Latest Run Atlas F3's

They are only about 3 years late.

The full page ad I saw was on the inside cover of the latest issue of either OST or Railroad Model News......so Atlas must be getting closer to delivery.

 

Butch

I just checked the latest issue of OST, and the inside cover has that full page Atlas O advertisement. The prominent headline is "ATLAS O F-3'S (sic) AVAILABLE NOW".

 

Now, the confusing part is; the cover states "MAY/JUNE 2013 ISSUE #68", however the page 3 index/title page reflects "Issue #67 - Mar/Apr 2013".

 

So, if it is indeed now MAY/JUNE, maybe the Atlas O F3s really are "AVAILABLE NOW"!

however the page 3 index/title page reflects "Issue #67 - Mar/Apr 2013"

 

oops, a typo. I think Joe G. can be forgiven. He's been quite distracted as of late.

Maybe it's too obvious, but anybody think to ask Atlas?

Oh no you don't! Let's keep common sense and logic out of this!

I checked the Atlas O shipping page. The F3 due date shows as May; however, there isn't a date entered in the "Container Shipping" column for the F3s. Atlas is pretty good about keeping the dates current so it would appear they haven't departed the Far East as of yet.

 

http://www.atlaso.com/ordership.htm

 

Bob   

F3 project link.   As has been mentioned there is nothing in either the Container Ship date or Atlas shipping columns.   Click on the underlined phrases to link. 

 

It appears once a number is in the Container Ship column add another month for Atlas shipping.  IMO  The project order/shipping page is a sad statement about oversea manufacturing.  

Note added. (4/25/2013)   Most containers cost the same whether full or partially full.  Another point to be considered is most likely Atlas would not ship a partial container.  Is there enough F3 product to fill a container, or will something else be added?  Additional consideration that effects product available dates.      

  

If sense were common, we'd all have it (well, most of us...every village needs an exception, ) and then this forum would become totally lacking in entertainment value,

Martin:

That may be the high light of a dark and rainy day here in Western PA. 

Thank you,

Mike

 

Just heard back from Jeff @ AM Hobbies (next best thing to Atlas) and he says they they are scheduled for delivery this summer......but....this still doesn't mean they'll be on schedule. At least I found out they have not come and gone.

 

Just hope the container doesn't fall off the ship.

The Atlas ad says these are "phase 2" engines.

 

I was looking at some photos of the Seaboard Air Line F3s and one source says they were all "phase 2" units, but the photos show both tall fans and pancake fans.  I wonder if the undecorated units comes with interchangeable fans???

Bob, if you're going the undecorated route you should be able to use P&D fans since this is the old P&D shell. In fact many, if not all, the P&D F-3 detail parts should fit this loco. 10 years ago I placed an Atlas GP-9 shell on a Red Caboose GP-9 frame and it fit perfectly......I didn't leave it that way but I was curious to know if Atlas modified the shell. It didn't look to me as if they did.  I would think the P&D shell was pretty much left unmolested for the Atlas F-3.  

 

Without hi-jacking the thread I've heard the newer Atlas China drives are much better performers than the 1st generation in regards to slow speed, slow starting, top speed, etc. I haven't owned an Atlas loco since the GP-9 10 years ago and haven't found any reviews online, so I'm looking for opinions. 

 

Thanks,

 

Butch

Thanks Butch, that may be the way to go.

 

Man, it doesn't seem like it's been 10 years since the GP9 came out.  I have a Seaboard unit, but I bought the unpowered one and later installed MTH motors and PS2 (still 3 rail) to power it up (also had to get the transfer gear assembly from Atlas), so I can't really tell you how they perform (being I have a "hybrid").

Butch, in response:

the Red Caboose fans from their GP9 will also fit the Atlas shell. Though they are the low style.

 

I recently purchased an AA pair of the Atlas F units, with the Titan decoder that came installed, the drive crawls along at less than walking pace at speed step 1.

Note that undecorated units have to be part of the original order and comply with original order dates.  At least that was the way it was a couple of years ago when I ordered SW9's undecorated and a GP7 undecorated.   I would contact Atlas.
Atlas GP7 fans.

GP7 shell.

