You know I think I need a therapist after seeing this...

[trainboyH16-44]

Hopefully, soon!
Actually, I still wach it from time to time, when I need a good laugh, but not that good, and a healthy sense of confusion.

[MAbruce]

A few days ago, the Atlas Pres posted a reply on their O scale forum to address all the criticism. He elaborated on what drove their decision to use this web company (that does web greeting cards) to do this Ad in order to target 5-15 year olds.

He also made an interesting comment that he had never seen such a reaction in his 25 years in the MRR industry, and seemed completely perplexed by it. He ranted that it was a wholesome ad and could not understand why people were reacting so negatively to it.

A few members, including a couple in the target demographic, chimed in and elaborated why they thought it was bad (they used other terms which the Atlas forum moderators deemed inappropriate).

Later that day, the whole topic was “accidentally deleted” by the Atlas moderators while attempting to remove the inappropriate comments. They claimed they could not recover the topic.

Not long after, the Atlas trainman webpage was restructured so the AD didn’t play first.

Interesting.

I wonder when the Trainman ad will get “accidentally deleted”?

[MStLfan]

Just watched it. It is tasteless and I did not expect it of a company like Atlas.
This is what I expect from websites like madblast.com.
Marc

[Anonymous]

I just came in to see what the newest topic was. I wish I had never turned on the computer...oh,God...another spurt of nausea...[banghead]

[TrainFreak409]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AggroJones

Looks like you guys got your wish. I don't see the video intro on their wbsite anymore. Sad, I was looking forward to it for a good laugh this morning......

You can still laugh Aggro, they have a link to it underneath the logo on the home page.

[TrainFreak409]

You know...

I was crazy once. They put me in a rubber room. Rubber room, rubber room, rubber room. I love that rubber room. I died in that rubber room. They put me in the ground. The ground has worms. I hate worms! Worms make me crazy...I was crazy once. They put me in a rubber room. Rubber room, rubber room, rubber room. I love that rubber room. I died in that rubber room. They put me in the ground. The ground has worms. I hate worms! Worms make me crazy...I was crazy once. They put me in a rubber room. Rubber room, rubber room, rubber room. I love that rubber room. I died in that rubber room. They put me in the ground. The ground has worms. I hate worms! Worms make me crazy...I was crazy once. They put me in a rubber room. Rubber room, rubber room, rubber room. I love that rubber room. I died in that rubber room. They put me in the ground. The ground has worms. I hate worms! Worms make me crazy...I was crazy once. They put me in a rubber room. Rubber room, rubber room, rubber room. I love that rubber room. I died in that rubber room. They put me in the ground. The ground has worms. I hate worms! Worms make me crazy...I was crazy once. They put me in a rubber room. Rubber room, rubber room, rubber room. I love that rubber room. I died in that rubber room. They put me in the ground. The ground has worms. I hate worms! Worms make me crazy...

[jeffshultz]

I think they've figured out that it's screwed up - they had at least one or two elequent teens on their forum tell them that they'd missed the target completely.

I suggested they stick Trainman in a MP15DC, let the dog sit on the anticlimber and howl, and have the other characters doing railroad things - switching cars, fixing engines, whatever.... and end it by pulling out to show that this was all taking place on a layout, controlled by a kid with a DCC throttle in his/her hand.

I hope they at least think about it. The music could even be saved. Just not the band or the moonwalking by the dog.

[mecovey]

I think (and I'm open to the suggestion that I'm wrong) this effort just may answer the age old question "How dumb can you get"

[Anonymous]

Forget the therapist.

Im sorry I even opened the animation. I think the execs got swept away by the song and dance.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jwareing

I use Mozilla with Adblock, so I couldn't see whatever it is. And I am sooooooo disappointed.
Should I be?

concider yourself lucky
Gearhead426
in a very confused state....

[%-)]

[AggroJones]

Looks like you guys got your wish. I don't see the video intro on their wbsite anymore. Sad, I was looking forward to it for a good laugh this morning......

[trainboyH16-44]

BTW: he is also 15.

[trainboyH16-44]

Some more quotes:
"Ohhh, the flash movie. I didn't see that before.
*is instantly reduced to a gibbering wreck after watching the first 2 frames of the movie*
*twiches a few times and then is still*"
And there you have it.

to qute Ironman by black sabbath (Although I prefer grieg)
I am TRAINMAN!!
Has he lost his mind
can he see or is he blind
can he walk and talk
or does he just run his train
Matthew

[trainboyH16-44]

I did find it funny, but have lost all respect for atlas.
Matthew

[AntonioFP45]

MaBruce,

I'll cooperate only if those therapists let me wear one of those cool white jackets!

