New Atlas GP7's DRGW Pictures and Problems (UPDATE - 06/24) See last post

Please keep us posted as to the outcome of your engines. I hope Atlas will relieve some of your frustration.

@romiller49 posted:

Please keep us posted as to the outcome of your engines. I hope Atlas will relieve some of your frustration.

Thanks Rob. I sure hope so. My luck with new diesel locomotives was 50/50. I started over a year ago to have the shop unbox, inspect and test run everything. That did solve a lot of problems. Unfortunately, that did not happen with these GP7’s. Most likely a moot point anyway as the dealer had no extra. He only got what he ordered.
Donald

The air tanks are not screwed in, they press on to attach. Mr. Muffins Trains has a link for the instruction booklet for the 3rail Atlas O GP7’s. Hope you get your sound issue solved.

Yo, Don!...

This is interesting.  I mentioned in another thread that my pair of Atlas DRGW Geeps (Pwd+Non) had arrived.  While I haven't fully removed either from their cradles to put them through a track test, I did not find any wandering part(s) in the Non-powered unit packaging.

OTOH, I also found loose coupler parts in the powered unit cradle...a plunger and a knuckle.  No plunger spring, no knuckle spring, no rivet.  Pretty disappointing, to say the least.  And, of course, I picked them up from the LHS on Friday evening...long after Atlas (NJ) had hung it up for the weekend.  However, I did find a location in their website for notifying them of a problem/question.

I will admit that I'm not very optimistic about using this sort of 'contact' tool to communicate with a manufacturer with any confidence of a reply...ever.   It seems my own success rate of receiving a reply using a manufacturer's website contact form is not very rewarding.  A couple times a subsequent phone call gets the usual explanation...'Yeah, gotta fix that someday.  We have a different email address now.'   Nonetheless, I gave a brief description of what I found, said if they'd provide the missing parts, I could reassemble.  Hit 'send'...and probably rolled my eyes with a 'to-cyberspace-and-beyond' huff.

HOWEVER, on the following Monday AM, whaddya know!?...there was a friendly email saying, in effect: 'Send address, we'll send a new coupler assembly.'  ......

Well, it's not here yet, but I have a lot more confidence of a positive outcome.  So, I hope your contact with Atlas is as rewarding.  AND, let us know about the sound issue...it's resolution.  I may have the same issue when I get around to the track test.

Oh, and BTW...I, like most (all?) of us purchasers of the new run of geeps, didn't get a manual.  I mentioned that in the email.  They attached the pdf file for the manual to that Monday response.  Nice!

And, yes, cosmetically the units are gorgeous.

Ending on a higher note, though, Don, I have one solid 'attaboy' for this purchase...the price.  Even though it's been seven long years, and even though the world...and this country...has gone whack-o through those seven years, they held to their 2014 announced pricing.  That's pretty amazing, IMHO!

KD

@Jack Morey posted:

The air tanks are not screwed in, they press on to attach. Mr. Muffins Trains has a link for the instruction booklet for the 3rail Atlas O GP7’s. Hope you get your sound issue solved.

Thank you Jack. Yes, Steve just emailed me a copy of the instructions.

DK

@3rail posted:

Hey guys. I have been away for two weeks since I posted about the arrival of my new Atlas DRGW GP7's.

I thought it would be easier to start a new post with some pics. I woke early this morning to unbox the Geeps and test them out.

The good stuff.

• I think the locomotives look great. It has been a long wait.

The bad stuff.

• My powered unit runs flawlessly. It is very smooth and quiet. It is quiet because none of the sounds work. No bell, horn or prime mover. I tried all the obvious. Made sure the "sound" is turned on. Made sure the volume control is all the way up. Nothing. A reset. Nope. Plus, the rear coupler was lying in the box in a few pieces. I was able to re-assemble the coupler, but the pin will fall out if I turn it over.
• My dummy unit the air tanks on the bottom were loose in the box. Not attached to the frame. I did not hear any screws rattlin' around inside the body. It was never attached at the factory as far as I can tell.
• No instructions.

I will contact Atlas about the lack of any sounds. Maybe just a plug is loose.

Nice engine, I’m sorry to hear of the problems. I have one simple suggestion on the sound you can try: Turn the volume knob the other way a little ways, i.e.,  toward “down” and see if you have sounds. I had a similar problem many years and the late Jim Weaver suggested that and it worked. Jim explained to me that there’s a dead spot past the maximum volume end of the range on the volume pot. Sometimes when it’s turned all the way “up” (as they come from the factory) the contact or what have you hits that dead spot so there’s no sound. So just try turning the volume pot back some and see what happens.

Otherwise Bill Seratelli at Atlas is great and will fix things up fast.

RM

Donald, the engines do look great.  Question, does your DRGW dummy engine have electro-couplers?  My MoPac does.  Or at least they look like electro-couplers (not dummy couplers).  There's no way to fire them so who knows?  I thought that was a weird thing to add to a dummy engine.

