Atlas GP38 shell on Walthers/LL GP38-2 mechanism?

[Iain]

Does anyone own both of these and are willing to test to see if the Atlas shell will fit on the Walthers chassis?  The Walther's chassis has the advantage of being able to do short fuel tanks without compromising the integrity of the chassis (some of them come with the shorter fuel tanks).

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The walthers chassis is just a tad too wide for the atlas shell.

[u18b]

You did not ask, but I have placed Life Like parts on an Atlas mechanism.

[davefoxx]

You did not ask, but I have placed Life Like parts on an Atlas mechanism.

Me, too.

[ai5629]

So when you say "placed Life Like parts on an Atlas mechanism", what are you referring to?  The short fuel tank? I would very much like to replace the incorrect Atlas fuel tanks on my eight Conrail GP38's and GP38-2's with the correct short tanks.  Penn Central owned 1/3 of all of the GP38's EMD ever produced, and they all had short fuel tanks.  I will eventually cut them down, but that is way down the "to do" list.  Can the short fuel tanks from the Walthers units be obtained somehow?  Thanks.

Jeff

[u18b]

I love Atlas products, but the walkway on the GP40-2 is not as good as it could be.
The Life Like walkway is closer to prototype.


Atlas mechanism
Atlas GP40-2 shell
Like Like Walkway from GP38-2

[johnh35]

You can place the Atlas shell on the LL chassis with minimal material removal, have done so in the past. Did your original LL shell break?

[peteski]

You can place the Atlas shell on the LL chassis with minimal material removal, have done so in the past. Did your original LL shell break?

Read the 2nd sentence of the initial post.

[MarkJ]

Hello Group,
First time poster, long time Railwire reader.

This post caught my eye as I have several Atlas n scale locomotives that, as the OP stated above, “should” have short fuel tanks. This includes PC GP38 and 38-2, RDG GP40-2s, and some GP30s. After reading the comments, it sounds like the only practical fix is to swap out all the Atlas drive mechanisms for Walthers/lifelike proto drives. I’m assuming there is not an easy way to mill the Atlas frames to accommodate smaller fuel tanks since the motor cradle sits so low in the tank area. It looks like if you mill the frame, the motor will (somehow) have to be relocated. That’s not an easy task consider the frame basically encapsulates the motor.

I’m also interest in learning more about the walkway swap done on the GP40-2 above. How easy is this project and where can you buy the walkways.
Thanks, Mark

[coosvalley]

I too, have about 8 Atlas Gp38s that need the short fuel tanks......Anybody have a better idea than to buy 8 LL/Walthers frames, then mill the Atlas shell?...

[MarkJ]

Well as the “newbie” to the forum, I’m open to any ideas or suggestions. I’ve seen some pretty amazing modeling work in these threads, so I believe someone here will have an answer.
 
Below is a 1992 (Kato?) GP35 chassis. You can see that there is plenty of material below the motor that is hidden by the plastic fuel tank. The problem is that at least one (or both) of the lower motor cradle “tabs” will likely need to be removed. I don’t see this as being a huge issue with the performance of the motor (e.g. excess vibration or shifting in the chassis), since the motor is still held securely by the upper tabs. I’m just a little leery about hacking up the motor cradle without some reassurance that the performance won’t be ruined.



Thanks, Mark

[Iain]

I am entirely okay with thinning the Walthers frame to fit.  It wouldn't be my first time to that particular rodeo.  I reckon once I get settled into the new place, I'll order me a Walthers GP38-2 and start experimenting.  I wonder if sticking the Atlas trucks in it will work as well as doing the same with the LL GP18s.

[Carolina Northern]

John,
Give me a couple of days and I'll check that for you.
I have three LL 38 frames (just frames - move the Atlas parts to them) that I could give up. I'll look and see if there are fuel tanks with them.

Don

[Iain]

The Atlas parts (motor, gears, etc.) all fit into the LL frame?  I'd only ever tried the trucks.

[Carolina Northern]

John,

I'm no longer 100% sure that my Atlas GP is really a 38.

The wheelbase is slightly longer than the lifelife unit. I looked in Spookshows database and the chassis doesn't match any I could find.

I got it in an Atlas GP 38 box in a trade for a bunch of stuff and never questioned it. It has 2000 Atlas on the chassis, I just can't identify which it is.

The trucks easily go back and forth, but I don't know if that is much help to you.

I'm going to do some more digging - love a mystery, but I don't think it will help you in your questions. Sorry.

Don