Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

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This review appeared in the December, 2001 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine. Reproduced with permission of Carstens Publications.

GENERAL ELECTRIC B23-7 DIESEL: N SCALE

Review by: Terry Pitts

During the mid-1960’s, the locomotive horsepower race was well on its way. Railroads were replacing older, lower powered locomotives with fewer, though higher powered units. EMD introduced the GP38 in 1966 to fill in the gap between weaker locomotives and the newer high powered locomotives. GE followed suit two years later with a medium powered locomotive of it own, the very successful U23B.

With the introduction of the Dash 7 line in 1977, the U23B was replaced with the similar looking B23-7 (B for two axle trucks, 23 for 2,250 h.p. rounded up and –7 for the new Dash 7 product line). The B23-7 is two feet longer than its predecessor and has a flared radiator in contrast to the earlier one that barely over hung the edges of the long hood. Almost 450 of the locomotives were sold between September 1977 and December 1984. Many of these units are still in service today.

Atlas’ all new N scale GE B23-7 captures the look of the prototype and its car body quite well. The long hood includes the distinctive step in width under the radiator. The options available to match paint schemes with prototypically correct details are enough to make an experienced N scale modeler jump for joy. The bar on accuracy has been raised. No longer does the modeler have to accept “close enough.” This locomotive offers two types of anti-climbers, two types of battery boxes, three types of trucks, high or low nose, two headlight choices, and two or four window cabs. That is 96 different possible combinations of parts, though not every one actually existed.

The paint on my Southern unit was smooth and even and did not appear to obscure any details. The small print was clear and legible. A look at the photographs shows the level of detail in the painting. This locomotive comes with sunshades and painted handrails.

Take the shell off and you will see the typical split-frame mechanism we’ve come to expect in most locomotives. Other features include directional lighting, blackened wheels, a dual flywheel equipped, five-pole, skewed armature motor, painted, handrails, cab sunshades, as well as factory-installed AccuMate magnetic knuckle couplers.

The test sample ran well on the Bend Track Club’s layout. However, it gave me a big surprise when it suddenly jumped off the track and fell on its side. It turned out that the coupler trip pin hung below the top of the rails and had caught on the turnouts. I was able to gently push the pin a bit higher into the coupler without difficulty, though I have heard of some people breaking the couplers with to much rough handling.

Typical of Atlas’s new locomotives, the unit is DCC ready. The light board is easily removed and can be replaced with a Digitrax DN146A. This is a “plug and play” replacement for the light board. Atlas offers the B23-7 in decoder-equipped version as well. This comes with Digitrax DN146A installed instead of the directional lighting board.

The sample I reviewed did not include a decoder, so I installed a Digitrax DN146A that I had at home. I made the mistake of thinking “oh, plug and play, just drop it in.” Failing to read the instructions caused me to leave out a small piece of insulating tape. I followed the instructions for the replacement decoder and all went well. This locomotive runs well on d.c. or DCC.

The B23-7 weights 2.6 ounces and has a tractive effort of 0.65 ounces. At 24 cars per ounce, this locomotive should pull around 16 cars. The chart below shows the locomotive’s speed in scale miles per hour (s.m.p.h.) for different voltages. Typical of many of our models, this locomotive will travel “faster” that GE’s 1:1 B23-7’s ever did. (Note: Thanks to Jim Hinds of Richmond Controls for doing the speed and tractive effort tests).

The Atlas B23-7 runs well, looks good, and will be a welcome addition to the layout of anyone who chosen era covers the last quarter century. This model is offered with a factory-in-stalled decoder for $134.95 or with a lighting board that can be replaced by a decoder in the future if desired for $99.95.

It is offered in four different undecorated versions. The decorated units are available in two different road numbers for each scheme. Other details are specifically appropriate for each road: fat or thin anti-climber; knuckle or button battery boxes; FB-2, AAR, or Blomberg trucks; low or high nose; flat or protruding headlight; two of four window cabs.

Undecorated units may come with (Fat anti-climber, knuckle battery box, FB-2 trucks, low nose, flat rear h/l); Undecorated (Fat anti-climber, buttons battery box, AA-R trucks, low nose, flat rear headlight), Undecorated (Fat anti-climber, buttons battery box, FB-2 trucks, low nose, protruding rear headlight), Undecorated (Thin anti-climber, buttons battery box, Blomberg trucks, low nose, flat rear headlight, Undecorated (Thin anti-climber, knuckle battery box, FB-2 trucks, high nose, protruding rear h/l), Undecorated (Thin anti-climber, buttons battery box, FB-2 trucks, low nose, protruding rear headlight).

For the decorated units paint schemes are Santa Fe (Warbonnet), BNSF (Green & orange, Contrail (Blue and white), CSX (Gray and blue), Norfolk Southern (Black and white), 49621 Southern (Black and imitation aluminum), Southern Pacific (Bloody Nose) and Union Pacific (Yellow with multi-colored herald).

These are nice running diesels of the modern era and will fill the void those modeling today’s scene. For more information contact Atlas at the above address or see their web site at www.atlasrr.com.