Hope everyone saw the announcement of a new U30B Phase 2 locomotive. Mark Davidson called me last Friday afternoon and told me the good news. Frisco units are not among the first release but they are listed as a major U30B Phase 2 owner. Based on past Atlas releases, I predict that Frisco units will be announced in about 6-8 months and delivered about 6 months after that. Here is the url http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hou30b.htm The current announcement lists three road numbers with sound and three different numbers without sound. Wow. Six new, high quality units for my 1970s session. I need to start saving now though because these units are very pricey. Now if we could get an SD45, 1400/1700 cabooses, 2-3 types of yellow 50' plug door box cars and some good box car kits for the 1930/40 era, my life would be complete. Ship IT on the Frisco! Rick
Does anyone on the forum have a reference as to which of the Frisco U30B's would have fallen into the Phase 2 category? By referencing Marre's book there were four orders placed between 1968 and 1974. By carefully looking at the photographs in the book and comparing them to the artist rendering and pilot model photos on the Atlas website, it looks like the model represents the later units purchased by the Frisco possibly beginning with Road # 844. Of course unit #846 was the first unit shipped by GE of its XR Series so that may be where the body changed that the Atlas unit represents started. I base my findings on the fact that there is a different positioning on a body louver (vent) on the left side of the units right to the left of the F on the word Frisco below the front of the radiator bulge. Compare the middle photo of Road # 836 on page 136 (louver at top)and the top photo of Road # 855 (louver at bottom). There may also be other differences. Also, it looks like the early orders had the roof beacon in the middle of the roof and had no front gyra-light (smooth nose) while the later ones moved the roof beacon to the front and added the front gyra-light. In conclusion, it looks like the Atlas unit represents GE production starting with either Road #844 or #846. Robert Hoover, Jr. FriscoFriend
As a further follow-up to Rick's reference to Atlas saying that the Frisco was a major purchaser of U30B's, more research has uncovered the following. Below is a list of the RR's that purchased U30B's and the number they purchased. The * beside the ones listed refers to ones that are in the first Altas release. Norfork and Western Railway: 111 units* New York Central Railroad: 58 units Chesapeake and Ohio Railway: 33 units* St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad 31 units Western Pacific Railroad 19 units* Seaboard Airline Railroad 15 units All other original purchasers bought 6 or less units. Atlas has also announced production of the locomotive in the folowing RR's which were evidently second hand users. Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad (this seems strange to me) Nashville and Eastern Railroad By looking at this, it seems obvious that New York Central and SLSF should be two of the obvious first choices for the second run. Having said that, I am in the process of composing a letter (not an email) asking them to produce SLSF units in the second run, referencing which units look like they fall into the Phase 2 category, and asking that they do 846 in the XR paint scheme as a possible special model. If anyone has any further imput, I would really appreciate it. Bob Hoover FriscoFriend
CB&Q had at least 5 units (150-154) that were delivered in January 1968. These became BN 5480-5484. All the rosters I have seen indicate CB&Q was an original purchaser. Paul
Good work gentlemen. I am pretty sure that Atlas will do these for us but it's a really good idea to let them know we want them, all six numbers including the three with sound. If anyone knows who to contact at Atlas, let us all know and we can give them some idea of the demand for this product. I really like the idea of them doing #846 too. Saves me time from decaling . . . . . . Thanks. Ship IT on the Frisco! Rick
