I have 28 Atlas locomotives, KATO (Japan), ROCO (Austria), and Atlas (CHINA), ranging from the 1960's to present day. Their method of manufacturing is/was always having a quality five pole motor since day one. Speed is/was precise and as close to accurate as possible. Railings range from rugged and flimsy (pop off to make for easy removal when weathering the body), to fine and delicate... lift the locomotive by the fuel tanks, not the body shell. Other's have pointed out truck/bogey and shell removal as actually simple. The plastic is not brittle as you would think. The parts bag provided two black plugs from where the screw hole mounts were in the fuel tank. I believe your model is over 20 years old to show that its quality as a product remains high with no need to change. This locomotive will last forever under normal running conditions, as do the ones I have that are just over 50 years old and still running like a top. Servicing the locomotive will be seldom needed, I promise you that. Once you learn how to properly remove the shell and truck/bogey components, it'll be a breeze to work on. John BC, Canada (nee Wisconsin/Minnesota)
Atlas locomotives are known as reliable, excellent runners with good detail, as your review found. Their mechanisms are considered to be among the best available at a decent price, including on the second-hand market. Definately solid meat and potatoes engines that are the workhorses of many layouts in the US. By the way, the prototype Dash 2 versions from EMD introduced modular electronic controls, which was a big deal at the time. Thanks so much for reviewing this unit from Atlas. Cheers from Wisconsin.
Thanks Andrew - I can see this being reliable, and it's already proved to be an excellent runner! The price was certainly very reasonable for what this was - very impressive! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
A definite classic! However, I do disagree with some things from this review: 1. The body shell is very easy to remove, you just have to remove both coupler pockets at each end and wiggle the shell off. Missed opportunity for you to see the built-in speaker housing (for sound decoder installations). 2. The slow speed was intentional. The real engines could only go around 65-70mph, and by gearing the engine low you have more torque- something very much needed when hauling large amounts of freight. 3. The wheel cover plate is also very easy to remove, you have to really wedge the screwdriver in there. The wheelset (rather basic), is a universal design. Atlas, Athearn Genesis, MTH, Kato and Walthers (to name a few) all use a design very similar to this. And last but not least, the Santa Fe diesels in question are EMD E8s. Rivarossies/AHMs, very old (a good 40 years I believe). If you want matching coaches, I suggest either getting the high-detailed Walthers Proto Super Chief cars (metal wheels, interiors, metal couplers), or go for the more budget friendly IHC cars (all molded detail, no interiors, plstic wheels). Cheers from the USA, TRP.
Thanks very much for sharing! And agreed on the slow speed - I reached that conclusion myself in the end! I'll have to try again with the wheel cover - I'm not keen on just ramming a screwdriver under it to pry it away... screws and base keepers are 10x better in my opinion - but it's good to hear they're easier than I thought! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi Sam, I have several Atlas locos in my US collection. To remove the body you need to first, remove the coupler pockets at each end. Sometimes there might be a screw between the truck & the fuel tank. After undoing them the body will, with a gentle wiggle come off. Just be wary of any wires going to the headlights etc. The Master range is the higher end of Atlas models, Silver denotes DCC ready & Gold is DCC Sound fitted, both my GP40's are sound fitted. The only slight downside is that they are not fully detailed. Your version should have 2 ditch lights on both ends. But as you say, the value is certainly there. Keep up the great reviews Boa
Hey Boa - thanks a lot for this - I've had a number of comments explaining how to remove the body, so I will have to try it - didn't like to pry too much mid-review as I didn't want to damage it - thanks so much! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Awesome review! Finally a review of modern North American locomotive type. I have a few Atlas locomotives and a lot of their rolling stock in my collection. Silver series from Atlas means the locomotive is DC/DCC Ready. The Gold Series version has DCC & Sound from the factory.
Thank you! Yes at long last - ooh very interesting - I didn't consider it would be that... so is there no bronze range then? Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Atlas makes a good quality product. Their engines are by design meant to be run slow or shall we say run slower. The handrails are not as fragile as they appear because Atlas uses Delrin plastic, a durable and strong material but a bear to get paint to stick to. Keep in mind many American freight locomotives are geared to drag heavy trains at a medium speed.
American models do usually have a matte finish, and the Atlas model here actually looks more realistic for a railroad's daily use. In real life around here, the weather can wear off the shine pretty quickly, and they don't get cleaned or repainted so often (especially freight units like the GPs). Atlas has always been known for good quality at reasonable prices (their early models were made by Roco and were basically bullet-proof), and all the ones I've owned from old to new have been very good runners. I don't know what your model budget looks like, but if you want to try a truly unique American steam engine, Rivarossi recently brought their Heisler locomotives back (£198 at Train World)! These were geared locomotives built for high torque and the ability to run on rough track, and are recognizable by their "V2" engine in the middle. Since they were geared for torque and had small wheels compared to most steam engines, they would run at about 10MPH, or maybe even 15MPH if the engineer was pushing it!
Sam, military veteran from the states here. I think it's really neat you've broken in to the Atlas models reviews and I appreciate that you espouse support for veterans of both the UK and the US. I found your channel while serving in the US Army and I've been in love with your content since! Thanks for the review, cheers!
Those red and silver diesels are known as "E units" which stood for "eighteen hundred horsepower", which they got from a pair of 900 horsepower Winton 201A V-12 diesel prime movers, each connected to their own generator, which each drove 1 of the trucks. Those particular ones are in the famous Santa Fe railroad "warbonnet" paint scheme. And to top it all off, they too were made by EMD.
Hi mukka, Hope this finds you well. The large metal plates "(buffer beams)" around each end of the loco which the air hoses rest against are "cow catchers"... yes, they are still called that. The rings on the top of the body are for the removal of the light bodywork panels which are removable when the power unit or main generator needs major work or replacement. (The whole locomotive is generally lifted with support points under the framework on each corner) The three fans together are for radiator cooling, the solitary fan is for the cooling of the resistor grids when in dynamic braking. Cheers from Gaz
Early 1970's, I lived just a few hundred meters from the Conrail (Former PRR & Penn-Central) rail yard in Altoona PA. On Sundays my friends and I would often sneak into the turntable area of the Juniata Shops and "Play" in GP-40's, earlier Model Geeps, and there were plenty of "F" units available for exploration. We never got chased away by railroad police. We had blast. There are still plenty of GP40-2's locally and at the national level plying their trade on local lines, and for shunting as needed. Speed range displayed by your Atlas version appears to be realistic.
Holy crap! I didn't expect to see a locomotive from my hometown pop up on your channel! While I do live in Louisville and have probably seen GP-40's at some point, the Paducah and Louisville run west out of the other end of town so I've never seen them in person. Regardless, that's very cool!
@@Matttrainz07 Only thing that could be cooler would be a Louisville & Nashville locomotive. Now I have managed to see a few L&N engines in person. The 152 Pacific and the 411, both from the Kentucky Railway Museum. There's one local modern railroad that I have seen a bit of though, the Louisville & Indiana. That would be cool to see represented as well. Especially since the livery pays tribute to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
GP40s were heavy freight locos and weren't know for going very fast(60-70mph the max). In fact, many have been geared down or reduced to shunting duties making them the US's version to the Class 08. Also the long heavy trains as well as track infastructure would have made it impossible for them to often hit their max speed of 70mph anyway. Can't wait for the next review!😁
There were passenger variants for example the F40PHs, GP40PH-2s, GP40TCs, GP40Ps, GP40FH-2s, GP40WH-2s, GP40-2Hs, and also GP40MCs. Now most are either rebuilds (GP40PH-2 is rebuilt GP40Ps, GP40TCs now GP38-3s on Amtrak) or retired but they were ALL built for commuter and passenger services.
Kabuki Kitsune and Dylan Ruppert, I was talking about specifically the freighter version which Sam's Trains has. 90% of the all freight locos in the US have a passenger version(Amtrak's diesel locos are perfect examples). In fact, Amtrak's Siemens Charger is one of the only US diesel locos to be exlcusively made to be a passenger loco. Also, I knew of the passenger versions of the GP40 but there are geared exclusively for passenger service not for freight.
@@jasonjohnson892 well technically not in the sense of Amtraks GP38-3s and B40-8WHs theyre used mainly in MOW and switching dutys but CAN lead passenger trains and still reach speeds of 75mph and they were both originally built for strictly passenger dutys before newer locomotives like the F40s and Gensis locomotives came along
@@jasonjohnson892 The P42 (though based on the C44-9) is the last cowlbody Amtrak unit made based off a freight platform. Infact, the GP7 (the unit before the GP9) was based off the F7 series. Many of the early EMD engines where built/based off of the F & E series engines. With how small Amtrak is for a Class 1 (post KCS/CP merger approval), and history (1971-present) Amtrak (& Conrail) had 2% of total roster. Back in the age of steam though, you could stick a passenger engine on a freight, and a freight on a passenger as it was standard practice (don't need to go further than the numerous 4-8-4 classes to see what I'm getting at). If we're talking diesels, then it's roughly taking into account the early inter-war diesels 25% of the total roster are (true) passenger engines with a freight variant. After 1960(-ish), you'll see the flop. The SD40 came first, then the SDP40, then the GE U-boats, then their passenger variant, then the last freight design, the C40-8W, then the B40-8W (the only way the B32-8WH was even possible), then the B32-8WH. Even the F40 was a freight locomotive. So technically, your percentage is 63%, or even lower considering that there is no other variants other than models made from the 70's to 90's A span of 20 years Amtrak wise, as most engines used steam to provide heat & electrical before hand (and even then, not that many, mainly EMD F & E series), that and that most engines by the 1960's where used for freight exclusively, with 5 times as many freight engines for the entire passenger locomotive fleet. All this is also excluding DMU's EMU's and HSR sets.
haha I don't blame you - value for money here was very impressive... especially given how American models have a reputation for being more expensive than ours! Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains You also gotta try out Scaletrains from here in the US as well! They're defiantly worth the money and very popular considering they've only been around since 2015!
