Hi folks. Here's my latest product review. I hope you enjoy it and find it useful.
Thanks,
Eric Siegel
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I'll have to watch it tonight. Thanks Eric, always like your videos.
Eric,
Great review. I bought Santa Fe's also and received mine about two or three weeks ago. I need to find some time to take them out of the box and check to make sure they are OK.
Joe
Nice review, as always. One thing that kept me from considering these engines was the red paint. To me, it is too flat and dull. If it had been a bit glossier, a satin finish, at least, I probably would have bitten on these units.
breezinup posted:Nice review, as always. One thing that kept me from considering these engines was the red paint. To me, it is too flat and dull. If it had been a bit glossier, a satin finish, at least, I probably would have bitten on these units.
The MTH Premier units might appeal to you. I've got the AB set. Stainless plating on the engine and glossy paint. Real beauties!
Some dealers might still have them. I didn't preorder them but instead put them on my "wait and see" list. I had a hard time finding a store with them in stock as I believe MTH was sold out upon delivery.
Watch at work great review eric. Hearing them made me happy. I got a set of AA mth premire units with err installed from alex here on the forum. If I was a detail and paint nut I would be drolling as those are better looking. Mine however look good to me,plus they have the same internals as the atlas models. Same sounds for half the cost. Always wanted some for my collection. Your video made me feel real good about my used deal.
Very nicely done Eric.
I do appreciate your time and efforts in producing these great videos.
Thanks
Dave
Excellent review.
SJC posted:breezinup posted:Nice review, as always. One thing that kept me from considering these engines was the red paint. To me, it is too flat and dull. If it had been a bit glossier, a satin finish, at least, I probably would have bitten on these units.
The MTH Premier units might appeal to you. I've got the AB set. Stainless plating on the engine and glossy paint. Real beauties!
Some dealers might still have them. I didn't preorder them but instead put them on my "wait and see" list. I had a hard time finding a store with them in stock as I believe MTH was sold out upon delivery.
Thanks for your suggeston. I don't have DCS, though, and don't want to get into the expense and complexity of two operating systems, so I didn't consider those engines. I have considered the older TMCC Lionel scale F-3 and F-7 Warbonnets, which are nice and now reasonably priced, but since I'm not in any particular hurry, I'll probably just wait and see what Lionel comes up with next. I'm reasonably sure a Legacy scale Warbonnet will come along in the not-too-distant future.
breezinup posted:SJC posted:breezinup posted:Nice review, as always. One thing that kept me from considering these engines was the red paint. To me, it is too flat and dull. If it had been a bit glossier, a satin finish, at least, I probably would have bitten on these units.
The MTH Premier units might appeal to you. I've got the AB set. Stainless plating on the engine and glossy paint. Real beauties!
Some dealers might still have them. I didn't preorder them but instead put them on my "wait and see" list. I had a hard time finding a store with them in stock as I believe MTH was sold out upon delivery.
Thanks for your suggeston. I don't have DCS, though, and don't want to get into the expense and complexity of two operating systems, so I didn't consider those engines. I have considered the older TMCC Lionel scale F-3 and F-7 Warbonnets, which are nice and now reasonably priced, but since I'm not in any particular hurry, I'll probably just wait and see what Lionel comes up with next. I'm reasonably sure a Legacy scale Warbonnet will come along in the not-too-distant future.
You could run them conventional - I'm no TMCC/Legacy Expert but as I understand it, a Powermaster will allow conventional operation. They run great conventionally, which is how I run my layout. No need to buy DCS to run them.
Eric, I always enjoy watching your review videos and it gives me a way to see what else is out there,
Love the fixed pilot option. Just a note, add kadee 805 to those fix pilots and you can latch up to lobster claws all day with no issues.
Atlas has always used a flatter finish paint on their models, I believe the late Jim Weaver set this finish from the start as a more prototypical finish for a line that was to be true 1/4" scale. JMO
Comprehensive review... as always. The only disappointment I have with these Atlas-O locomotives is the Railsounds package. It's OK, and certainly a step up from prior versions of the Railsounds package that Lionel licenses to ERR. But gosh, that darned F3 horn still sounds like a sick cow! 
And I just can't get past it -- no matter how nice the models look.
There are other diesel Railsounds available from ERR, and I wonder if the boards in the Atlas-O F3's are the same modular boards that ERR sells separately. If so, that would be wonderful news. And even though it's not prototypical, I'd replace the supplied board with ERR's Alco C-420 board. Then I'd consider spending close to $2K on these models for an ABBBA configuration with 3 units powered. If the sound boards can't be swapped, then the credit card stays in my pocket.
David
hibar posted:Atlas has always used a flatter finish paint on their models, I believe the late Jim Weaver set this finish from the start as a more prototypical finish for a line that was to be true 1/4" scale. JMO
When the engines were fresh and clean, at least, they did not have the flat finish which the Atlas models appear to have.
