New release Atlas C420

[Joetrain59]

Hi,
 Got a L&HR #22 in the mailbox today.
 It has wired trucks! WTH? What is driving this conversion to wired trucks?
 Joe D

[C855B]

... What is driving this conversion to wired trucks?

Sound.

Wiring the trucks eliminates a set of contacts that could possibly glitch, interrupting power and invoking the startup sounds sequence, which in turn causes the loco to stop while it "cranks up". Big problem in the early days of sound, not so much these days.

[greenwizard88]

Luckily, wired trucks are more reliable, until the wire breaks and you have to solder it back on. Which happened to my alp45-dp.

Its dumb, I have no idea why they do it either.

[EL3632]

It has wired trucks! WTH? What is driving this conversion to wired trucks?

Unfortunately, this is standard on all Atlas sound units currently. I have a lot of ESU Loksound equipped sound locos, from all different manufacturers, and both wired and wiper pickups. I can say after running both types of pickups for hours on end, that the only discernable difference is when the contacts are not touching the truck contact (happens relatively rarely but it happens to all wiper pickup locos, not just those with sound), otherwise I cannot tell the difference. My Loksound fleet, as a whole, regardless of pickup type, tends to run better (and stutter less) than the non-ESU fleet.

[EmdFan]

The addition of sound drove the decision to go to wired trucks. The only drawback that we have seen is when folks pull on the wire when removing the trucks. The best method is to separate the frame halves and push the wire out from behind. The wire is soldered to a small "plug" that fits snug in the chassis.

I personally have tested some chassis with sound and old style wipers. In some cases there wasn't much of a difference. But the decision was made to try and eliminate that potential loss of power.

Like all new designs you have to see how things work out over time. So far we have not received too many complaints about the wires. But we will of course monitor the situation.

Steve W

[rrjim1]

I purchased one and they run/sound fantastic. I also don't have a problem with the wires.   

[C855B]

... I personally have tested some chassis with sound and old style wipers. In some cases there wasn't much of a difference. But the decision was made to try and eliminate that potential loss of power. ...

My observation as well. Over ~35 years I have never had problems with your (Atlas') and Kato's pickup scheme with the spring brass strips unless I screwed up in a disassembly/reassembly situation. Any conductivity issues have invariably been dirty wheels or track.

The most notable make/model in my fleet with truck-to-frame contact issues has been the Bachmann DDA40X, and - guess what? - their design omits the spring strips in favor of direct truck-to-frame contact basically relying on gravity. Very unreliable, especially when age oxidizes the contact area on the frame. Aggravating. These are likely to get wires as they cycle through the bench queue.

[Point353]

Did someone at Atlas mistakenly send an old Mehano-made model to the far east factory for them to copy?

[cjm413]

It would be an improvement for the Atlas GP15-1...

[EmdFan]

It would be an improvement for the Atlas GP15-1...

Very valid point. I may experiment on one of my own GP15-1s.

Thanks.

Steve W

[Joetrain59]

Thank you for the reason. My friend, Lou, thought wired trucks were to improve DCC/sound.
 Joe D

[Steveruger45]

I actually think they went to wired trucks as the frame would not accept the traditional wipers once they bored out the fuel tank for a speaker.  I have a couple of GP39-2’s designed this way. BTW, if you need to remove the trucks and without disassembling the trucks it is best done by splitting the frame first and pushing the crimped wire end out from the inside.

Don’t ask how I know that. 😀 but I got the tee shirt.

[Joetrain59]

The only disassembling I want to do is taking the shell off, to remove windows. Then wash shell, and Dullcote for now.
 Joe D

[EmdFan]

I actually think they went to wired trucks as the frame would not accept the traditional wipers once they bored out the fuel tank for a speaker.  I have a couple of GP39-2’s designed this way. BTW, if you need to remove the trucks and without disassembling the trucks it is best done by splitting the frame first and pushing the crimped wire end out from the inside.

Don’t ask how I know that. 😀 but I got the tee shirt.

That was part of the discussion too, although somewhere I have one of the early samples with a speaker installed and it still has wipers.

And yep, I took learned the hard way to push the wire out from the inside!

Steve W

[Joetrain59]

I bought a silent loco, no fuel tank boring out. The wires from trucks are soldered to a "pin" inserted into the frame. Never saw that before. Makes truck removal easy.
 I will post a pic later today, unless someone beats me to it.
 Joe D