Per the Atlas web page Features: Accurate lettering and crisp detailing Powerful motor Finely detailed body Durable metal wheels Directional LED’s (Where appropriate) DCC OPERATION FEATURES (GOLD LOCOMOTIVES ONLY) Supports all DCC-programming modes DCC includes RailCom and RailComPlus, with 14, 28 or 128 speed steps and with 2-digit and 4-digit addressing. Flexible mapping of function keys F0 to F28. A total of 6 DCC function outputs are available, and all can be function mapped (disable, brightness, light effects) individually Follows all NMRA DCC standards and recommended practices. SOUND FUNCTIONALITY FEATURES (GOLD LOCOMOTIVES ONLY): Over 20 sound effects are available, including engine start-up and shutdown, prime mover sounds through all eight notches, bell, air horn, air compressor, dynamic brakes and more. There are up to 16 user-selectable horns, 2 user-selectable bells, and 2 user-selectable synchronized brake squeals. Equipped with ESU’s Exclusive “Full Throttle” features for ultimate realism in prototype running.
So, the improvement is that it can hold a decoder and a speaker. And now I have to pay $200 for an AB set without decoders or $400 for an AB set with sound (which I don't want). I really looked forward to DCC equiped FA's, but not when it costs me a fortune. I think that I will ask someone to put decoders in my old ABBA set. Nevertheless I am happy to see these fine engines produced again.
I can read the Atlas web page, too. Which of those items constitutes an improvement to the basic loco, rather than simply gilding the lily by adding more features and driving up the price?
No Katy or Frisco, either. It seems no railroad outside of the state of Pennsylvania counts for anything...
I'm not such a stickler that an FA-1 in WM livery would bother me. I'm just thankful that they weren't in the first batch announced, because I'm kind of on a purchasing hiatus, and I don't need that sort of temptation. LOL
There were FPA-4s painted in Western Maryland Fireball...............and an RSD-5. The Long Island acquired the last WM FA-2 and used it as a cab control car, I forget if LIRR de-powered it or the scrap dealer from whom it acquired the thing did so, but someone de-powered it before the LIRR used it. The hulk may still exist.
Let's give Atlas a little time and with a second release of the new gen model, they'll likely issue some of the road names you seek. Meanwhile, I'm happy.
while I understand what you mean, the reality is our friend Mark at spook show rates locomotives based on their quality against their retail price. On several occasions he notes that some of the locomotives are overpriced compared to their performance, which may not be the case on this particular listing but if those locomotives were produced today against what we are receiving from other companies, they would probably not fare so well. We will see improvements such as; -DCC readiness (the old frames on the old locomotives were in no way prepared for any DCC install, and had to be milled. Atlas release is a more complicated mechanism with more parts, which means more labor and increased production costs which translates to price tag) -Modern electrical pickup (those LL's were decent but not great) -Better detail on shell, including cab windows and horns etc. (LL's were a bit clunky) I would bet that the manufacturer suggested retail price may seem a bit high but street price will be considerably more affordable and reasonable considering the product you are getting. Paul, and Atlas as a whole, have been taking good care of improving the details as things go. In fact, even their venerable GP series has received subtle improvements several times regardless of (inflation considered) a steady price point. Rapido makes the FPA-4 here https://www.rapidotrains.com/n-mlw-fpa-4-and-fpb-4/ and while they are forced to charge a bit more than comparable diesel models due to their more limited production and the increased costs that came with the details they chose to install, my set in Canadian national green and gold were worth every significant dollar and remain some of my favorite in my fleet. There will always be people willing to pay for the detail and features, and that is where this model is likely going to find its audience... if they were to simply reproduce the same locomotive we had available before, sure they could be cheaper but they would also be lacking a lot of modern features folks would sorely miss come upgrade or service time.
All, what about the FM C LINER in both B-B and B- A1A and the ERIE BUILT’s! And ALCO’s Experimental BLACK MARIA’s ATLAS? Tom
The Eries will sell. Seven US roads had them, but they seem to be popular in N scale. I put up several on FeePay and they all pulled initial bids quickly then furious snipe wars at the end. The four axle C-Liners were funny. The Penns all fetched good prices. One NYC pair fetched a good price. The other one went unsold, I re-listed it; dropped the price five dollars. It sat until the last minute when there was a brief sniping war. It wound up going for more than the first time listed opening bid. Did WKW actually do a brief run of the four axles in NYCS cigar band, Penn and CMStP&P, or was it just an announcement that proved to be vapourware? There were four roads that had the five axles: NYC, NYNH&H, LIRR and CN. The curious thing about the old RR runs of the five axles was that RR never offered them lettered and painted for a road that actually had them. Three US roads and two Canadian roads had the FM freight cabs. One road in Canada had four axle FM passenger cabs. If Black Marias ever appear in N, odds are that it would be brass, only, as they were one-offs. They hit the rails in 1944 or -45 and were scrap by 1948, or so. At some point, I expect that Atlas will issue the FMs and the FA-2s. The FAs that I put up on FeePay all sold, even the plastic frames; some fetched good prices. Some fetched mediocre prices but more than I had thought that they would. As the FAs seem to be good sellers, this might be why Atlas is bringing them back first. I would expect FA-2s after the FA-1s. There were twenty-six roads that had FA-1s, including two in Canada, one in Mexico and one in Brazil. Nineteen roads had FA-2s, including two in Canada, one in Mexico. Nine roads had FPA-2s, including two in Canada and two in Mexico.
They were made about a dozen years ago: https://www.walthers.com/search/cat...w/120?is_active_flag=141007&match=AND&q=liner
Simply put, that is what the majority of modelers want, DCC + Sound. I predict it's not going to be very long before you can only purchase locomotives that are DCC equipped. I also do not believe any of the manufactures are adding DCC + Sound just to drive up prices. If no one was buying this stuff, they'd stop making it, since there's a market for it they'll continue making locomotives DCC + Sound equipped from the factory.
Can you point to the results of a survey indicating that the majority of modelers want DCC + Sound? When I look at the $110 price adder just for DCC + Sound functions and compare the relatively minuscule amount of componentry those functions entail as compared to, for example, that which is contained in a flat screen TV available at the same price, or less, all I see is a money grab. If the trend is for all manufacturers to only offer locos that are fully loaded with DCC + Sound, then my motive power purchases will trend to zero.
The more DCC + Sound that comes out the lower the prices will be in the end. Basic law of Economics, larger volume drives prices down.
The same for me. I have DCC because I think it is way better dan DC, and the higher price is worth it. But sound, no, I am not fond of sound: all that noise around me.... and the need for a stronger, heavier (and more expensive) DCC set..... It's just not worth it, for me. But with manufacturers offering DC or DCC+sound, I wil have to buy DC engines and seperate decoders. Not funny, since I really don't like putting decoders in engines, no matter how DCC friendly they are supposed to be. So, less purchases, I think. Well, it is good for my wallet.
I know quite a few folks who prefer the DCC (no sound) option and have had a bear of a time getting decoders into their locos. We're forgetting that Bachmann makes essentially all of their locomotives (F7, SD, GP, 2-6-0 4-6-0 2-6-6-2 2-8-8-4 etc.) in DCC only, with the decoder essentially being cheap enough to make a standard feature. Very few complaints about that. As long as the manufacturers use a DCC board that's DC friendly, I'm all for the total conversion... I also believe within a decade it will be de facto in all locos. Might save you that headache of installs!
My Turtle Creek Central will be happy about these !!! With 300+ DC locomotives, I have absolutely no intentions of spending millions just for an extra "C" !!!
