Atlas Model Railroad Co. has released a new run of Electro-Motive Division (EMD) GP40-2 diesel locomotives in N scale. The model, part of the Master Line, features plastic and die-cast metal construction, a Scale Speed motor, and body-mounted Accumate couplers.
Prototype history
Between April 1972 and November 1986, EMD built 903 GP40-2 diesel locomotives. The four-axle road locomotive, rated at 3,000 hp, had a turbocharged 16 cylinder, 645E3 diesel engine; an AR10 alternator; and D77B traction motors.
Canadian Pacific 4650 was built as Boston & Maine No. 308 in 1977. The unit was then sold to Helm Financial Corp., becoming HATX 501 in the 1990s. The four-axle unit was traded by the leasing company to Canadian Pacific in 1999, becoming the 4650 in April 1999. The diesel operated for a time in a patchout scheme. In late 2013-early 2014 it was repainted at the railroad’s Binghamton, N.Y., shop in a non-standard CP scheme. Canadian Pacific retired the 4650 in May 2018.
Model features
The injection-molded plastic body on the Atlas GP40-2 consists of the cab, body, handrails/walkway, and sill unit. Many of the details are molded, such as the grab irons, lift rings, and uncoupling levers. The Sinclair antenna on the cab and the three-chime air horn on the long hood are freestanding parts.
The full-size CP 4650 had front and rear ditch lights, a bell between front truck and fuel tank on the brakeman’s side, and a snow plow on the front pilot, details not found on the model.
I gently wiggled the shell while lifting up to separate it from the split-frame chassis. The Scale Speed motor and flywheels are centered in the chassis. The ESU sound board is on top. The fuel tank, with its sight gauges and filler caps painted red, clips to the bottom.
Our sample is neatly painted red and black with crisp separation lines between colors. The step edges, grab irons, and uncoupling levers are picked in white; the molded ratchet handbrake is black. The front number boards are black with white numbers; the rear boards are the opposite, as on the prototype.
The white sill stripes are a bit thick compared to those on the full-size unit. The separation lines between the white handrails and red stanchions are a bit fuzzy, but could be fixed with a fine brush and some white paint.
On the test track
I tested our decoder-equipped sample using an NCE Power Cab. At step 2, the model moved at 4 scale mph. The locomotive achieved a top speed of 100 smph. The speed range on the prototype ranged from 71 to 83 mph depending on the gear ratio. The model’s dimensions closely follow data published in the 1974 edition of the Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practices (Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp.)
If you’re in the market for a four-axle road unit for your N scale layout, you’ll want to check out the Atlas GP40-2. The full-size diesels have been around since the early 1970s, and many examples can still be found on Class I, regional, and shortline railroads today.
Facts & features
Price: Direct current with factory-installed speaker, $134.95; with dual-mode ESU LokSound V5 sound decoder, $244.95
Manufacturer
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
378 Florence Ave.
Hillside, NJ 07205
Era: mid-2010s to 2018 (as decorated)
Road names: Canadian Pacific, Burlington Northern, CSX, Florida East Coast, Guilford Rail System, and Norfolk Southern. Two to three road numbers per scheme. Also available undecorated (with and without dynamic brakes).
Features
• Body-mounted Accumate couplers, at correct height
• Metal wheel stubs on plastic axles, correctly gauged
• Weight: 2.8 ounces
