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Other than 3rd Rail and SMR, they are the most detailed cars I have.  Some of Lionel's are nice such as the trailers on a ps1 flat car, and MTH's reefers are nice; however, as a general rule I prefer the Atlas cars.  The Lionel cabooses (smoking - B&0 and Chessie) are the only ones I find comparable to Atlas.  They do have specific 2 rail offerings for most 3 rail offerings and the 3 rail boxes contain shims for those who want to convert to kaydees.

The Atlas 3 rail cars have standard 'Lionel' style couplers. Very detailed, well decorated cars. My only complaint was when I bought my first new Atlas cars about a month ago.....it took me 2 minutes before I accidentally bumped the brake wheel and it went flying.......and I was being careful.....so they are a little fragile. 

Originally Posted by AMCDave:

.......and I was being careful.....so they are a little fragile. 

And they are incredibly well packaged. It can be very difficult to get the car out of the foam insert without buggering something up. My last ham-handed incident popped a step off the car. After the car is out of the foam packaging I trim things down to make it easier to remove/replace the car from the packaging.

 

Gilly

Last edited by Gilly@N&W

Atlas makes the most detailed cars I have seen. They are beautiful. That said they are very delicate. Since I run at my train club, I must transport my Atlas cars in their boxes to keep them from damage. ( I usually take cars out of their boxes and put them in another box to transport to make it easier to carry.) As Gilly stated, taking them out of the box and repacking takes care and patience. I have broken a few stirrups and breakwheels myself.

Bingo player,

   Got to admit I really like the Atlas Steam Era Master Series Box Cars a lot.  The detail is just fantastic, and with this amount of detail the Car become delicate, definitely not a childs play toy.  If you want that by the Trainman series rolling stick, which are darn nice also, with decent molded detailing.   Also Atlas has made some real nice custom runs of the super detailed Master Series, Steam Era Box Cars depicting the small mountain railroads, one of which is the (WAG) Wellsville, Addison & Galeton Railroad, from my home town of Galeton, Pa.  They even come in 2 different road numbers.  If you use the search section, you should still be able to see the pictures I posted a while back of this real nice Atlas Box Car.  Unfortunately I am unable to post the close up detailed pictures again, because they were corrupted with a Crypto Virus just recently. 

PCRR/Dave

My opinions of the Atlas boxcars:

 

1) They are over-priced.

 

2) They are certainly very well detailed, however all the "added on" details are plastic and thus are extremely fragile. Thus I prefer the later production MTH Premier boxcars, as their "added on" details are primarily metal, and not as fragile as the Atlas product.

 

3) They are not easy to up-grade to Kadee couplers, as the coupler gearbox mounting holes are designed for the Atlas "scale" coupler gearbox, and thus do not match the Kadee mounting holes. New mounting holes must be drilled.

Atlas O cars are incredibly detailed and are as fragile as they are detailed. They are TOO well packed IMO. Most of my "break offs" are trying to get a car out of the foam. Stirrups, brake wheels, and ladders abound in my Atlas O " I'll get to that repair someday" box. I always think I'll handle an Atlas O car properly and that is my downfall. As soon as I am casual, "Oops, it's brake wheel" time. It is easier to pick up an O scale Triplex than an Atlas O car.

Originally Posted by Bingo player:
Interesting about the 0-54 curves  do they maneuver around any tighter curves.  I know lionel recommends 0-54 for most engines and I've seen them go around tighter curves

Not mine I tried it as I also had O-42 at the time and it was no dice

But love my cars fragile yes very but the look is outstanding. 

 

Last edited by rtraincollector

Chris,

    I fully understand how you think about the fragile detailing, the Trainman line of rolling stock is definitely for guys like you, I have lots of it myself.  Me I like the fragile detailing best especially on the Steam Era Box Cars, instead of the completely molded semi detail.  However because all our Christmas Box Cars get played with heavily by adults and kids, all are the semi detailed Box Cars, from the different companies.  

PCRR/Dave  

Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

Atlas freight cars are very detailed, but they can be delicate. Sometimes you have to push them out of the boxes via the holes in the back of the foam casing. They've also gotten a bit pricey, approaching $100 per car for some models. They're about the best detailed next to brass.

 

One disturbing thing I've seen with some cars, though is that some cars have had the bolster pins that the truck swivels on break off. I don't know what causes this, but I've had a few cars do this. The pin can be replaced with a 3/16" plastic rod contact cemented in place.

What's the comparison on these toward lionel and Mth.

