Hi folks
Can anyone tell me when Atlas switched to the Kato drive from the Roco drive? Is it possible to tell from the model number which drive a loco might have?
The Atlas site doesn’t list them from so far back, and I’ve tried all sorts of searches. Maybe someone here has earlier Atlases and can help.
Mike
From what I can tell from my collection, the early GP40, GP38, SD35 and FP7 are all Roco drives from the 70’s. Then there seemed to be break in what they did until the Kato powered RS3 came along. Not sure if this helps?
The FP7 was the first Atlas loco made by Roco, and I believe it was introduced in the mid-1970s. It was followed by the SD24, SD35, GP38, and GP40.
The RS-3 was introduced around 1983 (N scale) - 1984 (HO scale), and it was Atlas’s first loco made by Kato. Other Kato-built locos included the RSD-4/5, RS-11, RSD-12, C-424, C-425, and RS-1. All of these locos were in production for the remainder of the 1980s and into the early 1990s.
After Kato started making locos for Atlas, the only one of the old Roco-built locos to be reintroduced was the FP7. Roco also made the Alco S-2 and S-4 switchers for Atlas, both of which were introduced in the late 1980s.
Thanks Pathfinder. That helps a bit.
Are the GP40, GP38, SD35 and FP7 the only ones made with Roco drives, or are there others, do you know?
Mike
Thanks Aloco!!! we posted about the same time and I missed your reply.
That tells me everything I need to know. It’s a great help to me. Thankyou very much!
Mike
Small correction - The SD24 was the first engine, followed by the SD35(same chassis). The GP38HH/GP38LH/GP40 followed, as did the FP7. As mentioned, Atlas went to Kato for the RS3 and it’s Alco sisters. IIRC, the S1/2/3/4 were/are Roco drives as well. The current Atlas engines(China) are some of the smoothest running models available.
Jim
You’re right on the SD24 and SD35. The next to get released was the FP7, then the HH GP38 (first HH plastic 2nd-gen diesel ever released, quite obviously a Southern loco was the prototype as the loco has several Southern-only details), then the GP40. The LH GP38 came in last.
These were all produced by Roco and made in Austria. They were available for several product runs.
Kato entered the picture in 1983 with the RS3. The Roco line was dropped at this time except for the FP7.
The S1-S2-S3-S4 line was introduced in the late '80s and built by Roco.
The U33C/U36C was the first Atlas-built example and first released in 1993. It was the first modern Atlas release and follows Kato construction practices.
A hearty amen to that. My one Atlas Classic U23B stands head and shoulders above any other loco for reliable silent running and pulls just as well as a Proto F3. And my old Yellow Box RS3’s are on par much newer Proto equipment.
Thanks again everyone. The RS-11 was the one I had doubts about, but it’s good to know it’s Kato drive.
My Atlas Classic U23Bs are incedibly good, too.
I find even the older Roco units to be pretty fine runners and with a little work good lookers too.
Note that the RS11, as it uses the RS3 frame, has a bit shorter wheel base than the prototype. Personally, I do not find that objectionable.
An Atlas RS11 on its way to becoming a BC Rail RS18
Well, I was close.
The current Chinese-made Atlas locos have the same drive mechanisms as the Roco and Kato built units. I’ve got new and old Atlas Alco switchers and new and old Atlas RS-3s and RS-11s, and they all run smoothly regardless of when and where they were made.
Some of the S4’s have Kato chassis, all the ones with the blunt trucked S series Alcos have Roco drives. All the other Alcos are Kato driven, as are the yellow box GP7’s making them one of the more sought after older Atlas engines for those that dont care about seperate grabs, or those are easly shaved off during a repaint. Those older kato driven atlas have to be one of the best running bargains on the market. I have seen them for as cheap as $25 at shows for unwanted/unboxed road names. Mike
What about the locos with the Roco drive? I know nothing about Roco. How do they run compared with the Kato drives, or even Blue Boxes for that matter?
The Roco built Atlas (and Model Power and E-R Models) are slightly behind the Kato built models, but way better than Athearn BBs. Rocos are very smooth, but some are a bit noisier than Kato.
I have 21 Atlas Alco switchers (including 4 S-4s) from various production periods and not one of them has a Kato drive. They all have open frame motors.