Atlas N scale GE Dash 8-40BW

This Atlas Master Line Dash 8-40BW is a fine replica of its massive prototype. The detailing is extremely fine, as well as the paint scheme, and the mechanism is smooth and reliable.
       The Dash 8-40BW, or B40-8W as some call it, is a four-axle road diesel locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) in the early 1990s. It is part of the GE Dash 8 Series of freight locomotives. The locomotive model designation is interpreted as follows: B (B type truck arrangement, 2 axles per truck) 40 (4000 horsepower) -8 (the generation when it was designed, in this case meaning the late 1980s) W (Wide cab). ATSF was the only railroad to order the B40-8W, and a B unit (cabless booster unit) was almost made with it, but because the price would have been the same for B40-8Ws with cabs or without, they decided to order units with cabs only. All of ATSF's B40-8Ws became part of BNSF Railway, and many of them were repainted into BNSF's orange, yellow, and green "Heritage 2" paint scheme. -Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
        The model follows the design of other Atlas models with its many interlocking shell pieces. The pieces include the cab, walkways, radiator, body, and flexible acetal plastic. These parts have fine molded on detail such as lift rings, grab irons, and air horns. 
        The mechanism is like the other atlas models of today. It has a heavy split cast metal frame which encloses the five-pole skew-wound motor and a pair of brass flywheels, one for each side of the motor. All axles are driven and all wheels pick up electricity. The model comes factory-equipped with accumate knuckle couplers.

BNSF 515 leads a hopper train

        A light board is held in place by the split frame. The locomotive has directional headlights. I soon replaced this board with Digitrax DN163A0. The installation is very simple - just spread apart the sides of the locomotive and pop off the shell. loosen the screws on the frame and and swap the boards, making sure that the decoder is in the right way - I actually put the decoder upside down and couldn't get the two sides of the frame back together! The 8-40BW ran smoothly throughout its speed range, although there was some slight binding - something that others might not have a problem with. 
        The lettering is very sharp and opaque and the small details are easily visible.
        Overall this is an amazing locomotive from Atlas and I think that it will be much appreciated by modelers of the contemporary era. Especially attractive is the pricing for the quality. -David Cutting