 

Atlas Masterline O scale freight cars were the most detailed freight cars in O scale when Atlas reentered the market in 1998.  Lionel and MTH responded to the competition by increasing the level of detail on new freight cars introduced into their Standard O and Premier lines in the early to mid 2000s.  Weaver has also introduced very nicely detailed freight cars in recent years. Which manufacturer makes the most detailed model will vary from car type to car type and there are over 200 different freight car models on the O scale market!

 

The NMRA recommends that O gauge cars weight five ounces plus one ounce per inch of car length.  That means 15 ounces for a forty foot O scale boxcar.  A lionel PS-1 boxcar weighs just about 15 ounces although some of their other Standard O freight cars are either lighter or heavier that the recommended weight.  MTH is very consistent in freight car weight and their Premier 40 foot boxcars all come out of the box at 17 ounces.  Atlas cars tend to be heavy with 40 foot boxcars typically weighing 19-20 ounces.  For trains up to about 20-25 car on O-72 curves they are close enough in weight to all play well together.

 

As for couplers, do they have scale couplers and are these able to be used with standard o couplers?

Atlas 3 rail cars have product numbers beginning in even digits and have three rail wheels and truck mounted three rail couplers.

 

Atlas 2 rail cars have product numbers beginning in odd digits and have RP-25 wheels and body mounted scale couplers.

 

My only problem I had with Atlas scale freight cars I got the 33,000 gl tank cars off of the bay and some box cars and not being told in auction and not knowing they took minimum O-54 curves.

 

The Atlas web site says the 3 rail version on the 33,000 gallon tank car requires O-45 minimum curves.  Most 3 rail scale Atlas freight cars are advertised  as requiring O-31 or O-36 minimum curves.

 

My opinions of the Atlas boxcars:

 

1) They are over-priced.

 

Atlas also makes the scale but less detailed and less expensive Trainman Line.  The level of detail is comparable to older MTH Premier freight cars.

 

Atlas also makes the traditional or O-27 sized Industrial Rail line of freight cars.

 

Very nice, very fragile.

 

Much of the damage I have seen on Atlas O scale freight cars has been done when reboxing them.  Make sure to always put the B end (brake wheel end) of the car on the right side when putting Atlas O freight cars back in the box.

 

For more information on O Scale freight cars from all manufacturers see the O Scale Freight Car Guide series.

 

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...le-freight-car-guide

 

 

 

Last edited by Ted Hikel

I'll second the comments that have been made so far. They are the most detailed and prototypical 3-rail cars you can buy. Atlas goes further than any other 3-rail builder to make things authentic, although the current catalog has started offering "fantasy" woodside reefers, which they did not catalog in the Jim Weaver era. (Atlas made plenty of fantasy reefers, but until recently they were all special runs for clubs, dealers, etc.)

 

All Atlas Master Line cars are fragile, but the woodside reefers are the most delicate of the bunch. You especially need to watch the vertical brake stanchion and the stirrups. You also need to be very careful with the hinged doors - it's easy to break the latches if the doors come open and you close them wrong. The more modern cars are easier to deal with. The comments about packaging being too tight and it being too easy to damage a car taking it out of the box are right on the money. The holes in the back of the foam cradle are always useful and sometimes essential to get the car out of the box. 

 

Atlas Trainman cars are a different critter altogether. They are scale size, reasonably well detailed, but much less expensive and fragile. If you are going to be handling the cars a lot, as in taking them to the club for operating sessions or whatever, Trainman cars are a good buy. 

 

One good thing about Atlas - they are fragile, but unlike some other builders you can get the parts to fix them. (Are you listening, Mike W.?)

Last edited by Southwest Hiawatha

Atlas goes further than any other 3-rail builder to make things authentic, although the current catalog has started offering "fantasy" woodside reefers, which they did not catalog in the Jim Weaver era.

 

The Atlas reputation for authenticity is overstated.  They have been cataloging prototypical paint schemes on totally incorrect cars for years, most people just didn't realize it.

 

 

 

I didn't say they were perfect; I do believe they are the best in this area. MTH has done dozens of total fantasy paint schemes, and there are plenty of recent scale Lionel cars painted for railroads that didn't have that car. 
 
Originally Posted by Ted Hikel:

Atlas goes further than any other 3-rail builder to make things authentic, although the current catalog has started offering "fantasy" woodside reefers, which they did not catalog in the Jim Weaver era.

 

The Atlas reputation for authenticity is overstated.  They have been cataloging prototypical paint schemes on totally incorrect cars for years, most people just didn't realize it.

