08-01-2016, 01:00 AM
I have never been happy with the various noises produced by the Genesis drives. Some are better some are worse but they never reach Atlas's level of silence.
My solution is to put the wonderful GP38-2 Genesis shell on a Atlas Trainman drive. The same applies to the Genesis GP40-2 shell.
The solution is quite simple. You must mill the chassis complete flat. That is a lot of hand milling and a lot of dirt. It is better if you have a garage or workshop to do so! The Atlas weights do not fit into the shell. They are to wide. You may omit them as I do (my short trains need little pulling power only) or do another milling session with even more dirt.
![[Image: 28658923516_3215ede736_c.jpg]](https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7675/28658923516_3215ede736_c.jpg)
IMG_5024 by faraway52, on Flickr
![[Image: 28658923356_47257c2b9f_c.jpg]](https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8621/28658923356_47257c2b9f_c.jpg)
IMG_5023 by faraway52, on Flickr
The shell need minor modifications only. The rear truck support can not be milled off (of course) but the shell must be modified to slip over the truck support. Furthermore must the bottom of the shell with all it's detail leveled too. No bottom details. You need as flat bottom shell to fit on the flat drive. The bell is the only detail to survive. The cab interior is reduced to the rear wall only.
Kadee coupler boxes and a strips of styrene are used to mount the shell.
![[Image: 28615023541_b858fc77ae_c.jpg]](https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8790/28615023541_b858fc77ae_c.jpg)
IMG_5026 by faraway52, on Flickr
The Genesis tank opening needs to be extended to fix under the Trainman chassis. It is a very tight fit and I glued the tank with small drops of CA to the bottom of the chassis. A double sided sticky tape is to think and the tank would be to low.
The air tanks are glued on top of the tank at both sides. That is easier to glue (styrene to styrene) and the fuel and air tank assembly is not interfering when the shell must be removed.
Inside is plenty of room for a Tsunami drop in sound decoder. Four tiny sugar cubes on a styrene strip lay freely on the rear truck. The bulbs are replaced with LEDs.
I am happy. This beautiful Genesis shell moves virtually in silence over the tracks!
![[Image: 28409868330_29bcbf8320_c.jpg]](https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8800/28409868330_29bcbf8320_c.jpg)
IMG_5027 by faraway52, on Flickr
----------------
I had a plan to save the intensive drive milling and modify the shell only. That does NOT work. Do not try to fit the shell over the drive. I had to give up at this stage of shell modification and useed a a lot of glue to stabilize the shell after so much support had been removed and the shell was still far away from fitting. The left side of the chassis is far to high to fit under any circumstanced.
** Warning ** DO NOT fit the shell to the drive but fit the drive to the shell **
![[Image: 28658923876_c1fdccc5d6_c.jpg]](https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8008/28658923876_c1fdccc5d6_c.jpg)
IMG_5025 by faraway52, on Flickr
My solution is to put the wonderful GP38-2 Genesis shell on a Atlas Trainman drive. The same applies to the Genesis GP40-2 shell.
The solution is quite simple. You must mill the chassis complete flat. That is a lot of hand milling and a lot of dirt. It is better if you have a garage or workshop to do so! The Atlas weights do not fit into the shell. They are to wide. You may omit them as I do (my short trains need little pulling power only) or do another milling session with even more dirt.
IMG_5024 by faraway52, on FlickrIMG_5023 by faraway52, on FlickrThe shell need minor modifications only. The rear truck support can not be milled off (of course) but the shell must be modified to slip over the truck support. Furthermore must the bottom of the shell with all it's detail leveled too. No bottom details. You need as flat bottom shell to fit on the flat drive. The bell is the only detail to survive. The cab interior is reduced to the rear wall only.
Kadee coupler boxes and a strips of styrene are used to mount the shell.
IMG_5026 by faraway52, on FlickrThe Genesis tank opening needs to be extended to fix under the Trainman chassis. It is a very tight fit and I glued the tank with small drops of CA to the bottom of the chassis. A double sided sticky tape is to think and the tank would be to low.
The air tanks are glued on top of the tank at both sides. That is easier to glue (styrene to styrene) and the fuel and air tank assembly is not interfering when the shell must be removed.
Inside is plenty of room for a Tsunami drop in sound decoder. Four tiny sugar cubes on a styrene strip lay freely on the rear truck. The bulbs are replaced with LEDs.
I am happy. This beautiful Genesis shell moves virtually in silence over the tracks!
IMG_5027 by faraway52, on Flickr----------------
I had a plan to save the intensive drive milling and modify the shell only. That does NOT work. Do not try to fit the shell over the drive. I had to give up at this stage of shell modification and useed a a lot of glue to stabilize the shell after so much support had been removed and the shell was still far away from fitting. The left side of the chassis is far to high to fit under any circumstanced.
** Warning ** DO NOT fit the shell to the drive but fit the drive to the shell **
IMG_5025 by faraway52, on Flickr
Reinhard