Butch...thought we wuz in S scale?
One those Atlas brutes could give a poor ol' S Helper F an inferioriy complex.
But the SHS units were intro'd at least a dozen years ago.  They are still cutting edge tech.
Don Thompson told me a month ago that he and Jim Weaver often exchanged plans/ideas.  Fact, S Helper was first out with wide vision caboose, follwed by Atlas O gauge beauty.

John,

SHS has multi-part fans for their f units.  I bought some for my F7's since they came with the F3 slot dynamic brake hatch.  Theirs will turn if assembled correctly if you lightly blow on them.  Now back to your regularly scheduled Atlas F unit talk.

 

Greg

Hi John,

 

Still do'in some S, but these new Atlas F Units caught my eye. I'm a sucker for nice looking F3's.

 

Butch

That only works on the other "forum"

Can't hurt to ask here so does anyone have a GM&O cab or powered unit available? I have a Santa Fe Warbonnet to trade if interested.

Good news!  According to their container shipping report the F3s have finally shipped and are expected on the 10th of October.  I've been waiting 2 years for the Jersey Central units.

 

Can't wait!!!!

So I'm curious... just exactly what and where is this "container shipping report" that we see referenced every now and then?  

 

All I'm aware of is this product/shipping matrix that's posted on the Atlas-O website at this link.  And for those waiting on the F3's, there's nothing updated in the "container ship date" nor "Atlas-O ship date" columns. 

 

Thanks.

 

David

 

The container report is the most reliable way to track Atlas deliveries, the A-Z shipping schedule on there home page website is hardly ever updated, some products have actually come in already and do not show on this schedule. Obiviously there is no commitment at Atlas to acurately maintain this site.

The container shipping link

It looks like all the F3s on the list are 3 rail.

Any news on the 2 rail versions?

 

My Lord, Mr. McBride, are you still on the planet??

Still alive!

 

Work and family stuff keep getting in the way of trains.

 

I have been enjoying all those photos of your 2R empire you send (pretending they are S scale).

 

Pretty soon those 29 2R Atlas GP35s you have stored away are going to creep into the photos.

S scale they are!  What scale are you in this week?
Ha!

I run them all together like a spaghetti bowl: N, HO, 2R but no S, TT, G, or 3R.

 

I have actually been taking a crack at building N scale #12 turnouts with some success (to my surprise) since I have done N for three decades. Commercial turnouts all have their own drawbacks (availability, wheel drop, fidelity) which made me want to dump N. These turnouts are my last hurrah in N to see if it will work because I have some long strings of stack cars waiting to be pulled.

 

I still have some of my 2R and I am dinking around with an industrial switching shelf layout. I have been building some #5 turnouts to see how that goes. HO is fun but it's almost too easy. I guess I am bull-headed. I still like the heft of O and the modern, mainline kind of things I can do in N.

 

If I were rich and an accomplished scratch builder like you, I could do S but I am just a plodder.

 

How many of those AF SD70ACe's do you have now?

They are made to dealer reservations and few dealers order more than customers reserve.  JDs Trains includes Am Hobbies so he may have some extras or check Petersen Supply.  

These engines have been delayed for so many years I think it will be very difficult to find any if you didn't pre-order. Call around to the dealers mentioned and see if they can help track them down.

Nice information with authentic reasons. I enjoyed the whole discussion and got lots of useful ideas. 

How do the Atlas F unit diesel bodies compare to the Sunset FL 9 shells in terms of accuracy and overall detail? I see where Sunset will be making the FT units in the near future and I would assume eventually other varients of the F units.

The Atlas O "F" units are based upon the P&D Hobby Shop "F" units, as Atlas purchased the tooling from P&D. Sooner or later, Atlas was/is supposed to produce pretty much ALL versions of "F" units, EXCEPT the FT, which was/is different from every other "F" unit. I also doubt that Atlas will offer "FP" versions of their "F" series.

 

Since the "FT" model was/is so different, that is why Sunset/3rd Rail/Golden Gate Depot will be offer them next year. Again, since the "FT" is different, don't look for GGD to be offering "other versions of F units", especially since Atlas O has already been offering THOSE.

I was more interested in which Mfgr had the more accurate model for the versions they are producing, obiviously the ABS diesels Sunset is currently producing opens a new market for them to exploit.[hood units etc.]