The Atlas Model Railroad Company Blog

All the news fit to print from the Atlas Model Railroad Company

The Atlas Product Spotlight - HO DASH 8-40CW Locomotive

 

The Atlas Product Spotlight - HO DASH 8-40CW Locomotive

First built for Union Pacific in the late 1980s by General Electric, the DASH 8-40C diesel locomotives were identified by an enlarged exhaust stack and the mounting of the dynamic brake grids in a square-like unit behind the cab, which housed an enlarged equipment blower fan. These six-axle, 4,000 hp engines are still in service today in North America.

The 4,000hp Dash 8-40CW was produced by General Electric between 1989 and 1993 as a follow-up to the successful Dash 8-40C locomotive. The most distinguishing feature of this model was the introduction of GE’s version of the wide-nose “North American Safety Cab.” This style of cab would become a common sight on railroads across the country. Four major railroads purchased the Dash 8-40CW in fairly large quantities, including Conrail, CSX, Santa Fe and Union Pacific. Most of these units are still in regular mainline and heavy-haul freight service today. Due to various mergers, they can also be seen operating for new owners Norfolk Southern and BNSF.

Learn all about this great model from the Atlas 100th Anniversary Catalog Volume 3 Livestream!

livestream

The guaranteed order deadline is June 26, 2024. Click here to find an Authorized Atlas Dealer near you.

 

New! Upgraded Features:

  • Metal Couplers
  • Improved headlight/ditchlight color and brightness
  • Independently controlled lit number boards
  • Independently controlled lit marker lights (for appropriate road names)
  • Improved windshield glazing
  • Etched metal windshield wipers
  • New cab side without sunshade mount track (for appropriate road names)

Features:

  • Ditch lights
  • Number boards, sand fill hatch, and marker lights where appropriate by railroad
  • Realistic die-cast underframe
  • Highly detailed coupler cut bars
  • Multiple unit hoses and trainline hoses
  • Five-pole skewed armature motor with dual flywheels for optimum performance at all speeds
  • Separately-installed scale windshield wipers, metal grab irons and fine scale handrails
  • Directional lighting
  • Painted crew members
  • Snowplow and piping on trucks
  • Recommended minimum radius: 22”

 

Atlas Master™ Series Silver Additional Features:

  • NMRA 21-pin plug for DCC (Decoder-ready)

Atlas Master™ Series Gold Additional Features:

  • Supports all DCC-programming modes
  • Flexible mapping of function keys F0 to F31 .
  • Follows all NMRA DCC standards and recommended practices.

ESU LokSound Functionality Features:

  • 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 16 user-selectable horns, 2 user-selectable bells, and 2 user-selectable synchronized brake squeals.
  • Manual and Automatic Notching modes with the ability to change modes ”on the fly” are provided for true realism.
 
genesis
CANADIAN NATIONAL (IC)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 481 10 004 499
genesis
CSX (YN3.COM)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 482 10 004 500
genesis
UNION PACIFIC (1,000TH DASH 8 BUILT)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 483 10 004 501
genesis
CONRAIL QUALITY
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 484
10 004 485
10 004 486
10 004 502
10 004 503
10 004 504
genesis
CSX* (YN2)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 487
10 004 488
10 004 489
10 004 505
10 004 506
10 004 507
genesis
LMS 
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 490
10 004 491
10 004 492
10 004 508
10 004 509
10 004 510
genesis
SANTA FE
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 493
10 004 494
10 004 495
10 004 511
10 004 512
10 004 513
genesis
UNION PACIFIC
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
10 004 496
10 004 497
10 004 498
10 004 514
10 004 515
10 004 516

railbux

The Railbux Loyalty Program earns you points on every purchase you make from the Atlas Online Store. There's nothing special you need to do to enroll, either. Every account is automatically part of the program so whether you are a new customer or an old one you can earn points just the same. Every $100 you spend on the store nets you $10 in credit that you can use your next purchase from the Atlas Online Store.

Find out more and start earning your Railbux here!