@@dylanruppert4547 Are they economically viable to get already discounted MSRP, and then pay customs import fees? "Worth" money is the example shown in this video. an overrated model that everyone owns practically is another.
There is a gold series from Atlas which comes with DCC/sound, also an "economy" line called trainman. Two round plugs go in where the shipping screws come out of. The railings are made of a flexible engineering plastic called delrin which is much more flexible than you think. They don’t tend to break though the stantions might pop out of their mounting holes. Bodies are much easier to remove than. You think.
love these diesels , the guy who ran our club had a "cheap" basic one of these ( I think he was a little ashamed of it , regarded it as "foreign muck ! ) and it was the best runner at the club (, compared to collector locos and hand built stuff .) - totally reliable and a good crawl !
One could make a Thomas the Tank Engine episode or something out of it. Point is, there's a lesson to be drawn here, and that's one of not underestimating what doesn't seemingly fit in.
As an American, it seems your American audience is growing. I've been enjoying your reviews on UK/Euro trains. Wonder if Japanese and other trains would be of interest?
It looks very impressive and the waggons are great. I have a Walthers Trainline EMD GP15 which is incredibly similar to this one in some areas, the handrails and bogies are identical. It is not as lavish in it's detail but was not as expensive as this GP40. It has all wheel drive and all wheel pickup with big flywheels on the motor and runs very smoothly and quietly. Not fast but fast enough. These American locomotives are very good and are good value for money. The body shell on mine is attached with 4 screws and comes off easily but is not DCC ready so more of a budget offering. I like them because they are more similar in outline to some of the Victorian Railways diesels so seem more familiar to me than a British outline diesel. Nice to see a video about these locos. 😊
@Sam’sTrains The red and chrome white diesel that you’ve asked me to identify has to be an EMD E-unit DMUs painted in the iconic Santa Fe Super Chief livery. As you can notice, it has two locos on both front and back of the train. They are known as A units. The middle one is a cabless unit called B-units. All in all, the train is in an ABA arrangement. They can be separated for certain reasons.
I've read through (most) of the comments; perhaps I missed mention of these but in case I didn't: -- GP stands for 'General Purpose'; this series were Bo-Bo(4-axle) with highest number reached in series being GP60; as name suggests these were meant to be versatile engines and with the appropriate gearing and appliances suitable for, most commonly, freight service, but also passenger service(ie, GP40TC) . -- A matching horsepower sister series to the GP was the SD, for 'Special Duty'; these were of Co-Co(6-axle) type and are still on offer(by the successor owner of EMD, Progress Rail), and one model, the SD40/SD40-2 variants sold well over 5000 units; in contrast to the GP type, EMD(ElectroMotive Division of General Motors Corporation) was originally purposed for heavy-haul relatively slower freight service. -- The large looped yellow ribbon, though it is used to increase awareness for a number of causes or societies, in this context it symbolises past and present US armed forces personnel involved in armed conflicts. -- A flat finish on models is preferred in North America; if it's shiny or glossy it is seen as being 'toy-like'.
Sam: The first time an Atlas loco has ever run on my railway. I think I'm right in saying that. Sam having so many locos he can't remember them all: Suffering from success
Great engine. Atlas is a great brand of loco's. I recently got the atlas B30-7 and it's a great engine. You should get the athearn Genesis ho scale gp40-2 I have one in the Boston and Maine paint and it's a great engine. Or any athearn Genesis loco all of them are great. Also if you think this is very detailed then you'll be surprised when or if you get a scaletrains locomotive
This particular GP40 was built in 1967 for the Milwaukee Road and was later bought by Amtrak in the 1990s. 2129 has been owned by the P&L since 2008 and was given this livery in 2015. 27:25 I've been waiting for you to run this! It's an EMD E8. I thought you did have some more American passenger cars from that same lot that are also Santa Fe.
The Couplers on the Atlas HO range are McHenry plastic couplers. it is very quick to change them out for far better Kadee couplers. I have a Alco RS-5 with sound and it can haul a good load. would highly recommend a Sound fitted Fairbanks Morse or Alco loco from Atlas if you get around to acquiring one.
Interesting note, the removable top panel where you can allegedly install DCC is a commonly swappable part in GP and SD models... because you need at least 2 versions to represent different prototypes. This version depicts a unit with dynamic brakes, but some roads did not order them (they're less useful on flat areas like the Midwest). So typically manufacturers make it a separate, easy to remove part so they can use one tool to make the main body and two smaller tools for the dynamic brakes / blank section. It does mean you have to be careful picking them up as they can't always bear the whole weight of the locomotive. In the diagram you can see there are two different designs for parts that go there. The plastic handrails are a common issue with US models. They're the best way to get anything reasonably prototypical (and they do tend to look right) but they're small and crunchy. Wire handrails that big and complicated have a ton of issues; I've got a few older models that have them but they tended to be arrive unfitted and each stanchion was a separate piece that could slide freely along the horizontal part of the handrail unless you glued it.
Excellent review, I have purchased 17 Atlas locomotives (1980-2004) and found them to be very reliable and detailed for the price range. FYI, I have no major issues with basic maintenance. Atlas has always been know for its Details, Performance and Reliability . This particular model is no longer available, but others are at a higher price $169.00 or UK 129.00 but it has DCC/ Sound.
I watch all your videos, well as many as I can. It is especially nice to see North American locos being reviewed. I saw that someone explained on how to remove the shell off the Atlas loco. Remove the coupler boxes and the shell slides off. As for the base plates on the trucks, a precision screw driver is needed to pry the clips up. I have a few Atlas locos. I am a Canadian railroad collector. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific. If you are making a list of North American model manufacturers to review, here are the makes I have: Rapido, Athearn, Atlas, Bowser, Stewart, Intermountain, Scale Trains, Kato, Walthers. Athearn Ready to Run (RTR) is Good, Athearn Genesis are best. Atlas Master Gold is best. If you are interested in old but good, check out Life Like Proto 2000 and True Line Trains. Cheers.
I'm an N scaler here in the USA, and I've used Atlas locomotives, along with KATO, for many years. No problems running them on my layout. N Scale disassembly is relatively easy. The hand rails are even smaller than HO, yet I have never broken one over all these years. I have seen the real version of that locomotive and the green paint was a flat green... not gloss. That yellow symbol is a yellow ribbon. Another way of showing support for the troops. One suggestion... the Santa Fe F7s or F8s were run together at front of the consist. Either back to back or elephant style. But not in DPU fashion like you are running your very short Super Chief train. Radio control was not even a pipe dream in the 1950's. It was a fun review of a Atlas engine from someone who isn't from here and was the first time ever running one.
Sam, I was very interested in this. I lived for ten years in the US as a teenager and had lots of Atlas products. You should also try Walthers and Athearn Genesis locos as well. I think your score was a little on the low side but must agree about the plastic railings. I have a fifty year old Tyco GP20 (1960s red box era, when Tyco made good products) and it has metal stanchions and rails. My GP 20 is also impossible to service, but is still running after 50 years, and the 5-pole motor though very noisy still crawls amazingly, especially with a heavy rake of boxcars behind. The Santa Fe loco is probably an E7 or E8. Rapido are producing an awesome model of the E8, due the end of this year - hint-hint. I have mine on pre-order.
Your "unknown" diesels are the E8 or E7 Class, apart of class E, the first mass produced passenger diesel locomotives in the US, and the first class of diesels in the US not to be permanently coupled to a set of passenger coaches.The EA, built for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the 1930's, was the first of this class. EA number 51 is on display after a semi-recent cosmetic restoration, and it is a beautiful work of art.
I like how instead of choosing a big name railroad you chose a forgotten shortline railway from my home state. No matter still a great locomotive, great scheme, & great channel my man
You have no idea how excited I got seeing this pop up on my front page! I think the Santa Fe locos are EMD E8 definitely a staple of vintage American diesels. I ended up buying a bachmann E8 in PRR livery because of your review on one.
Very enjoyable Sam. The Canadian Pacific Railway near my home used a lot of these and the scale speed looks bang on. Canadian railways operate generally at a much lower speed than the UK so the slow model speed looks very convincing to my eyes. I’m glad you got a good deal and a Satisfying model!!
Very decent locomotive. I have an Atlas SDP 35, in the Gold Series, which has sound and the amazing 'doppler horn'. You are correct about the flimsy railings as I have knocked those off but they were easy to put back in place again. The SDP 35 has a good turn of speed but also decent at slow speeds. Of course it is made by a Jersey company!
I've got an Atlas EMD FP7 that was built in 1979 (45 years old as of typing this comment) as far as my research could tell and it still runs like it's new with relatively little maintenance in the 20 or so years I've had it
I rode scross Canada on the VIA Rail Canadian from Halifax to the Rocky Mountains, 5000 km. It was pulled by one of these locos, with the high hood for the steam generator for passenger service. It was geared for a maximum speed of 65 mph and on the quarter-mile ribbon rails across the prairies we couldn't get near the posted speed of 110 mph unfortunately.
Nice, a P&L Geep!. I've got a few photos of the prototype on my Flickr if you wanna see the real thing in action. They painted this and 2127 into special schemes about 6-7 years ago.