 

 

 

 

MTH has done dozens of total fantasy paint schemes,

 

What?  You mean that the Miami Dolphins don't travel in boxcars? 

 

Most of the Great Northern boxcars ever made by Atlas are of the incorrect type for what they purport to be.  But the Burlington Northern rebuilt USRA boxcar is so wrong in dimensions and detail it is getting close to a BN 6464.

 

Originally Posted by Rob Leese:
Good replies by all.
I would like to restate that Atlas cars are heavy.

The diecast hoppers are, certainly, and railrunners, for example, but I haven't really found the boxcars, reefers or tankcars to be all that much heavier than most similar scale cars from Lionel or MTH, if at all.

Last edited by breezinup

The diecast hoppers are, certainly, and railrunners, for example, but I haven't really found the boxcars, reefers or tankcars to be all that much heavier than most similar scale cars from Lionel or MTH, if at all.

 

Breezinup

 

Get your scale out! 

 

Lionel is inconsistent with the weight of their Standard O freight cars.

 

The 40 foot PS-1 boxcars and steel side reefers weight in at 14 to 14.5 ounces, very close to the NMRA recommended practice of 15 ounces.

 

Similarly sized Atlas 1937 AAR boxcars and steel side reefers weigh 19-20 ounces, about 30% more than the Lionel models.

 

MTH 40 foot boxcars and reefers split the difference at 17 ounces.

 

The same goes for tank cars.  When Lionel copied the old intermountain 100% plastic 8,000 gallon tank car their diecast trucks brought the weight up to 9.6 ounces.  The new Lionel 30,000 gallon tank cars weigh 13.3 ounces, very light for a car that is nearly 60 scale feet long.

 

When Atlas bought the intermountain tooling they upgraded to a diecast underframe as well as trucks and brought the weight up to 16 ounces, more than 50% heavier than the Lionel model.  The Atlas 17,360 gallon chlorine tank cars weigh over 20 ounces, a smaller model but still 50% heavier than the Lionel car.

 

A few Lionel models come in on the heavy side.  The PacCar 57' mechanical reefers weigh a hefty 27 ounces, a few ounces heavier than even the 50 and 53 foot cars from Atlas.

 

Inch for inch one of the heaviest models out there is the little Atlas 70 ton cement hopper.  With a heavy diecast bottom end it weighs 23 ounces.  Lionel's comparable PS-2 covered hopper weighs 14 ounces, very close to the recommended weight for a car of that length.

 

If anyone is curious about car weights check out the O Scale Freight Car Guide.  The weights of many models is given as part of the description.

i have a lot of Atlas cars and have never broken anything off them. i am a 2 railer and have brass locomotives and brass cars so i know to be careful in the handling of these models.

if you want something less fragile then stick with less detailed toys or be more careful you are picking up a 10 pound ham. a short time ago there was a complaint about Atlas not producing enough now some of you are complaining about what they produce. if you are unhappy with their product call them and voice your opinion to them.

How can something be "incredibly well-packaged" if that same packaging makes it easy to "bugger something up"? Seems illogical, but many say it (3rd Rail - please note).

 

I will say, however, that we need to learn that a model's SHIPPING packaging was never designed to be accessible STORAGE packaging. Once out, leave it out.

 

Having said that, I dislike Atlas' packaging; I have gotten locos damaged BY the packaging

(again, 3rd Rail, are you listening?). I do not buy much Atlas, especially the "Master" items.

Too flimsy in many cases. There are so many other choices, anyway, though Atlas and Lionel used to have the same builder, I believe, so many of the same issues.

 

I always preferred MTH (Premier) RS, as it seemed to balance between detailing and robustness. They used to use thin metal steps on freight cars, not the plastic Atlas

parts. I'm not sure that they are still as well-made. 

 

Best, most effective packaging? The heavy foam (not styrofoam) and heavy-gauge boxes once used by Williams. The packaging was better than the contents, sometimes.

There was practically no detail to protect!

Originally Posted by Ted Hikel:

MTH has done dozens of total fantasy paint schemes,

 

What?  You mean that the Miami Dolphins don't travel in boxcars? 

 

Most of the Great Northern boxcars ever made by Atlas are of the incorrect type for what they purport to be.  But the Burlington Northern rebuilt USRA boxcar is so wrong in dimensions and detail it is getting close to a BN 6464.

 

Gee, thanks Ted.  Now I have another Dolphin item to buy!    

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