Bought my first Atlas, I have been wanting to try one for a while. I got it from my LHS, it is pre-owned but if there is a problem I can take it back for a exchange or refund.
It is a HO scale GP-38 Master Series B&O 4811 and seems to have never been ran, all the details parts where still in the bag. I pulled the DC jumper and read the CV’s using decoder pro. Changed the default address from 11 and changed it to 48 and I was ready to run my first Atlas Engine! [:D]
[*-)] Hum, all I could control was the head light. Decoder pro says DC defalt was inable so I try my DC test track, nothing. (Could be I need to install the jumper again)
While it seems never run, I have no clue to it’s age. Could be 6 months old or 10 years old, with Proto engines I can tell.
So the real question is how do I get the shell off to clean the engine? Coupler pockets are off, so just pry and give it a Hail Mary like the old Athearn BB’s and hope it does not break? More than likely just spinning the motor and cleaning the gunk out of the truck’s will get her going! [Y]
Decoder Question. Are the Master Series decoder any good? While I was reading the CV’s I was surprised the readings looked, well odd. Normaly CV 5 would be 255 (Top speed) and CV 6 would be around 125. (Mid Range) Most of my engines use Digitrax, NCE or Lok 3.1 decoders. Any thoughts on the decoder?
Did you try running it with the original programmed number?
Anyway, I have an undec master series GP38. The directions indicate that the jumper has to be installed whether using DC or DCC. The position needs to be changed.
Looking at the top of the decoder/light board you should see a 6 hole socket where the jumper was. The jumper itself only has 4 pins. The board has one long side and one side that has a notch with two connection tabs. To orient the board, look at it with the notched side at the top.
For DC operation the jumper gets installed in the 4 holes to the left. For DCC, the jumper is installed in the 4 holes to the right.
It won’t run without the jumper.
I asume you accessed the jumper by removing the dynamic brake housing.
There are 6 tabs on the bottom of the hood assembly. You can see 3 on the drawing. The other 3 are on the other side. After you remove the couplers Atlas suggests that you squeeze the shell in the area of the tabs to disengage them from their attachments. If you can access these from the bottom of the model, you can try to disengage them from there.
AFAIK, Ken, the Atlas Master Series locomotives come in only two flavors: “Silver” and “Gold”. The Gold version comes with a sound decoder; the Silver version is DCC-ready but does not have a decoder. Which one is it?
If it does have a decoder, it’s probably QSI. You might try double-pressing F6 to see if it will “awake up”? It’s worth a try.
No. When Atlas originally came out with the Master Series Gold and Silver, the Silver was DC only, and the Gold came with a non-sound dual mode decoder.
I purchased a used Atlas HH660 from a private seller online. It came in the original box, but no paperwork. On the layout, the lights would work, but nothimg else. I tried address 03 and the road number without success. Seller may have changed address to run on his club pike but couldn’t remember the number. I called Atlas, talked with one of their techs. I took the resent wand from another Atlas loco. The tech walked me thru the reset procedure. Call Atlas. They are happy to help.
Ken, I have over 20 Atlas Master (dual-mode) units. A couple are NIB and still haven’t been run yet. I noticed that of all these units when first placing them in service, it was absolutely crucial to clean the wheels. Although they all look shiney/ clean, i believe they have a film (machining process or packaging) that seriously affects the operation. I will always check the units on the factory address (last 2 digits engine no) before assigning my number and setting CVs. Only one of the early dual mode decoders were defective of a few dozen used (added them to “red box Classic” units as well. Only a few are QSI sound units all others are DCC only. The sound and non sound ones just don’t play together well when MUed w/ a couple other non sound. Lots of messing and speed matching and only get close.
These are getting rather old, however some that have sat for years don’t seem to need any “re lubing”, just clean the wheels and run. About 6 of them have seen some serious use in running at our shows, hours of continuous running for an entire weekend w/o any issues other than wheel cleaning.
Here’s that 4811
Ken, hope you work out the issues, these are my favorite and best runners next to those old Stewart/ Kato Fs.
Interesting thread, I better watch this one, as I have an Atlas GP38, and it just says master series, (no gold or silver mentioned, the box is black) with a dual mode decoder, and I have the same problem. This has never ran, right out of the box. I have flopped the chip around, as per the instructions, and nothing.