I bought my first GP40 a few months ago (Made by Athearn) to pull my CMX track cleaner as none of my UK made locos had the hauling power to pull such a heavy thing. I've bought two Atlas locos since and found them all very similar in terms of pulling power and mechanism. They are a bit noisy compared to Hornby and Bachmann in my experience. If I had one criticism it's that the manufacturers don't include info on how to get into the thing, meaning I had to go on RMWeb for advice more than once. As Sam said the Atlas locos often have fragile handrails which snap off soon as look at them so much care is require when handling/disassembling. Still, a good price for a nice loco. Will we be seeing a Fleischmann review some time I wonder?
The P&L is my local regional railway, I've taken a few shots of 2129 in the last few months. Atlas is a solid company with good quality and affordability, happy to see this review.
Sam, if you're looking for more American makes to try out, here's a couple recommendations: -Intermountain (steam or diesel) -Athearn: The "bluebox" locomotive kits are still plentiful in NOS condition; their RTR (ready to run) range were generally more mid tier and the "Genesis" range is Athearn's premium tier -Broadway Limited Imports (BLI): try either their steam or diesels. Good detail and fantastic pulling performance, though their decoder technology is lagging way behind other manufacturers If you feel like spending a lot of money for a really premium model, either Rapido (North America), Walthers Proto or Scale Trains are the three most well regarded companies
@@SamsTrains I'd also suggest Kato as well. If their HO scale engines are anything like the N, they're good. I have probably 100 Kato locos in N and all the ones I've bought new ran well right out of the box, first time.
I recently got an older Atlas silver series Fairbanks Morse trainmaster diesel locomotive and while I have not yet run it as all my engines have to be DCC equipped to run on my layout, the engine is beautiful for the years it came out. I can only use an 8-pin decoder and it can have TWO 30mm speakers installed for that loud horn and low grumble from the prime mover. I’d love to see you review an MTH sound equipment diesel locomotive. I have had more positive experiences with them over the steam engines, only because the steamers were second hand. Good runners and sound good. My favorite from the fleet is my two Conrail GP35’s that have a remote activated coupler so I can do switching, or shunting, operations without having to worry too much about coupling. You can even open them on the fly for quick drop and goes.
Don’t have a ton of atlas locos but the ones I do have are fantastic. Their AEM-7 especially which despite being a tooling originally released in 1999(which is also the version I ended up with) it is still a great looking and operating model today and the updated runs from atlas look even better.
Atlas makes some of the best locomotives and rolling stock available. The detail is amazing and the prices are great. My only criticisms are the couplers which break over time as they are only made of plastic, I would recommend you to replace your locos couplers with Kadee ones. My other criticism is that the disassembly is very difficult. I own many atlas locomotives and they were all equally difficult to get apart. As for the running, they are some of the smoothest running locos, they are purposefully geared to be slow to be more like the prototype. It's to bad that the hand rails are plastic, but most American manufactures make there locos with plastic hand rails. The only company that comes to mind that does have metal hand rails is Rapido Trains, which I recommend over any other company. Anyways, another great video Sam!!
Atlas are excellent engines, the plastic rails are good because they pop back to where they should be instead of metal that bends or breaks. They're meant to be more durable, not make them fragile. The body comes off when you remove the couplers from each end. I have lots of Atlas engines and they are one of my favourite. The gold series is even better and comes with ESU loksound decoders and sound, and I can get them for about $200Cdn pretty reliably, even the shops aren't more than $250Cdn. They have a beautiful crawl, lots of detail, nice paint, honestly the backbone of a railroad.
Having seen a good number of modern and relatively modern locomotives here in the US, the bell color is definitely going to be accurate. Usually, they're located on the underside of the locomotives, usually next to the fuel tank, and are usually painted (or left) black. However, if the bell is on the sides of the long-hood (like this one is) or on the front of the cab, then the bell is usually painted to match the color on the locomotive around it, like this one is. The horns are also usually painted the same color as the rest of the locomotive as well.
Hi Sam. I'm really glad you sometimes review American model trains! Atlas is one of the biggest model train companies here in America. Atlas is sort'a equivalent to Hornby. They're the company everyone thinks of when they think of model trains. Like Hornby, Atlas' quality isn't absolute top of the line, but their models are competently made, sturdy, reliable, and reasonably detailed to the satisfaction of most hobbyists. As you've seen, American companies tend to be over the top in their packaging 😕 Oh, and yes, Kadee couplers are the standard default here, like Tension Lock couplers are the standard default on your side of the pond.
Got to be honest Sam - I think the matt finish looks best. It's rare to see anything but a brand new loco looking shiny. I have a Proto 2000 model of the similar (ish) GP18 loco that I bought in 1993. It's of very similar construction and nearly all of your comments would apply to that - great detail, flimsy parts, fabulous running etc. Think I paid about $40 (in the U.S.A. on holiday)
I love atlas, especially this one you reviewed sam, id love to find the same one for my collection, ive loved trains since I was three and ill love them for the rest of my life
Sam, this engine is a switcher (Shunter) and that is why it is geared for slow speed operation. I agree it is a bit plasticky looking. It is a shame that other manufacturers do not follow the same when it comes to gearing for the type of loco. Martin. (Thailand)
When new, the CB&Q and Western Pacific used them on their fast freights. But the last 40+ years they have been used as switchers, all they do is change the gearing for the most part .
Agreed. I have shot photos of the real thing working the small yard at Cecilia,Kentucky a time or two, along with many sister units. Track speed on the PAL is probably 40-45 tops. PAL rosters a fleet of GP40-2s and GP38-2s along with SD70MACs. They're an interesting operation, and have a "sister" railroad not far away out of Evansville called the Evansville & Western. Same paint scheme, just different lettering. The parent company also owns a third railroad in West Virginia too I believe.
@@SamsTrains I wonder, Sam, if you've misinterpreted the flat finish "plastic like"? This is a military tribute scheme so perhaps, in keeping with that, the loco is actually finished in matte olive drab, like so much military equipment?
Hello Sam, American here I have a few Atlas locos and they all opperate well. They do have a "Gold" line that is their top quality brand that is actualy quite good. Give Kato locos a try, they are resibly priced with some great detail. Great video btw
I never bought any Atlas locomotives because whenever I purchased any American locomotive I opted for broadway, athearn or MTH locomotives from trainworld. But I do prefer Atlas rolling stocks for both my HO scale and N scale models. Their rolling stocks are nicely detailed and well decorated and reasonably priced. The N scale comes with metal wheels as well. i guess you have to keep an eye on what kind of atlas items you are buying because some of them do come with plastic wheels.
There were plenty of similar locos going on all the railroads in and near my home town when I was growing up, and the speed this model runs at 50% power looks... perfect. They pull freight, they aren't speedy. My recent Atlas NRE Genset has a similar speed range, similarly slower than most others but looks realistic enough. My older Atlas RS-3 has a Kato-designed drive so it's not directly comparable, I think. On the other hand, the passenger F40PH was directly derived from the GP40-2 and had different gearing to accommodate. I believe I've seen one of those in some of your older videos, it's the very common Amtrak B-B diesel locomotive. If you're looking for another manufacturer of American locomotives in HO... I like my Scaletrains dash 8, but I'm not sure how easy it would be for you to get anything from them. Some people might be interested in reviews of cheaper diesel models from Walthers or Bachmann. I can't think of many steam models that will have reasonable prices which you haven't covered already. Bachmann allegedly has retooled their USRA 0-6-0 so I guess I'd be interested to see how much better than the old one (represented in their Prairie... they just slapped extra wheels on an 0-6-0 for a completely fictional engine). Athearn are also releasing some steam models with some long history but they're on the higher end for price. Oh, and Rivarossi have their new 2-truck Heisler, I really want one but not at the $260 I'm seeing it selling for.
50% speed would be about 52,3 kph or around 14,5 metres per second. Considering the loco was about 18 metres long, I'd say the speed seems to be roughly in correct scale.
The thing I like about your reviews Sam is that you don't take a bias. Your not one of those America Bad Britian Good people. You make legitimate criticism and don't bias it by country, keep up the great content
I have quite a few Atlas N scale locos and they are among my favorites along with Kato. The GP40 is one of my favorite locos and my favorite railroad, the Western Pacific had several.
The livery is a P&L design (Paducah & Louisville) Based in Kentucky. It runs on old Illinois Central track and infact I have seen these locomotives myself hauling coal trains from a local mine.
A few things, that curved thing at the front is called a pilot or a plow, and at the back it is just a pilot. Though, a lot of us do also call them buffer beams on occasion. Next, I’ve worked with Atlas before, and I gotta say they know what they’re doing, one of my most reliable engines is a switcher(shunter) built by them. Last, that set you had at the end consisted of a pair of Aitchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe(ATSF) EMD E8 or E9(no physical differences and are usually meant to be coupled back to back, not HST style) with an unrealistic heavyweight(late steam era coach) from the ATSF’s “Valley Flyer” consist, which I believe Con Cor made a set of them, with the realistic and unrealistic variants of the cars like baggage and observation and so forth(say if a train was meant to be an all sleeper consist but a manufacturer made dining cars and coaches to add to it). As per usual, great review, and have a good [insert time of day here]. Tootle pip :)
I did try one of these a few years ago. I've heard others say that it's easy to get the body off, but mine refused to budge even though I did everything right. Your mileage may vary. That aside, though, Atlas models are lookers for sure. The Master line models do not skimp on the detail. As mentioned by others, those Santa Fe diesels are E8 units, and they were commonly found on passenger trains. What I haven't seen mentioned, though, is that they were run back-to-back, rather than HST-style. The trains they were assigned to typically ran over long distances, without much need to turn around.
