Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

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This review was taken from the December, 2000 issue of Model Railroader Magazine and is reproduced with permission of Kalmbach Publishing Company, Waukesha, WI.

N scale F-M H-24-66 Train Master Diesel

Review by Jeff Wilson, Associate Editor

The new Atlas H-24-66 Train Master runs well, features nice detail, and is available with or without a Lenz Digital Command Control decoder.

When Fairbanks-Morse introduced its H-24-66 (hood locomotive, 2,400 hp, 6 axles, 6 axles powered) in 1953, it was the highest-horsepower single-engine diesel made to that date. The Train Master proved to be a locomotive ahead of its time, and F-M’s small-builder status and teething problems with its big opposed-piston engine limited production to just 127 of the big diesels though June 1957.

Owners included Virginian (25, later Norfolk & western by merger); Canadian Pacific (21); Reading (17); Southern Pacific (16); Delaware, Lackawanna & Western (12, later Erie Lackawanna); Central RR of New Jersey (12); Pennsylvania RR (9); Wabash (8); Southern Ry, (5); and Canadian National (1).

Several body details changed during production, and Atlas is offering models to match three versions. The first Train Masters built – which have become known as Phase 1a-had straight handrails along the long hood, while Phase 1b and II engines have handrails that dipped slightly (as shown in the photo below).

Phase 1a and 1b engines have seven sets of large louvers along the top of the long hood; Phase II Train Masters lack these and instead have two sets of smaller louvers toward the rear and additional louvers on the hood doors. Phase I H-24-66s have their radiator fans (covered by the screen at the rear of the long hood) spaced apart; Phase II engines have them together. Also, Phase II locomotives have larger number boards than Phase 1 engines.

Typical of small-run locomotives, there were many other detail differences among road names and orders, and the Atlas model understandably can’t match all of them. Our Canadian Pacific sample is a Phase II locomotive.

The Atlas model has an injection-molded plastic shell with separate cab, walkway, and handrails. Most details are molded in place, except for the horns, number boards, and clear plastic headlights and windshield glazing.

The separate etched-metal grills covering the fans at the end of the long hood are great. These screens were a key spotting characteristic on the real engines, with the fans clearly visible behind the screens. A problem on the model, however is that the fans and grill are the same color, making it almost impossible to see the fans. You can remedy this a bit by carefully removing the screens (by pushing the mounting tabs out from inside the shell) and weathering or painting the fans a color contrasting with the screen.

The handrails are also nice, as they’re not only molded in the appropriate color, but also have the corner end handrails and stanchions appropriately colored.

The model compares favorably with drawings published in the Model Railroader Cyclopedia: Vol. 2, Diesel Locomotives (Kalmbach Publishing). The model’s only discrepancy is the length of the long hood, which is about a scale 9” too short on the model.

Mechanically the Train Master is similar to other recent Atlas locomotives. A heavy cars split-frame chassis fits around the motor, twin flywheels, and drive shafts. A five-pole, skew-wound motor powers the model. Drive shafts from each end of the motor turn brass worms above each truck, where acetal plastic gears transfer power to all axles. All wheels were in a gauge according to a National Model Railroad Association standards gauge, and all pick up electricity. The trucks can be easily popped out of the frame if needed.

A circuit board atop the chassis holds the headlights and the diodes that provide the directional lighting. The lamps aren’t bright enough to be noticed below six volts. Decoder-equipped models have this board replaced with one containing the DCC decoder circuitry.

Our sample ran well throughout its speed range, with fairly smooth starts. Its .9 ounces of drawbar pull should equal about 22 free-rolling cars on straight, level track. As with most N scale locomotives, you’ll be using the lower half of the throttle range.

Plastic Accumate automatic knuckle couplers are mounted in draft-gear boxes at each end of the shell. Modelers wishing to swap these for Micro-Trains Magne-Matic couplers can substitute no. 1015/1016 couplers.

Our Canadian Pacific sample was neatly painted. The striping and lettering were also nicely done, including the scale 2”-tall footboard warnings on each end, which were sharp and legible.

The Train Master is a fine model, and N scalers should welcome the availability of this all-new locomotive.