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Atlas Acquires Micro-Trains Brand
Atlas Model Railroad Company announced the acquisition of substantially all assets of Micro-Trains Line Co., a highly respected leader in N- and Z-scale model trains, couplers, and accessories, the company said in a Facebook post.
As part of the agreement, Atlas assumes ownership of Micro-Trains’s molds, tooling, and associated intellectual property, ensuring the ongoing production of the brand’s unique products. Jarrett Haedrich, executive chairman of Atlas Model Railroad Co., commented: “Micro-Trains has built an extraordinary legacy of quality and craftsmanship. We are honored to carry that heritage forward and ensure that modelers around the world continue to enjoy the realism and reliability that have defined Micro-Trains for decades.” Eric D. Smith, president of Micro-Trains Line Co., remarked, “Our family and team are proud of what Micro-Trains has meant to hobbyists everywhere. Atlas’s commitment to excellence and long-term investment in the model railroad community makes them the right partner to continue our story.” The integration focuses on maintaining the authenticity of Micro-Trains’ designs while leveraging Atlas’s engineering, logistics, and production capabilities to foster innovation and future product offerings. Atlas has confirmed that Micro-Trains’ existing dealer and distributor relationships will remain uninterrupted, offering stability for the retail network.
Micro-Trains will continue to accept and process orders from its Talent, Oregon, location through mid-February 2026. The transition includes managing December releases and the remaining inventory of model train products, including single car releases, multi-packs, trucks, couplers, tools, and accessories, until sold out. After that, all Micro-Trains products will be available through Atlas’s authorized dealers, distributors, and online store. Both companies have expressed a commitment to preserving Micro-Trains’ legacy while expanding production capacity. |
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RPP Hobby Has A New Owner Long-time RC racer Nick Degnan has taken over RPP Hobby in Benicia, California. Degnan has raced RC cars for over 20 years and has run the @Smallscalespeed social media channels for about five years. Degnan recently left his full-time job to take over the store, making a dream come true. “This isn’t just a business for me; it’s about sharing the spirit of RC: that new model feel, the joy of repair, the satisfaction of a perfect build, and the thrill of getting out and running your rigs,” he said in a Facebook post. The previous owner made it a point to share with Nick about NRHSA and the NRHSA Membership Committee quickly welcomed him into the group. |
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Walthers Sponsors
Pacific Southern Railway Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. (Walthers) is proud to sponsor the Pacific Southern Railway, a 65-year-old model railroad club recently featured in The Wall Street Journal. When the club faced uncertainty about its future, Walthers partnered with the group to explore solutions and raise awareness. Through the reporting of The Wall Street Journal’s Betsy McKay—and conversations with Walthers’ CEO and President Stacey Walthers Naffah—the story of preservation, passion, community, and innovation within the hobby reached a wide audience. In May 2025, the follow-up article announced a remarkable outcome: comedian James “Murr” Murray from the long-running TV show Impractical Jokers and his wife, Melyssa, had purchased the club’s home to preserve and promote both the club and the hobby. “We’re pleased to support the Pacific Southern Railway and help elevate awareness of model railroading,” said Stacey Walthers Naffah. “Clubs are vital to connecting hobbyists of all ages and experience levels. We deeply appreciate James and Melyssa Murray’s commitment to keeping the hobby thriving at the Pacific Southern and beyond. We aspire to elevate the hobby and the collective efforts of clubs across the country through our work with Murr and Club leadership.” Upon receiving an award from the
National Model Railroad Association at Trainfest in Milwaukee, Murray shared
his enthusiasm: Live Action Gundam Film In The Works
Two rising Hollywood stars are rumored to be involved in a highly anticipated Gundam film with an original plotline that will take place outside the anime’s normal canon and could boost already strong demand for model kits and figures from Bandai Namco. Noah Centineo and Sydney Sweeney are the hot names for the lead roles of an intergalactic version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, this time featuring giant metal robots rather than two star-crossed teenagers from Verona. The Gundam film is based on the Japanese anime franchise created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, which debuted in 1979 with Mobile Suit Gundam. The story takes place in the Universal Century, when humanity colonizes space, sparking a war between Earth and the colonies. Pilots fight these battles using giant mechanized mobile suits. Ahead of the Hollywood buzz, Bandai Namco opened the first-ever permanent Gundam store in the U.S. in The Fashion Outlets mall in Rosemont, Illinois. The sprawling, 3,000-square-foot facility is built around four key pillars: watch, buy, build, and learn. The idea is that Gundam fans can gather at the store to find their favorite collectibles and also build a sense of community with other Gunpla fans. In addition to exclusive kits and merchandise, customers can also play the Gundam Card Game, snap photos with a six-foot-tall Gundam Statue, view extensive Gunpla displays, and more. | 
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