I recommend Lionel. While they're most known for their O gauge trains, they also have HO gauge, and depending on if you go a starters set, you can have a remote control that is exclusive to said locomotive.
I have an Nth American N scale layout (in progress of course)with 75% Atlas locos and rolling stock.Even for n scale I’m impressed by their quality and apart from the odd coupler and bogie truck pin problem I have never had issues.The four diesels are still going strong after ten+ years.
I'm a fan of Atlas. They occupy a nice middle ground in the US market between toy electric trains and super-detailed, super-expensive models. I have several of their HO & N scale locos. They are all great runners & quite reliable. Atlas has a section on their website that tells how to remove the body shells from their locomotives. For the base plates on the bogies, you will need a very small flathead screwdriver to undo the clips. Apologies if this is a repost, I think UA-cam ate my old post.
Awesome review, like always Sam, and maybe we can see a Model review of the German Model Train Company Märklin, that would be something nice and new. Maybe a review of a Inter City Express, or from a old German Steam Locomotive.
Atlas Master (silver or gold), Athearn Genesis, Kato, Bachmann Spectrum, and InterMountain all make excellent-running locomotives. Just the level of detail, and whether they’re DCC ready or DCC equipped are the main differences. They all make HO/N, but only Atlas (I think) makes O-scale models as well. The “Accu-mate” couplers are plastic (except for the trip-pin, which is steel, I believe) and are (or were) made by Accurail (I think they got bought out by Atlas or Walthers.) I prefer the Kadee brand couplers on my equipment. There’s also the new kid on the block, ScaleTrains. They have two lines; “The Operator” and “Rivet Counter”. Both have DCC, just the level of detail (and perhaps, DCC sound equipped) are the main differences, if you can afford to buy them.
Hi Sam, Enjoyed your review of the Atlas GP40 diesel. We had Atlas products when we were kids decades ago. They were always some of the best. Never remember any problems with them. They were always a bit more money than lets say TYCO, which in the 1960's were a very good product. They are still around but I think the quality really isn't there. You had Revell, Athearn,AHM,Varney, and Life-Like (not a fan I'll add). For the most part when these trains were produced domestically all of them I mentioned were good. I'm going to take a stab at what kind of diesels those 2 are. I believe they are General Motors (GM) or now EMD E-8. Basically passenger service but you might catch some doing freight duty is the power (diesels) was not available. Really enjoy your reviews and like when you do American stuff. I'm a retired Delaware & Hudson Railway Co. employee. We are despite what the B & O, the oldest railroad in America. Thanks again Sam! Regards, Bob Doyle Pennsylvania, U.S. of A.
Sam if you ever need to get the shell off, take the couplers pockets out, the body should lift off the frame completely, thus avoiding damage to the handrails.Note it may be a bit of a snug fit and light prying with a small screwdriver may be need between the inside of the shell and the frame. This is a relatively standard practice with US model manufactures. I have a few of these GP40's from them in their Gold line (same as the silver line but with sound/DCC) and they are solid performers and more robust that first expected in terms of durability of details (Keep them at a train club for anyone to use and they hold up). As for your question for speed, they are geared low. GP40's are freight hauling road switchers after all. Your American Santa Fe locomotive is an EMD E8.
The handrails are probably made from Delrin which is a very tough but flexible plastic. You should be able to bend them all over the place without them breaking. Delrin however, does not take paint well and any paint on the Delrin parts would start flaking off. The lift rings on the roof are for lifting off access panels. They would never take the weight of the entire loco. In North America, the bogies are called trucks.
The old White Glove examination by our fearless reviewer. A flat finish, and wot, no sprung buffers? Bin the bloody thing! Actually, have an S1. Excellent runner, pulls like an ox. I would hazard to say that these locomotives are geared down for slow running, which is a preference of discerning modellers in North America. Also, secondary lines like the P&L will rarely exceed 35 to 40 miles per hour owing to track conditions, often far slower. Not a brilliant trainspotter, but I think your Santa Fe units are E3's lovely beasts introduced in 1939 for passenger service.
I don’t live in the US but atlas are really good quality for their budget prices. I’m pretty sure they’re geared to run slow because you don’t see a lot of high speed freight trains in the US given how poor their track is. If you can find another one of these I’d highly recommend the Union Pacific livery over anything from the eastern or southern United States 🇺🇸
When NEW they had been used for fast freight, CB&Q along with the Western Pacific (CP & CN ?) had the gearing change for this purpose. After 5 + years they changed back to standard freight gearing of the time, with the exception of commuter railroads which that changed the Number to GP40P, GP40FH GP40MC,etc. Not sure what the Poor track comment means exactly.
Atlas Master is top end. Silver means Standard DC, but it is DCC ready. As a heads up, the GP40 is very similar to the GP38 but a differing detail is the a GP38 has 2 fans at the end of the long hood (back of the locomotive) where the GP40 has 3 fans there. And You have a GP40-2, the GP40-2 and GP38-2 are both still in service on railroads today. The pipes on the bogeys are for the compressed air brakes
We use air brakes over here. Every car & locomotive is ALMOST a self contained system(cars don't provide there own air). For less than $200USD I'll have a look, but I'm gradually switching to WW2 era equipment, mainly from (of all places) Germany. Not to worry though, military, goods, & regular passengers. Not doing any kind of operation related to the camps. Not even stringing more than 3 boxcars together for that reason. Also, the Santa Fe units are either EMD E7 or E8 A units. Don't usually see them in a "bullet train" setup (locomotives at both ends), usually in an A, A-A, or A-B configuration. As for recommendations: I recommend looking at Walther's Mainline series 40ft rebuilt wellcar, and 2 Walthers containers. The cars them selves are $23USD and container's run $10-20USD each.
I'd say you picked a rather solid first Atlas HO locomotive. I've got three Atlas locomotives in my N-scale fleet (one Alco RS-3, two GP9's) and they run quite well, getting into the locomotive for maintenance/servicing is an exercise in caution from my own experiences.
I "dabbled" with US outline N a few years ago. My locomotives were Atlas and Kato, pulling a variety of makes of stock. Almost all US outline stock I've seen has the Kadee (Microtrains brand in N) style of coupling whether it's O, HO or N, although some N used to have the Peco/Rapido style. All coupled or uncoupled without any difficulty when called upon to do so. This one looks to be worth more than it cost!
I see a pair of gp 38-2s go by my town every once in a while and they're very similar to the gp-40s. Each time they pass they are quite slow, but that might just be due to them being within city limits and having just stopped to wait for the swing bridge to open
The GP40 was another solid unit from General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD). Over 1,200 GP40s and 1,100 of the "Dash-2" variant would roll off the assembly line, alongside some experimental variants ordered by the Santa Fe and others. They were good, reliable units that continue to see service all over the US, though many are working with shortlines and regional railroads. The Paducah & Louisville is among them, operating mostly in Kentucky with more than 20 GP40s on their roster. These in turn were inherited from legendary lines such as the Milwaukee Road, Alaska Railroad (which is still in service), the Chesapeake & Ohio, Southern Pacific, and others.
I love Atlas Master Gold series very good units. I run alot of Athearn Genesis models because Atlas just doesn't have my particular Road name or I would have much more of them but they're fantastic.
If you want to hear a gold series locomotive in action, the engine on the outside track in this video clip of my layout is an Atlas Gold Series engine (a General Electric U30B): ua-cam.com/video/DFXISela5n0/v-deo.html
Hi Sam, I'm not into 'diesels' since I model the 1955 era, mainly still steam. Your Warbonnet Santa Fe E8 ( I guess) would do but not this GP40 although it's a great runner and very good value for the 'buck' as you concluded. Thanks for sharing this fine honest review. Most enjoyable ! Cheers, Filip
I have 28 Atlas locomotives, KATO (Japan), ROCO (Austria), and Atlas (CHINA), ranging from the 1960's to present day. Their method of manufacturing is/was always having a quality five pole motor since day one. Speed is/was precise and as close to accurate as possible. Railings range from rugged and flimsy (pop off to make for easy removal when weathering the body), to fine and delicate... lift the locomotive by the fuel tanks, not the body shell. Other's have pointed out truck/bogey and shell removal as actually simple. The plastic is not brittle as you would think. The parts bag provided two black plugs from where the screw hole mounts were in the fuel tank. I believe your model is over 20 years old to show that its quality as a product remains high with no need to change. This locomotive will last forever under normal running conditions, as do the ones I have that are just over 50 years old and still running like a top. Servicing the locomotive will be seldom needed, I promise you that. Once you learn how to properly remove the shell and truck/bogey components, it'll be a breeze to work on.
John BC, Canada (nee Wisconsin/Minnesota)
Atlas locomotives are known as reliable, excellent runners with good detail, as your review found. Their mechanisms are considered to be among the best available at a decent price, including on the second-hand market. Definately solid meat and potatoes engines that are the workhorses of many layouts in the US. By the way, the prototype Dash 2 versions from EMD introduced modular electronic controls, which was a big deal at the time. Thanks so much for reviewing this unit from Atlas. Cheers from Wisconsin.
Thanks Andrew - I can see this being reliable, and it's already proved to be an excellent runner! The price was certainly very reasonable for what this was - very impressive!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
A definite classic! However, I do disagree with some things from this review:
1. The body shell is very easy to remove, you just have to remove both coupler pockets at each end and wiggle the shell off. Missed opportunity for you to see the built-in speaker housing (for sound decoder installations).
2. The slow speed was intentional. The real engines could only go around 65-70mph, and by gearing the engine low you have more torque- something very much needed when hauling large amounts of freight.
