Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

BALDWIN VO-1000 SWITCHER: N SCALE

RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN – January 2004

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

Having grown up watching Baldwin locomotives on the CPR’s Esquimalt & Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, I have a soft spot for Baldwin, so don’t expect an entirely unbiased review of this Atlas model, at least in terms of describing their qualities or aesthetics. Baldwin’s diesels were a product of the 1940’s and 1950’s early diesel building years when that great icon of the steam era, Baldwin Locomotive Works, attempted to shift into the diesel-electric market from building steam locomotives. Unfortunately, very few Baldwins remain serviceable these days, although a respectable number have been preserved.

Baldwin introduced the VO series switchers, based on some earlier prototypes, in 1939 with the 660-horsepower VO-660 and the1,000 H.P. VO-1000, the prototype for this Atlas model. They remained in production through the War years, until 1946 when the DS series was developed. Baldwin built 548 VO-1000’s for a variety of major railroads, shortlines, the United States military and industrial operations. However, by the 1970’s Baldwins of any type, especially the old VO series, were well past their prime and were hard to find anywhere, even on industrial railroads and shortlines. The major railroads quickly got rid of older units, especially from builders such as Baldwin that were no longer in the locomotive business, and usually standardized on General Motors switchers for yard duties. Many Baldwins were scrapped, but others were sold and they put in long years for subsequent owners in a wide range of places, from logging railroads and terminal lines to tourist railroads. Have a look at Jim Boyd’s three-volume study, Baldwin Diesels in Color, to see the diversity of uses of these and other interesting Baldwin engines. Jim also chronicled the fascinating fleet of Baldwins operated by SMS Rail Services in New Jersey in the July, 2003, issue of RAILFAN & RAILROAD.

Baldwin yard switchers were tough engines and could pull long cuts of cars around the yards, in industrial areas, and up steep trackage. Their road switchers were also rugged and interesting beasts, but that is another story. There was a lot of variation in the VO series locomotives: the number of exhaust stacks, the placement of railings, headlights and the shape of the front radiator grille were some of the most obvious. All these cosmetic element simply added character to these diesels. Baldwin, as a steam locomotive builder, perhaps was more accustomed to tailoring its locomotives to customer wishes or building variations than some of the new diesel builders in that transition eras.

I compared the models with prototype drawings and dimensions, and they are very accurate reproductions. They come fully assembled except for handrails and air hoses, which are supplied in a cut-out in the foam liner of the box. Initially, I didn’t notice these parts because the foam insert covers them completely. To install them, first cut them from the molding sprue with a sharp hobby knife or a sprue cutter. I opened the holes in the frame slightly with a needle and then, using a magnifier, eased them into the mounting holes. On a couple, where I enlarged the holes too much, and for the air hoses, I used a small drop of cyanoacrylate cement to secure the parts in place. These are very finely-molded and really add a nice touch to the models.

These engines weigh 1.8 ounces and their operating characteristics are excellent. On my test track one unit pulled a train of 15 cars (all 40 and 50-footers with Micro-Trains Line trucks) up a slight grade and around a curve, just as a switcher would have done in service. That was clearly its limit, and it was happier with a dozen.

I tested two samples and both produced a light growl when running, but that didn’t seem out of place for a Baldwin switcher. The models started at about 4 volts and drew approximately 0.1 amps. Speed control was excellent and the models reached a reasonable top speed for a yard diesel around 8 volts. The ammeter on my MRC Tech 3 power pack barely moved as I added power and load to the engines.

Atlas has released the model in two basic variations (with or without step guards) and with minor details such as the number (from one to four) and height of the exhaust stacks to reflect the particular prototype. Atlas actually made different hoods for these configurations. As an aside, I have long wondered how much diesel exhaust the crews of some of those early Baldwins had to breathe. Some units had just a short stack right in front of the cab.

The painting and lettering is excellent, with the colors opaque and clear. The white stripes on the Santa Fe model, for example, are nice and sharp with clean edges. The paint schemes available are classic examples of first-generation colors and are going to be very popular. The graphics and styling really suit these early diesels, and they were clearly made for each other. Few modern styles of graphics and color scheme, to my eyes at least, ever looked as good on these older engines.

Locomotives with step guards come in Santa Fe (two numbers); Atlantic Coast Line (two numbers and unnumbered); Southern Pacific (two numbers and unnumbered); Lehigh Valley (three numbers); and undecorated. Engines without step guards are available for Santa Fe (two numbers); Milwaukee Road; Burlington Northern; Great Northern; and New York Central (each in two-numbers and unnumbered). The suggested retail price is $104.95. Models are also available with Lenz decoders installed at $139.95. Check the Atlas web site for photos of all the models in these color schemes.

I’m not sure if I would ever call a Baldwin diesel beautiful, but they sure were interesting engines with a lot of character, and I’m delighted to see these excellent models from Atlas. They are real winners in their first-generation color schemes. I hope we see other Baldwin yard engines and road switchers from Atlas in the years ahead. – ROBERT TURNER