Atlas O’s Trainman line GP15 outfit
What I saw that day was Atlas O's very first train set.
The GP15 is an interesting locomotive, in respect to the history of EMD design.
As the second era of dieselization was progressing, many railroads were rebuilding older first-generation power -- such as GP7s and GP9s -- to perform duties once handed to dedicated switchers.
While the MP15DC switcher was just over 47 feet long, the GP15 measures nearly 55 feet in length.
Apalachicola Northern and the Frisco.
Our sample Conrail locomotive came with just the basics: twin can-style motors, magnetic couplers, an operating horn, and directional lighting.
Starting with the pilot, you'll find a snowplow and uncoupler bar.
The handrails on the pilots and the sides are all formed from wire. A chain provides safety protection on the drawbridge gap.
Hatches, hinges, and latches are crisp. The roof has seam and rivet detail, plus nubs that represent lift rings.
Both sides of the angled end of the long hood have add-on wire grab irons, and there's also a grab iron running the width of the roof. Setting the locomotive on its side, you'll find a heavy, die-cast metal fuel tank that houses the horn speaker.
While you've got the diesel on its side, you'll note two power pickups roughly 71/2 inches apart on the trucks.
I like the way this GP15 operates. Operating in conventional-control mode, the GP15s low-speed average was 15 scale mph. Using the pulsed power of a Lionel TrainMaster system in conventional-control mode, we eked out 9 scale mph.
Performance was smooth through all speed ranges, and voltages were low on both our Conrail model and a Norfolk Southern GP15 that we have in the workshop. That means no jackrabbit starts.
GP15 being a switcher in a road engine body, the model has the strength of a full-bore road engine.
The rolling stock for Atlas O's outfits comes from the regular Trainman catalog line, and it will vary from set to set.
As I wrote in a review of the rolling stock in the February 2006 issue, the cars are first-rate products that combine scale size with attractive add-on details, such as ladders, brake wheels, and undercarriage hardware.
The extended-vision caboose is as nice as they come.
While it is probably just a matter of perspective, the scale-sized gear seemed to fill up the track pretty quickly.
Also included are an Atlas O catalog, a track-planning book, and a guide to Atlas O track.
On the downside, the Atlas O Trainman set lacks a transformer.
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