3. The wheel cover plate is also very easy to remove, you have to really wedge the screwdriver in there. The wheelset (rather basic), is a universal design. Atlas, Athearn Genesis, MTH, Kato and Walthers (to name a few) all use a design very similar to this.
And last but not least, the Santa Fe diesels in question are EMD E8s. Rivarossies/AHMs, very old (a good 40 years I believe). If you want matching coaches, I suggest either getting the high-detailed Walthers Proto Super Chief cars (metal wheels, interiors, metal couplers), or go for the more budget friendly IHC cars (all molded detail, no interiors, plstic wheels).
Cheers from the USA, TRP.
As I get some new locomotive's I notice they are getting more and more in tune with a scaled speed.
Thanks very much for sharing! And agreed on the slow speed - I reached that conclusion myself in the end! I'll have to try again with the wheel cover - I'm not keen on just ramming a screwdriver under it to pry it away... screws and base keepers are 10x better in my opinion - but it's good to hear they're easier than I thought!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains You're welcome, glad to help out!
Hi Sam,
I have several Atlas locos in my US collection. To remove the body you need to first, remove the coupler pockets at each end. Sometimes there might be a screw between the truck & the fuel tank. After undoing them the body will, with a gentle wiggle come off. Just be wary of any wires going to the headlights etc.
The Master range is the higher end of Atlas models, Silver denotes DCC ready & Gold is DCC Sound fitted, both my GP40's are sound fitted.
The only slight downside is that they are not fully detailed. Your version should have 2 ditch lights on both ends. But as you say, the value is certainly there.
Keep up the great reviews
Boa
Hey Boa - thanks a lot for this - I've had a number of comments explaining how to remove the body, so I will have to try it - didn't like to pry too much mid-review as I didn't want to damage it - thanks so much!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Awesome review! Finally a review of modern North American locomotive type. I have a few Atlas locomotives and a lot of their rolling stock in my collection. Silver series from Atlas means the locomotive is DC/DCC Ready. The Gold Series version has DCC & Sound from the factory.
Thank you! Yes at long last - ooh very interesting - I didn't consider it would be that... so is there no bronze range then?
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains There is a budget/less detailed range called Atlas Trainman
Atlas makes a good quality product. Their engines are by design meant to be run slow
or shall we say run slower.
The handrails are not as fragile as they appear because Atlas uses Delrin plastic, a
durable and strong material but a bear to get paint to stick to.
Keep in mind many American freight locomotives are geared to drag heavy trains at a
medium speed.
I'd agree with that based on this - and the speed seemed just fine to me in the end! Thanks for all the info,
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
American models do usually have a matte finish, and the Atlas model here actually looks more realistic for a railroad's daily use. In real life around here, the weather can wear off the shine pretty quickly, and they don't get cleaned or repainted so often (especially freight units like the GPs). Atlas has always been known for good quality at reasonable prices (their early models were made by Roco and were basically bullet-proof), and all the ones I've owned from old to new have been very good runners.
I don't know what your model budget looks like, but if you want to try a truly unique American steam engine, Rivarossi recently brought their Heisler locomotives back (£198 at Train World)! These were geared locomotives built for high torque and the ability to run on rough track, and are recognizable by their "V2" engine in the middle. Since they were geared for torque and had small wheels compared to most steam engines, they would run at about 10MPH, or maybe even 15MPH if the engineer was pushing it!
Sam, military veteran from the states here. I think it's really neat you've broken in to the Atlas models reviews and I appreciate that you espouse support for veterans of both the UK and the US. I found your channel while serving in the US Army and I've been in love with your content since! Thanks for the review, cheers!
Those red and silver diesels are known as "E units" which stood for "eighteen hundred horsepower", which they got from a pair of 900 horsepower Winton 201A V-12 diesel prime movers, each connected to their own generator, which each drove 1 of the trucks. Those particular ones are in the famous Santa Fe railroad "warbonnet" paint scheme. And to top it all off, they too were made by EMD.
EMD E8?
Ahh thanks so much Sam - appreciate the info!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
Hi mukka,
Hope this finds you well.
The large metal plates "(buffer beams)" around each end of the loco which the air hoses rest against are "cow catchers"... yes, they are still called that.
The rings on the top of the body are for the removal of the light bodywork panels which are removable when the power unit or main generator needs major work or replacement. (The whole locomotive is generally lifted with support points under the framework on each corner)
The three fans together are for radiator cooling, the solitary fan is for the cooling of the resistor grids when in dynamic braking.
Cheers from Gaz
Early 1970's, I lived just a few hundred meters from the Conrail (Former PRR & Penn-Central) rail yard in Altoona PA. On Sundays my friends and I would often sneak into the turntable area of the Juniata Shops and "Play" in GP-40's, earlier Model Geeps, and there were plenty of "F" units available for exploration. We never got chased away by railroad police. We had blast.
There are still plenty of GP40-2's locally and at the national level plying their trade on local lines, and for shunting as needed. Speed range displayed by your Atlas version appears to be realistic.
Holy crap! I didn't expect to see a locomotive from my hometown pop up on your channel! While I do live in Louisville and have probably seen GP-40's at some point, the Paducah and Louisville run west out of the other end of town so I've never seen them in person. Regardless, that's very cool!
haha that's awesome - glad to have covered something that's based close to you!! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
yeah i'm from easter ky i've never seen a PAL loco irl but i still think it's neat that Sams reviewing a train from my home state
@@Matttrainz07 Only thing that could be cooler would be a Louisville & Nashville locomotive. Now I have managed to see a few L&N engines in person. The 152 Pacific and the 411, both from the Kentucky Railway Museum. There's one local modern railroad that I have seen a bit of though, the Louisville & Indiana. That would be cool to see represented as well. Especially since the livery pays tribute to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
GP40s were heavy freight locos and weren't know for going very fast(60-70mph the max). In fact, many have been geared down or reduced to shunting duties making them the US's version to the Class 08. Also the long heavy trains as well as track infastructure would have made it impossible for them to often hit their max speed of 70mph anyway. Can't wait for the next review!😁
There were passenger variants for example the F40PHs, GP40PH-2s, GP40TCs, GP40Ps, GP40FH-2s, GP40WH-2s, GP40-2Hs, and also GP40MCs. Now most are either rebuilds (GP40PH-2 is rebuilt GP40Ps, GP40TCs now GP38-3s on Amtrak) or retired but they were ALL built for commuter and passenger services.
Kabuki Kitsune and Dylan Ruppert, I was talking about specifically the freighter version which Sam's Trains has. 90% of the all freight locos in the US have a passenger version(Amtrak's diesel locos are perfect examples). In fact, Amtrak's Siemens Charger is one of the only US diesel locos to be exlcusively made to be a passenger loco. Also, I knew of the passenger versions of the GP40 but there are geared exclusively for passenger service not for freight.
@@jasonjohnson892 well technically not in the sense of Amtraks GP38-3s and B40-8WHs theyre used mainly in MOW and switching dutys but CAN lead passenger trains and still reach speeds of 75mph and they were both originally built for strictly passenger dutys before newer locomotives like the F40s and Gensis locomotives came along
@@dylanruppert4547 True. Though those two were built to be more like mixed-traffic locos(A compromise between freight and passenger)
@@jasonjohnson892 The P42 (though based on the C44-9) is the last cowlbody Amtrak unit made based off a freight platform. Infact, the GP7 (the unit before the GP9) was based off the F7 series. Many of the early EMD engines where built/based off of the F & E series engines. With how small Amtrak is for a Class 1 (post KCS/CP merger approval), and history (1971-present) Amtrak (& Conrail) had 2% of total roster. Back in the age of steam though, you could stick a passenger engine on a freight, and a freight on a passenger as it was standard practice (don't need to go further than the numerous 4-8-4 classes to see what I'm getting at). If we're talking diesels, then it's roughly taking into account the early inter-war diesels 25% of the total roster are (true) passenger engines with a freight variant. After 1960(-ish), you'll see the flop. The SD40 came first, then the SDP40, then the GE U-boats, then their passenger variant, then the last freight design, the C40-8W, then the B40-8W (the only way the B32-8WH was even possible), then the B32-8WH. Even the F40 was a freight locomotive. So technically, your percentage is 63%, or even lower considering that there is no other variants other than models made from the 70's to 90's A span of 20 years Amtrak wise, as most engines used steam to provide heat & electrical before hand (and even then, not that many, mainly EMD F & E series), that and that most engines by the 1960's where used for freight exclusively, with 5 times as many freight engines for the entire passenger locomotive fleet. All this is also excluding DMU's EMU's and HSR sets.
The tsunami of appropriate comments and tips from over the ocean is really to appreciate.
Atlas and Athearn locomotives were the reason I switched from OO to HO, Hornby just didn't cut it for me.
haha I don't blame you - value for money here was very impressive... especially given how American models have a reputation for being more expensive than ours!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains You also gotta try out Scaletrains from here in the US as well! They're defiantly worth the money and very popular considering they've only been around since 2015!
@@dylanruppert4547 Are they economically viable to get already discounted MSRP, and then pay customs import fees? "Worth" money is the example shown in this video. an overrated model that everyone owns practically is another.
@@SamsTrains wait hornby is american?
@@solar_9878 They make American models (Availa Liberty that's not even accurate). Athearn is our Hornby if that makes sense.
There is a gold series from Atlas which comes with DCC/sound, also an "economy" line called trainman. Two round plugs go in where the shipping screws come out of. The railings are made of a flexible engineering plastic called delrin which is much more flexible than you think. They don’t tend to break though the stantions might pop out of their mounting holes. Bodies are much easier to remove than. You think.
