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Post by locochris on Mar 14, 2023 11:50:26 GMT -8
I contacted Atlas on their website about the black handrails and missing footboards a week ago and have not heard back yet. I have a feeling the U30C's will suffer the same fate. Someone at Atlas needs to wake up. Atlas only replies to emails if they can give you a one word answer. It's still better than trying to get a reply from Intermountain though. |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Mar 14, 2023 13:37:23 GMT -8
For both Atlas and Intermountain, a real person has always answered my telephone calls. And helped out.
I suggest phoning.
Ed
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2023 19:11:22 GMT -8
Correction: I do have a complaint. The sound seems weak, and I'm pretty sure it is mostly the speakers. Why, for this price point, they could not be bothered to use dual cube speakers, when the competition IS is a mystery to me.
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Post by tom on Mar 15, 2023 1:45:14 GMT -8
Correction: I do have a complaint. The sound seems weak, and I'm pretty sure it is mostly the speakers. Why, for this price point, they could not be bothered to use dual cube speakers, when the competition IS is a mystery to me. You are right. The speaker was very weak and the sound quality was poor. I replaced mine with a Scale Sound System speaker and it was a huge improvement. It was pretty much a drop in replacement....unscrewing and throwing away the Atlas speaker and screwing in the Scale Sound one. |
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Post by middledivision on Mar 15, 2023 7:38:06 GMT -8
^^^
Ditto. Although I used the Atlas wires with the plug for the SS speaker.
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Post by carrman on Mar 15, 2023 19:15:57 GMT -8
My first post. Promise I'll be good! Tom, what footboards were you planning on adding to the PRR U28C? Thanks. I do not think that there are any commercial footboards that exist for U-boats so I cobbled mine together. I used cutdown Plano end platform etched metal ones attached to strip styrene. See photo. I also lowered the coupler lift bar so that there is enough room to add the crossover grabiron (and to match the prototype).  I trust we'll see more pics when its done? |
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Post by tom on Mar 16, 2023 8:10:29 GMT -8
[/quote]I trust we'll see more pics when its done?
[/quote]
I will eventually. I did spray it black last evening so decaling should start soon. I still am planning on doing some detailing of the underframe and trucks including speed recorder on the engineers side on speed modulators on the other plus some piping on the air tanks.
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Post by jridge16 on Mar 22, 2023 16:15:55 GMT -8
Correction: I do have a complaint. The sound seems weak, and I'm pretty sure it is mostly the speakers. Why, for this price point, they could not be bothered to use dual cube speakers, when the competition IS is a mystery to me. You are right. The speaker was very weak and the sound quality was poor. I replaced mine with a Scale Sound System speaker and it was a huge improvement. It was pretty much a drop in replacement....unscrewing and throwing away the Atlas speaker and screwing in the Scale Sound one. Tom-
Which of the Scale Sound Systems' speakers did you use? Closest thing I see is something for the Atlas Classic U30C/U36C.
Thanks, Jeff
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Post by tom on Mar 22, 2023 16:46:13 GMT -8
Which of the Scale Sound Systems' speakers did you use? Closest thing I see is something for the Atlas Classic U30C/U36C. Thanks, Jeff
I used the Atlas Master Universal (ALMA-UN12-RC1) which is the screw in one. However when looking for this I noticed out that Scale Sound just released one specifically for the U28C (UFIT-7940-RC1). This one has to be taped in place. Mine sounds great so ether one should work fine. |
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Post by jridge16 on Mar 22, 2023 20:27:10 GMT -8
Thanks Tom. I didn't realize he had a new speaker specific to the Atlas U28C.
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Post by middledivision on Mar 23, 2023 7:37:46 GMT -8
When I put sound in my U28, there were two board mounting tabs in the middle that had to be trimmed flush so the decoder would fully seat.