Atlas Model Railroad Co. Inc.
378 Florence Avenue
Hillside, NJ 07205

Atlas Model Railroad Co. Privacy Policy

 

The Atlas Product Spotlight - N DASH 8-40CW Locomotive

The Atlas Product Spotlight - N DASH 8-40CW Locomotive

First built for Union Pacific in the late 1980s by General Electric, the DASH 8-40C diesel locomotives were identified by an enlarged exhaust stack and the mounting of the dynamic brake grids in a square-like unit behind the cab, which housed an enlarged equipment blower fan. These six-axle, 4,000 hp engines are still in service today in North America.

The 4,000hp Dash 8-40CW was produced by General Electric between 1989 and 1993 as a follow-up to the successful Dash 8-40C locomotive. The most distinguishing feature of this model was the introduction of GE’s version of the wide-nose “North American Safety Cab.” This style of cab would become a common sight on railroads across the country. Four major railroads purchased the Dash 8-40CW in fairly large quantities, including Conrail, CSX, Santa Fe and Union Pacific. Most of these units are still in regular mainline and heavy-haul freight service today. Due to various mergers, they can also be seen operating for new owners Norfolk Southern and BNSF.

Learn all about this great model from the Atlas 100th Anniversary Catalog Volume 3 Livestream!

livestream

The guaranteed order deadline is June 26, 2024. Click here to find an Authorized Atlas Dealer near you.

 

Features Include:

  • Separate coupler cut lever
  • Directional lighting
  • Golden white LEDs
  • Painted safety rails
  • Blackened metal wheels
  • Dual flywheel equipped 5-pole skewed armature motor with a low friction mechanism
  • Factory-installed AccuMate® magnetic knuckle couplers

SILVER SOUND READY FEATURES (SILVER LOCMOTIVES ONLY):

  • Sound ready & equipped with speaker for easy conversion to DCC sound.

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.

 

 
genesis
CANADIAN NATIONAL (IC)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 829 40 005 847
genesis
CSX (YN3.COM)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 830 40 005 848
genesis
UNION PACIFIC (1,000TH DASH 8 BUILT)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 831 40 005 849
genesis
CONRAIL QUALITY
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 832
40 005 833
40 005 834
40 005 850
40 005 851
40 005 852
genesis
CSX* (YN2)
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 835
40 005 836
40 005 837
40 005 853
40 005 854
40 005 855
genesis
LMS 
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 838
40 005 839
40 005 840
40 005 856
40 005 857
40 005 858
genesis
SANTA FE
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 841
40 005 842
40 005 843
40 005 859
40 005 860
40 005 861
genesis
UNION PACIFIC
Silver Item #:
Gold Item #:
40 005 844
40 005 845
40 005 846
40 005 862
40 005 863
40 005 864

The Atlas Product Spotlight - O Trainman® 52'6" 70 Ton War Emergency Gondola

The Atlas Product Spotlight - O Trainman® 52'6" 70 Ton War Emergency Gondola

In the early 1940s, WWII was in full swing and materials were in short supply. This left the nation’s railroads in a state of disarray, as many of the materials normally used for freight cars was redirected for wartime usage. The concept was to substitute wood for steel, wherever possible. This resulted in cars having a half wood, half steel structure. The Atlas O 52’6” 70-Ton War Emergency Gondola captures the look and feel of the composite gondolas right down to the texture of the wood along the sides.

york livestream

Learn all about the O Trainman® War Emergency Gondola from the Spring 2024 Catalog Live Stream

The guaranteed order deadline is May 22, 2024. Click here to find an Authorized Atlas Dealer near you.

