I guess by now most of you are aware that the first HO locomotive in the Atlas Trainman line will be a GP38-2. I’m sure Atlas will do a fine job on this model and I will probably buy at least one. But I feel like they are doing the same thing the plastic model airplane manufacturers have done. How many good 1/48th scale P-51s are on the market? Every major manufacturer produced one even after some very good ones were on the shelves.
I guess the motivation here is that many railroads owned GP38-2’s so it can be released with a slew of roadnames. Personally I would have liked to seen something a little less well covered, ie a GP15-1 or a GP15-T or a GP50 or a GP39 or a GP40-2.
Bob,I agree.There are several locomotives that needs produce including the ones you mention…Now just because its a Atlas GP38-2 is no sign I will buy one…My C&HV has 4 GP38-2s plus 4 lease GP38-2 units.I don’t need any more. Besides my Athearns run smooth.
Yes, maybe, but I thought there were significant differences between the GP38 and the GP38-2 unless all Atlas is doing is adding the water sight glass.
One would hope that all of the detail parts for the existing GP38 would work on the new GP38-2. Atlas has on their web site a catalog where these parts can be ordered and at very reasonable prices.
On major difference with the Trainman line over their other lines is that the Trainman stuff is planned for pretty much continuous production - not “limited production” like you see on pretty much everything today.
So they needed a model that would have the widest appeal… and wasn’t an F-unit. [:)]
The GP38-2 pretty much fits that bill - and at least one mailing list has noticed from the engine numbers that this ought to be a later phase GP38-2, with early Q-Fans, something that hasn’t been done before.
The technical artwork shown on Atlas’ website suggests that their Geep will be a late model GP38-2 with the 88" nose, beveled paper air filter box and corrugated radiator grilles, a version that I don’t believe has been mass-produced yet, so it won’t be as redundant as it would seem.
The Atlas moderator posted some additional info about what to expect. It will be on the same chassis as the master series Geeps but the details for the most part will be molded on. The turbo hatch will be a separate part, but I would guess the fans and grills will be molded on. Basically I figure it will resemble an Athearn shell on an Atlas chassis (not a bad combination).
Guys for what its worth the GP38-2 was called the GP9 of the 70’s.Like the GP9 it was a all 'round work horse…[:D]
Now we have a choice…The upgraded RTR Athearn,the Atlas or the P2K GP38-2 plus the train set GP38-2 by LL…So it all boils down to one’s preference.
Unless Athearn goes back and makes the GP38-2 more like the CF7 or the GP35 I don’t think it will stand up well against the new atlas unit. I have two of the P2K GP38’s and they perform very well and although I haven’t seen it mentioned much depending on which railroad it is painted for there are several variants of the P2K GP38-2.
Bob,The 2 Athearn RTR Helm leasing units I have has the new hex drive and they run just as smooth as the CF7s…It would be a hard choice for me to choose between the Athearn RTR GP38-2 or the Atlas GP38-2…From what I have read on the Atlas forum the P2K GP38-2 has several errors…I do know they’re overpriced even at discount IMHO for no more then what they are.
On the other hand, the P2K GP38-2 has the best detail and drive of those out so far (I have two of the P2Ks and the Athearn, that makes for an easy comparison!).
As you know, Larry, LL corrected the major errors (fan size, etc) on their “recall” of the model - most other “errors” are road specific detail, which can be altered. Speaking of “errors”, it cost me about $40 in parts to upgrade my Athearn to RI standards. Far less parts will be needed on the P2Ks when I get a round tuit. And the RITS agrees that the color IS correct for a new RI GP38-2 (it faded quickly to the Athearn powder blue look).
My P2K Rock Islands run and look great with a PnP DH163LO decoder on DCC !!!
As far as the Atlas Trainman line goes, I will most likely not buy any unless they make a model that I can’t obtain in a better quality model. This line is meant for beginners or those who want to detail from “scratch” - I would rather do minor detail work on my P2Ks, Atlas Masters or Katos, ending up with a better loco for the extra money, IMHO.
I also really wi***he manufacturers would give us things we don’t already have, instead of rehashes of the same old tired stuff with the only most minor detail differences - I mean, how many F units and 40’ box cars do we really need anyway? There are lots of prototypes that have NEVER been done in plastic.
George,I have seen the P2K GP38-2 and it looks ok to me…You need to talk to the fellas on the Atlas forum…I do recall there was some errors on the body even on the “improved” engine…Like I said it looks ok to me but IMHO to dang pricey even at discount and like most P2Ks overated…After all P2K is a detailed shell on a fancy Athearn drive that’s why we can usually buy the P2K locomotives at bargain basement prices once its been on the market for awhile and the 3rd and 4th production runs show up on the shelves…
Given that Atlas say this model will have the same drive as the existing GP38 and GP40, a possibility for them that leaps to my mind is using the mechanism with Athearn GP40-2 and GP50 shells. Lots easier than remotoring, and I don’t have to buy a $CAD 200 locomotive to do it! [:)]
Yo’ Willie…One can do that now with the Athearn GP38-2 and the GP40-2 by using the Atlas GP38 andGP40 drives so the new T/S GP38-2 should be a natural fit with a little dremel tool work…[:D]
I would guess most of us agree with your comments about how many F units do we need. If you really want to influence what new models are produced, email all of the top companies to try and influence them with their new models.
I have been doing this for several years and some of the new models recently have been ones that several of us have requested over and over.
If they really believe we would buy it, they will probably build it!!
The idea here isn’t to give you something new and unique - the idea is to give people (including those considering getting into model railroading) a model of a popular prototype at a reasonable price. They plan on keeping these in fairly constant production, so they needed a popular prototype to start with.
One that doesn’t sound like a coffee grinder as well.