I have a number of atlas models, though most of them are much older models 80’s-90’s era and they have always seemed to run really well and reliably.
love these diesels , the guy who ran our club had a "cheap" basic one of these ( I think he was a little ashamed of it , regarded it as "foreign muck ! ) and it was the best runner at the club (, compared to collector locos and hand built stuff .) - totally reliable and a good crawl !
One could make a Thomas the Tank Engine episode or something out of it. Point is, there's a lesson to be drawn here, and that's one of not underestimating what doesn't seemingly fit in.
@@jimmyseaver3647 Yes , I think this Yank Stuff has to be taken seriously .
As an American, it seems your American audience is growing. I've been enjoying your reviews on UK/Euro trains. Wonder if Japanese and other trains would be of interest?
EXCELLENT WORK WITH THIS OFFICIAL VIDEO REVIEW ON A MODEL OF A GM-EMD CLASS GP-4O FROM START TO FINISH FOR SURE!
It looks very impressive and the waggons are great. I have a Walthers Trainline EMD GP15 which is incredibly similar to this one in some areas, the handrails and bogies are identical. It is not as lavish in it's detail but was not as expensive as this GP40. It has all wheel drive and all wheel pickup with big flywheels on the motor and runs very smoothly and quietly. Not fast but fast enough. These American locomotives are very good and are good value for money. The body shell on mine is attached with 4 screws and comes off easily but is not DCC ready so more of a budget offering. I like them because they are more similar in outline to some of the Victorian Railways diesels so seem more familiar to me than a British outline diesel. Nice to see a video about these locos. 😊
@Sam’sTrains The red and chrome white diesel that you’ve asked me to identify has to be an EMD E-unit DMUs painted in the iconic Santa Fe Super Chief livery. As you can notice, it has two locos on both front and back of the train. They are known as A units. The middle one is a cabless unit called B-units. All in all, the train is in an ABA arrangement. They can be separated for certain reasons.
Umm ... The 'middle one' is absolutely not a B-unit but rather a baggage car(~parcel van), resulting in a highly unorthodox push-pull arrangement!
I've read through (most) of the comments; perhaps I missed mention of these but in case I didn't:
-- GP stands for 'General Purpose'; this series were Bo-Bo(4-axle) with highest number reached in series being GP60; as name suggests these were meant to be versatile engines and with the appropriate gearing and appliances suitable for, most commonly, freight service, but also passenger service(ie, GP40TC) .
-- A matching horsepower sister series to the GP was the SD, for 'Special Duty'; these were of Co-Co(6-axle) type and are still on offer(by the successor owner of EMD, Progress Rail), and one model, the SD40/SD40-2 variants sold well over 5000 units; in contrast to the GP type, EMD(ElectroMotive Division of General Motors Corporation) was originally purposed for heavy-haul relatively slower freight service.
-- The large looped yellow ribbon, though it is used to increase awareness for a number of causes or societies, in this context it symbolises past and present US armed forces personnel involved in armed conflicts.
-- A flat finish on models is preferred in North America; if it's shiny or glossy it is seen as being 'toy-like'.
I wish more UK model train makers offered this level of running quality and value.
Sam: The first time an Atlas loco has ever run on my railway. I think I'm right in saying that.
Sam having so many locos he can't remember them all: Suffering from success
the GP40 is my favorite type of train so I will totally love this video.
Great engine. Atlas is a great brand of loco's. I recently got the atlas B30-7 and it's a great engine. You should get the athearn Genesis ho scale gp40-2 I have one in the Boston and Maine paint and it's a great engine. Or any athearn Genesis loco all of them are great. Also if you think this is very detailed then you'll be surprised when or if you get a scaletrains locomotive
This particular GP40 was built in 1967 for the Milwaukee Road and was later bought by Amtrak in the 1990s. 2129 has been owned by the P&L since 2008 and was given this livery in 2015.
27:25 I've been waiting for you to run this! It's an EMD E8. I thought you did have some more American passenger cars from that same lot that are also Santa Fe.
The Couplers on the Atlas HO range are McHenry plastic couplers. it is very quick to change them out for far better Kadee couplers. I have a Alco RS-5 with sound and it can haul a good load. would highly recommend a Sound fitted Fairbanks Morse or Alco loco from Atlas if you get around to acquiring one.
Interesting note, the removable top panel where you can allegedly install DCC is a commonly swappable part in GP and SD models... because you need at least 2 versions to represent different prototypes. This version depicts a unit with dynamic brakes, but some roads did not order them (they're less useful on flat areas like the Midwest). So typically manufacturers make it a separate, easy to remove part so they can use one tool to make the main body and two smaller tools for the dynamic brakes / blank section. It does mean you have to be careful picking them up as they can't always bear the whole weight of the locomotive. In the diagram you can see there are two different designs for parts that go there.
The plastic handrails are a common issue with US models. They're the best way to get anything reasonably prototypical (and they do tend to look right) but they're small and crunchy. Wire handrails that big and complicated have a ton of issues; I've got a few older models that have them but they tended to be arrive unfitted and each stanchion was a separate piece that could slide freely along the horizontal part of the handrail unless you glued it.
Excellent review, I have purchased 17 Atlas locomotives (1980-2004) and found them to be very reliable and detailed for the price range. FYI, I have no major issues with basic maintenance. Atlas has always been know for its Details, Performance and Reliability . This particular model is no longer available, but others are at a higher price $169.00 or UK 129.00 but it has DCC/ Sound.
I love them “geeps” they’re beautiful and powerful in real life! Atlas is pretty good! Had good luck with their o scale track!
I watch all your videos, well as many as I can. It is especially nice to see North American locos being reviewed.
I saw that someone explained on how to remove the shell off the Atlas loco. Remove the coupler boxes and the shell slides off.
As for the base plates on the trucks, a precision screw driver is needed to pry the clips up.
I have a few Atlas locos. I am a Canadian railroad collector. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific.
If you are making a list of North American model manufacturers to review, here are the makes I have: Rapido, Athearn, Atlas, Bowser, Stewart, Intermountain, Scale Trains, Kato, Walthers.
Athearn Ready to Run (RTR) is Good, Athearn Genesis are best.
Atlas Master Gold is best.
If you are interested in old but good, check out Life Like Proto 2000 and True Line Trains.
Cheers.
I'm an N scaler here in the USA, and I've used Atlas locomotives, along with KATO, for many years. No problems running them on my layout. N Scale disassembly is relatively easy. The hand rails are even smaller than HO, yet I have never broken one over all these years. I have seen the real version of that locomotive and the green paint was a flat green... not gloss. That yellow symbol is a yellow ribbon. Another way of showing support for the troops.
One suggestion... the Santa Fe F7s or F8s were run together at front of the consist. Either back to back or elephant style. But not in DPU fashion like you are running your very short Super Chief train. Radio control was not even a pipe dream in the 1950's.
It was a fun review of a Atlas engine from someone who isn't from here and was the first time ever running one.
Sam, I was very interested in this. I lived for ten years in the US as a teenager and had lots of Atlas products. You should also try Walthers and Athearn Genesis locos as well. I think your score was a little on the low side but must agree about the plastic railings. I have a fifty year old Tyco GP20 (1960s red box era, when Tyco made good products) and it has metal stanchions and rails. My GP 20 is also impossible to service, but is still running after 50 years, and the 5-pole motor though very noisy still crawls amazingly, especially with a heavy rake of boxcars behind. The Santa Fe loco is probably an E7 or E8. Rapido are producing an awesome model of the E8, due the end of this year - hint-hint. I have mine on pre-order.
Your "unknown" diesels are the E8 or E7 Class, apart of class E, the first mass produced passenger diesel locomotives in the US, and the first class of diesels in the US not to be permanently coupled to a set of passenger coaches.The EA, built for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the 1930's, was the first of this class. EA number 51 is on display after a semi-recent cosmetic restoration, and it is a beautiful work of art.
I like how instead of choosing a big name railroad you chose a forgotten shortline railway from my home state. No matter still a great locomotive, great scheme, & great channel my man
You’re gonna love that GP40 Sam!
I sure do! :D
The yellow ribbon simulates thr lapel ribbon/pin reflecting the slogan "remember our troops", particularly those serving overseas.
You have no idea how excited I got seeing this pop up on my front page! I think the Santa Fe locos are EMD E8 definitely a staple of vintage American diesels. I ended up buying a bachmann E8 in PRR livery because of your review on one.
Holy cow Sam! That livery is for the Paducah and Louisville railroad which is my local short line railroad in the US. How cool :D
Very enjoyable Sam. The Canadian Pacific Railway near my home used a lot of these and the scale speed looks bang on. Canadian railways operate generally at a much lower speed than the UK so the slow model speed looks very convincing to my eyes. I’m glad you got a good deal and a
Satisfying model!!
Very decent locomotive. I have an Atlas SDP 35, in the Gold Series, which has sound and the amazing 'doppler horn'. You are correct about the flimsy railings as I have knocked those off but they were easy to put back in place again. The SDP 35 has a good turn of speed but also decent at slow speeds. Of course it is made by a Jersey company!
I've got an Atlas EMD FP7 that was built in 1979 (45 years old as of typing this comment) as far as my research could tell and it still runs like it's new with relatively little maintenance in the 20 or so years I've had it
I rode scross Canada on the VIA Rail Canadian from Halifax to the Rocky Mountains, 5000 km. It was pulled by one of these locos, with the high hood for the steam generator for passenger service. It was geared for a maximum speed of 65 mph and on the quarter-mile ribbon rails across the prairies we couldn't get near the posted speed of 110 mph unfortunately.
Nice, a P&L Geep!. I've got a few photos of the prototype on my Flickr if you wanna see the real thing in action. They painted this and 2127 into special schemes about 6-7 years ago.
