Question for Altas guys

[SD452XR]

I have been replacing the male universal on my SD7's and SD24's. 90% of them came cracked from Altas. My question is what locomotives used this crappy design flaw. So far, I know these locomotives have used them:
SD7
SD9
SD24
H15/16
C630/C628

Am I missing any others?

Steve

[bbussey]

You might have better luck soliciting an answer if you don't disparage the product by calling it "crappy."

[SD452XR]

You might have better luck soliciting an answer if you don't disparage the product by calling it "crappy."

You're right. I should not have used the word crappy to describe the locomotives that 90% of the parts are broke and have to be replaced for the locomotive to even run properly. My mistake.

[peteski]

See my response in https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=40122.0

[JanesCustomTrain]

Am I missing any others?

Steve

Good on you for calling a spade a spade !

Not Atlas but same crappy design: IM SD45-2

Jane

[C855B]

Representing an opposing viewpoint... the Atlas SD24s and SD7s in my fleet are the go-to, never fail units. I have dozens of hours on the SD24s. They are what I run at shows on our N-Trak layout whenever I need a break from fiddling with other stuff because I can count on them.

I have heard that U-joint failures are common on one particular production run of Alco Centuries, but I have a pair of C628s that have also been flawless. May not have been from that run, or if so, then I've been lucky, etc.

There has to be a difference in operation or environment explaining the discrepancy. What that is, I can't tell you. What I can tell you is I have collected an embarrassing amount of N scale locos over the years, and the Atlas chassis you express concern over have been my top performers. YMM[obviously]V.

[bbussey]

You're right. I should not have used the word crappy to describe the locomotives that 90% of the parts are broke and have to be replaced for the locomotive to even run properly. My mistake.

As I implied, don't expect a response when you tactlessly post a query and then follow it up by being a jerk.

[peteski]

Representing an opposing viewpoint... the Atlas SD24s and SD7s in my fleet are the go-to, never fail units. I have dozens of hours on the SD24s. They are what I run at shows on our N-Trak layout whenever I need a break from fiddling with other stuff because I can count on them.

I have heard that U-joint failures are common on one particular production run of Alco Centuries, but I have a pair of C628s that have also been flawless. May not have been from that run, or if so, then I've been lucky, etc.

There has to be a difference in operation or environment explaining the discrepancy. What that is, I can't tell you. What I can tell you is I have collected an embarrassing amount of N scale locos over the years, and the Atlas chassis you express concern over have been my top performers. YMM[obviously]V.

I had to repair some of those Alcos for friends because the thin dounut-with-4-prongs couplings split on the motor shaft and it was slipping making the loco run like crap.  Oops!  Sorry.    Maybe different production batches (using different plastic formulations or something explains why some of those coupling split while others do not.  To be fair, some Kato couplings are also prone to split, but they do not fully split across the length so the model still runs well. I have bunch of RDCs with those split couplings.  And I'm not even going to mention Bachmann . . .

[JanesCustomTrain]

As I implied, don't expect a response when you tactlessly post a query and then follow it up by being a jerk.

I see, calling a product crappy is out of line but name calling is ok ?

Jane

[Peter Amling]

What exactly is the design flaw in question? What is a male universal? Photos or a diagram would help.

[Kisatchie]

I see, calling a product crappy is out of line but name calling is ok ?

Jane

I agree.


Hmm... you mean I can"t
call Kiz a jerk anymore...?

[wcfn100]

What exactly is the design flaw in question? What is a male universal? Photos or a diagram would help.

This is the part.  It mounts to the motor shaft and can crack and just start slipping rendering one truck useless.





Jason

[Dave V]

 

[SD452XR]

As I implied, don't expect a response when you tactlessly post a query and then follow it up by being a jerk.

Nice. That says a lot about you. You can down vote me as much as you like. I could care less. This isn't high school, nor is it a popularity contest.

I have over 100 Atlas locomotives. Excuse me for being a little frustrated when 21 of my SD7/9's and SD24's need to have the male universal changed out before they will even run. 90% failure rate is "crappy" in my book. Sorry you are so sensitive that I used that word. I haven't even torn into my 630's yet, but I expect to fix those as well. My reference is to the crappy design flaw, not the locomotives, and not the company. I just wanted a list of all the locomotives that use this terrible design flaw, so I know how many of those parts I'm going to need.

Steve

[Ron McF]

I have been replacing the male universal on my SD7's and SD24's.
Steve

I have five H16/44s and seven SD24s.  Over time, I've had to replace all the male universals on the H16/44s, but I've never had any fail on my SD24s.

When I first noticed the problem with the H16-44s I emailed Atlas and they sent me a bunch of replacement universals, which carried the part-number for the SD24 version.  I always assumed that the problem was exclusive to the H15/16 locos, due (perhaps) to a bad batch of components.

If the OP wants to find out which other locos might (and I stress "might") be affected then he should check the exploded parts diagrams provided by Atlas. I note that on the online parts diagram for the H15/16-44 the part-number for the male universal has been changed by hand:
http://www.atlasrr.com/pdf/PartsPDFs/NParts/NH1516Loco.pdf

Regards,
Ron