Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

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This review appeared in the July issue of Model Railroader Magazine. Reproduced with permission of Kalmbach Publications.

Nice-running HO U23B available with three styles of trucks

Atlas has continued its excellent series of diesel locomotive models based on General Electric prototypes with this smooth-running U23B. The almost-ready-to-tun model nicely captures the look of GE’s 1970s-era mid-horsepower four-axle road switcher.

General Electric introduced its 23b in 1968, building 481 of the 2,250-hp "U-boats" through 1977. The locomotive shared the same basic carbody as the U30B, its 3,000-hp big brother, but used a 12-cylinder engine instead of the larger 16-cylinder engine found in the U30B. The June 1998 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman included a roster, drawings, and prototype information on the U23B.

Atlas captured the key spotting feature that differentiates the U23B from the U30: The U23B has six full-height engine access doors per slide, while the U30B has eight such doors.

The body on the Chinese-made model is made up of three injection-molded styrene castings: the hood, cab, and walkway. Separate factory-applied parts included the horn, exhaust stack, brake wheel, and clear flush-fitting plastic glazing for the window openings.

Modelers must install the uncoupling levers, plows (for some road names), wire grab irons, and acetal plastic handrails and stanchions. Plastic parts are molded in appropriate colors, while the bare wire grab irons should be painted before installation (I painted the grabs on our L & N sample gray).

The moldwork on the shell is nicely done, and the model’s dimensions compare favorably with U23B drawings published in the June 1998 RMC.

To remove the shell, squeeze the middle of the long hood to release tabs just above the walkway and at the rear below the radiator. You may have to wiggle the body back and forth a bit to release the plastic tabs.

Atlas offers the model with all three types of trucks used on the prototype: AAR type B, used on most U23Bs until January 1973 (on the Lehigh Valley model); GE’s floating bolster (FB-2), used on many engines built after that date (as on the Louisville & Nashville model); and EMD GP or "Blomberg," taken from traded-in locomotives and used on Chesapeake & Ohio and Western Pacific locomotives (included on the WP model).

The heavy cast zinc-alloy frame holds an enclosed five-pole, skew-wound motor with two turned brass flywheels. Acetal plastic universals drive gear towers above each truck. All axles are powered, and all wheels pick up electricity. The wheels are blackened nickel-silver, and all wheelsets on our samples were in gauge.

The locomotive starts rolling almost immediately at the crack of the throttle, moving at just .8 volts. It’s a smooth, impressive performer throughout its speed range. The heavy flywheels give the engine quite a bit of momentum, so when the throttle is shut off the engine will easily glide for a few inches. With its impressive 4.3-ounce drawbar pull, the U23B should pull 60 free-rolling cars on straight, level track.

Accurail’s acetal plastic Accumate automatic knuckle couplers are factory-installed on the frame at each end. Removing the draft-gear box (which is secured by a small screw) allows easy substitution of other couplers. The couplers must be removed to take off the plastic walkway.

A printed-circuit board above the motor the motor includes biodes for controlling the directional headlights. A standard eight-pin socket for a Digital Command Control decoder is built in, with ample room above the board (.20" x .65" x 2.20") for the decoder. A white triangle marks the pin 1 location.

All of the paint schemes offered reflect prototype U23Bs. The paint and lettering on our three samples were neatly applied and sharp. Each road name is available in two numbers as well as unnumbered.

Atlas has done a good job with the U23B, and it’s always good to see a new model of a previously unavailable locomotive.