Saw one of the new Atlas CZ dome coaches Thursday eve, Jan 12 while visiting a large 3R pike (Northwest Trunk Lines) near Seattle. One of the visitors placed a K-Line dome coach next to it. Imo, there was a great deal of difference; the Atlas model appearing far more realistic.
Reasons: Finish looks more like stainless steel rather than chrome as used on K-L. We didn't have a Sunset Budd car for comparison, but from memory I would describe the Atlas car as slightly grayer/darker than the color used on the Sunset NYC Empire State Express. Personal opinion after taking another look at my Sunset Empire State Express cars: I think the Sunset color comes closest to prototype.
Compared with the K-L dome coach, I think the Atlas roof looks better. The ends of the dome are much closer to the car roof proper; the K-L dome has plain bright "flanges" at each end that appear to be about 1/2" long, filling the "gaps" at the cutout in the roof for the dome. The windows under the dome on one side of the Atlas car are lower, unlike the K-L windows which are at the same elevation on both sides under the dome. The interior seems nicely-done also, with a better-looking floor than on the K-L car.
The owner of an Atlas car told me that the couplers can be adjusted & that the diaphragms can be arranged to touch one another yet still take O-72 (36" radius) curves.
Overall, I think the Atlas cars are good value for money and will be much more correct to prototype than the K-Line cars of about ten years ago. K-Line made a few nice pieces but I think they skimped on some of their later streamlined passenger cars.
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