| I just picked up my first trainman CSX GP38-2 and here are some initial thoughts. As I expected it runs very smoothly as I have yet to buy an Atlas locomotive that didn’t. The paint job is crisp and for the most part accurate except that the yellow has too much of an orange tint to it. Sitting it next to a friends earlier Atlas GP38 really shows the difference. I thought at first they had included incorrectly the early blomberg B trucks since GP38-2’s have blomberg M trucks. But after checking the CSX Photo archive I found that a few of the GP38-2s have the earlier type B trucks apparently the former Conrail units. The only other minor complaint is that there are no dimples for drilling holes for grab irons, just the bumps that are supposed to represent the bolts (I guess). There are bumps on the roof that are supposed to represent the lift rings but they will be easy to cut off and replace. I was surprised there was no snowplow in the box though the parts diagram shows one and last and maybe least there were no cut levers even though there were holes in the pilot to install them (gee even Bachmann has cut levers) One big thing on the plus side were the extra recesses in the step wells and there are no pilot steps to cut off. Overall a good model for a beginner but nowhere near the quality (shell wise) of the P2K GP38-2. |
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| Bob DeWoody |
I posted this review on Sat. and came in to work today surprised that no one had any questions or comments about what I wrote. I sometimes wonder about the people in this forum when I see what stays on the front page.
Glad you are for the most part happy with your model. I wonder how Trainman will be in N scale?
These would be an ideal Beginners model, above The Lifelike and Bachmann crap and the running qualities of an Atlas master loco. I would think too they would be good for cutting up for scratchbuilding or even to re-motor athearns etc.
My LHS ownner told me these locos have the same chassis and drivetrain as the Classic models. No wonder they run great. The lack of added details on units of that price is easy to come around and I like to superdetail my engines. I surely will get a couple when some of my colors are issued.
Martin
Québec City
How much do they cost?
Bob: it was a holiday weekend, perhaps a lot of folks just weren’t around a computer to check the forums over Labor Day.
Curt: MSRP on the Atlas Trainman GP38-2 is 79.95
I concur that they run well. The price is lower due to the lack of a lot of detail…which is not a complaint from me. These are what is now being considered a mid-priced decent quality locomotive that is needed in our hobby. The detail manufacturers still make plenty of good detail parts if you want to add them to the Trainman, of course.
They seem ideal to me. I have to paint them in various D&H schemes anyway, so there won’t be a lot of details to remove and then I can add what’s appropriate. I’ll get a 1/2 dozen. Anyone know who’s got the least expensive?
It’s the same driveline as the Master Series Silver.
Yeah, i have one of those GPs, a CP (as you can see in my name). They run darn good and just as quiet to. Only thing i dont like: grab irons! Srry im just crazy about grabs! otherwise their locos rock!
I wouldn’t call it a beginners loco. I know many advanced model railroaders who use these. They look and run very well, so why pay $30-$40 more for a couple more details?
The whole idea of Trainman is good quality running, with less detail as a trade-off for price. This applies to locos as wekk as rolling stock. [:)]