Thanks for your replies guys. Being used to going online and get just about anything we want, when we wanted it, has spoiled me and dealing with the supply issues has been frustrating. Some good suggestions here that I will be pursuing. Checking with Atlas to see if it's feasible to swap out the motor and accompanying innards of a new unit into an older Roco unit seems like the best option.
reasearchhound Would like to get a new Atlas HO scale S2 in the SP tiger-stripe, preferably DCC equipped, but at least DCC ready, but it doesn't seem that they are available anywhere. Has anyone heard when stock might start to once again show up on vendors' shelves? Lombard Hobbies has a new DCC ready model in stock, but it's in a different road name. So I was wondering if the shell from my older S2 (a SP tiger stripe) would attach the same way on the chassis of the newer unit? Can't remember when I purchased my existing S2, maybe in the mid eighties, but it's old enough to have been made in Austria.
Would like to get a new Atlas HO scale S2 in the SP tiger-stripe, preferably DCC equipped, but at least DCC ready, but it doesn't seem that they are available anywhere. Has anyone heard when stock might start to once again show up on vendors' shelves?
Lombard Hobbies has a new DCC ready model in stock, but it's in a different road name. So I was wondering if the shell from my older S2 (a SP tiger stripe) would attach the same way on the chassis of the newer unit? Can't remember when I purchased my existing S2, maybe in the mid eighties, but it's old enough to have been made in Austria.
The Atlas Silver/Gold version of the S2 was released several/many years ago and is most likely sold out every where. Atlas has had supply chain issues and the new releases of the S2 and S4 (which hasn't been released ever under the S/G version) has been pushed back relative to other products. Not sure why, its the best S series on the market.
I have two of the S2s, and I can tell you that the hood and cab separate the same way as any older Red Box or Roco Atlas S2.
But the sill and fuel tank is still part of the chassis, so you would only be swapping out the "top half" of any paint scheme. Your tiger stripe scheme extends into the sill and tank, so that would probably not be a desireable swap.
Based upon my experience, it looks like you could simply swap out the newer motor, trucks, and all of the innards onto an older S2 frame and shell. But I can't guarantee that. If they are not the exact same, they are very very close.
- Douglas
Does it need to be an S2? It seems that an S4 in SP tiger stripes is available from a few vendors.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Suggest you try reaching out to Atlas and see if they have one available? Then buy that and the engine from your dealer. Also, check to see what Ebay has to offer...