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I know Atlas has come up with a few new freight car items recently, ex: Trinity 5161 covered hoppers, Trinity 25,500 gal tank cars, Trinity corn syrup tank cars & the new articulated well cars.

How can we get Atlas to make new Thrall/Trinity gondolas? Also I wish they'd produce Spartan cab SD70 diesels. I model the newer Illinois Central in the black/white scheme. I have a pair of SD40S  and now need the SD70s to go with them.

Any ideas?4175_13818755095280_1369185879

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Bill McBride posted:

... and a CF7 to balance out your larger SD70.

The CF7 is a great candidate for Atlas. They already have the chassis with the right wheelbase, the right trucks, and the right sound sets. The CF7's are still in use in branch line service after more than 45 years since the Cleburne shops started cosmetic surgery on those F-units rather than trading them in, so they have plenty of road names to choose from outside of Santa Fe and LA Junction (ATSF-owned interchange line). They could do the round-top and the Topeka cabs.

Curtis, Absolutely would love to see Atlas produce the SD70 series in O Scale, including the Spartan cab version, as I model the CN/IC as well!  They certainly would make an incredible locomotive, but having not seen the Dash-8 yet, I highly doubt we'll see an SD70 anytime soon, let alone a Spartan cab variation.  Just not holding my breath.

In terms of the gondola, I can't honestly believe they haven't produced this model already in O scale.

I hate to be a downer as I would love to see ANYTHING from Atlas, but I really doubt you will see anything from Atlas except for updated Weaver tooling. Just my opinion and I hope I'm wrong.

If I was voting I would take the following:

Diesels: GE 70 Tonner, GP30, GP40, SW-1

Steam: 4-4-0, 2-6-0, 2-8-0 (Weaver tooling)

Passenger cars: Late 1800's-Early 1900's 50'-65' open vestibule coaches.

Last edited by jonnyspeed
jonnyspeed posted:

I hate to be a downer as I would love to see ANYTHING from Atlas, but I really doubt you will see anything from Atlas except for updated Weaver tooling. Just my opinion and I hope I'm wrong. 

 

I tend to agree between the just announced CZ sets,Gundersons,Troop cars, 20' ex Weaver containers ,maybe even GE8-40 CWs and F7s they have a full plate for quite a while especially since motive power production continues to be a very slow process. Expect additional ex Weaver models in the future that they have tooling for.JMO

If I was voting I would take the following:

Diesels: GE 70 Tonner, GP30, GP40, SW-1

Steam: 4-4-0, 2-6-0, 2-8-0 (Weaver tooling)

Passenger cars: Late 1800's-Early 1900's 50'-65' open vestibule coaches.

 

We are getting away from the OP's Thrall/Trinity gondola and Spartan cab SD70 diesel projects for his IC to more of "I wish Atlas would make..." focus.  So...

I personally do not need Atlas to bring out a new type of car or engine, but I would love them to reissue items they already have molds for in new road names.  In general, I would like some more late steam era cars in lessor known Eastern roads.

Specifically, I would like Atlas to reissue its F3 Phase 2 Early diesel in the as delivered PRR scheme.  Not sure why they haven't yet (neither has Lionel nor MTH with latest electronics).  Would like both powered and non-powered A and B units so I can put together an ABBA set like the Pennsy initially bought them.  That's not asking too much, is it?

Can't help it - got to add my "Yes Please" wish for a GP38-2 and CF7.... more modern freight cars would also be nice - and also to wish Atlas would get away from the 'Already done by A.N.Other in 3-Rail' mentality.

I shan't post my opinion of 3-rail - each to their own etc - but it strangles the development & advancement of 2-rail something chronic.

Last edited by SundayShunter
Gilly@N&W posted:

B&O Wagon Tops or a Steel water tank (former Weaver or Walthers) would be nice. 

Not sure about the Beano's, but my understanding is that the (former Walthers Cornerstone) Water Tank is not far off.  You and I are sympatico on this item.  I'll put in (another!) plug on our behalf at York next month!

Re the Beano wagon tops....if I thought they'd be offered with the Weaver-design Bettendorf trucks, I'd be pushing a lot harder.  I need a dozen (or more) of the trucks.

However, more recent discussions with an Atlas sales associate leads me to believe that Atlas did NOT acquire the Weaver Bettendorf die cast truck tooling.....although they apparently DID acquire the Allied Full Cushion truck tooling for the troop cars.  (Go figure.....then cry.)