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Post by cpr4200 on Mar 23, 2023 14:13:13 GMT -8
Maybe Atlas only tooled their new GE cab with the rounded headlight. Do the CR units with a rectangular housing also have the corrected roof angles? Don't know how they could overlook footboards ... not only did Pennsy units have them, but also L&N and UP. By the time CR was formed, footboards were outlawed. I just checked the atlasrr.com parts pages and there are no GE footboards. And leaving off the PRR "Radio" decal is almost as bad as leaving off the keystones.
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Post by 690 on Mar 23, 2023 14:23:12 GMT -8
Maybe Atlas only tooled their new GE cab with the rounded headlight. Do the CR units with a rectangular housing also have the corrected roof angles? Don't know how they could overlook footboards ... not only did Pennsy units have them, but also L&N and UP. By the time CR was formed, footboards were outlawed. I just checked the atlasrr.com parts pages and there are no GE footboards. And leaving off the PRR "Radio" decal is almost as bad as leaving off the keystones. Both of my Guilford U33Bs have the retooled cab with the earlier housing. My guess was that there was some sort of parts mix up at the factory and no one caught it. |
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Post by cpr4200 on Mar 23, 2023 14:35:42 GMT -8
Does Atlas typically send replacements to make up for errors like that? I remember BLI ran a whole batch of replacement B&M E7 shells when they used metallic gold instead of Dulux, and Scale Trains recently did that with their EL SD45's.T
Took my U28C out of the box last night. The pilots are pretty disappointing ... cast-on m.u.hoses? Really? And the screening is way too "tight." Can't see through it, can't see d/b grids. Rivarossi, Korea Brass, and P2k are much better in that respect. Looks like some KV Models U28 details are in my future.
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Post by middledivision on Mar 24, 2023 11:21:21 GMT -8
^^^
Don't hold your breath waiting for Atlas to make it right.
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Post by rockfan on Mar 25, 2023 9:14:40 GMT -8
Finally put couplers on my U33B's, they still put el cheapo two piece plastic couplers on.
Whatever keeps the price down.
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Post by cpr4200 on Mar 26, 2023 14:12:04 GMT -8
Re: Pennsy models not having the "Radio" label, it appears that the SD35's, GP35's, SD40's, SD45's, U25C's, and U28C's were not delivered with them. There are plenty of photos online of other units without them. Maybe they started applying them in 1967?
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jimm
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Post by jimm on Mar 27, 2023 9:06:20 GMT -8
For PRR units -
It looks like the radio decal was added to PRR locos after the end of 1966.
A couple more details I think need to be added are an MU connection on the left side of the pilot to match the one on the right side.
Move the uncoupler bar down on the pilot face to make room for a real pilot grabiron and not a yellow painted line!
Pilot foot boards - there is a great close up view of a U25C footboard on the RRARCHIVEPICTURES site for PRR unit 6513. It appears that the foot boards are
the same for the U28C and U30C's as well.
Also, as has been stated, the cab should have the rectangular headlight housing. Funny how the Atlas Conrail units have the correct cab!
I hope Atlas makes some of these upgrades for the upcoming U30C's for PRR. Especially the correct cab.
Jim Murray
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Post by middledivision on Mar 28, 2023 7:36:22 GMT -8
Considering they did the PRR handrails in black and I messaged Customer Service three weeks ago and have not heard anything from them, I have no confidence that any corrections will be made to the U30C. Atlas is either clueless or doesn't care.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2023 8:44:30 GMT -8
...the screening is way too "tight." Can't see through it, can't see d/b grids. Rivarossi, Korea Brass, and P2k are much better in that respect. Looks like some KV Models U28 details are in my future.