Features Include:

  • O-42 minimum (3-Rail)
  • Scaled from prototype blueprints
  • Fully detailed Ajax brake system
  • Separately applied brake wheel
  • Movable drop ends
 
genesis
PENNSYLVANIA
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
2002804 2002854
genesis
SANTA FE
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
2002805 2002855
genesis
LEHIGH VALLEY
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
2002806 2002856
genesis
CHICAGO, ROCK ISLAND AND PACIFIC
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
2002807 2002857
genesis
READING
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
2002808 2002858
genesis
NEW YORK CENTRAL
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
2002809 2002859

The Atlas Product Spotlight - O 40' Wood Reefer

The Atlas Product Spotlight - O 40' Wood Reefer

This highly detailed model is based on the  40' wood refrigerator cars built by Pullman for the Northern Refrigerator Car Co. in 1930. With its rooftop ice hatches, USRA-style fish belly underframe and vertical brake shaft, it is representative of the thousands of similar cars that were built during the "Billboard" era of American railroads. 

Available in 2-rail as well as 3-rail, these ready-to-run reefers have state-of-the-art detailing and construction. 

york livestream

Learn all about the O 40' Wood Reefers from the Spring 2024 Catalog Live Stream

The guaranteed order deadline is May 22, 2024. Click here to find an Authorized Atlas Dealer near you.

Features Include:

  • Highly detailed ABS body
  • Separately-applied ladders, grab irons and stirrups
  • Die-cast metal stirrups
  • Separately-applied door hinges, handles and latches
  • Opening doors
  • Separately-applied opening roof hatches, hinges and latches
  • Die-cast underframe
  • Separately applied brake system and vertical brake shaft
  • Separately-applied coupler lift bars
  • 40-ton Bettendorf-style, die-cast sprung trucks with metal wheels
  • Die-cast articulated couplers (3-Rail)
  • Minimum diameter curve: O-31 (3-Rail)
  • Minimum radius curve: 24" (2-Rail)
 
genesis
BORDEN'S PRODUCE CO. (BPDX)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001681 3002681
genesis
CARNATION FLAKED WHEAT (URTC)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001682 3002682
genesis
DIERCKS AND SONS POTATOES (NRCC)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001683 3002683
genesis
OMAHA COLD STORAGE (OCSX)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001684 3002684
genesis
PACIFIC COOPERATIVE POULTRY (NRCC)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001685 3001685
genesis
PURITAN MALT (URTC)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001686 3002686
genesis
SOUTH IOWA COOP CREAMERIES (GARX)
3-Rail Item #:
2-Rail Item #:
3001687 3002687

The Atlas Product Spotlight - O Premier Snow Plow

The Atlas Product Spotlight - O Premier Snow Plow

For railroads in much of the U.S. and Canada, dealing with snow is a perennial problem. The earliest railroad plows were likely derived from agricultural plows, and were the first instance of a plow being pushed from behind rather than pulled by horses or oxen. In 1840, little more than a decade after the first steam engine plied American rails, Charles Lowbaert was granted a patent for a wedge, or “bucker,” railroad plow. Like our model, that pioneering snowplow featured an inclined plane to bring the snow up off the rails and a pointed, triangular wedge to throw it to both sides of the track. Over time, railroad plows evolved into an arsenal of equipment ranging from engine-mounted blades to the ultimate snowfighting weapon, the rotary snow plow.

york livestream

Learn all about the O Premier Snow Plow from the Spring 2024 Catalog Live Stream

The guaranteed order deadline is May 22, 2024. Click here to find an Authorized Atlas Dealer near you.

Features Include:

  • Metal Wheels and Axles
  • Die-Cast 4-Wheel Trucks
  • Operating Die-Cast Metal Couplers
  • Colorful, Attractive Paint Schemes
  • Fast-Angle Wheel Sets

  • Needle-Point Axles
  • 1:48 Scale Dimensions
  • Stamped Metal Floors
  • Separate Metal Handrails
  • Operates On O-31 Curves (3-Rail)
 
genesis
BOSTON & MAINE
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001674  
genesis
CANADIAN PACIFIC
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001675  
genesis
CHESSIE SYSTEM (C&O)
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001676  
genesis
CHICAGO & NORTH WESTERN
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001677  
genesis
PANAM RAILWAYS
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001678  
genesis
PENNSYLVANIA
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001679  
genesis
ROCK ISLAND
3-Rail Item #:
 
3001680