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Hey guys, I am planning on a whole review.. The cars just got here yesterday and they are wonderful. Considering the cost they are simply profound! All I can say is WOW!

Atlas's builder in China goofed I think when they printed the blinds on the outside of the windows of these first production models; good news Jerry Kimble has told us on the Atlas forum that replacements will be offered and the correction has been made. Like the builders never make mistakes on projects.. HA! I jest... Big Grin

I ran outside with the camera and shot some images. I will do a full set of studio and layout shots this weekend.

WOW! Eek


I think these cars look incredible.

All of you that ordered these are going to be thrilled. I simply can't wait to see the whole 11 car consist rolling through the Midland's tunnels!

Thanks
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quote:
Originally posted by Hot Water:
quote:
Originally posted by rdj92807:
How easy will it be to replace all of the windows in each model?

Has anyone removed the body to look inside?

Robert

I'll "third" this question. How difficult is it to get these cars apart in order to add people and replace the windows, assuming Atlas does indeed provide new/correct windows?


I took one of my cars apart with the 4 screws.. The windows are a casting that runs the length of the body. I would prefer the window shades NOT printed on the window so I can vary the height... It guess this is one of the few High Rail elements..
Mine are due tomorrow. Eric, can you show us what the next two cars will look like? Again thanks for your fine assist with Atlas. By the way, do you have an idea what the merging of AtlasO and the rest will mean? I would thing that with the additional volume of the two combined would help.

Thanks

Dick
16 Section Sleeper

Silver Pine as a coach rebuilt from Open Sections in 1964

Budd 16 Section sleeper BLI Ho Sample

Budd 16 Section sleeper Silver Aspen as originally a 16 section sleeper

Conductors Office Dome Coach

This photo just crops off the Conductors window down on the vestibule end.

Rio Grande's Silver Colt

Rio Grande's Silver Mustang
Erik - Thanks a lot. I received most of mine today. I'm still waiting for Silver Rapids, which I hear is on the slow boat. I probably wouldn't have been able to obtain mine if you hadn't posted that Caboose Hobbies had them in stock.

Thank you so much, for me these cars are superb!

Caboose Hobbies was great to deal with, nice guys working the phones.
Great news Marker.

Too bad Caboose Hobbies did not order any 2 rail.

I goofed and did not order 3rd 10/6 sleeper and to my luck Caboose Hobbies had a 3 rail in a different name! WHEW! Converting them seems very straight forward, a quick mount of a Kaydee and some wheels... Only trouble is the missing cut-lever detail and steam/signal lines..

I can handle that. Big Grin
quote:
Too bad Caboose Hobbies did not order any 2 rail.

I goofed and did not order 3rd 10/6 sleeper and to my luck Caboose Hobbies had a 3 rail in a different name! WHEW! Converting them seems very straight forward, a quick mount of a Kaydee and some wheels... Only trouble is the missing cut-lever detail and steam/signal lines..


They did order one 2 rail, the Silver Rapids, I got the last one.

I've converted some Atlas engines and a express reefer before and as I would have expected, it's within my ability. With regard to the Silver Rapids, I'll order an extra 3 rail car and convert it.

Again, thanks Erik.
I received my only CZ car today. I have no place to run them but I wanted one to display. I don't think I have been that impressed with a new train car in a very long time. The car is absolutely beautiful! I preordered another one so I could have a 2R car. I had to get a 3R this time.

I wanted the "Silver Dollar" but I had to settle for "Silver Feather".

No Matter, I love it.

Malcolm
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.
My K-Line Zephyr car was chrome plated as well. I prefer anodized or polished aluminum for these cars. The K-Line domes were not all that great. But K-Line was ahead of the pack.

Now we have a choice - plastic with great detail, or aluminum with pretty darn good detail. My choice will always be metal, but that is mostly an irrational choice.
quote:
Originally posted by jwmathews:
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.


Woody,

Greeting sir, I did some homework for all of us elaborating your findings with the K-Line cars you saw.


K-Line Budd Short Dome casting. (1952 Lionel Origins?)

Atlas Budd Short Dome with the previous "best" Midland Reproductions tooling developed by Oscar Nuebert in 1985.

1952 Lionel #2532 ???Budd Standard Dome???

Sunset's creative approach to the Budd Short Dome.

The 1:1 prototype.

Budd/CB&Q prototype "Silver Dome", made from 1938 Budd Coach "Silver Alchemy"

The K-Line cars look like a standard coach with a dome casting dropped in. The window arrangements make no sense at all. The structure of the Budd Short Dome car including the prototype "Silver Dome" required a stairway and reduced head room underneath the seating area above as a small lounge for sitting looking out the old coach windows.

Even "Silver Dome" required additional height than the standard Budd Dome limiting the access to areas with tunnels.
The Budd standard Short Dome production design utilized a sunken lower lounge with a full stairway and lowered isle. Most if not all other dome designs incorporated this concept. Pullman Standard, ACF, and home built cars.



The K-Line models were and are nice, with a fair degree of work and skill the flat tops can make exceptional models. The "Chrome" plated extruded bodies are IMHO just plain wrong. Maybe too toy like; but there in lies the origins of the market, toy trains. As toy trains they look fantastic. Please don't compare them to an accurate scale model.


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