This is an old production loco, from 2001. No sound, it’s just a motor decoder. Not really “dual mode” as you need to flip the jumper. They were NCE or Lenz or maybe Digitrax.
According to the instructions, the default jumper position is DCC. Note this jumper has to be installed at all times - one way for DC, the other for DCC. You do not remove it.
Hum, you have to read the directions? [:-^] Is that a New Thing in Model Railroading? [(-D]
LOL when I looked at the directions it was folded in half, I saw the first and second digram so I knew about pulling the jumper. What I did not do was flip the diresctions over! LOL, I feel say a little [:$].
Far as getting the shell off, thanks Maxman! [Y] Something like my Proto 2000 SD 7’s and SD 8’s. I clipped off the clips as soon as I got the shell off. Pain in the caboose!
Randy I am some what surprised it is from 2001. Seems like a good de-gunking would not hurt!
Uhh…I wouldn’t clip the tabs off of the shell unless you plan on gluing the two part shell together…really well too. The two-part Atlas shells are easy to get off of the chassis once you get the hang of it.
You can break the handrails if the shell comes apart the wrong way.
I too removed what I thought was a dummy plug and had the same problem. Atlas has a jumper plug and it needs repositioned not removed. Reinstall the plug in the correct position and all will be ok. Enjoy that new Atlas.
To remove the shell, squeeze on the rear part of the long hood, getting your thumb and index finger down past the rails as far as you can. Squeeze and wiggle the shell and try to lift up at the same time. It takes a lot of little wiggles. You can see the tab if you flip the loco over and look past the trucks. A small bladed screw driver can help release the tabs. They fit into the inside of the frame, which is why squeezing the shell releases them. Sometimes, I think the factory puts the shell on before the paint has totally cured, so it might be hard to get the tabs to release from the shell.
There are tabs in the front of the short hood too, they release the same way but it is easier to start from the long hood.
The first few times can certainly be difficult, but then it becomes pretty easy.
OK, never mind, [:-^] mine runs fine, operator error. Ken, I hope yours runs as good. Now I need to open up the bags of detail parts, and finish assembly. Just as smooth and quiet as one would expect.
I finally broke down and took it back to my LHS to get the shell off! Took Dave and Larry both working on it togather 15 minutes to get the darn shell off!
So far, I am not impressed by the Atlas. Way the decoder acts, it reminds of the decoders in my Bachmann With DCC. Kind of sounds like a good Bachmann, not quite but not a racket maker.
Test running / breaking it in now. It may redeam in pulling power, I am getting ready to lash it to a 19 car coal train and see how it does.
Still need a little more help.
1 Any tips on getting the front grap irons?
2 Opening the bottoms of the trucks? Do I just pry and wiggle the screw driver pack and forth or does the side frames need to come off first?
Will up date and soon as I do some pulling with it.
It’s old. Like the Bachmann version of the Lenz decoder, it probably doesn’t have a high frequency motor drive.
My old fleet of Kato-made RS-3’s are great runners, and the cheap box 'o junk I picked up when I moved had an old version of the S-2 in it, just DC for now but it is nice and quiet and smooth. And my Trainmaster with QSI sound is quite the workhorse, just like the prototype. Nice and smooth.
Not sure on that specific one, but on most of my other Atlas locos the bottom cover of the truck just pops off - there are latches holding it on, so don’t just stick a screwdriver in the bottom and pry, you just have to pry lightly on the latches to snap them open and the cover comes off.
The Lenz-built decoders in the older Atlas engines are a couple of generations behind what’s easily available today. I’ve been replacing mine with TCS decoders and there’s a marked improvement in response and smoothness, and the hum goes away completely.
As others have mentioned, that Atlas is old stock so it has the old technology. Atlas recommends a NCE DASR decoder as a replacement for their old dual mode decoder, which are designed to just replace the board thats in the Atlas. Atlas also made a better #342 decoder to replace the #340 or #341 decoder that you probably have in the GP which operates more like the NCE and TCS products.
Once the shell has come off for the first time, removing it again should be easier. Your LHS experience kind of resembles my own, where the owner doesn’t seem to know much about how to take a locomotive apart. Probably why they are fading away…
The truck covers pop off with the aid of a thin bladed screwdriver applied to each end of the truck. I like to remove the fuel tank in order to give the screwdriver a flatter anlge on the tank side. Removing the tank takes some practice too,(it j