@Rich Montague posted:

Nice engine, I’m sorry to hear of the problems. I have one simple suggestion on the sound you can try: Turn the volume knob the other way a little ways, i.e.,  toward “down” and see if you have sounds. I had a similar problem many years and the late Jim Weaver suggested that and it worked. Jim explained to me that there’s a dead spot past the maximum volume end of the range on the volume pot. Sometimes when it’s turned all the way “up” (as they come from the factory) the contact or what have you hits that dead spot so there’s no sound. So just try turning the volume pot back some and see what happens.

Otherwise Bill Seratelli at Atlas is great and will fix things up fast.

RM

Thank you Rich. I appreciate the input very much. Unfortunately, I tried this and still no sound. I miss Jim Weaver. He was a good guy and had big plans for Atlas "O" before his untimely passing.

Thanks again.

Donald

@MikeH posted:

Donald, the engines do look great.  Question, does your DRGW dummy engine have electro-couplers?  My MoPac does.  Or at least they look like electro-couplers (not dummy couplers).  There's no way to fire them so who knows?  I thought that was a weird thing to add to a dummy engine.

Yep! The dummy has electro-couplers and some sort of board inside. I agree, there is no way to fire them, not sure what the board does either. If mine has lights, they do not work either.

Donald

Geez.  Sorry to hear that.  There is a light switch but I presume you know that.  Interesting/weird that there is a board.  I'd be interested in Bill's answer for that.  My guess is he won't know since these things came straight from China.

Hi,

I've tried searching both Mr. Muffin's  and Atlas' websites for the GP7 instruction booklet / pdf file with no success.  Can someone who has the PDF file please post it here?

Chuck

Attached

@MikeH posted:

Attached

Thank you Mike.

DK

I purchased the Union Pacific version of this locomotive.  Mine also required some repair work out of the box - which I've detailed in a separate thread here.  In addition to the user's manual, I found the parts diagrams useful as well.  They are here if anyone else is interested:

O_GP-7_3rail_P1 (atlasrr.com)

O_GP-7_3rail_P2 (atlasrr.com)

O_GP-7_3rail_P3 (atlasrr.com)

[Atlas also has similar documents for the 2-rail models - Atlas Parts Diagrams (atlasrr.com)]

Sam

I already had the parts diagrams; thanks for posting the current User Manual.

Chuck

@3Rail Donald, Wow, the paint scheme on your new locomotives is fantastic, a beautiful set of diesels on a really beautiful layout.  Although you have a few issues, I know Atlas O will take good care of you, I’m very confident in Atlas Service, and their products are usually rock solid. Please keep us posted on your progress in getting the issues worked out.
I would be interested to see if the dummy unit has settings (program switch) like Lionel’s dummy units which would allow the cab remotes to operate the couplers and directional lighting? By addressing the units as a Train TR#. Thank you for the nice update although a bit disappointing in the mix. Happy Railroading Everyone

@MikeH posted:

Geez.  Sorry to hear that. There is a light switch but I presume you know that.  Interesting/weird that there is a board.  I'd be interested in Bill's answer for that.  My guess is he won't know since these things came straight from China.

Hey Mike. Yes, the light switch is the only slide switch on the frame and it is labeled "CONV_CRUISE". Go figure. The same frame is used for both powered and dummy. I contacted Atlas and now waiting for a reply.

Donald

@MikeH posted:

Donald, the engines do look great.  Question, does your DRGW dummy engine have electro-couplers?  My MoPac does.  Or at least they look like electro-couplers (not dummy couplers).  There's no way to fire them so who knows?  I thought that was a weird thing to add to a dummy engine.

Since Atlas uses the same truck assembly for both power and dummy it is probably much less of a headache to install the same coupler

@MikeH posted:

Geez.  Sorry to hear that.  There is a light switch but I presume you know that.  Interesting/weird that there is a board. 

The LED lights need the board, the ability for: Off/Headlight/Red markers just like on the F's.

@3rail - Sorry to hear of your misfortune and hopefully you get ALL of the issues resolved to your satisfaction in a timely manner.

Just going to make a few observations.

First off (and maybe I'm just getting old), but the OP's early comment about a $700 item and "toy trains": to me a $700 model could be considered more than just a "toy". 😳 🙂

Secondly, although Atlas' name is on the box, they are not the manufacturer, they are the importer. In Atlas' case, this is nothing new, as a lot of their products have been made over seas (Austria, Japan, etc.)

Third, it sounds like Atlas is at least responsive to buyer's emails, etc., which is good to hear.  👍

Finally, I hope you get some satisfaction from both Atlas and these models. They certainly look nice...🙂...are these still based on the "old" Red Caboose Geeps?

Mark in Oregon

So sorry to hear of your misfortune - those engines are beautiful, though.

Hey guys. I promised an update. Here it is. I heard back from Atlas this morning and unfortunately, I was instructed to send the locomotive back for service.

Fair enough. Their response was in a timely fashion, and I expected to make a return.

I never changed the GP7's ID number. It arrived as #1 and that is how I kept it. It ran fine with my CAB II as #1 but just no sound. I went down to the train room to pack up the unit but for the fun of it, I tried it one more time. Now, the Geep no longer responded to any inputs from the remote with the address of "1".

So, I changed the address to "11". Addressed the locomotive and all I hear are prime mover sounds. The bell and horn work.

Go figure.

I am happy and that is the end of the story.

Donald