So far I have one Atlas unit, a C424 that runs great, and I have a Silver Series SD26 on the way. I want to model a Pan Am GP40-2LW and am having a hard time finding an undecorated GP40 to start with. I found this online:
I like my ALCo and I’ve heard nothing but good things about the SD26, but how does this older model run? I can see that it has a big “channel” going down the sides of the fuel tank which will have to be covered up or filled in and I’ll have to replace the dynamic brake blister with a non-dynamic piece. Is there anything else fundamentally wrong with this unit? Would I be better off looking for an Athearn BB (which I can’t find anywhere)?
That being said, I have a few of the FP7’s that Atlas did, plus a SD35 and a GP 38 (from the same era). They all run well but are a bit light on their feet. Details are OK, but the cab area will need a lot of work to bring it to contemporary standards. If it goes cheap enough, why not? But if more than $10, I would look for something else.
Those old Roco’s were pretty solid performers for their day. IIRC they have flywheels and a closed can motor. The detailing on the shell is a little coarse by today’s standards, and who knows if you can readily adapt it to DCC, but overall, not a bad lokie.
Those old geeps are pretty easy to update and upgrade to A-Line drives (Mashima motors w/new flywheels, but you’re still stuck with the notch and incorrect contour of the fuel tank and the courseness of the body details. Personnally, I would try to find a newer Atlas Gold or Silver Series Geep (if it’s painted - strip it) or an Athearn and do the same aforementioned motor upgrade (probably your least expensive route), change the wheels too.
To do the dash 2, I would start with an Athearn. The BB or RTR your choice. Years ago when the only plastic GP40 was the Atlas/Roco, I did extensive reworking of the cab, battery boxes, steps and pilot on 2 of the Roco units for a pair of WM circus GP40s. The detail of the chassis, horrible block to represent a fuel tank and lacking truck sideframe detail made me use Proto Power West chassis. The wheels and electrical PU are also poor. The handrails were also replaced with Smokey Valley. I don’t know how prototypical you need to be for the PanAm unit, but if you still want to use a straight GP40 instead of the dash 2, use the newer Atlas/ china drive version. In my opinion, the new Atlas units are one of the best running and have excellent detail.
If you get it for a decent price it will be worth it. They were the best runners of their time when built. I still run some of them today. They do need some work, the tank slot needs to be filled with bondo but that’s easy. Since it is undecorated you can add on grabs and other details easily.
Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep looking for an Athearn BB unit. I’d like to make the locomotive prototypical and the Atlas looks like it needs more work than the Athearn to be that way. I’ve had a bad experience trying to get the paint off one of my predec E-R Sharks and I’ve never heard of Athearn selling undecorated RTR GP40s, so I think I’ll skip the Athearn RTRs unless I can get an RTR chassis/drive only and put a BB shell on it.