Atlas made two announcements today that should make many of us happy. For our HO-scale friends, they announced Alco S-2 Switchers in Frisco, ex NEO, paint in 3 numbers (295,296,297) https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-538-h78.aspx I am hoping that the S-2 announcement might mean we N-scalers see the ex-NEO locomotives in the next run. For my fellow N-scalers, Atlas announced Alco RS-2 locomotives road numbers 552 and 553. https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-1528-n225.aspx These are from the former Life-Like tooling Atlas acquired from Walthers last year. Many years ago, Life-Like produced these in Frisco paint with road numbers 550 and 551. Since there were only 5 of these on the roster, I wouldn't expect to see Atlas re-run these in Frisco paint again. Paul
If only a Canadian railroad had bough the high hoods, then Rapido would make them. Or if Cannon & Company would make high hoods. Oh well.
I have the HO Atlas S-2 model as an undec. Going to letter it one of these years. Quite a nice version of that popular switcher and runs smoothly. Glad to see they will release the model in NEO paint, though I wonder why they are not also releasing it in Frisco b/y. Would be popular with the different Frisco lettering. K
Agree with meteor910. Seems an NEO S-2 is an odd choice by Atlas. You really need to be a hard core Frisco freak to know/appreciate the NEO units. The DO look like the original NYS&W scheme, though, so maybe some bleed over sales from the Suzy Q fans for relettering? FWIW: I have four Atlas Gold undec S-2's (two vertical shuttres, two horizontal) with ESU Loksound. They run great and sound pretty good, too. Andre
Atlas previously released the S2 in NYS&W paint. There is a discussion somewhere here on turning those into either NEO or Frisco units. Paul
Ah HAH! Seeing as they already have the paint masks, then it makes MUCH more $$ sense to me now for them doing the NEO at this time in an effort to skim a little cream. Got it. Thanks. Andre
Well, seeing as how I used to live not far away from the former NEO trackage in Miami ( our family lived down in Afton), I find their choice of ex-NEO switchers surprising and exciting. Plus, they are offering all three of the road numbers NEO had for the S2s (they had a fourth Alco switcher, an S4). There is a YouTube video showing the NEO units performing switching chores in Miami, as well as shots of NEO switchers working an interchange in Carona, KS. A couple of these with DCC and sound would be awesome, as doubtless they went elsewhere on the Frisco after the acquisition of the NEO. And as Andre said, they have the paint masks- I have a NYSW RS1 in the same colors NEO wore, with the same style lettering. An ideal "what-if" for the layout..... It may be esoteric to even Frisco fans, but it IS a bit of a change from the black & yellow.
Just checked on the status of the Atlas S-2 locomotives in former Northeast Oklahoma (NEO) Railway maroon and white lettered for the Frisco. Unfortunately all three numbers road numbers (SLSF 295, 296 and 297) now show a status of "(Cancelled)". Please see the following link http://archive.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/arc-hos2.htm. Sad news. I have been looking forward to getting all 3 since they were announced in March 2019. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Does Atlas have a Preorder request for their production of items to manufacture? Perhaps there was not enough preorder to visualize production!