12:10 That yellow ribbon is another part of the veteran saluting. The PAL's logo is present, on each end of the Geep.
The yellow ribbon goes back at least as early as a song released during the Vietnam war "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Old Oak Tree"
I bought my first GP40 a few months ago (Made by Athearn) to pull my CMX track cleaner as none of my UK made locos had the hauling power to pull such a heavy thing. I've bought two Atlas locos since and found them all very similar in terms of pulling power and mechanism. They are a bit noisy compared to Hornby and Bachmann in my experience. If I had one criticism it's that the manufacturers don't include info on how to get into the thing, meaning I had to go on RMWeb for advice more than once. As Sam said the Atlas locos often have fragile handrails which snap off soon as look at them so much care is require when handling/disassembling. Still, a good price for a nice loco.
Will we be seeing a Fleischmann review some time I wonder?
The P&L is my local regional railway, I've taken a few shots of 2129 in the last few months. Atlas is a solid company with good quality and affordability, happy to see this review.
Sam, if you're looking for more American makes to try out, here's a couple recommendations:
-Intermountain (steam or diesel)
-Athearn: The "bluebox" locomotive kits are still plentiful in NOS condition; their RTR (ready to run) range were generally more mid tier and the "Genesis" range is Athearn's premium tier
-Broadway Limited Imports (BLI): try either their steam or diesels. Good detail and fantastic pulling performance, though their decoder technology is lagging way behind other manufacturers
If you feel like spending a lot of money for a really premium model, either Rapido (North America), Walthers Proto or Scale Trains are the three most well regarded companies
Thanks so much for the tips bob - Intermountain sounds interesting as I’ve never heard of that one before!
@@SamsTrains I'd also suggest Kato as well. If their HO scale engines are anything like the N, they're good. I have probably 100 Kato locos in N and all the ones I've bought new ran well right out of the box, first time.
I recently got an older Atlas silver series Fairbanks Morse trainmaster diesel locomotive and while I have not yet run it as all my engines have to be DCC equipped to run on my layout, the engine is beautiful for the years it came out. I can only use an 8-pin decoder and it can have TWO 30mm speakers installed for that loud horn and low grumble from the prime mover.
I’d love to see you review an MTH sound equipment diesel locomotive. I have had more positive experiences with them over the steam engines, only because the steamers were second hand. Good runners and sound good. My favorite from the fleet is my two Conrail GP35’s that have a remote activated coupler so I can do switching, or shunting, operations without having to worry too much about coupling. You can even open them on the fly for quick drop and goes.
Don’t have a ton of atlas locos but the ones I do have are fantastic. Their AEM-7 especially which despite being a tooling originally released in 1999(which is also the version I ended up with) it is still a great looking and operating model today and the updated runs from atlas look even better.
Atlas makes some of the best locomotives and rolling stock available. The detail is amazing and the prices are great. My only criticisms are the couplers which break over time as they are only made of plastic, I would recommend you to replace your locos couplers with Kadee ones. My other criticism is that the disassembly is very difficult. I own many atlas locomotives and they were all equally difficult to get apart. As for the running, they are some of the smoothest running locos, they are purposefully geared to be slow to be more like the prototype. It's to bad that the hand rails are plastic, but most American manufactures make there locos with plastic hand rails. The only company that comes to mind that does have metal hand rails is Rapido Trains, which I recommend over any other company. Anyways, another great video Sam!!
Atlas across the board is consistently excellent. I’ve had a number of them and have never been disappointed by their performance. Glad you have one!
Atlas are excellent engines, the plastic rails are good because they pop back to where they should be instead of metal that bends or breaks. They're meant to be more durable, not make them fragile. The body comes off when you remove the couplers from each end. I have lots of Atlas engines and they are one of my favourite. The gold series is even better and comes with ESU loksound decoders and sound, and I can get them for about $200Cdn pretty reliably, even the shops aren't more than $250Cdn. They have a beautiful crawl, lots of detail, nice paint, honestly the backbone of a railroad.
Having seen a good number of modern and relatively modern locomotives here in the US, the bell color is definitely going to be accurate. Usually, they're located on the underside of the locomotives, usually next to the fuel tank, and are usually painted (or left) black. However, if the bell is on the sides of the long-hood (like this one is) or on the front of the cab, then the bell is usually painted to match the color on the locomotive around it, like this one is. The horns are also usually painted the same color as the rest of the locomotive as well.
I love the GP40's! I tend to see the GP38-2's more often, maybe I should buy one of these engines for my little collection of Geep's.
Hi Sam.
I'm really glad you sometimes review American model trains!
Atlas is one of the biggest model train companies here in America.
Atlas is sort'a equivalent to Hornby. They're the company everyone thinks of when they think of model trains.
Like Hornby, Atlas' quality isn't absolute top of the line, but their models are competently made, sturdy, reliable, and reasonably detailed to the satisfaction of most hobbyists.
As you've seen, American companies tend to be over the top in their packaging 😕
Oh, and yes, Kadee couplers are the standard default here, like Tension Lock couplers are the standard default on your side of the pond.
Got to be honest Sam - I think the matt finish looks best. It's rare to see anything but a brand new loco looking shiny. I have a Proto 2000 model of the similar (ish) GP18 loco that I bought in 1993. It's of very similar construction and nearly all of your comments would apply to that - great detail, flimsy parts, fabulous running etc. Think I paid about $40 (in the U.S.A. on holiday)
I love atlas, especially this one you reviewed sam, id love to find the same one for my collection, ive loved trains since I was three and ill love them for the rest of my life
Sam, this engine is a switcher (Shunter) and that is why it is geared for slow speed operation. I agree it is a bit plasticky looking. It is a shame that other manufacturers do not follow the same when it comes to gearing for the type of loco. Martin. (Thailand)
When new, the CB&Q and Western Pacific used them on their fast freights. But the last 40+ years they have been used as switchers, all they do is change the gearing for the most part .
Agreed. I have shot photos of the real thing working the small yard at Cecilia,Kentucky a time or two, along with many sister units. Track speed on the PAL is probably 40-45 tops. PAL rosters a fleet of GP40-2s and GP38-2s along with SD70MACs. They're an interesting operation, and have a "sister" railroad not far away out of Evansville called the Evansville & Western. Same paint scheme, just different lettering. The parent company also owns a third railroad in West Virginia too I believe.
has to be one of the most beautiful diesels I’ve ever see
It's an awesome livery isn't it - and very patriotic if you're American!
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
@@SamsTrains I wonder, Sam, if you've misinterpreted the flat finish "plastic like"? This is a military tribute scheme so perhaps, in keeping with that, the loco is actually finished in matte olive drab, like so much military equipment?
Hello Sam, American here
I have a few Atlas locos and they all opperate well. They do have a "Gold" line that is their top quality brand that is actualy quite good. Give Kato locos a try, they are resibly priced with some great detail.
Great video btw
this loco's paint scheme is from my hometown, surprised to see it here to mention the very least! thanks for featuring sam
I never bought any Atlas locomotives because whenever I purchased any American locomotive I opted for broadway, athearn or MTH locomotives from trainworld. But I do prefer Atlas rolling stocks for both my HO scale and N scale models. Their rolling stocks are nicely detailed and well decorated and reasonably priced. The N scale comes with metal wheels as well. i guess you have to keep an eye on what kind of atlas items you are buying because some of them do come with plastic wheels.
There were plenty of similar locos going on all the railroads in and near my home town when I was growing up, and the speed this model runs at 50% power looks... perfect. They pull freight, they aren't speedy. My recent Atlas NRE Genset has a similar speed range, similarly slower than most others but looks realistic enough. My older Atlas RS-3 has a Kato-designed drive so it's not directly comparable, I think.
On the other hand, the passenger F40PH was directly derived from the GP40-2 and had different gearing to accommodate. I believe I've seen one of those in some of your older videos, it's the very common Amtrak B-B diesel locomotive.
If you're looking for another manufacturer of American locomotives in HO... I like my Scaletrains dash 8, but I'm not sure how easy it would be for you to get anything from them. Some people might be interested in reviews of cheaper diesel models from Walthers or Bachmann. I can't think of many steam models that will have reasonable prices which you haven't covered already. Bachmann allegedly has retooled their USRA 0-6-0 so I guess I'd be interested to see how much better than the old one (represented in their Prairie... they just slapped extra wheels on an 0-6-0 for a completely fictional engine). Athearn are also releasing some steam models with some long history but they're on the higher end for price. Oh, and Rivarossi have their new 2-truck Heisler, I really want one but not at the $260 I'm seeing it selling for.
That was a great review Sam. Are you ever thinking of reviewing something like a Roco, Piko or Artitec locomotive/wagon?
50% speed would be about 52,3 kph or around 14,5 metres per second. Considering the loco was about 18 metres long, I'd say the speed seems to be roughly in correct scale.
The thing I like about your reviews Sam is that you don't take a bias. Your not one of those America Bad Britian Good people. You make legitimate criticism and don't bias it by country, keep up the great content
Wow, I see these types of locomotives all around Colorado, I also have two HO GP40s my self. Very cool to see you review something from my home!!
I have quite a few Atlas N scale locos and they are among my favorites along with Kato. The GP40 is one of my favorite locos and my favorite railroad, the Western Pacific had several.
I’m currently in Norfolk watching this! Off to the North Norfolk railway on Monday.-Das Mann
The livery is a P&L design (Paducah & Louisville) Based in Kentucky. It runs on old Illinois Central track and infact I have seen these locomotives myself hauling coal trains from a local mine.
