New Atlas RS-1 vs. Atlas RS-2

[wcfn100]

To put a final pin in this, I did some measuring (rounded to .05mm).

Inside shell at motor - 10.75mm
Width of board without motor tabs - 10.55mm
Width at motor tabs* - 11.00mm

*this was after I had already tried filing some of the brass away to see if I could get a better fit.

If you have a DCC version and you can't get the shell off, you could fall into the same issue I had.  If you do try, you need to unstick the electrical tape holding the board to the chassis.  That's what caused my board to bend so bad.

Jason

[peteski]

If you have a DCC version and you can't get the shell off, you could fall into the same issue I had.  If you do try, you need to unstick the electrical tape holding the board to the chassis.  That's what caused my board to bend so bad.

Jason

Ah, precision engineering at it's best!   
And all this time I thought that Duck Tape, not electrical tape was a fix to all problems. 

Sorry, with all that has been happening last couple of days I'm bit  more cynical than usual.

[CBQ Fan]

@peteski well it was just dirty wheels!  I kept running it and it was a little better. Used a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.  Cleaned off a dark black sludge and now runs so slow I forget I left it running and lost it on my layout. No more funky light flickering and runs like one would expect an Atlas to run!

[peteski]

@peteski well it was just dirty wheels!  I kept running it and it was a little better. Used a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.  Cleaned off a dark black sludge and now runs so slow I forget I left it running and lost it on my layout. No more funky light flickering and runs like one would expect an Atlas to run!

That's good to know Brian.
My comments were a response to the problems Jason (and others) have described.  Poor workmanship, apparent lack of QC, and "workarounds" using electrical tape.  It is not just Atlas that has these problems - newly manufactured models from other companies (both of brand new design or re-releases) seem to suffer from those problems.  One would expect that with the constant advances in technology, models woudl be  made better, and wouldn't need things like electrical tape installed on the chassis (not for any reason).  QC is another problem that seems to be cropping up, while at the same time the prices of the models keep on rising.

[Point353]

To put a final pin in this, I did some measuring (rounded to .05mm).

Inside shell at motor - 10.75mm
Width of board without motor tabs - 10.55mm
Width at motor tabs* - 11.00mm

*this was after I had already tried filing some of the brass away to see if I could get a better fit.

If you have a DCC version and you can't get the shell off, you could fall into the same issue I had.  If you do try, you need to unstick the electrical tape holding the board to the chassis.  That's what caused my board to bend so bad.

Jason

Would kapton tape be any thinner than the electrical tape that was used?
If so, is it possible to unsolder the tabs from the pc board and reinstall them so that they're slightly closer to the pc board, such that the overall width will fit inside the shell without interference?

[wcfn100]

Would kapton tape be any thinner than the electrical tape that was used?
If so, is it possible to unsolder the tabs from the pc board and reinstall them so that they're slightly closer to the pc board, such that the overall width will fit inside the shell without interference?

It wasn't the thickness of the tape, it was the fact that the tape was holding the end of the board to the chassis while the middle of the board was stuck into the top of the shell.

I would have tried resoldereing the motor tabs if the board hadn't fried.  I don't know how successful I wouldn't have been given the amount of solder on there.

Jason

[peteski]

No.  There's plenty of room.  These DCC boards were designed back when these were still Life-Like models.

Honestly, it just looks like a QC issue.  I assume the tabs were a weak point in production, physically or electrically so they soldered them.  They just aren't seated properly.
Jason

I wonder of the tape was used to prevent the light from shining through the shell as much as it is to hold the decoder in place? Or maybe it is solely used as light shield?

[Joetrain59]

I think the black tape was to be a light shield. It came off rather easily on it's own.
 Hello, heat shrink tubing!
 BTW, Z905's fit perfectly, using the same screw and mounting hole as
 the factory couplers. Dead on for height too, using the MTL gauge.
 Joe D

[narrowminded]

I think the black tape was to be a light shield.
 Joe D

BTW, for those who order electronic components from places like Digikey, what makes a good light shield as well as being highly reflective on one side is their lightproof, moisture proof, sealed shipping bags that some critical components are shipped in.  With a super bright LED flashlight shined directly up against the sheet, in a dark room, not a hint of light comes through and the one side is an excellent reflector.  I suspect it's some kind of mylar sheet but don't know that.

[peteski]

BTW, for those who order electronic components from places like Digikey, what makes a good light shield as well as being highly reflective on one side is their lightproof, moisture proof, sealed shipping bags that some critical components are shipped in.  With a super bright LED flashlight shined directly up against the sheet, in a dark room, not a hint of light comes through and the one side is an excellent reflector.  I suspect it's some kind of mylar sheet but don't know that.

Those bags are actual metal foil laminated in some sort of plastic.

[w neal]

LEHIGH VALLEY!!
LEHIGH VALLEY!!

ATLAS, PRETTY PLEASE!

LEHIGH VALLEY!!

[Point353]

LEHIGH VALLEY!!

Which paint scheme?

[prr7161]

LEHIGH VALLEY!!
LEHIGH VALLEY!!

ATLAS, PRETTY PLEASE!

LEHIGH VALLEY!!

Ask and ye shall receive!  (in 2022, likely):

https://shop.atlasrr.com/p-58826-n-analog-rs-2-lehigh-valley-214.aspx

From today's announcements...

[w neal]

Poyfect!!!

Hope they do all 3 road numbers.

Ta Atlas!!!!

[w neal]

Now. Dare I ask dem to rerun da snowboyds??