hobby until the day we are as fortunate as y'all to have a layout to work on again.
Anyway, I will miss Atlas, it has been a part of my life for 18 years.
All I can say is to any of those joining us here that are new to our site or returning after being away at that "other" site...
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
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riogrande5761 selector: jeffrey-wimberly: No problem for me. I don't go there much anyway. Too many guys there who pick fights over nit-picky stuff for my taste. Should we worry that they may decide to come here? Crandell I find it sad how arogant some people are on this topic. For starters, quite a few hobbiests have been on mulitple forums for years, including here, Atlas and others. I too have been a member here for a few years and Atlas since the beginning in 1994. Yes, there have been some negative people at Atlas, but IMO, that is a sypmtom of the hobby, not any one place. Atlas never had a staff of volunteer moderators to help clean things up, and thats probably why this forums apears to be a little more positive - not because it is somehow just a holy place. I like this forum too and will rely more heavily on it now that Atlas is too feeble to maintain their forums anymore. Some comment on how this will give them more time in their basements. Well, some of us don't have space for a Model Railroad so we rely on forums for periods of time to enjoy the hobby until the day we are as fortunate as y'all to have a layout to work on again. Anyway, I will miss Atlas, it has been a part of my life for 18 years.
selector: jeffrey-wimberly: No problem for me. I don't go there much anyway. Too many guys there who pick fights over nit-picky stuff for my taste. Should we worry that they may decide to come here? Crandell
I agree, it was a rhetorical question. We should count ourselves lucky to get many of them, and hope that Atlas regains some composure soon. It can't be a good sign for the hobby if Atlas is having to cut off it's forum outreach.
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I been on the Atlas forum since 2002-I join here first then Atlas- and that is a yes/no/maybe type of question.
You see there are lots of knowledgeable modelers on that forum that never took part in the bashing,trashing and bickering..Those would make excellent members..
I would hate to see the few bad apples migrate here.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
riogrande5761 Baloney, That is a symptom of the modeling community at large and not a problem of Atlas forums in particular. I have been a member of Atlas since it's earliest days in 1994 and personally I think this is a symptom of the poor economic conditions of the hobby and possibly Atlas too. If Atlas cannot continue to maintain it's forums, which was IMO an ambassador of good will and good PR to the model RR community, then they must hurting financially. (snip)
I have been a member of Atlas since it's earliest days in 1994 and personally I think this is a symptom of the poor economic conditions of the hobby and possibly Atlas too.
If Atlas cannot continue to maintain it's forums, which was IMO an ambassador of good will and good PR to the model RR community, then they must hurting financially. (snip)
I too believe that Atlas maybe having money problems!
They had announced that they are having track supply problems currently and in 2010 they had problems supplying turnouts for most of the year.
Our Club has 6 of the MP15 Sound engines still on back order for almost 2 years now - We did receive the Non-Sound units we had ordered.
This thing with having to pre-order engines and cars is, I Believe, not going as well as THEY had hoped and the longer the delays become makes many less ready to PRE-Order anything else as they (like my Club) are unhappy about having to wait for over 2 years for a simple MP15 switcher.
Now with them saying they are trying to save money - sure indicates the current business climate is not as good as most are trying to make it sound!
I am involved with a Hobby Shop and I can see the problem slowly turning away NEW Modelers as the LACK of availability of Engines and Cars in specific roads - being SOLD-OUT.
While the business model of only building to Pre-Orders is ONLY taking into consideration current Modelers!
What about any NEW Modelers (as those now finding time to begin or get back into Model Railroading).
They just may want some of the engines that are now ALL SOLD-OUT - never to be run again!
YES - they can try and find the stuff on e-Bay but now their COST is much higher and it is turning NUBEs away.
This environment of just building to those into the Hobby NOW and not thinking of Future NEW Modelers is a sure fire way to go out of business!
YMMV ;-)
BOB H - Clarion, PA
cmrproducts riogrande5761: Baloney, That is a symptom of the modeling community at large and not a problem of Atlas forums in particular. I have been a member of Atlas since it's earliest days in 1994 and personally I think this is a symptom of the poor economic conditions of the hobby and possibly Atlas too. If Atlas cannot continue to maintain it's forums, which was IMO an ambassador of good will and good PR to the model RR community, then they must hurting financially. (snip) I too believe that Atlas maybe having money problems! They had announced that they are having track supply problems currently and in 2010 they had problems supplying turnouts for most of the year. Our Club has 6 of the MP15 Sound engines still on back order for almost 2 years now - We did receive the Non-Sound units we had ordered. This thing with having to pre-order engines and cars is, I Believe, not going as well as THEY had hoped and the longer the delays become makes many less ready to PRE-Order anything else as they (like my Club) are unhappy about having to wait for over 2 years for a simple MP15 switcher. Now with them saying they are trying to save money - sure indicates the current business climate is not as good as most are trying to make it sound! I am involved with a Hobby Shop and I can see the problem slowly turning away NEW Modelers as the LACK of availability of Engines and Cars in specific roads - being SOLD-OUT. While the business model of only building to Pre-Orders is ONLY taking into consideration current Modelers! What about any NEW Modelers (as those now finding time to begin or get back into Model Railroading). They just may want some of the engines that are now ALL SOLD-OUT - never to be run again! YES - they can try and find the stuff on e-Bay but now their COST is much higher and it is turning NUBEs away. This environment of just building to those into the Hobby NOW and not thinking of Future NEW Modelers is a sure fire way to go out of business! YMMV ;-) BOB H - Clarion, PA
riogrande5761: Baloney, That is a symptom of the modeling community at large and not a problem of Atlas forums in particular. I have been a member of Atlas since it's earliest days in 1994 and personally I think this is a symptom of the poor economic conditions of the hobby and possibly Atlas too. If Atlas cannot continue to maintain it's forums, which was IMO an ambassador of good will and good PR to the model RR community, then they must hurting financially. (snip)
Bob,While I agree with most of what you said, I don't think Atlas is hurting after all they bought Branchlines line of cars and Walthers O Scale buildings.We can't overlook that.
If one rereads the explanation Atlas gave for the forum's closure slowly and closely the true reason is there.