A few things, that curved thing at the front is called a pilot or a plow, and at the back it is just a pilot. Though, a lot of us do also call them buffer beams on occasion. Next, I’ve worked with Atlas before, and I gotta say they know what they’re doing, one of my most reliable engines is a switcher(shunter) built by them. Last, that set you had at the end consisted of a pair of Aitchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe(ATSF) EMD E8 or E9(no physical differences and are usually meant to be coupled back to back, not HST style) with an unrealistic heavyweight(late steam era coach) from the ATSF’s “Valley Flyer” consist, which I believe Con Cor made a set of them, with the realistic and unrealistic variants of the cars like baggage and observation and so forth(say if a train was meant to be an all sleeper consist but a manufacturer made dining cars and coaches to add to it). As per usual, great review, and have a good [insert time of day here]. Tootle pip :)
I did try one of these a few years ago. I've heard others say that it's easy to get the body off, but mine refused to budge even though I did everything right. Your mileage may vary.
That aside, though, Atlas models are lookers for sure. The Master line models do not skimp on the detail.
As mentioned by others, those Santa Fe diesels are E8 units, and they were commonly found on passenger trains. What I haven't seen mentioned, though, is that they were run back-to-back, rather than HST-style. The trains they were assigned to typically ran over long distances, without much need to turn around.
I recommend Lionel. While they're most known for their O gauge trains, they also have HO gauge, and depending on if you go a starters set, you can have a remote control that is exclusive to said locomotive.
I have an Nth American N scale layout (in progress of course)with 75% Atlas locos and rolling stock.Even for n scale I’m impressed by their quality and apart from the odd coupler and bogie truck pin problem I have never had issues.The four diesels are still going strong after ten+ years.
I'm a fan of Atlas. They occupy a nice middle ground in the US market between toy electric trains and super-detailed, super-expensive models. I have several of their HO & N scale locos. They are all great runners & quite reliable. Atlas has a section on their website that tells how to remove the body shells from their locomotives. For the base plates on the bogies, you will need a very small flathead screwdriver to undo the clips.
Apologies if this is a repost, I think UA-cam ate my old post.
Awesome review, like always Sam, and maybe we can see a Model review of the German Model Train Company Märklin, that would be something nice and new. Maybe a review of a Inter City Express, or from a old German Steam Locomotive.
Atlas Master (silver or gold), Athearn Genesis, Kato, Bachmann Spectrum, and InterMountain all make excellent-running locomotives. Just the level of detail, and whether they’re DCC ready or DCC equipped are the main differences. They all make HO/N, but only Atlas (I think) makes O-scale models as well. The “Accu-mate” couplers are plastic (except for the trip-pin, which is steel, I believe) and are (or were) made by Accurail (I think they got bought out by Atlas or Walthers.) I prefer the Kadee brand couplers on my equipment. There’s also the new kid on the block, ScaleTrains. They have two lines; “The Operator” and “Rivet Counter”. Both have DCC, just the level of detail (and perhaps, DCC sound equipped) are the main differences, if you can afford to buy them.
Hi Sam, Enjoyed your review of the Atlas GP40 diesel. We had Atlas products when we were kids decades ago. They were always some of the best. Never remember any problems with them. They were always a bit more money than lets say TYCO, which in the 1960's were a very good product. They are still around but I think the quality really isn't there. You had Revell, Athearn,AHM,Varney, and Life-Like (not a fan I'll add). For the most part when these trains were produced domestically all of them I mentioned were good. I'm going to take a stab at what kind of diesels those 2 are. I believe they are General Motors (GM) or now EMD E-8. Basically passenger service but you might catch some doing freight duty is the power (diesels) was not available. Really enjoy your reviews and like when you do American stuff.
I'm a retired Delaware & Hudson Railway Co. employee. We are despite what the B & O, the oldest railroad in America.
Thanks again Sam!
Regards,
Bob Doyle
Pennsylvania, U.S. of A.
Sam if you ever need to get the shell off, take the couplers pockets out, the body should lift off the frame completely, thus avoiding damage to the handrails.Note it may be a bit of a snug fit and light prying with a small screwdriver may be need between the inside of the shell and the frame. This is a relatively standard practice with US model manufactures. I have a few of these GP40's from them in their Gold line (same as the silver line but with sound/DCC) and they are solid performers and more robust that first expected in terms of durability of details (Keep them at a train club for anyone to use and they hold up).
As for your question for speed, they are geared low. GP40's are freight hauling road switchers after all.
Your American Santa Fe locomotive is an EMD E8.
Difference:
SILVER: DCC Ready with 8-pin decoder socket. Speaker pre-installed
GOLD: Has sound already installed
The handrails are probably made from Delrin which is a very tough but flexible plastic. You should be able to bend them all over the place without them breaking. Delrin however, does not take paint well and any paint on the Delrin parts would start flaking off.
The lift rings on the roof are for lifting off access panels. They would never take the weight of the entire loco.
In North America, the bogies are called trucks.
The old White Glove examination by our fearless reviewer. A flat finish, and wot, no sprung buffers? Bin the bloody thing!
Actually, have an S1. Excellent runner, pulls like an ox. I would hazard to say that these locomotives are geared down for slow running, which is a preference of discerning modellers in North America. Also, secondary lines like the P&L will rarely exceed 35 to 40 miles per hour owing to track conditions, often far slower.
Not a brilliant trainspotter, but I think your Santa Fe units are E3's lovely beasts introduced in 1939 for passenger service.
I don’t live in the US but atlas are really good quality for their budget prices. I’m pretty sure they’re geared to run slow because you don’t see a lot of high speed freight trains in the US given how poor their track is.
If you can find another one of these I’d highly recommend the Union Pacific livery over anything from the eastern or southern United States 🇺🇸
When NEW they had been used for fast freight, CB&Q along with the Western Pacific (CP & CN ?) had the gearing change for this purpose. After 5 + years they changed back to standard freight gearing of the time, with the exception of commuter railroads which that changed the Number to GP40P, GP40FH GP40MC,etc. Not sure what the Poor track comment means exactly.
Atlas Master is top end. Silver means Standard DC, but it is DCC ready. As a heads up, the GP40 is very similar to the GP38 but a differing detail is the a GP38 has 2 fans at the end of the long hood (back of the locomotive) where the GP40 has 3 fans there. And You have a GP40-2, the GP40-2 and GP38-2 are both still in service on railroads today. The pipes on the bogeys are for the compressed air brakes
We use air brakes over here. Every car & locomotive is ALMOST a self contained system(cars don't provide there own air). For less than $200USD I'll have a look, but I'm gradually switching to WW2 era equipment, mainly from (of all places) Germany. Not to worry though, military, goods, & regular passengers. Not doing any kind of operation related to the camps. Not even stringing more than 3 boxcars together for that reason.
Also, the Santa Fe units are either EMD E7 or E8 A units. Don't usually see them in a "bullet train" setup (locomotives at both ends), usually in an A, A-A, or A-B configuration.
As for recommendations: I recommend looking at Walther's Mainline series 40ft rebuilt wellcar, and 2 Walthers containers. The cars them selves are $23USD and container's run $10-20USD each.
I work with a GP40-2 as a Switcher, they are slow but strong.
I'd say you picked a rather solid first Atlas HO locomotive. I've got three Atlas locomotives in my N-scale fleet (one Alco RS-3, two GP9's) and they run quite well, getting into the locomotive for maintenance/servicing is an exercise in caution from my own experiences.
I "dabbled" with US outline N a few years ago. My locomotives were Atlas and Kato, pulling a variety of makes of stock. Almost all US outline stock I've seen has the Kadee (Microtrains brand in N) style of coupling whether it's O, HO or N, although some N used to have the Peco/Rapido style. All coupled or uncoupled without any difficulty when called upon to do so. This one looks to be worth more than it cost!
G'day Sam
I've got 6 Atlas locos. Love them all.
The Alco RS-1"s are my favorites.
All mine run beautifully.😎
I see a pair of gp 38-2s go by my town every once in a while and they're very similar to the gp-40s. Each time they pass they are quite slow, but that might just be due to them being within city limits and having just stopped to wait for the swing bridge to open
Very nice! A Paducah and Louisville GP40 finally getting the spotlight! Nice video!
Yes!! And it looks super cool too - big fan of it! :D
Thanks for watching, Sam :)
The GP40 was another solid unit from General Motors' Electro-Motive Division (EMD). Over 1,200 GP40s and 1,100 of the "Dash-2" variant would roll off the assembly line, alongside some experimental variants ordered by the Santa Fe and others. They were good, reliable units that continue to see service all over the US, though many are working with shortlines and regional railroads. The Paducah & Louisville is among them, operating mostly in Kentucky with more than 20 GP40s on their roster. These in turn were inherited from legendary lines such as the Milwaukee Road, Alaska Railroad (which is still in service), the Chesapeake & Ohio, Southern Pacific, and others.
Really like this one Sam.
I love Atlas Master Gold series very good units. I run alot of Athearn Genesis models because Atlas just doesn't have my particular Road name or I would have much more of them but they're fantastic.
If you want to hear a gold series locomotive in action, the engine on the outside track in this video clip of my layout is an Atlas Gold Series engine (a General Electric U30B): ua-cam.com/video/DFXISela5n0/v-deo.html
Hi Sam, I'm not into 'diesels' since I model the 1955 era, mainly still steam. Your Warbonnet Santa Fe E8 ( I guess) would do but not this GP40 although it's a great runner and very good value for the 'buck' as you concluded. Thanks for sharing this fine honest review. Most enjoyable ! Cheers, Filip
Love the loco, love that green colour, one of the best colours I've ever seen on a train.