Athearn buys T55

[ThoroughBreed]

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.

[blue flag]

Yes
good news!!
I wonder when we can expect Athearn NS 70M-2's and ES40-44/dc-ac's??
any speculations?

[CSXBVSub]

This sounds good! At least now there is a chance we'll get some GEVO/ACe's on the Plastic HO Scale market.

[RJ]

Any one heard anything yet??????????????       Inside scoop ?????????????   

[scooter3798]

From what I have heard you shouldn't expect anything from the T55 line until 2010. There still seems to be debate over whether or not Athearn got the mechanisms from the T55 stuff. If they did, great, the T55's had THE BEST drive system on the market. If not, it is going to take some time to get a mechanism worked up for the stuff.

  Scooter

[nsSD70M-2]

Yeah can't wait for the SD70M-2s! Gonna be sweet and won't murder your wallet!