Atlas HO Dash 8 Gold Series (new 2020 run) Review, teardown and Modifications

[@nicksanto882]

Very fine locomotive. Next time consider a Decoder Buddy to significantly upgrade the electronics and neaten up the installation. You can also retain the removability of the shell when upgrading the LEDs along with adding more LEDs that the decoder supports. Hope this helps!

[@tulyar1043]

A very good how to video. Your Dash 8 sounds better after your mods. Loco sounds bettter as well. Thanks for posting this video.

[@Sinistar24]

Just bought one of those, but an older one with a QSI decoder. It runs great but the sounds...the engine sounds like it wont go past notch 4 or something. When accelerating, or "heavy load" option on, it always stays at lower RPM. Maybe I'm missing something as it's my first sound loco

[@modeltrain9500]

Where are the resistors for the ditch light LED's? Are they on the shell side between the pads and the diodes, or are they wired in on the frame side? Since you used a 9V battery with a resistor to test the bulbs im assuming it's part of the wiring on the frame side. Just want to make sure it's not baked into the board and I fry the LED as soon as I put a new decoder in mine (2011 era w/ QSI)

[@RodimusPrime]

If you use a board replacement style decoder from esu you dont need resistors. If using the 8pin or 21 pin style decoders you do need the resistor

[@modeltrain9500]

@@RodimusPrime Ive got a Tsunami 2 board I'll be using. The pads on that decoder look like they're 12 volts. In one drawing I thought I saw the resistors already wired into the shell/contact pads, meaning I wouldnt need an additional resistor, but that may not be the case.

[@Ultz_Sentinial]

I appreciate it and I've learned a lot from you videos that I didn't think were possible and it gives me inspiration to turn a bachmann Ho 4449 into a model that has as many features and details as possible

[@haroldalexis4200]

At last I want to invest into them Atlas is awesome! Excellent video! 🤗 👍

[@thebluehero2219]

I’ve seen many real ones and they sound BUFF as hell! Unit sounds and looks great tho!

[@randallellison6421]

Nice looking locomotive! I have one of their B40-8Ws in Santa Fe colors with QSI sound. According to the manual that came with the locomotive, it shows to be produced somewhere between 2008-09 (incedently Atlas also offered these locomotives with the QSI Titan Stereo decoder shortly before switching to ESU Loksound). To answer your question about when the Atlas Dash 8s first appeared, it was actually way back in 2001 when the B40-8 first appeared and C40-8W came a couple of years later!

[@tulyar1043]

I have several Dash 8 Cs and CWs, While I can eventually remove the body shell, how do yo put it back on without damaging anything? Could you do a quick video on this please? Mine are Silver series analogue versions.

[@stewarttrains98]

The plugs are to put into the fuel tank to cover the screw holes. I would also suggest turning down the bell volume as they are never that loud in real life. I turn my down to roughly 45 as it sounds better and more to realistic

[@epacm50]

I have the 2018 run. I am planning to upgrade the decoder with an ESU 5(with a Keep-A-Live) , adding rear ditch lights, and replace the speaker with a Scale Sound speaker set.

[@bluehappyscrap]

Cool! Do Rear number boards Light up?

[@dmandc]

Yes

[@genebell6680]

I have these now. I just think the volume is way to loud. Do you know how to adjust my volume down and what the cv number to do that? I am use NCE power cab. Thank in advance

[@boomerdiorama]

Thank You for the review. Functional marker light are easy to install. Furthermore, pull test means nothing. This is why we all MU and own more than we need . . .lol. My opinion. I would take an Atlas over any other current locomotive if I had only one choice. The few they make like MP15 and Dash 8 are the best on the market. Second would be Kato (but then I can super-detail myself). Athearn Genesis are over-rated (RTR) hype -- I only own one just to say I do. Most of my roster is Atlas hands down. Cheers.

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

How do you rate the Scaletrains locos for comparison? IMO it makes the Atlas D8Ws feel somewhat dated

[@boomerdiorama]

@@CentralJerseyRailfan You may be right in terms of Atlas being dated. I do not own any Scale Trains locos, therefore I cannot give you my honest opinion. In all fairness, the Atlas are still the best for the money in my experience. But then I am a "model" railroader, and super detailing and kit-bashing is not a problem for me. Furthermore, scale trains have different versions of quality releases similar to Atlas. e.g. The Atlas Dash 7 C-39/40 are superb in detail even though they are dated. Cheers.

