I thank you all for your input. Before this thread starts going down hill (because I have an ominous feeling it might) I just want you to reread my question and see that this was never meant to be an Atlas vs. Kato thread. Probably poor wording on my part but I just wanted to know why I have read so much great stuff about their 4axle units and next to nothing about the Atlas 6 axle locos. As in, if it were not for kato I would have never heard mention 6 axle existed. Now I have investigated further and it seems quite a bit of info is available on the Atlas 6axle units and perhaps I was never looking the right places. I have been thinking about buying a SD-9 and I wanted to know if there were any known problems so I could either avoid or fix them. Having had to do it all over I would have chose my words more carefully. I do thank you all again and lets all play nice together because being new here I would hate to be thought of as a trouble maker which was certainly not my intention. Looks like both companies make very nice locomotives. Take Care, Elwood
Scott, No offense intended. I thought you might find it interesting to hear about the real job bouncing, lurching and dancing it's way down the tracks. Awesome sight to see. I did go out to the train shed and do some perception checking. I tried out a few of my six axle Atlas locomotives. With a heavy load of 15 train cars, starting them up on my 2% grades. No problems. If by heavy you mean 20 cars or more. I did try that and the SD24 stuttered in momentum. No problems noted while operating in standard DC. I can't speak to DCC. Maybe later when the earmarks and bail out money trickles down. Sorry, to hear your Atlas kids are giving you trouble. I can only wish you the best with them.
For what it's worth most of my 6 axle units are Atlas. I only have a handful of Kato 6 axle units (SD40, SD40-2, SD45, SD70M, U30C, and C30-7). From Atlas I have lots of SD35s, as well as SD9, C628, C630, FM H24-66 "Trainmaster", SD60, and probably others. All of them run GREAT! Mark
Poor universal joint My experience with Atlas 6-axle diesel locomotives is quite poor, due to flaws with the plastic universal joints (part #540104) on the motor shaft. I have 6 of them (four C630 and two SD24) and all have either broken or loose universal joints, thus hindering the engine's proper motion. Once replaced, the loco are running well, but it took me time and pain to fix the problem. This part is a $0.40 one !!! These plastic universal joints are really reflecting poor design and/or manufacturing. This kind of design doesn't exist on Atlas 4-axle locos, that run perfectly well.
Male Universals It was explained to me that the problem of the male universals slipping was traced to over-zealous assembly when pushing them onto the shafts, causing the plastic sleeve to split. Atlas will replace the parts and as you have indicated, once done the locomotives will run fine. Another option is to replace the male universals with NWSL #485-6 which might be better quality. i bought them but have not installed them as my engines are still running fine. Tim
I sure do like my Atlas six axle locos. I especially like the "scale speed" motor. Excellent details and operation.
My C628 are extrem slippery, not at all up to a Kato U30C or SD40-2. I use the C628 in Coal unit trains and I have to put up a combination of both U30C's and C628 in order to get it up over the club's hills. I have milled our the frames on the C628 and added tungsten powder just in every spot it could be added so they have the same weight as the U30C's but still less pulling power.
Hate to dig up an old thread, but can anyone verify the NWSL part works? Atlas doesn't show the 540104 on it's website and I need a few.
Since Atlas and Kato have had a collaborative relationship in the past (Kato made the mechanisms for Atlas' N scale locos in the 1980s-1990s), perhaps they had an agreement to not have any product overlap; thus Atlas produces primarily 4-axle freight locomotives and Kato USA produces primarily 6-axle locomotives. And most of Kato's 4-axles are passenger locos. There is hardly any product overlap between them (there might be 1 or 2 models that they both make in common, but that's really it). This is why I really don't understand why some N scalers proudly proclaim, "I only buy Kato!" or "I only buy Atlas!" Sorry, I think that's kind of ignorant and naive. You're missing out on a big chunk of N scale trains if you limit your choices like that! As a former HO scaler who had many choices for locos, I converted to N scale during a time when having choices in N scale finally became a reality.
I only buy Kato (no !). So, I guess I'm ignorant and naive. I really don't need a lot of choices, and the offerings from Kato keep me happy. Also, when I leave this earth and somebody tries to sell my accumulated crap, the Kato items will be easy.
