Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

EMD SD24: HO SCALE

RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN – September 2004

Mfd. by Atlas Model Railroad Co., 378 Florence Ave., Hillside, NJ 07205

In 1958, Electro-Motive Division (EMD) introduced a turbo-charged version of their 567 series prime mover in the new SD24 locomotive, thus opening up the second generation of diesel locomotives. The addition of the turbocharger boosted the horsepower output of the 567 from 1,750 h.p. to 2,400 h.p. While the SD24 was designed as the bigger brother of the SD9, it was more of a market response to Fairbanks-Morse’s H24-66 and Alco’s RSD-15, both of which were 2,400 h.p. six-axle locomotives.

The 567D3 was the final engine design used in the production of the SD24 and SD24B. Though visually similar to both the SD7 and SD9, EMD made a couple of external changes that distinguish the SD24 from its older siblings. Those distinguishing features include a larger bulge in the long hood on the brakeman’s side, roof mounted air reservoirs, and a 3,000-gallon fuel tank. Another change that was created by the turbo-charged 567 was the use of single exhaust stack, as opposed to the twin exhaust stacks used on the SD7 and SD9.

The SD24 model was originally purchased by Santa Fe (80 units), Southern (48), Union Pacific (30 plus 45 B-units), CB&Q (16) and Kennecott Copper (1). There were four demonstrators, as well. As was common practice, each railroad bought the SD24 with specific options. Santa Fe opted for the low short hood. Southern had the units delivered with high short hoods, which is where the bell was mounted. Like Southern the “Q” purchased high hood units but the headlight was placed beneath their traditional Mars Light housing. The Union Pacific purchased two variations of the SD24. Thirty had low short hoods, similar to the Santa Fe units. The balance of their 75-unit order was cab-less and had a high short hood. Union Pacific also purchased the four EMD demo units, only one of which had a high short hood, UP No. 448 (ex-EMD No. 5579), which was retained by the railroad.

These units saw life beyond their original railroad purchasers. Second-hand owners were Precision National and Illinois Central. Both companies overhauled the units, with PN reclassifying them as SD10’s and the IC rebuilding them into SD20’s. The SD10’s later saw service on the Chicago & North Western. After a useful like on the IC, their SD20’s were sold off to smaller roads, including the Iowa Interstate, Wisconsin Southern, C&IM, IMRR, M&NA, Indiana Harbor Belt, and the Twin Cities, & Western, all of which could make for a great kitbashing project.

Atlas is again offering the SD24 in HO scale. The current model is vastly different and much improved over the unit that was available in the 1980’s. The SD24 is available in both the Silver Series (non-decoder equipped) and Master Series (Decoder equipped) product lines. Pricing or the Silver Series if $109.95; it is $139.95 for the Master Series. The locomotives are offered with correct railroad-specific details, as listed below:

CB&Q: High short hood, single-chime air horn, Mars light and winterization hatch.
Santa Fe: Low short hood and three-chime horn.
Southern: High short hood, short hood mounted bell and five-chime horn.
Union Pacific: Low short hood, three-chime horn (mounted between the radiator fans) and a winterization hatch.

Other features common to all of the units include new golden-white LED headlights, directional lighting, crew figures and AccuMate magnetic knuckle couplers.

The sample we received was Southern No. 6314 from the Silver Series line. In reviewing the Atlas website for pricing information, Atlas has produced the locomotives in the Master and Silver Series with different road numbers, plus non-numbered units in the Silver Series, yielding four different road numbers from the factory, plus as many as a modeler could want to have by custom decaling.

Our sample went together in a mater of ten minutes. The only assembly required was the addition of the bell, the horn, the firecracker antenna, the cab sunshades and the end handrails. In order for a better press fit of the horn, bell, and antenna, I carefully matched the existing mounting holes and drilled them out to one drill size larger. All of the other detail parts on the locomotive come factory installed. They include lift rings, windshield wipers, wire grab irons, fuel tank breather piping, brake cylinder piping, m.u. and air hoses, coupler cut bars and operating drop steps.

Out of the box, the unit is nicely painted, and, as previously mentioned, well detailed. The lettering is crisp and opaque. The number boards come pre-numbered to match the unit (where appropriate). There are a minimum number of data markings on the model, including the builder’s plate, which is the way locomotives were delivered prior to OSHA.

The imitation aluminum and gold leaf lettering match well to the units delivered to the Southern. The font for the name and road numbers closely matches the prototype, something often missed in this hobby for Southern and Norfolk Southern equipment. The model also has the white pilot chevrons typically found on Southern locomotives. The Southern road numbers Atlas chose to produce are units that were all assigned to the CNO&TP. In looking at prototype photos, some of the units had CNO&TP sub-lettering, while others did not.

The detail work of the shell and trucks are up to par with recent Atlas releases, so this model is not just a re-run of warmed over, old tooling The radiator and dynamic brake fans are see-through with fan blades. The molding of the shell itself is clean and crisp, with excellent relief in the louvers, grilles and door latches and handles. The pilot footboards are see-through and have a prototypically correct thickness.

The truck sideframes have the correct six-clasp brake shoe arrangement, though the outboard brake shoe has been removed so that the trucks can navigate tighter model railroad radii. The brake cylinders are separate, plus the brake cylinder piping has been added along with sanding hoses. A speed recorder is also standard on the model.

On the test track the model performed well at a variety of voltage ranges. Although the directional headlights increase somewhat in intensity with changes in d.c. voltage, the use of DCC changes this for the better. The drive has all-wheel electrical pick-up through chemically-blackened, nickel silver wheels. The mechanism has a five-pole motor with dual flywheels, providing a sooth and quite drive throughout the sped range. The locomotive was able to pull 44 free-rolling cars weighted to NMRS standards on flat level track. On the scales, the model weighs almost 15 ounces, giving it the ability to pull so many cars.

Atlas has provided the hobby with another excellent locomotive, especially for the late first and early second-generation modelers. For this quality of a model the price is right, and it fits well with their previously released SD35, GP38 and GP40 locomotives – RUSS GOODWIN