KD 

I'm no expert, but I do have one one order. It appears that, at the very least, at some point the NS MP15DCs had ditch lights on the cab end - there are several pics on rrpicturearchives.net showing them. For example:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...ture.aspx?id=1922292

Hope this is what was being asked, Hot Water.

EDIT: Stephen and Big Train (below): right you are, both ends.

David

Last edited by NKP Muncie

After 1996, ditch lights are required on any locomotive that exceeds 25 mph and regularly crosses grade crossings.  In my experience with the UP, BNSF, and local shortlines in the Denver area, local switchers whether end cab like the mp15dc or traditional like the gp15-1 or gp38-2, have ditch lights on both ends. Here in Cincinnati, I've seen big NS road switchers with ditch lights on both ends as well. They run a lot of interchange traffic from downtown out to the north side of town, and frequently on these runs I see them running long hood forward.

I have no idea if NS having ditch lights on both ends of road switchers is a vestige left from their days of running long hood forward, or if that only happens on locos equipped for local service.

If you see pictures of mp15dc's without ditch lights, start by checking the date on the photos.  That may explain the difference.

Last edited by big train
Engineer-Joe posted:

I had to read up on what a CF7 actually was. (EMD's converted F7 used on the ATSF until 1984). How long did Amtrak use them?

Now that I know I want one too!

I would prefer the Sd70.

Not sure how long Amtrak used them. I last saw one in the early 1990's. They were used in the coach yards to move stuff around.

I can't remember what engines EMD wanted Santa Fe to trade the F-units in for (I think GP35's but don't quote me) but Santa Fe estimated that they could save $90,000 per unit converting them rather than trading them in. Across 200+ units, that was a healthy chunk of change. I had the data somewhere on what it actually cost per unit. I think the actual number was 233 of them from F-unit A's on roster. The B-units remained in service as boosters for a while. The CF7's were sold off in the late 1980's and I've personally seen them on the LA Junction (ATSF Subsidiary that had four of them) in the mid-1990's.

Realistically, Atlas could use the GP7 frame to support the superstructure -- they're pretty close. The prototypes had modified frames because the carbody of the F-units actually partially supported the locomotive like a uni-body car.

At first glance, a CF7 looks like an odd-ball Geep, since few outside of ATSF foamers would recognize it for what it really is, but it's one of those locomotives that's historically significant and in some ways is the precursor of the locomotive remanufacturing industry.

SundayShunter posted:

No need to be an ATSF Foamer - as any fan of Short Lines knows, plenty of CF7s went to Regionals & Short Lines, and some are still active. It's a Freelancer's dream loco!!

As evidenced by this one.  # 1500 is rostered by the Grafton & Upton Railroad (a local short line here in MA).  I grabbed these two quick shots with my iPhone today in the N. Grafton yard.  Unique-looking locomotive to say the least!

imageimage

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CNJ #1601 posted:

As for me, I'd like to see Atlas offer their Trainman RS3 in the later Lehigh Valley paint scheme shown below.  Tuscan (not Cornell) Red with the white nose stripes.  To the best of my knowledge this hasn't been offered in "O".  I'd buy a couple road #'s and would have a blast super-detailing and weathering them!

09100000009020 

I would LOVE if the Atlas O scale RS3 looked like that.... instead of with the toylike incorrect handrail mounting that it has now.  I wonder if Atlas will ever make it correct.

Rule292 posted:
CNJ #1601 posted:

As for me, I'd like to see Atlas offer their Trainman RS3 in the later Lehigh Valley paint scheme shown below.  Tuscan (not Cornell) Red with the white nose stripes.  To the best of my knowledge this hasn't been offered in "O".  I'd buy a couple road #'s and would have a blast super-detailing and weathering them!

09100000009020 

I would LOVE if the Atlas O scale RS3 looked like that.... instead of with the toylike incorrect handrail mounting that it has now.  I wonder if Atlas will ever make it correct.

Yeah, the Trainman RS3 has several issues that aren't to scale. The one that bothers me is the hoods are too high to cover the vertical motors. Once someone pointed that out I wrote them off.

Yes, I have a Trainman RS3 - it was a bargain price here in the UK, but if I'd known about the high hoods beforehand I might have thought twice. They bug me mostly when I look at the shape of the cab center windows. I have replaced the end handrails with home-made longer ones, but have left the main handrails as supplied. The pilots also betray 3-rail origins.

What's annoying is that the Atlas Master RS1 seems to have none of these issues..??

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