Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

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This review was taken from the September, 1999 issue of Model Railroader Magazine and is reproduced with permission of Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha, WI.

Atlas N scale Electro-Motive SD50

Review by Jim Hediger, Senior Editor

This Atlas SD50 is an excellent replica of the heavy-duty road diesel introduced as part of the Electro-Motive Division’s Fifty Series locomotive line in 1981. The model looks good and has a powerful, smooth-running mechanism.

The first SD50’s were delivered to the Kansas City Southern in 1981. At the time, they were the most heavily tested locomotives in EMD’s history. These units incorporated a sophisticated new control system that enhanced the SD50’s tractive effort. Also, the SD50 develops 3,500 hp, a 500-hp increase compared to its predecessor, the SD40-2. A total of 421 production SD50s including 60 cowl-bodied engines for Canadian National-were purchased by 13 railroads.

An article including scale drawings as well as prototype photos on these locomotives was published in the January 1984 Model Railroader. The new model closely follows the dimensions and details shown in those drawings.

This model follows the proven design of previous Atlas N scale models starting with a superbly detailed plastic body shell. It’s made up of several inter-locking pieces secured with concealed latching tabs. The pilot, walkway, and sill casting fits closely over the mechanism and then the body snaps into it. Window glazing, number boards, and headlight lenses snap into the cab, which then slides into place from the top. The air horns, brake wheel, fuel tank, handrails with stanchions, and plow are separate details that are press-fit onto the body. The handrails are flexible acetal plastic.

The same mechanism that drives the recent Atlas SD60 and SD60M locomotives also powers this model (See the SD60 review published in the January 1999 MR). It has a heavy split frame which encloses the five-pole skewed armature motor and a pair of turned brass flywheels. All of the axles are driven and all of the wheels pick up electricity by way of phosphor-bronze contact strips.

A printed-circuit (PC) board is mounted on top of the motor. On standard DC models, this board contains diodes for the directional headlights. Atlas also offers SD50s equipped with Lenz Digital Command Control (DCC) decoders. On these models the decoder replaces the original PC board.

The model has full pilots and comes with Rapido couplers, but Micro-Trains no. 1015-1016 knuckle couplers may be easily substituted.

Our sample SD50 started and ran smoothly throughout its speed range, The slow-speed performance is excellent, but you’ll be doing your running in the lower third of the power pack control as the tope end is way beyond any normal operating speeds. The model’s drawbar pull is equivalent to about 26 free-rolling cars on straight and level track.

Our sample was neatly painted in Seaboard System colors. Its lettering is clear and sharp and even has the numbers in the number boards-a nice touch.

This is another well-detailed EMD locomotive from Atlas, and modelers of the modern era will enjoy it.