[@CentralJerseyRailfan]

@@boomerdiorama I agree, although Scaletrains does fill gaps in the market with what they have.

[@boomerdiorama]

@@CentralJerseyRailfan They sure do, which is a good thing for all us model railroaders. Cheers.

[@maxim430]

The sunken in cab windows are definitely my biggest gripe with these locomotives. That along with the lack of underbody details. When I first got them years ago I thought they were very Nice locomotives, but now with the newer Genesis and scaletrains locomotives Im considering selling them. When somebody announces a updated dash 8, the Atlas are going.

[@AbelG8781]

Atlas is a great model manufacturer, but as u said, there are even better models nowadays where Atlas is still stuck doing the same thing over and over again year after year. If they could add more details to them they could really make the best D8!

[@shnorth888]

@@AbelG8781 I know what you mean. Atlas has out a nice Alco RS-11 and an EMD GP-7 but they are basic on detail and are essentially the same molds that they've had for years. I wish they would offer more road specific details on those. Rapido just released new RS-11's which have amazing details and Athearn Genesis GP7 and 9 also have great details.

[@AbelG8781]

@@shnorth888 maybe in the future theyll have to get with the times! They're the only O scale manufacturer I buy my models from so it would hurt if they left the business.

[@animabore9746]

Are there any metal body locomotives diesel variant

[@RodimusPrime]

usually just brass $400 and up, the model power ones that are metal are generally crap

[@timothydemarco3525]

Nice locomotives

[@SOU6900]

😆 You got the "out of compliance" version with the burned out ditch light. Also your second CR unit looks like the one ditch light is lower than the other.

[@RodimusPrime]

At some point ill prob redo these with surface mounts, the led color of these just seems wrong

[@lynncreekrailroad9690]

I see how the speakers are installed, but how did you wire them?? Thanks

[@mratsfrailfan1894]

Nice I actually live near Midwest model railroad around kc?

[@chrishobbies1]

I have the same ditch light issue with mine. Rather annoying

[@somermarontate8267]

wear did you get it

[@RodimusPrime]

Midwest model railroad

[@somermarontate8267]

@@RodimusPrime wear is Midwest model railroad

[@lasher9811]

What speaker did you use and how many did you use

[@RodimusPrime]

Ended up being one tcs 32mm speaker

[@lasher9811]

@@RodimusPrime Why did you go with one

[@lasher9811]

Have you tried the new 28 mm high base speaker round

[@lasher9811]

By the way great videos and very informative

[@lasher9811]

Was thinking maybe of trying a 32 mm round TCS and a ESU Sugar cube parallel wonder how that would work and mount the sugar cube in the back

[@KingTrump2024]

I would say thats surprising for Atlas QA to let one out with a flaw to that degree. I know that issue happens naturally after you take the shell off several times. Best to just remove the yellow LED's and replace them with warm whites! And still no working marker lights in 2020..... SMH Atlas !

[@farmerdave7965]

Atlas poor quality control. That one bright ditch light really bugs me.

[@RodimusPrime]

You can correct it with cvs on brightness

[@silvestersze4411]

Is Atlas USA made?

[@AbelG8781]

No, China

[@Alex-tk2ru]

dont like the black hoods otherwise its gorgeous, love the up high headlights. most modern locos dont have lighting above the nose

[@KingTrump2024]

I've only seen Atlas and Bowser use that style of packaging. It works well to secure the Loco's, but storing your engines in the box in between uses can become frustrating having to screw it in / out every time.

[@readingrailroadfan7683]

Agreed just wish their was a way to have it as a shipping thing then the box could be used as a regular box. I want to run some of my ones like that to my club but might have to use a box to make it easier.

[@boxcarfrank]

Horrible. Cant get the shell back on once you take them off. Atlas is nothing but over engineered garbage these days.

[@foscoe2496]

were u buy your track at

[@johnd8892]

Looks like the widely available Kato Code 83 Unitrack.