I like white jackets..........I reeeaaally like them! heh-heh! white jackets! Yeah......that's right! And I get a room all to myself!.............With my pet rock! And, I get to cound how many cracks there are in the wall! Oh Goody!! one...two....three....................500,001,......500,002....

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

In this age of terrorism and extreme politics has our sense of humor truly eroded? Has Al-Queda gotten to us??

Yeah, that must be it! Darn you Al-Queda! You have ruined my enjoyment of the trainman promo! Death to you all!!!

QUOTE: Atlas may have also been poking fun at itself.

True, they did a rather effective job of making fun of themselves - although I doubt it was intentional. [:O]

QUOTE: What's the big deal? We see commercials on tv that are far worse, with some downright tasteless.

I've seen some rather bad and tasteless commercials on TV, but this reminded me more of one of those SNL parodies.

QUOTE: When you think about it, the commercial did its job: Got our attention!!

TRUE! It certainly did. But not quite the kind of attention I would pay for...[xx(]

Okay AntonioFP45 - close down the trainman promo and step away from your monitor. I've called 911 and the emergency therapists are on the way. Please breathe deeply and evenly until help arrives. [;)][:o)][:D][:D]

[AntonioFP45]

LOL,

No offense guys, but wow your responses are almost as funny in a morbid sort of way. In this age of terrorism and extreme politics has our sense of humor truly eroded? Has Al-Queda gotten to us??

It's a silly commercial jingle! Thats it. I thought it was funny. Atlas may have also been poking fun at itself. What's the big deal? We see commercials on tv that are far worse, with some downright tasteless.

If its that bad, e-mail Atlas and tell them.

When you think about it, the commercial did its job: Got our attention!!

[trainboyH16-44]

I'm 15, and the friends I quoted are 18 and 16, respectively. Just goes to show that analysts assume the best in people.
Matthew

[Anonymous]

Over on the Atlas Forum, Pres. Tom Haaedich (sp) said that the target audience is 5-15 years old and he challenged critics to show it to kids in that age range to see what their response would be. So, I showed it to my 15 year old daughter. Her response was:

"Why do they have that on there? That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. It's retarded."

So, there you are, Prez. Tom.

[trainboyH16-44]

To quote another friend, also non railfan, "like "whoever made it should be tied to a traintrack and repeatedly run over" awful
that'd be poetic justice, killed by the vehicle he so vicously mocked in his video"
And there you have it.
Matthew

[Anonymous]

Hmm there has been a return of the son-in-law and daughter to Atlas effective September 30, and the departure of an interim President brought in to give the "family" a year off. Wonder if "Trainman" brought about the departure of the old exec. Nah, just coincidence! (Cats away, mice playing?)
Will

[trainboyH16-44]

That is the 10th time I've watched it, 12th counting without sound, and I just can't get used to it, soo scarring!
In the words of a non railfan friend I emailed it to (Not a very good friend, 'cause I emailed it to him) "What the f***?!" That is what he said, literally, word for word, excluding the stunned silence.
Matthew

[vsmith]

I think the Bach'man is looking for a lost dog!

[Anonymous]

Sounds like they all got smashed at the office party and someone said:
"Hey, we need to make an idiotic cartoon about our product."
Everyone else then joined in agreement, poured another glass of
Wild Turkey, and so it was born.

[peterjenkinson1956]

mine took only seconds to down load... kept playing it at full volume until the wife came over and hit me.. i,m a trainman, i,m a trainman..... cant get the words out of my head ....darn you trainman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[trainboyH16-44]

Loading...5%....10%....20%....50%....70%....90%....95%...97%..99%..*stunned silence*
I thought that time I saw graffiti on an SD40 was scarring....
That is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. Literally, after it, the entire house was silent, except for my thoughts:"OMGWTFSTFU?" and many more....
No wonder their locos cost $400 in canada, it's all the people needed to make these things....
I just can't beleive it....
Matthew

[douginut]

A little rethinking...

Remember the Lionel ads of the 50's and 60's?

They would have driven ANYONE from the hobby that had not drooled at the display layouts at Marshall Fields (now gone too) or the LHS.

Doug, in Utah (formerly Chicago's North Side)

[douginut]

Yawn, nothing to write home about.

Doug, in Utah

[bikerraypa]

AIIEEEEE!!!!!!

<faint>

<thud>