I can see through the screens on my Santa Fe U28CG just fine. In fact the openings are larger than the screen openings on the ScaleTrains units (ET44C4 just arrived). You can't see those other details because they simply aren't there. NOT here to defend Atlas, but they did the exact same thing as Bowser has done on some models such as the C-636: Show a grey colored area behind the see-through screens where details cannot economically (within project budget) be modeled correctly and shown. There are lots of issues trying to model the big diesels. In order to show radiator details, Overland Models developed an altered (shorter) drive mechanism that did not show behind the radiator shutters on the later brass versions of C-636, most of which are still over $700. Then they did show the other radiator details that belonged there. Some of the P2K U-boat models DID show the coolant piping that was immediately behind the rear screens, but that coolant piping is NOT correct for all versions, and they omitted other details that would not have fit next to the mechanism. I think in Athearn's latest product announcement for the SD45T-2, they plainly state they have developed a special drive mechanism to allow the radiator area to look more prototypical. I would also assume they sell MORE tunnel motors than Bowser sells C-636's or Atlas sells U-boats, so it would have been more cost effective for Athearn to make that change than for Atlas to do it. At the end of the day one has to sell your diesel at a competitive price point with everything else that is out there, or they will not sell at all. |
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Post by cpr4200 on Mar 28, 2023 18:44:36 GMT -8
...the screening is way too "tight." Can't see through it, can't see d/b grids. Rivarossi, Korea Brass, and P2k are much better in that respect. Looks like some KV Models U28 details are in my future.
I can see through the screens on my Santa Fe U28CG just fine. In fact the openings are larger than the screen openings on the ScaleTrains units (ET44C4 just arrived).You can't see those other details because they simply aren't there. NOT here to defend Atlas, but they did the exact same thing as Bowser has done on some models such as the C-636: Show a grey colored area behind the see-through screens where details cannot economically (within project budget) be modeled correctly and shown. CPR4200: Just got out my Optivsor and took another look. Son of a gun, the screening is beautifully done! The gray backing panel just blends right in with the dark green, unfortunately.Some of the P2K U-boat models DID show the coolant piping that was immediately behind the rear screens, but that coolant piping is NOT correct for all versions, and they omitted other details that would not have fit next to the mechanism. CPR 4200: That "coolant piping" on the P2k units is actually the dynamic brake resistor grids. Some roads, like Rock Island and probably L&N and ACL, didn't have d/b, so Proto left off the grids. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2023 10:22:31 GMT -8
I ran a U28CG for a friend (a big GE diesel fan). He said the sound is nothing at all like a real U-boat and that in his opinion it totally sucked.
Furthermore, there is a somewhat high-pitched sound in the engine idle that is just poor, and I can't seem to get rid of it. Contacted Atlas directly regarding this issue. Sent them a video as requested. Have not heard back from them. Made it clear that I do not like the sound on these and am very disappointed.
Have tried equalizing the sound settings and turning down the total sound volume, to no real improvement. The sound remains and is still annoying.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Apr 21, 2023 11:20:16 GMT -8
I ran a U28CG for a friend (a big GE diesel fan). He said the sound is nothing at all like a real U-boat and that in his opinion it totally sucked. Furthermore, there is a somewhat high-pitched sound in the engine idle that is just poor, and I can't seem to get rid of it. Contacted Atlas directly regarding this issue. Sent them a video as requested. Have not heard back from them. Made it clear that I do not like the sound on these and am very disappointed. Have tried equalizing the sound settings and turning down the total sound volume, to no real improvement. The sound remains and is still annoying. ESU lists 8 different sound files that they say might be used for this engine. They say they recorded them all from GE locomotives: 2 from C30-7, 3 from B36-7, one each from U25B, U30C, and B30-7. Odd that they wouldn't sound like GE locomotives, for sure! Perhaps they're lying. I listened to 3 of them before I got bored. Each of the 3 sounded different, each sounded to my uneducated ears like GE's, and each rattled stuff on my desk when I turned the volume up. Your problem does sound sort of similar to the one I reported about my ScaleTrains GP30's. LOTS of high frequency (turbo whine), next to none for the engine rumble. I do wonder if this is another case of Crap Speaker. Ed |
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Post by tom on Apr 21, 2023 12:36:16 GMT -8
Does Atlas typically send replacements to make up for errors like that? I remember BLI ran a whole batch of replacement B&M E7 shells when they used metallic gold instead of Dulux, and Scale Trains recently did that with their EL SD45's.T Took my U28C out of the box last night. The pilots are pretty disappointing ... cast-on m.u.hoses? Really? And the screening is way too "tight." Can't see through it, can't see d/b grids. Rivarossi, Korea Brass, and P2k are much better in that respect. Looks like some KV Models U28 details are in my future.
