My Atlas locos are among the best running locos.
Very good detail, excellent running road specific details/ paint and lettering quite decent also.
70% of my roster is Atlas (25 units), they have run flawlessly for hundreds of hours of operation w/o any real troubles. One GP40 did develop a grind, however it was just a shifted flywheel rubbing on the quite close tolerance to frame. I would compare these units to older Kato, Stewart / kato, in drive quality and running characteristics. I have numerous Proto, BLI, Stewart, and some Genesis and a couple Spectrum. Overall I find my Atlas to be consistantly my best and most dependable ones.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
I have a number of Atlas locos (S-2, RS-2, FM), but the only sound units are my Monon C-420s. They are downright outstanding as far as sound goes. They are QSI sound and these are my only such units. Programming them is a bit of a different kettle of fish, so if you're too old to learn new DCC tricks, QSI sound may not be the best choice if you need to speed match, etc. In more recent releases, Atlas has been trying other decoders. Point is that may make a difference to you if you have a preference in sound. Other than that, I can do nothing but highly recommend them.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I have 5 Atlas Gold Series locomotives with DCC/Sound. And they all run great, and sound really good too.
Absolutely no complaints on them.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
I only have one Atlas Gold with QSI decoder. It is the Fairbanks-Morse Train Master H24-66. Based on it as an example, if Atlas made steamers, they would probably be on my roster. The FM is very nice, very smooth, good weight, good traction, good sound. Really first class.
Crandell
selector I only have one Atlas Gold with QSI decoder. It is the Fairbanks-Morse Train Master H24-66. Based on it as an example, if Atlas made steamers, they would probably be on my roster. The FM is very nice, very smooth, good weight, good traction, good sound. Really first class. Crandell
Which begs the question. Why doesn't Atlas make Steam locomotives?
Motley Which begs the question. Why doesn't Atlas make Steam locomotives?
Great question, Michael, now I wonder what the answer could be.
Rich
Alton Junction
I have an Atlas HH660 switcher with the new Q2 sound decoder. Wonderful locomotive, terrific sound, and it real-l-l-l-l-ly crawls. (~0.5 sMPH) I also wish the Atlas would get into the steam business.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Motley selector I only have one Atlas Gold with QSI decoder. It is the Fairbanks-Morse Train Master H24-66. Based on it as an example, if Atlas made steamers, they would probably be on my roster. The FM is very nice, very smooth, good weight, good traction, good sound. Really first class. Crandell Which begs the question. Why doesn't Atlas make Steam locomotives?
I suspect that it is for a couple of reasons. In the past, BLI, MTH, Bachmann, Proto Heritage, and Rivarossi all make pretty respectable steam locomotives in HO. Even Athearn has carved out some respectability for itself in that market. There was lots of steam to go around, and breaking into that market, or sustaining it, was not apparently going to be easy or good for the business.
Secondly, whether we like it or not, steam is being slid down to the cool end of the bench one modern diesel at a time. Those of us for whom steam means something are slowly being 'let go'. We die off, and the time gap between modern times and steam times grows by the hour. People identify with what they see around them. For modern railways, thundering, large, and imposing diesels are what the public and enthusiasts encounter. Steam is still fun, but it gets harder to sustain. There are now modern antiques that are diesels, not steam locomotives.
In a nutshell, the market, as Atlas sees it, doesn't support an entry into steam. Maybe we should hope they stay in the diesel business; they're good at it.
With the number of manufacturers still making steam dwindling, I would say there isn't a market for it, or it isn't nearly as profitable. :-(
Bowser/English (Out of steam train business)
Walthers (Barely only offered 0-8-0 in recent years)
Athearn (Typical scarce UP offerings)
Hornby/Rivarossi (only the H-8 really)
Trix (Barely make a Big Boy)
That leaves
MTH - typically big inaccuracies and obscure models that are quite pricey for plastic
BLI - Darn nice engines, but very hit or miss in QA. Customer service is great
Bachmann - good value, poor haulers typically. But they have gotton the vast majority of my dollars
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
This Atlas Trainman Plus NRE Genset is one of the best runners on my layout. I installed a TCS decoder for DCC and it really runs smooth. Beat's my Athearn Genisis and RTR engines hands down. Another plus over Athearn is that the lights are LED. My only complaint is that it doesnt come with Kadee couplers, but if you look closely you can see I changed the coupler out.
Only thing that spoils the Genset are the scale 4" handrails. Why they did this and ran in the Trainman line is mystifying to me. Rest of the detail looks pretty good.
Hergy Only thing that spoils the Genset are the scale 4" handrails. Why they did this and ran in the Trainman line is mystifying to me. Rest of the detail looks pretty good.
Good News though, Atlas saw the error of their ways and will be selling finer scale replacement handrails.
http://www.atlastrainman.com/HOLoco/tmhogenset-handrail.htm
Although in the interests of customer service, should owners of this be charged. I'll bring this up at the Atlas booth in Springfield in a month.
UPinCT
I agree with you about the Atlas couplers. If their locos came with Kadees I would rank them as a 10 instead of a 9.8 as they are now.
Joe
Thanks for the tip on the refined handrails for the Genset. I just ordered a Genset (first run). Trying to figure out if or when the new version handrails will be available. $7.95 for the handrails and will probably be about that for shipping (ugh). Ah, the joys of model railroading.
I'm going to the Amheast show in a few weeks and will bring this up with the Atlas folks. I doubt there will be any break on price but I'll hopefully be able to report back on availability. As you saw the website is light on details, and the LHS says its not in their pre-order section. The LHS said to check through Atlas parts.
I'll be sure to share anything I find out.
My Atlas Deisels are very good and smooth i love them
Hope these handrails aren't on that sloooooooooooooooooooow boat from China. You know, that boat that never lands on U.S. shores till at least 18-24 mos. past the expected date.
or worse the container that the product is shipped in goes overboard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkLwzOOQ3D0