Atlas vs 3Rd Rail's F7's Comparison?

That's funny Sam...I just read the same thread and was hoping for comments regarding the two sets.

As an operator, I would prefer the Sunset/3rd Rail models, with their single motor horizontal drive. Not being a Santa Fe modeler, I will not comment on the details, except Sunset/3rd Rails beautiful scale-looking fixed pilot, is the best.

Well that un-named contributor told me that right out of the box.... Atlas is more accurate for details, close coupled, better looking stainless panel except for the B units, half the price, and more functional lighting when building a consist.

He prefers the single horizontal motor drive from 3rd Rail by far. But, couplers and gaps are horrible. Lighting had to be reworked because interiors lights are too bright, number boards and interior lights are ALWAYS ON, details needed corrected and or fixed. Not really diggin the 3rd Rail pilot either, a bit clunky vs the Atlas pilot.

For the price, out of the box.....Atlas wins hands down.

After 40+ hours of detailing the 3rd Rail ABBA set, they have the edge because of the drive.

But of course that is just HIS opinion 

As an operator vs "runner", the Sunset 3rd Rail single motor drive wins hands down for me.    Dual motor drives in my experience, have jerky stops and starts, and generally are geared to run like slot cars.     I have studiously avoided dual motor drives after some the first few I got.

I have not Knowledge of Santa Fe prototypes and models so I can't comment on the accuracy of the paint details.    However, I have both the F7 and FP7 in PRR freight scheme (green) paint.    They are both well done paint jobs in my opinion, and accurate.    Also the details specific to PRR seem accurate to me - modified passenger pilots, lift rings, antennas come to mind.     I would have preferred that the F7s have the rear tapered overhang, like the FP7s, but Pennsy had them both ways.    That feature was probably removed because of damage lifting the units with  the lift rings on rear.

i'd like a comparison of all four manufactures' SFs:  F3s and F7s. Lionel, MTH, Atlas and Sunset.

None of them are using the same photos or docs of these engines; so is it hard to believe they differ?

There should be a Standard SF warbonnet Prototype that we can compare as to how close they came to matching that standard; so that the differences are mostly internal motors and electrical.

Idk, my 3 rail Atlas F7s run very smoothly with the ERRCo cruise. A bit nicer than the earlier F2s with EOB. I've been meaning to film them but I still need to weather my powered B unit that I just got the scale couplers for. 

Alan I have all of those.... Lionel F3s and F7s, MTH FTs and F3s, Atlas F7s and Sunset FP7s & F7s......

Best runners, smoothest, quiet, no jerkiness... without a doubt I prefer all powered Sunset single motor drive F units. 

Out of the box looks .... Atlas and they run very well too

My Lionel and MTH F7s all get modified with details and run good. 

My favorite set is the Sunset 3rd Rail ABBA set but they got a lot of modifications. I havent touched the Atlas set yet but I see those becoming a new favorite when I'm done with them.

I think it boils down to how much you want to spend for what you personally think is important.

LAIDOS-

what modifications? have you posted them can you send me a link(s)? 

thanks in advance

Alan

I don't think there is any "one standard" F7 or any other unit on any RR.    They came as built from the manufacturers painted a certain way, and with certain fixtures and features.    The the FRA stepped in required mods, and RRs did mods to meet requirements.    So over time, all units changed with more grabs, less skirting, this and that.   

to be totally accurate for a given loco, you need a photo of that loco and then it is only accurate for that point in time.    As-built vs near the end of service will look a lot different.    each time through the  shop for an overhaul, things would change.

Each importer gets documentation from a different source most likely, and that is not a bad thing, because it gives some variety to fleet rather than cookie-cutter.

Norm Charbonneau posted:

Idk, my 3 rail Atlas F7s run very smoothly with the ERRCo cruise. A bit nicer than the earlier F2s with EOB. I've been meaning to film them but I still need to weather my powered B unit that I just got the scale couplers for. 

I look forward to seeing your video here ..... both, to see your Atlas' operation and weathering, but also other parts of your wonderful layout. Your videography, too.

The one new Atlas F7 that I saw at low speed ... ran very smoothly. 

Unfortunately, this thread is USELESS without some close-up pics!

I am waiting for my Demo units, unfortunately that's all I could afford. I have the Lionel Odyssey ones as well as the MTH Premier ones.

So Here are pics of my Lionel units:

And before any 3 Rail scale F units hit the streets, there was my custom Williams F7 A-B-A

It would be cool to see side by side photos.  I have an ABBA set of the Atlas Santa Fe F units.  I am very pleased with them.  They were worth the wait. I do not think they are "jerky" at low speed operation.  Don't get me wrong they are not as smooth as Legacy engines.  I do not have any 3rd Rail diesels.  I look forward to receiving my DWRG PAs!

Like LOS said, out of the box they required very little effort to fix the pilot and install scale couplers to get the units to close couple.  

It's a real shame that Lionel never stepped up the running gear to match the nice shells they built. Over the years they played with that weird two axle drive setup and jacked the ride height. Now they are running those over-engineered twist-off trucks and they are still too high. Along with not being able to easily fix the pilots and mount Kadees, the nose details are only good for later phases. Seems like only Atlas and possibly 3rd Rail can do the OEM boards. It's too bad because I really like running Legacy (just can't stand the monster remote) for the smooth speed control. I do like the Atlas and Lionel diecast frames. Not sure what MTH or 3rd Rail runs.

Hey Norm, 
I converted my Lionel SP ABBA Black Widows with Mario's Coupler Mounts.  It made the conversion to Kadees a lot easier.  Not as easy as Atlas, but still a huge help and time saver.  I don't know about the ride height issue.  To me those Black Widows look very cool.  

I think the reason Atlas and 3rd Rails are being compared is because they are set up for changeover to 3RS running gear right out of the box. Everyone else's models are a lot of extra work. Details are a bit of a wash as they all seem to get some combination of factors correct in varying degrees.

Being a 2R, I much prefer the horizontal drive of the SS and wouldn't purchase a China Drive again. But, being fair, the Atlas and Lionel F-3 shells are about as nice as it gets and every bit as nice as SS and stand up remarkably well to my KEY's. 

I still have a set of Lionel scale F-3's, that Joe F converted to 2R for me 10 years ago and even though I don't run them, I won't sell them, as the shells look just about perfect to me.  Lionel absolutely hit the mark on paint and color and honestly they are a tie for the KEYS.  

BH