I agree that some of the details of the U28C could have been better but you do not have to make up problems. As seen in the above photos of my in-process U28C the Atlas model does not have cast on MU hoses. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2023 21:56:59 GMT -8
Ed--
It's possible my friend was over-exaggerating, but since he's a part-time professional musician with great ears and has spent countless hours trackside photographing trains I'll have to take his word for it regarding loco sounds.
I got to actually hear some GE diesels today along the road. They were Dash 9's I believe, and just idling but they had that deep 4-cycle chug, almost loping, that I'd like to get more of in HO. Nothing high pitched at all in the sound I heard, all a low rumble. I passed well within 100' of them along US 15.
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Post by keystonefarm on Apr 21, 2023 23:12:13 GMT -8
When the early U-30C's get here we actually will have all the early U series 6 axle units !! Been a long wait. I wonder if either Rivarossi/Hornby or Korean Brass will ever rerun the U-25C's ? They are almost impossible to find now. -- Ken
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Post by markfj on Apr 22, 2023 3:34:04 GMT -8
When the early U-30C's get here we actually will have all the early U series 6 axle units !! Been a long wait. I wonder if either Rivarossi/Hornby or Korean Brass will ever rerun the U-25C's ? They are almost impossible to find now. -- Ken Yeah, it sure has. I just check me preorder confirmation email from Overland Hobbies and it is dated 03-11-21. Yikes!  Thanks, Mark |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Apr 22, 2023 5:37:58 GMT -8
Ed-- It's possible my friend was over-exaggerating, but since he's a part-time professional musician with great ears and has spent countless hours trackside photographing trains I'll have to take his word for it regarding loco sounds. I got to actually hear some GE diesels today along the road. They were Dash 9's I believe, and just idling but they had that deep 4-cycle chug, almost loping, that I'd like to get more of in HO. Nothing high pitched at all in the sound I heard, all a low rumble. I passed well within 100' of them along US 15. I didn't say that what you were hearing from your Atlas model was good GE sound. What I was saying is that I don't think the problem is caused by the sound file, or that they recorded the wrong engines. The files I listened to had plenty of "deep 4-cycle chug". What I was saying is that I think the problem is in the speaker. The high frequency is way over-represented, and the low "deep 4-cycle chug" is barely showing up at all. That's what I'm experiencing with my ST GP30's. And I also listened to THOSE sound files, and they sound just fine. The alternative is that they loaded the wrong file. Yes, it's possible. It's just that I think it's much less likely than my idea. Ed |
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Post by rockfan on Apr 22, 2023 6:43:07 GMT -8
Just a guess but it seems like Atlas is interested in making GE Athearn is making mostly EMD in the Genesis line and Bowser has focused on making Alco.
Hopefully we'll get more products from all of them.
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Post by Baikal on Apr 22, 2023 6:59:01 GMT -8
When the early U-30C's get here we actually will have all the early U series 6 axle units !! Been a long wait. I wonder if either Rivarossi/Hornby or Korean Brass will ever rerun the U-25C's ? They are almost impossible to find now. -- Ken
You probably mean U30C & U25C.
Pro tip: If you search using the real names of things, you'll have more luck finding them. Like those in the title of this thread. This applies not just to loco designations but to everything.
A Yandex search turns up a few new release Rivarossi U25Cs.
Nit-picking? Not if you're serious about what you're doing.
"Knowledge is good" Emil Faber
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