# Atlas Trainman... good rolling stock at a good price



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Decent quality & detail*_
No open-wallet surgery._

Don't want to lay out big bucks for Tangent, ExactRail, InterMountain, Atlas Master, etc?
Atlas Trainman is an affordable rolling stock niche that's lower priced than Walthers Mainline and Athearn RTR... but far better in quality than Bachmann.

Not much in the way of separately applied accoutrements, e.g., grabirons, but cast-in relief is very convincing.
Stirrups are a tad overscale, but again, not as bad as Bachmann.

I have several Trainman models on my roster, and no one can spot them or point them out in a train... and a nicely weathered one will rival almost anything that's not.

They're equipped with Accurail _Accumate_ couplers, which are somewhat more reliable and durable than Athearn McHenry's... but I still advise a Kadee or ProtoMax conversion.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW, roll quality is good to very good.
A quick TruckTune makes them excellent.


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

That all matches my experience. I've got several of their boxcars. I like them.

I used them as the comparison in my review of a Scale Trains Kit Classics Evans Boxcar. 
Its a pretty close contest...








Review: Scale Trains Kit Classics Evans Boxcar


I like shake-the-box kits. (hereafter referred to as "shakers") The simple process of assembly is enjoyable, the level of detail is ple...




chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

If you're in the market for a caboose, Most Atlas Trainman models are fitted with separate side grabrails... a nice touch in lower priced pieces.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Altas Trainman is very nice....they blend well with Accurail cars, as they have the same level of detail....and the first thing I do when I get a Trainman car isis replace the Accumate couplers with Kadees.....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Most Trainman models are priced at or below $18 on LHS shelves... far less than that on sale.
The CSX caboose pictured in the O.P. was $13.50.
In other words, they're budget-minded affordable.
If you buy Accurail kits because of the price, then Atlas Trainman models will fit right in.
And Kadee #148's are generally a 'drop-in' for Trainman rolling stock.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW, I've disparaged Bachmann rolling stock here and frequently elsewhere.
But Bachmann _locomotives_ are made at a different manufacturering plant, under different design criteria, and are very nice models... I have several, and I run them often.
Only Bachmann _rolling stock_ is what I have a beef with.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

The 'egg' coal loads that Trainman hoppers come with are a bit too gray for my taste.
I give the loads a shot of dead-flat black, and then a light mist of Grimy Black and gloss, to impart a slight 'sparkle'. Tangent loads also get this treatment.
Or... (when I've saved up a little money) I slip-in realistic _EZ-Fit_ resin coal loads, which is an even better alternative. All my Accurail hoppers get those.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Trainman steps/corner stirrups are about as equally 'scale' as current Accurail... which is very good.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

I'm happy with my Trainman covered hoppers.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Gramps said:


> I'm happy with my Trainman covered hoppers.


Between my grandson and I, we have over three dozen Trainman covered hoppers (there's a huge selection).

Mixed into a unit train with Tangent, ExactRail, and Athearn RTR models, it's fairly impossible to spot the difference without very close scrutiny.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

My grandson recently purchased eight Trainman cars, (five 40' boxcars; three 2-bay hoppers) for $95.60 plus tax.
That's an average of $11.95 per car.
The highest was $13.80, the lowest was $9.76 from the "bargain table".

I'd say that's fairly economical.
Most Accurail kits are more expensive, especially from online sources.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

_*Mixed into a unit train with Tangent, ExactRail, and Athearn RTR models, it's fairly impossible to spot the difference without very close scrutiny.*_

Once those Accumate couplers are replaced, that is.....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> Once those Accumate couplers are replaced, that is.....


Yeah, the Accumates are an issue, but dropping-in Kadee 148's is a snap.
And TruckTuning brings them up to premium brand rolling standards.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Absolutely agree!


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

I know I’ve seen them before but who makes the truck tune tool. I have a few hundred cars and none of them have a truck tune. Most still have plastic wheels but I figure on replacing them with metal wheels while doing a truck tune. I hate how bad plastic wheels foul out the track


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

Disregard my question. I just saw your post on it


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Our 'train pimp' brought this Trainman cab over to me. It's quite nice. Very good detail... as good as, (and in some ways better than) Athearn RTR.
There are a few minor inaccuracies, but they can easily be fixed or overlooked for the $12.50 price (he gets most of his stuff at shows, and makes a good profit).
A TruckTune & 148's, and it'll be good as gold.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW, my statement about detail comparative to Athearn RTR is based on a small (but not minor) accoutrement... Trainman cabs have separately applied corner grabrails.
This is a big deal for me.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

they do make a difference, for sure......


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I've already gathered up some add-ons from my stash to dress it up...
Firecracker antenna, air hoses, four wipers, and two lift bars.
I'll weather the trucks, and maybe give the body a bottom spray for a dirt & dust effect.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Not bad for $9.00.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Has anybody seen these?
First I've ever seen or heard of them. I need to get out more.
Charlie, our 'train pimp' brought them over, asking $12 each.
We haggled to $10, but because I'd never run across them before, I probably would've paid the $12.

They're about as good as the RTR versions. The underbodies and brake detail are actually better. Printing is a little crisper. Overall quality is better than Athearn BB, but not as nice as Accurail.
Not all of them came with weights, so I'll have to fit them Accurail plates.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I have a few of those kits.... mine all came with large metal nuts for weights.....

And they should be as good as the RTR versions......actually, RTR versions started out as kits, only assembled at the factory.....


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Truckframes are okay, but these came with plastic wheels.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Old_Hobo said:


> I have a few of those kits.... mine all came with large metal nuts for weights.....


These came with square potmetal weights... maybe Zamac. Very nasty.
Maybe an earlier (or later) version.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Old_Hobo said:


> I have a few of those kits.... mine all came with large metal nuts for weights.....


It appears the Trainman kits were once Branchline Yardmaster... or vice versa.









Second HO Layout


Good idea and it's not just small towns that do that. Many of the streets in Manhattan have trees planted the same way.:thumbsup:




www.modeltrainforum.com


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Many of the Trainman kits are indeed Branchline Yardmaster kits.....Atlas bought the Branchline line.....

Here’s a little info on Branchline from their old website.....

Branchline


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Post #18 shows a Trainman SP caboose I purchased (#1170).
Atlas produced two road numbers of it, and I just acquired the other one (#1194).
They're excellent models.
Better detail than Athearn RTR. Separately applied corner grabrails.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_Caboosefest..._
I now have have more cabs for mainline running than I know what to do with.
That's purely because I admittedly have a caboose fetish.

I'm now working on custom-bashing a few center-cupolas for a private road that serves the steel mill (a Trainman and two Proto's).


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

LS you do not have a caboose fetish, you have a train car fetish.
Any and all train car fetish.  

Magic


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Yep, the TrainMan boxcar kits are the old BranchLine "Yardmaster" series... with simple cast-on details.

BranchLine's other old kits with separate ladders and other details have resurrected in Atlas's Master line.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

There are some decently nice models in the TrainMan line like the Thrall 4750 covered hopper and Evans/SIECO 52' gondola, but there's also a few old clunker train set items like the old generic 40' gondola.

Some paint schemes may be offered that are vague stand ins for cars that don't quite match the model; while they've done a few "alternate history" type fantasy models on some of their Master Line models, their "standard" prototypical schemes tend to be more reliably accurate for the cars in the Master line.


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