ANYBODY RUNNING THE ATLAS B 23-7 IN SLOW SPEED SWITCHING? THINKING OF GETTING ONE. ANY FEEDBACK ON YOURS?
Yes,I have 2 and have used them for slow speed switching and find they are nice switchers.
Atlas also makes the U23B and U25B, and the B30-7. Kato is making U30C’s, also marketed as U23C’s although there is a difference between models…
These are just factory modeled prototype loco’s. The 4-axle GE Universal series used the same frames and body lengths, so with a little model building a U23B could be turned into a U30B. The B23-7 could be modeled to represent U33B and U36B locomotives (the Dash 7 line used radiator section like on these models). The U25B could be re-modeled as a U28B.
Graft on the over-hanging radiator section from a Dash 7 loco and Kato’s U30C can become a U33C, U36C, C30-7, or C36-7. As mentioned Kato U23C is just a U30 marketed differently. The real difference is the number of power assembly access doors on the side of the long hood, but also as mentioned it wouldn’t be too hard to cut some body and add some styrene to more accurately model the 23C
So with a little work and time you could have a fairly good representation of GE locomotive models. Would certainly be an interesting MR article.
yup, i have one, runs like a dream. I recommend gluing the handrails onto the sides though; they’ll come off at a slight touch. Shouldn’t be difficult with a toothpick and small amounts of glue
`I have three B-23-7’s and they are good at slow speeds. I do use them for switching. They use the same mechanism as the U-23-B’s and similar to the other Atlas loco’s like the GP 38’s, GP 38-2’s, GP 40’s and SD 35’s. you use DCC? They all use the same decoders. By adjusting CV2 you can get very slow switching speeds.
I do not operate any of these but they do come with a very high reputation for reliability. They make very good (prototypical) road switchers and being low mileage units are likely to have a relatively long service life making them good entries for my now-era Seaboard and Western Virginia Railway.
At one time it was my intent to get a half-dozen or so of these units and chop up the body shells to kitbash 33Cs/36Cs using my (old) Kato 30Cs as a base. Ron Bearden had a kitbashing article in an early N Scale Railroading magazine. This plan no longer has merit because 33C/36Cs would no longer be reputable on a now-era locomotive fleet. My current intent is to buy four or five of these and swap trucks with GP30s and/or GP35s representing units ordered with trade-ins; GP30s/GP35s from Alco covered wagons and/or RSs; B23-7s from EMD covered wagons.
What roadname are you looking to get?
Well I can surely expand your GE built loco fleet handsomely. Note: most loco models are produced by Atlas but are noted if different. Although some would not be 100% accurate, they would be a darn good representation of such to the non-rivet counter types like myself. Also, scaled drawings were used for comparison, comparing prototype models of similar built if not models from same railroad.
U23B can become a U30B, but with some work. This by far would take the most work to model, but it could be done.
U25B can be modeled as a U28B with very little work, namely cutting the models sills/walkway to a lever plan, eliminating the step up on the 25B. This was comparing a 25 ph2 (Atlas modeled) and a 28 ph2.
B30-7 can represent a B36-7 by simply calling the model a B36-6 or re-labeling. With a little bit of work it can also be modeled as a U36C or U33B.
B23-7 can be modeled as a B30-7A by slicing off the 23 exhaust stack and gluing on a different one. Drawings would be most useful here to get the correct exhaust stack accuraetly modeled.
C30-7 (Kato) can also be modeled as a C36-7 with no real work).
U30C (Kato). There is very little to no difference in body between the U30C, U33C, and U36C.
So, all in all, there are 5 of these models currently manufactorered, but with the exception of the U30B there is very little to no work and you suddenly have 13 GE locomotive models in N scale.
Finally, one must realize though that some of these prototype loco’s were not very popular. Some Universal models did mediocre, but became more proounced with the Dash 7 series. And again, some models sold better as B-B set up than a C-C set up. Example U36B’s were generally unliked do to power assembly problems and poor adhesion, but a short line or regional that would not use the full 3600hp may not have a problem with it’s previous reputation, especially when starting out and yearning for cheap power.
The B23-7 more specifically comes undecor