Atlas Alco S-2, new release

I see where Atlas is releasing a new set of road names for their nice HO Alco S-2 model. Included is one in Alaska RR colors (b/y) plus several others in b/y, b/g, and b/orange schemes, plus others.

Yes, Alaska RR! With all the success Atlas has enjoyed with their nice Frisco releases in recent years, why didn't they include SLSF 290-294 (S-2's, b/y), and even SLSF 295-297 (S-2's, NEO) and SLSF 298 (S-4, NEO) in the run?

I'll bet the Frisco's, and maybe the NEO's, would have outsold the Alaska's! The NEO's, a nice scheme, could have been in either the NEO or SLSF numbers.

I just felt like complaining about something this afternoon!

Ken

 

Greg, the painting is the easy part. The difficult part is coming up with the decals... (sigh).

 

The nice pic of Alco S-2 SLSF 294 just posted in the frisco.org archives brings back to mind the question I have been asking for about a decade now.

To wit:
o The Alco S-1, S-2, S-3 and S-4 series of switchers was a very successful locomotive series for Alco. The Frisco had S-2's, and liked them. They didn't buy more as they liked the EMD NW2's better because of the common 567 engine. NEO had S-2's and one S-4, and liked them. When the Frisco took over the NEO, they kept the Alco's active.
o Atlas has a very nice model of the Alco S-2 (and S-4). They look, and run, very good.
o They are now re-releasing it in new road names.
o Atlas does a nice job of decorating their models. They are often mentioned when we ask who does the best Frisco paint scheme (in HO).
o Atlas has released many of their models in Frisco colors over the past many years. They do a good job with them, and keep doing more, so they must have enjoyed success with SLSF models.
o The Frisco S-2 would be easy to do for Atlas - Stock S-2, black body, yellow striping, railroad Roman letters. We can supply many pics to guide them.
o So, the question - "Atlas, why not do your S-2 in Frisco colors ?????" It would sell !
o Sub-question - if you want a little more diversity, also release the S-2 and S-4 in NEO colors, either pure NEO and/or Frisco ex-NEO. Again, we have pics.

To me, this seems to be easy, like falling off a log.

Who currently has a relationship with Atlas (Bob?)? What can we do to stimulate a Frisco-based release of their nice Alco S-2 (S-4) model?

Ken

ps - Then we need somebody to do a part for the cabless hood end, so we can bash a Frisco "Headless Humpster", SLSF 292 (late).

 

I've certainly developed a fondness for the sound of an old Alco prime mover. I know not everyone is into sound but Tsunami makes some great sounding decoders for these old ladies.

 

Years ago, I was driving down to St Louis Union Station on an early Saturday morning to catch one of the SLSF 1522 trips - probably the one to Decatur, Illinois. As I approached the train shed, where I was going to park, I noticed a large cloud of smoke coming up from the area where 1522's train was. I thought "How wonderful to see steam alive again!". But, as I got closer, it was not 1522 putting out the smoke - it was a Manufacturers Railway Alco S-1 or S-2, clean as can be in its beautiful MRS livery, but smoking up a storm while idling, and making that typical Alco clatter and banging sound. I quickly revised my thought to "Aren't Alco's neat!"

Ken

 

George - It had Blunt trucks, so it must have been a S-2. I don't remember how big the radiators were, so I couldn't recall if it was a S-1 or S-2. Sure did smoke a lot. It was just sitting there idling, and there was little wind, so the smoke column just went essentially straight up above the train shed. 1522 was sitting there simmering, and made little smoke at that time before the trip.

Ken

 

These are great memories and I for one appreciate you guys sharing them. I'm patiently waiting for an Atlas HH660 (awaiting delivery maybe in December) that I will modify to represent a Kansas City Terminal Ry HH900. I'll add a Tsunami sound decoder of course. This will be used on Greg Stouts developing model railroad of the Kansas City Terminal Ry. I may need to get an S-2 as well. So many locos, so little time and money.

 

Jim - I have the Atlas HH660, in Wabash colors (really all black with a little white lettering). Very nice model of this pioneering diesel switcher locomotive; runs nice like most Atlas models do. The thing is kind of like an original VW Beetle - so ugly it is cute.

Withers publishing company (Diesel Era) put out a very good soft-cover book on the Alco HH series. The equipment layout under the tall hood is interesting - everything is backwards from what eventually became common practice for diesel switchers.

I've always liked the early Alco S-series (S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4) - Alco's most successful diesel locomotive. Long ago we had an AHM Rock Island S-2 when son Kurt and I were model railroading together. We ran the wheels off that thing. Not the best S-2 model - the handrails were about one foot square, but otherwise it looked OK and the RI paint job was very nice. We could get it to run slow enough for switching on pulse power (anybody remember pulse power?). Putting Kadee couplers on it was a challenge, though, but we worked it out by using one of the non-common Kadee couplers.

In addition to the nice Atlas HO S-2 and S-4 models, Proto 2000 did a beautiful model of the S-1. I have that in PRR colors, and it is one of my favorite models. I like the look of the Blunt trucks on the HH, S-1 and S-2. In real life they tracked well, but were rough riders.

Ken

 

How funny, my first car was a '74 Beetle and I still have my old Autopulse Momentum power pack. I've seen photos from that book and it's very interesting to see the prime mover exposed. I've pre ordered the Atlas Tennessee Central #50. All I have to do is replace the road name and enlarge the radiator openings (I may let that discrepancy go) and it'll be dead ringer KCT Ry HH900 #50. I'm glad to hear that it should be a good runner. Thanks for the info.

 

From the July, 1934 Railway Age: the Alco HH diesel switcher was a real "railway man's" locomotive!

The HH ("High Hood") was a true pioneer locomotive. The thing was tall because the engine sat on the frame, rather than in between the frame. And, interestingly, everything was mounted backwards from the design practice that evolved from it - note the radiator core is next to the cab rather than up in the nose. And, it was the first to use the Blunt diesel switcher truck, designed by an Alco engineer. The later Alco S-1 and S-2 made wide use of the Blunt truck. Eventually, the Blunt was made obsolete by the AAR Type-A truck (used on the Alco S-3 and S-4, among others from Alco and from Baldwin, EMD, F-M, Lima, etc.).

K

PS: 80 years ago. Wow!