I have an Atlas N GP40 that I believe was from the 1997 run of KATO OEM models. It doesn’t have a coupler box like the current Geeps but some sort of bracket. Does anyone know what Micro Trains # would work for this? This model is not on the conversion spreadsheet.
Are you sure it is a GP40? The GP30 & GP35 runs were originally produced by KATO, but I suspect the GP40 & GP40-2 were China production. Here is the link to the Atlas GP40 exploded parts catalog:
http://www.atlasrr.com/pdf/N%20GP-40%20LOCO.pdf
Most of these seem to use the 1015/1016 coupler conversions.
Jim
Yep, 1015’s will work perfectly.
I need to buy some 1015’s or the kit 1017’s as I want to body mount couplers soon.
Spookshow shows the 1997 product as a GP40-2. Microitrains shows coupler 1015 which is also shown for the 1990’s + GP30 and GP35 and GP38-2. Appears both Kato and China production use 1015
The ATLAS /KATO GP 30s and 35s had truck mounted couplers and MTL has/had a conversion pilot for them.The 40s were not ATLAS/KATO and had full pilots with the couplers held in place with a 3 prong clip.both use the 1015/16 coupler.
From Spookshow GP30/35 description."
"Those first Kato-made units were noteworthy insofar as they were the first Atlas diesel models to come with full pilots and shell-mounted couplers. The Micro-Trains friendly coupler-clip system employed in these models was actually first introduced in Kato’s SD40 model of the previous year. Additionally, these two Geeps were the very last collaboration between Atlas and Kato. The two venerable firms were destined to go their seperate ways in the mid-1990s (with Atlas subsequently relocating all of their locomotive production to China). "
The Atlas/Roco GP30 produced 1974-1982 has truck mounted couplers.
Since I own at least 6 of these locos I can tell you that Mark is wrong The ATLAS /KATO N scale locos had truck mounted couplers.I’ve installed enough of the MTL conversion pilots to know.
Model Railroader Product Review June 1992 of Atlas GP35
“Atlas has again teamed with Kato to produce a georgous-looking and fine-running locomotive in N scale”
“The model comes with body-mounted Rapido-style couplers”
Spookshow shows: The Atlas Roco GP30 produced 1974-1982 has truck mounted couplers. No Atlas GP35 made prior to the Atlas Kato in 1992
While Mark did a excellent job on those N Scale encyclopedias he depended on information gleamed from N Scale forums and reviews in MR…
The Kato produce GP30/GP35 had open pilots…The China GP30/35 saw improvements to include a full pilot and I believe they had the “scale speed motor”.
I own 7 Atlas Kato GP35 I just carefully examined all of them. All say KATO on bottom. All body mounterd couplers. No open pilots. No pilot conversions. Closed pilots cast with the body.
I also have 1 Atlas Classic (China) GP35.
Sorry Brakie Mark has bought most if not all of the locos he has reviewed . His revievs are a standard that many people judge N scale losos by .
Mark (Spookshow) is not a subscriber thus cannot reply. But I would take what he says to the bank. He has tremendous credibility among most of us, and has our respect for what he has accomplished. If he said it, believe it. And where are your pictures?
ALL Atlas / Kato and Atlas / China GP30 and GP35 have closed pilots and body mount couplers. They ALL take 1015 couplers.
Back in the 70’s, Atlas / Roco made a GP30 that had truck mounted couplers.
If you care to do some research then check the old atlasrr.com N Scale forum…Mark asked a lot of questions about locomotives and freight cars and he used reviews in MR as well.
His web site is without a doubt the best N Scale research tool.
BTW…My N Scale experience dates back to 1968 so,I’m no stranger to N Scale. and The early runs of Atlas/Kato had truck mounted Rapido couplers as did some of the newer models with pilots.
[:(] I was recently working on my old ATLAS/KATO SD-9 and realized It was that loco and not the GP30/35s that needed the pilot kit.
So I hereby admit that I blew it. [:(] By the way the Chinese and KATO walkways (and railings) are interchangable if your so inclines to upgrade your ATLAS/KATO SD-9s.
Yes, Larry, the early Atlas / Kato were truck mounted…the RS1, RS3, GP7/9, U25B, and the SD7/9. The Atlas /Kato GP35 was the first Atlas loco to have body mounted couplers (unless you want to refer to the Kato SD40).
I’ve been involved with N since '73. You’ve got me by a couple of years!
The GP35 was the first new N scale loco begun after I started at Atlas. They had the full pilot and pilot mounted couplers from day one. This was something we asked for on the SD7 and SD9 (design work was started before I began here) and were told could not be done. It must have given Kato’s engineers something to think about, though, because they were able to design a system that worked.