Athearn Acquires T55 Tooling


R

Railphotog

Railroad Photographer
:) From a newsletter received from Athearn:

"Athearn® Trains is excited to announce we have purchased select tooling from T55, the plastic division of Overland Models. T55 is one of the model railroading industry’s leading producers of high-quality injection-molded models. Using T55’s outstanding tooling, Genesis will soon be producing a run of General Electric GEVO (ES44AC and ES44DC) models, as well as EMD SD70ACe and SD70M-2 models."
 
I feel this is one of the greatest days in the history of model railroading. An Athearn Genesis SD70ACe! Oh how long I've waited! Now I can say so long to that clunky-looking, toy-like MTH excuse for an ACe!

Athearn Genesis baby!!!
 
I got an update from Brian Marsh in my inbox. What a suprise and no more thinking about the clunky MTH models. WAHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

-Andrew
 
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In other words, Athearn bought OMI's T55 plastics division. This explains their not pushing forward to produce and release the new lines. This is from T55:
T55 :: Injection-Molded Model Trains
ATHEARN TRAINS Acquires T55 Products Tooling
Dear T55 Customers and Dealers,
Late this week, the sale of the GE Evolution Series and EMD SD70ACe tooling to Athearn® Trains was finalized. T55 Products enjoyed its short time in the plastic model train market and decided it was time to sell its tools to a proven leader like Athearn. A copy of their press release is listed below.
We felt with Athearn’s expertise in the plastics industry and our dedication to detail, the time was right to roll the T55 diesel projects forward within the Athearn network. We truly hope that you can appreciate our decision to sell and also understand that this acquisition has been in the works for quite some time but could not be disclosed until the sale was completed. We truly appreciate all of our customers support and business since the launching of T55 and will deeply miss that portion of our business.
If you have any orders for T55 models, they will not be transferred to Athearn. We will be happy to provide you with a backorder list so that you can compare your orders to the models Athearn will be announcing and place any new orders with your Athearn distributor. Also, if you currently have a deposit on record for any T55 models, those deposits will be refunded to you next week.
Now that the T55 transaction is completed, we can better focus on our brass model train business known as Overland Models. We’ve been delivering fine brass scale models since 1976, with plans to deliver even finer models in the future.
We are pleased to turn over our baby to Athearn and are excited to get back to our brass roots. We truly appreciate your business and support.
Sincerely,
Brian & Missy Marsh

Athearn Acquires T55 Products Tooling
“Athearn® Trains is excited to announce we have purchased select tooling from T55 Products, the plastic division of Overland Models. T55 is one of the model railroading industry’s leading producers of high-quality injection-molded models. Using T55’s outstanding tooling, Genesis will soon be producing a run of General Electric GEVO (ES44AC and ES44DC) models, as well as EMD SD70ACe and SD70M-2 models.
These prototypes are the most current locomotives from North America’s primary builders, and are found in the fleets of Union Pacific (including the Heritage Fleet and Bush Presidential Library and Museum), BNSF, CIT Leasing, CSX, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, EMD Demonstrators, Ferromex, Florida East Coast, GE Demonstrators, Kansas City Southern, Montana Rail Link and Norfolk Southern.
Just as these locomotives are the backbone of today’s Class One and Regional railroads, they will also be an important addition to Athearn’s Genesis® series of top-of-the-line HO models. Locomotives, in keeping with Genesis standards, will be offered with and without sound. They will also feature directional lighting; operating ditch lights; separately applied, etched metal details; and the same attention to detail you expect from Genesis.”
As Genesis announces each new run, please contact your local train store to place your new order. Release dates, pricing and specific product information will be announced in future editions of Athearn News and online at Athearn.com.”

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 20th, 2008 at 11:50 am and is filed under T55 News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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Very exciting news!

The Genesis models will be very nice! Can't wait to run one around the new layout I am working on at M.B. Kleins retail store!

One comment on the MTH ACe's... all the photos that are out there of them now are not of the HO scale model. I think that they will be very nice as well.

Time will tell...

Ryan
 
Athearn does produce awesome Genesis locomotives, I my self have a few of them, when will Athearn start to produce the SD70ACe, and the ES44DC & AC models, and I can't imagine what the prices will be.
I can't wait:D
 
I see the prices beeing the same as the other genesis locomotives. The F45 i want is somewhere like $130 without sound.
 
Even if the prices fall in line with the current genesis units or go above by 10-20%, it will still be lower than the T55 prices. HMM, but does this make the current T55 models collectors items considering the small amount of produced units? I bet you watch EBAY pricing on them go thru the roof along with the few vendors I know that have some will also go up.
And, no I won't tell you who I know that has a few left for only $230@ for the non dcc/sound units.:p
 
There's a number of UP ES44's, seems they're not as requested.

Just saw a BNSF ES44DC go for $400+ on eBay!!! Heck, my UP ES44AC un-numbered was cheaper then 1/2 that BNSF units closing price, and I paid $30 shipping from the Netherlands!
 
well its about time something happened. Had UP's 6 SD70Ace heritage on order since Dec of 05. Wonders when they will release em now.

T55 engines are going for big bucks on ebay. even one with out sound.
 
im surprised some people here haven't decided to try and unload them on ebay to make a good buck on them.

So do you guys think athearn will release a large # of ace's adn m-2's? or will it be like the UP heritage ace's, and some NS and CN m-2's first followed by everything else?
 
I think they'll do 3-7 schemes at a time, kind of like they're doing now with the SD60M's.
 
I suspect you're right, Josh. I'm glad T55 threw in the towel and sold the tooling to Athearn and that Athearn was a willing purchaser. T55 was beginning to pull the whole Overland operation into bankruptcy and, in the current economic environment, they were lucky to get out before things got worse.
 
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