Atlas O F7 Drives

Probably the world famous "China Drive"

Something to also keep in mind, is that the passenger trains which many of us will be pulling with these locomotives aren't light and will need 2-3 powered units to pull them.   I would tend to stay away from unpowered units, however, It's unlikely unless Atlas were change their drive that the cab would be fully detailed.    If as Erik states, and the units have the dual vertical motor china drives, I could see partial interiors surrounding the motor.   Something to ask about at York.

Regarding powering only one truck:

 

Ages ago, I reconfigured an A unit which had 8 wheel drive to one with only one powered truck.  It was a disaster.  Speed was greatly reduced as was pulling power.

 

Ed

I have a scale-wheeled MTH ABBA (A's powered/B's non-powered) and the problem I have is slippage on grades with more than six MTH passenger cars and an express car. Admittedly, I'm running 2-rail engines on Gargraves hi-rail track. If the Atlas units have die cast frames, the extra weight should help (the MTH F-units are a bit light, plus they're dragging two dummy B-units.

Atlas O F7,s have the standard "China drive"  they've used for years.  A vertical can motor connected to each truck.  The vertical front motor has a round plastic shroud around it that protrudes into the rear of the cab in what would be normal cab space.

 

In contrast the Sunset 3rd rail F units have horizontal drives which don't interfere with the cab space and so extra detail could be added w/o messing with the drive train. 

 

All of my unpowered Atlas O A and B units,3 rail or 2 rail, are just empty shells with no lights. No nothing.   They use the same geared trucks as the powered units but of course no motors and none of the many associated parts making it impractical to convert an unpowered unit to a powered unit unless you happen to have all the "stuff" needed to do it. 

 

If you were to start with an unpowered Atlas A unit you'd have to also add the lighting since nothing is there.  This in contrast to other brands which have lighting in unpowered units supplied and/or controlled thru a tether from a powered unit.  

 

Bill

Thanks for the input Guys. I won't make York, so if anyone gets any info please post it. I have planned an A-B-B-A with the B-units powered, maybe I should get one of the A-units powered and take one powered truck(front) and place it in the non-powered unit (rear) to clear up cab space, or would the electronics be a problem? Thanks All, Scott.

Thats a whole lot of work, and I would bet the single motor units don't run the same speeds and the dual motor units.

The idea of having a detailed front cab interior and all of the rest of the trucks powered is interesting. If you had 2 powered B units and a powered A unit pushing a detailed cab non-powered A or a one-truck powered A unit, it would seem to be a good idea.

 

i've run LGB trains for many years and they rate their loco's ability to pull on the number of axles they can pull and not the weight. I'm not sure why but it has proven to be accurate. I suppose because G has a lot of 2-axle rolling stock.

 

Just relating that seven powered trucks vs six sounds good. I understand if you only had a  single A unit with only one powered truck it would be a trifle weak.

Thats a whole lot of work, and I would bet the single motor units don't run the same speeds and the dual motor units.

I was curious about that.  With 3 rail TMCC I tried single motors in A units with so I could install a full cab interior. TMCC single motor units didn't synch with the double motored units.  I ended up with the motors in my B units.  

 

I was hoping that you could tune the motors with using the flexibility of DCC.

 

The #37 Atlas Santa Fe F7's have 3 powered units and a dummy A.  I'm planning on a P&D cab interior and lighting the dummy as a lead unit, hopefully with a dcc decoder.

 

I run an A-B-A set of AtlasO FM Erie Builts, (2 powered, one dummy) with the dummy A in the lead.  Some day I plan on installing a cab wall and interior detail but it is a pretty low priority on my the project list.  With the motors rewired in series the running qualities of the China drives are much improved - smoother starts and closer to scale top speed. With QSI Revolution U DCC decoders they draw 3 Amps pulling 30 car freights up a 2.2% grade.  That said I much prefer the Sunset single motor drive over the twin motor AtlasO China drive.  Based on drive preformace and cab/body detailing I've ordered Sunset PRR F7's rather than the AtlasO ones.

 

Ed Rappe

Atlas has done a horizontal drive in the SW units.

Sunset 3rd rail does a horizontal drive  as Ed noted. I believe in their most recent F units offerings if cab detail is important.  I believe the cab detail was also part of the package.  Click on the underlined phrase to link.

 Based on drive preformace and cab/body detailing I've ordered Sunset PRR F7's rather than the AtlasO ones.

As a transition era Santa Fe modeler buying plastic passenger units, I need to find the best representation of stainless panels and also need the units to be detailed for the late 40's, early 50's.  

 

I've ordered both Sunset and Atlas units.  The Sunset will have the drive but the units will be detailed for late 50's, early 60's which is no interest to me, but I have yet to see the engines.  The AtlasO engines will be detailed for my era and are supposed to be the equal of Athearn HO Santa Fe passenger units with regard to stainless finish.  

 

IMHO, my Sunset FT's are a dream.  They run so smoothly and I'm very pleased with the sound.  I expect the same out of their upcoming F7's.

 

 

If you were to start with an unpowered Atlas A unit you'd have to also add the lighting since nothing is there.  This in contrast to other brands which have lighting in unpowered units supplied and/or controlled thru a tether from a powered unit.  

 

Bill

Uh Lets make this a bit more clear.. This in contrast to other brand. The Circle L Boyz Don't even give you roller pick-ups on the Dummy units. In some cases you have to buy the whole power truck assembly to get the roller pick-ups and then start your wiring!

 

       
       


CD: China Drive (twin motors mounted directly above trucks, often times exposed gears) kind of remind me of the Tyco trains I had as a boy- The Golden Eagle! =)

They do not at all- the dual motor CD models also have a tendency to take off to 3-4 times faster than any prototype speed.

CD works; as Bob2 says they are tough and run forever; I just don't like the characteristics of the CD. The computers fix all that right.

prrhorseshoe curve.  Correct.

 

I really was not attempting to list the pro's and con's between mfgrs.  Main point for me is Atlas dummy units are just that.  Empty.  In answer to the question.

 

If I were asked - which I wasn't -  I'd encourage Scott to get Sunset F7's if cab interior detail is important  -- and for a whole lot of other reasons, too.  There is a cost issue of course. 

 

Over and out.  Bye.

 

 

There is no need to guess on this; we have all the evidence we need.

Atlas-  I have the B&O set of A-A F-3's with one unit powered- one dummy.  They have cab interiors.  Are they perfect, no.  They have the rounded rear wall.  If I was a former F-3 engineer who wanted it to look just the ones I drove- it doesn't.  Has anyone ever noticed that it wasn't perfect-  not at all.  Layout quality cab interior.

HOWEVER, the B unit is worse than a dummy.  It is a HUGE drag.  It has all the truck gears except the motor, drowning in that stiff grease.  WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN MY 3% grade!  The two units together would only pull 5-6 cars up that grade.  It wasn't much better on 2% grade.  I ended up buying a powered unit, swapping out the chassis, and selling the dummy.  Add in the china drive starts to fast stuff.  

 

Sunset 3rd Rail - I have a A-B set or FT's both powered.  They have cab interiors.  Good layout quality and I am very satisfied.  RUN LIKE A DREAM.  Pulls everything I put behind them.  

 

So I ordered the Sunset F-7's without even thinking twice. All powered, no more dummies.  Didn't compare price.  It was Sunset or nothing.

 

cheers, ray

 

The Atlas are more affordable? No?

Sometimes it comes down to value not cost.  I've mostly found out in life you get what you pay for.

 

butch

They are both very nice models. Jerry Kimball is a really great guy; brings us some nice models.