NEW ATLAS SW-9 ARRIVED TODAY, BUT.....

Invest in a set of drill bits - #56 is close. 

MWB,

I have a set of numbered drill bits from #1 to #60, but I'm missing a few in the 50's.

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Can not usually get small singles at the big box stores but my local DO IT BEST  hardware store has individual drill bits in your range.

I have found some off-brand tiny drill bits break rather easily.    I have taken to buying Walthers 2-packs.   My LHS stocks them so it is easy to keep up the supply.   the off-brands were good 5-6 holes at times, while the Walthers would get me 20-30 holes without incident.     Usually when I break one in the pack, I buy a new pack on my next visit.

The ones at your local hardware might be very good too.   Certainly worth a try.

My question is, why are you having to do this with a brand new model?

Made me wonder as well. Atlas quality issues perhaps. Nice looking loco regardless.

I think the problem arises from Atlas changing to the all metal handrails (thank goodness they did). The pilots were originally made for the plastic handrails. I simply drill them out to snug fit and then I apply some Elmers white glue with a toothpick to the handrail and install. It dries clear so you never know it is there and the handrails are still removable if you need to remove them. Don't use ACC for you will be sorry, don't ask how I know that!

Malcolm

HEY BIG JIM,

That's also MY question!

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HEY BROTHER LOVE,

Now, what is ACC?  I'm not up on all these abbreviations.

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LOL Hal! Why do you want to know what ACC is when Malcolm told you not to use it?

Just kidding around.

Examples of ACC glue would be Krazy Glue and Zap-a-Gap. There are other companies that make it also.

Just wondering does the Atlas SW have sound and DCC? If yes, what is your opinion of the sound.

ACC - alpha cyanoacrylate - aka CA or "Crazy Glue"

HEY HUDSON, 

That's like telling me not to use differential equations when I don't even know how to add!

Besides...whos Malcolm?   I don't see any signoffs with that name.

. 

Look...I just received the loco yesterday and now I have to spend today taking care of the grab-iron problem.

I'm an elderly man in my late seventies, with an inherited nervous affliction in my hands that I've had for 25 years that's growing worse with age.  It will probably take me ALL DAY to attach the grab irons, and if all goes well, I'll be able to put the Switcher on my tracks tomorrow.

THEN I'll let you know how it runs and sounds!

(It has the QSI QUANTUM sound decoder, and also has DCC, which I don't like).  I run my train on DC Analog, which I much prefer. My ATLAS GP-35 also has QSI sound and it works just great on this Analog DC Controller, which is the best Controller ever made, in my opinion.

BAD ORDER HAL

HEY!

Elmer's White Glue doesn't make it.  Grab irons fall out after 3 hours of setting time.

LOCTITE SUPER GLUE MAKES IT!   Grab irons are solid after one minute!

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"Besides...whos Malcolm?   I don't see any signoffs with that name."

Malcolm=Brother Love

Differential equations? I don't remember what they are so don't feel bad.

Glad you got the grab irons on. Hopefully, you won't have any further issues with it.

I always liked the Santa Fe paint scheme. I have an older straight DC Atlas GP60 in Sante Fe. I just had to have something in that blue and yellow.

TEN-FOUR, HUDSON!

Meet you at milepost 869...got to drop off some empty hoppers at the Bauxite plant siding.

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HEY, ALL CREWMEN on YARD DUTY.....

I received my Atlas SW-9 on Thursday, and spent part of Thursday, all day Friday, and a couple hours Saturday morning installing the grab irons, and after shopping with my Wife, set the Switcher on the track and started him up.  (It's a Him, not a Her) 

The sounds were way too loud, so I used the "Magic Magnet" to actuate the reed switch under the loco's housing to reduce the volume to what it should be according to the size of the loco and in my Game Room space of 4000 cubic feet.

The horn is like a Trombone in the high register, quite brassy, compared to the horn in my GP-35, which sounds a bit more sweet and melodic, like a French Horn.

I'm happy with the little guy, but I still wish he had a paint scheme more like my Santa Fe GP-35's War Bonnet decor!

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Bad Order Hal, glad you got your grab irons installed successfully and we got ACC figured out (I didn't know what that was either). 

Until now I thought "Krazy Glue" was the same thing as Loctite Super Glue? Since he wasn't supposed to use Krazy Glue, but was successful in using Loctite Super Glue, what's the difference between the two, other than names and manufacturers?

Frankly, the only difference I can see between the two is the spelling. 

They are both cyanoacrylate formulas.

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