I think the chroming/stainless steel finish on the side panels makes the "flat" red stand out much more than it normally would. If the model is delivered in new condition as if the diesel had just come out of the shop, I would prefer the gloss red.
As it happens I inquired with my dealer about an ABBA set but asked him to check the chrome finish on the panels because I had read previous reviews indicating there were finish issues. The dealer called and said he opened each one and every model had scratches. So . . . . I passed. I do have the Rio Grande F7's and I like them. They're not perfect, but they look very good.
Scrappy
Eric - fabulously comprehensive review as always!!! Bravo!! I wish I had the coins to purchase these babies. Hearing the 567 prime movers certainly primes my appetite. Thanks so much for all you do for our hobby!! 
Eric has 2 powered A-units thus the smoke. The Atlas non-powered A and B-units have no smoke.
Breezinup - Those are some beautiful photos posted above. Where/when please?
As usual excellent script for the review. I love freight trains, but I would have loved to see these engines pulling Atlas passenger cars, even if not prototypically correct. thanks and good job. BTW we see PanAm F-7's up here in New England pulling excursions.
Could the flat Red be remedied by a coat of gloss clear or two?
Excellent review Eric. As you have said many times, and my coworker Bob and I agree, Atlas makes the most detailed models.
Excellent Review! Atlas O shared your review with us dealers too. Yes, I have the Santa Fe units, and all the ones I have personally inspected look good to me. (No scratches)
the review was interesting as a manual for how to operate the locomotives. but in my opinion was very weak as a review of the model.
A model by definition is supposed to be a scale replica of the prototype. It should reflect the scale dimensions and features of the prototype. There was no mention that I heard in the review of any comparison of the model to the prototype. I don't mean pretty paint, I mean dimensions.
Such things as height above the rails, length compared to prototype in scale feet, width, truck wheel base, wheel diameter, location of the portholes and louvres, size of the fans, truck centers etc. These are all key dimensions that define the accuracy of the model and seem to be ignored. Is this a model of an EMD F7 or is a plastic what ever? All these dimensions are important and should be listed in scale feet compared to prototype actual feet to be able to judge if this is an accurate model or just pretty.
My opinion again, not a review,more o f a user guide.
I bought an ABBA set and I am VERY HAPPY with these engines! I love the ease of installation of the fixed pilot and I installed Atlas scale couplers (while I do prefer Kadees, the Atlas couplers are easier to install and the reality is I will keep the engines in the ABBA MU so the superior Kadee coupler was not crucial.)
None of my engines had scratches. They run as great as they look! I don't mind the horn and the luster of the red paint did not faze me. The engines are pulling my GGD El Cap cars and this is now my favorite train in my collection!
IMO, these engines were worth the wait and the cost! Thank you Atlas!
This is an excellent review of the Atlas 3 rail model itself which is great for potential buyers to be able to make an informed decision if they decide to buy one. This is a 3 rail model with a swinging pilot, large flanged wheels, and oversized couplers, I don't think it was suppose to be a review to compare it to the prototype. Now if this had been a review of a high end model such as from Key Imports than yes, I would expect true to prototype dimensions.
Joe
I have no problem with the Santa Fe red. I could easily make them high gloss if I wanted to. What I can not stand is the **** poor finish on the B unit's panels. Even with that being said....right out of the box, I like my Atlas set better than my Sunset F7 set....right out of the box.
prrjim posted:the review was interesting as a manual for how to operate the locomotives. but in my opinion was very weak as a review of the model.
A model by definition is supposed to be a scale replica of the prototype. It should reflect the scale dimensions and features of the prototype. There was no mention that I heard in the review of any comparison of the model to the prototype. I don't mean pretty paint, I mean dimensions.
Such things as height above the rails, length compared to prototype in scale feet, width, truck wheel base, wheel diameter, location of the portholes and louvres, size of the fans, truck centers etc. These are all key dimensions that define the accuracy of the model and seem to be ignored. Is this a model of an EMD F7 or is a plastic what ever? All these dimensions are important and should be listed in scale feet compared to prototype actual feet to be able to judge if this is an accurate model or just pretty.
My opinion again, not a review,more o f a user guide.
As this thread is in the O Gauge forum and not the 3-rail scale or 2-rail forum I don't think the information you, or I, would want is necessary because such information is not high on O gaugers Give A S*** list, only running and paint info is required.
Bluebonnets and Yellowbonnets were the same. When fresh and clean, like the Warbonnets, it appears the Santa Fe did not paint them in flat colors. They may not have been high gloss, but they were at least semi-gloss, it appears. (The Warbonnet in the bottom photo is the one in the California Railroad Museum.)
There may have been some, but I can't recall any engines that were painted in a flat finish, when they were in newer condition, by any railroad.
