I just took a look at Athearn's website, and noticed some interesting product changes. Remember how not long ago, the diesels made with old Blue Box tooling and the train sets became "Athearn Roundhouse"? Well, the Roundhouse Old Time steamers are now Athearn RTR along with the Model 40 Critter. Additionally, some of the high-end RTR products (like the turbines and U50) are being rebranded into the Genesis line, while some of the older Genesis freight cars are now RTR (this actually happened a while ago, but still, lots of rebranding going on...). I understand moving older high end products to the more standard lines, like how Bachmann moves old Spectrum into the standard line, but moving products UP with no changes except pre-installed sound? I can barely keep track of everything anymore! It's also made locating products on Athearn's site more difficult. Wouldn't they want to make products easier to find so that people can, you know, buy them?
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Although I do not know about the roundhouse items. I can say the RTR to Genesis line you are getting finer detail. Maybe a little extra truck detail, and widsheild wipers an also sound.
Darth,How about the different production phases of their RTR locomotives? I know of three-maybe four? Then there's the former Genesis cars that is now RTR. Then we have former A-Line cars and Roundhouse cars plus the new tooled cars.
IMHO they need to stick with their two product lines..Athearn RTR and Genesis.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
SP4460 Although I do not know about the roundhouse items. I can say the RTR to Genesis line you are getting finer detail. Maybe a little extra truck detail, and widsheild wipers an also sound.
One needs to pay attention to the locomotive production phase seeing phase 1 was nothing but older BB engines with plastic handrails while phase 2 was plastic handrails and metal grabs and phase 3 has the better details.
The former Roundhouse FMC and PS boxcars is still a foot to wide just like the RTR former ACF BB boxcars. The former FMC boxcars has metal grabs,end crossovers,stirrups and metal wheels while the RTR ACF boxcar is nothing more then a built BB kit with metal wheels.
I can understand why Athearn is breaking some models out into a third tier. I've noticed for a long time that the RTR line has included basic models with minimal detail and no DCC plug, such as the F7 or the blue box based GP40-2, and the RPP based GP35 etc. There are similar examples in the freight car line. Then there have been example in the RTR line which are much more detailed or upgrade models, such as the SD45, SD40T-2, even the SD40-2, and a number of the freight cars as well are more finely detailed but not quite Genesis, including a number of the covered hoppers, and the ex-Genesis PC&F box cars etc. the 62' mill gon.
The fact that the RTR line has included a broad range from the basic to the more detailed, and priced accordingly, could probably be seen as confusing - why some this way and some that way when most other manufacturers have broken out their product lines into basic/mid/highly detailed or their own name - think ExactRail, Atlas and Walthers. Probably the biggest mistake Athearn made was not doing this in the first place because now it's poking peoples bears to relabel models after they have been out for 10 or 12 years or longer.
But maybe better late than never - for some it may help when they see it packaged a certain way what it is they are getting (basic, middle or premium). For those who have been in the hobby a long time, they'll recognize most of these models based on it' heritage anyway.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761 For those who have been in the hobby a long time, they'll recognize most of these models based on it' heritage anyway.
Jim,The sad part is there are those among us that will call all RTR Blue Box regardless of its roots or if the car or engine was new tooled..
Of course Athearn still uses blue boxes--------for their Genesis line.
BRAKIE Jim,The sad part is there are those among us that will call all RTR Blue Box regardless of its roots or if the car or engine was new tooled.. Of course Athearn still uses blue boxes--------for their Genesis line.
I suppose those must be the people who totally got lost what with all the tooling Athearn has absorbed and they don't care to get caught up in the mental minutea. Then there are the model train nerds among us who know where every car came from (i.e. pedigre) It does help to know the pedigre as some are better than others. I used to like the Details West box cars back in the 80's but mostly there are better alternatives to them now - but Athearn still cranks them out - I side step them for Atlas or others.
BRAKIEDarth,How about the different production phases of their RTR locomotives? I know of three-maybe four? Then there's the former Genesis cars that is now RTR. Then we have former A-Line cars and Roundhouse cars plus the new tooled cars. IMHO they need to stick with their two product lines..Athearn RTR and Genesis.
Right, I forgot about how many times some of the products were revised! The Blue Box tooled engines that got the extra detail were made to have grab irons and other details added separate by the owner, so it wasn't hard for them to start adding those themselves. It is interesting though! Seems like some of these go through upgrades as fast as the latest smart phones.
Darth Santa FeRight, I forgot about how many times some of the products were revised! The Blue Box tooled engines that got the extra detail were made to have grab irons and other details added separate by the owner, so it wasn't hard for them to start adding those themselves. It is interesting though! Seems like some of these go through upgrades as fast as the latest smart phones.
They do! And Athearn has done a nice job upgrading some of the older simpler models that were originally blue box kits, or Model Die Casting (MDC) kits.
One of the MDC kits that I have that was nicely upgraded is the FMC "low hip" covered hopper - Athearn sold it as RTR in the early run and it had the kit type molded on grab irons and plastic roof walk. Later, Athearn re-issued it with fine wire grab irons and etched metal roof walk to give it a finer, HQ appearance, similar to Tangent models. I picked up WP and D&RGW versions at at train show last July for $15 ea and they were very nice.
Another MDC kit that Athearn upgraded was the Ortner 5-bay Rapid Discharge hopper - they tooled up a new detail part for the under body hoppers and added separate detail parts on end cages and sold them in 5-packs. Very nice, as were the upgrade Thrall Hi-side coal gondolas. I really hope Athearn re-issues more numbers in some of the popular 1970's/1980's versions such as NORX, PSCX etc.
Of course some of the other kits have only been given better paint jobs and metal wheels etc. and aren't much of an improvement like the 50' plug door box car I have and the CF4740 3-bay covered hopper - still warmed over blue box tooling. As long as they keep producing them in the non-upgrade versions, they should just add them to the basic level Round House product line.