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Reply to "Central Locomotive Works (CLW) + List of O-Scale Diesel Models Kits they manufactured?"

oscaletrains posted:

I have never owned any Atlas F's.  What is wrong with the frames, trucks, drive that come on them?

I may be wrong, but it seems that some Atlas F Units have problems pulling heavier loads on 2-rail track. 

It seems Atlas F Units need more weight for better traction with these heavy car loads and the Atlas original frames are unable to maintain that added weight within the plastic fuel tank (?could break easily?) or elsewhere.

However, this added weight in Atlas F Units may cause more strain and premature failure on the Plastic Gears in the Trucks, Drive Transmission, or the ?Sagami? electric motor that is installed. This weight could cause additional concerns with the engine torque, drive gears, and/or gear ratios used with the Trucks.

The 3/1/00 CLW OEM product description mentioned in the above message says, "With the 15:1 drive ratio, the test chassis for the GP38's through GP50's, pulled 45 Weaver 50' box cars, weighted to NMRA specifications, through two 72' radius curves at about 1.8 amps."  This might be great for a CLW engine pulling occasional long freight trains, but I doubt an unmodified Weaver transmission drive would last long with regular heavy pulling use unless it were upgraded. 

I wonder what CLW's owner Lou Houlemard (?sp?) would say about this thread, problems with Atlas F Units traction that requires modified CLW parts, and what he may suggest as CLW upgrade kits for Atlas frames...

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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