Atlas S2 pulling power

I was thinking of getting an HO Atlas S2 (in RF&P) for my father.

I tried it out at the hobby shop and it seemed a little weak on the pull - the wheels seemed to slip easily.

Anyone have one of these and can comment on it's pulling ability? My father has a incline between two yards and I am concerned the S2 isn't going to carry more than one car.

I must say it is very attractive, runs quietly and has a nice smooth slow speed however.

Reply to
Randy Sweeney
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It pulls about as much as the prototype: a half dozen to a dozen cars or so, less going up any grade. And the prototype also slipped its wheels... :-)

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

Sorry, but no. The Atlas S-2 (and S-1, 3, and 4) are great pullers. Certainly the best among plastic shelled switchers. They out pull some road power, for pete's sake. Under the plastic hood it's all metal, which is where it gets it's traction. I routinely push 20-car cuts around in both my freight yards with my Atlas S-units, and have never had a problem (except for the time one of them hit the floor...twice. But she still runs great after a little touch up). The Atlas S-units are, IMHO, the best you can get in plastic switchers. The only thing that will out pull them in a switcher is a metal body-type, like Cary.

Paul A. Cutler III

************* Weather Or No Go New Haven *************
Reply to
Pac Man

Any of my Atlas S-2s can pull 60 randomly selected cars on straight level track.

I don't know what thw fellow in the hobby shop was trying to pull, but either he didn't have an atlas engine or something else is not adding up. He might have had a Life-Like engine. They look the same to the untrained eye, but are not. Froggy,

Reply to
Froggy

This is great news. Thanks

It is possible that there was oil on the track or wheels. The engine was NIB Atlas.

Reply to
Randy Sweeney

[...]

OK, I stand corrected. Musta been thinking of the Proto enegine...

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

D'ohhh. I should have said LEVEL track, not straight level track. I don't know how many cars one of the things will pull if it had no curves with which to contend. I pull 60 cars through a level 'S' curve with a total of 360 degrees curvature with mine. The curves are approximately equivalent to a prototype 14 degree curve. Froggy,

Reply to
Froggy

Even then the Proto (S1) does rather well for a little engine. No Atlas switchers to compare but 30 cars on the flat its not bad for a little falla.

Nigel

Reply to
Nigel Nichols

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