What do yall think????????????
I think Kato's Engines Beat Atlas in combo-bility(providing you don't have DCC)
I think Kato's Engines Beat Atlas in combo-bility(providing you don't have DCC)
Atlas VS Kato
- Thread starter BNSFtheLeader
- Start date
I have both and like both. Just dont mix the two in a lashup as they fight each other. Now DCC doesn't make any difference as for DCC to work the locos need to be in good running order
I just got back into N guage after a about a 6-7 year layoff. I thought Atlas was made by Kato. If not now , weren't they at one time? If and when did this change?
I am no historian...but I think it has been since the very late 80's? maybe 90-91 when Kato when solo, and have been selling locos under their own banner. Atlas has been having most of their made in China since then... with exception of their new VO1000 which is made in Korea.
Years ago Kato made the Con Cor PA-1 which was state of the art at the time.
Atlas sold locos made by several European countries with their Rivarossi Mikado and Pacific being the pride of their fleet.
The early 4-wheel drive Atlas diesels were ok for short trains.
Kato then made the higher detail and performance Atlas diesels.
Atlas then moved on to have their locos built in China.
My favorite locos are Kato, Atlas and Lifelike. For those on a budget, try a Lifelike SD-7. Smooth and quiet.
Atlas sold locos made by several European countries with their Rivarossi Mikado and Pacific being the pride of their fleet.
The early 4-wheel drive Atlas diesels were ok for short trains.
Kato then made the higher detail and performance Atlas diesels.
Atlas then moved on to have their locos built in China.
My favorite locos are Kato, Atlas and Lifelike. For those on a budget, try a Lifelike SD-7. Smooth and quiet.
Get either. However don't buy direct from Atlas as you'll have to pay their retail price & if you don't get your loco in a few days & try to contact them they'll say "Sorry, can't help you.". 
I have 4 Lifelike SD 7's and wouldn't trade them for anything. I can lash up 3 of them together for long trains and they work well together. The 4th one has a higher gear ratio and runs at a faster speed but less pulling power.
I also have a Atlas Trainmaster that lashes up well with the 4th Lifelike SD 7
I also have a Atlas Trainmaster that lashes up well with the 4th Lifelike SD 7
Clerk.
Yes, I have two G/N SD-7's with different numbers and they are ultra-smooth. The PA-1 is another winner. The little SW-900/1200 is a marvelous loco for being so small.
I am very pleased with all my LifeLike locos. The road numbers on N-scale locos are so small it's easy to run my Erie A-B-B-A lashups of the FA/FB-2 and FA/FB-1. Erie used numbers like 729A, 729B, 729C and 729D so I just buy two sets of each run and I'm in business. On the earlier FA/FB-2 only the "A" was powered so I just pick up extra A units and fit them into the "B" shells.
Yes, I have two G/N SD-7's with different numbers and they are ultra-smooth. The PA-1 is another winner. The little SW-900/1200 is a marvelous loco for being so small.
I am very pleased with all my LifeLike locos. The road numbers on N-scale locos are so small it's easy to run my Erie A-B-B-A lashups of the FA/FB-2 and FA/FB-1. Erie used numbers like 729A, 729B, 729C and 729D so I just buy two sets of each run and I'm in business. On the earlier FA/FB-2 only the "A" was powered so I just pick up extra A units and fit them into the "B" shells.
When I was in "N" years ago I had an Atlas RS-1 that came with a Kato drive. It was the best running loco I had at the time. Until Kato came out with the GP-35.
I think Kato was the best choice, until last year, now Atlas has just as smooth running locomotives, and the detail is better than Kato. Atlas might have just gone by Kato as the best!
I have...
...2 Kato SD-45s, run like they should (too bad one is E-L, but I can live with that- should have been RDG 7600, anyone wanna swap bodies? I actually like dragging the E-L unit behind my RDG one as a "slave".)
I have an Atlas GP-30 and a GP-40, the 40's a jack rabbit. I don't care much about a little bucking. They are going to run together and the benefit is the track gets cleaned letting her spin the wheels. It helps build character.
I have no argument as to who produces what. Whoever produces what I want- there's were my money will be. Does simple economics leave the forum? Kato, Atlas, Life-Like- if it runs and it's what I'm after and in this day and age of technology...
I wonder why Life-Like was left out. Seems a dimensional challenge in the proffering of the argument- Atlas vs Kato. Before anyone jumps on me- argument is defined not necessarily as belligerence, rather like logic- on/off, red/green.
No wonder there are comics that paint us as loads. Hey, let's have a contest, your dad and mine.
Mark
P.S. I love lashing up my Kayo SD-45s to my Atlas PC SD-35s and dragging every freaking car I own thru barren plywood territory just to have them drop a cut and allow me to pick the cut up with a badly mismatched set of units just so I can bitch the whole way back to the yard. Kinda reminds me of stories I've heard?
...2 Kato SD-45s, run like they should (too bad one is E-L, but I can live with that- should have been RDG 7600, anyone wanna swap bodies? I actually like dragging the E-L unit behind my RDG one as a "slave".)
I have an Atlas GP-30 and a GP-40, the 40's a jack rabbit. I don't care much about a little bucking. They are going to run together and the benefit is the track gets cleaned letting her spin the wheels. It helps build character.
I have no argument as to who produces what. Whoever produces what I want- there's were my money will be. Does simple economics leave the forum? Kato, Atlas, Life-Like- if it runs and it's what I'm after and in this day and age of technology...
I wonder why Life-Like was left out. Seems a dimensional challenge in the proffering of the argument- Atlas vs Kato. Before anyone jumps on me- argument is defined not necessarily as belligerence, rather like logic- on/off, red/green.
No wonder there are comics that paint us as loads. Hey, let's have a contest, your dad and mine.
Mark
P.S. I love lashing up my Kayo SD-45s to my Atlas PC SD-35s and dragging every freaking car I own thru barren plywood territory just to have them drop a cut and allow me to pick the cut up with a badly mismatched set of units just so I can bitch the whole way back to the yard. Kinda reminds me of stories I've heard?
I actually have 5 LL GP20's(thank Model Expo!) and they do run just as well as Kato or Atlas, so some of the new stuff should be included as well!