"I also got 2 Atlas classic

   I have a couple of those and they seem to run very well. $30 is a great deal, I had to pay a lot more than that for CCT versions.....DaveB

Run well

I tested them and they both are very smooth at slow speeds. One of them has a rattle at high speeds. Sounds like a gear is a little sloppy. Sooner or later I am going to set up shop and tear apart and rework several loco's I have purchased lately. With the older ones it could be flash or dried up grease or whatever. Test run them and put them away until I can go thru them.
 

I have purchased several of

I have purchased several of them as well and found them to be great runners. Thirty dollars each is a great price for them I think.

I also like the Atlas

I also like the Atlas Classics, I got two but not for $30 they were 67

Atlas Classics

Most of us remember the day when Atlas first came out with the RS-3. I bought 2 of them around 34 dollars each. At that time an Athearn Blue Box was usually 15-25 dollars. The Athearns were hit and miss. Always wanted to test run them at the hobby shop, (another thing that has gone away). Some ran fairly well and some were one of those what were they thinking? I had a GP35 once that ran a scale speed of about 200mph. Improvements can be done to the old Athearn's to make them run well. Lots of video's. They are still a good loco for someone who likes to tinker with motors and drives.

Today, I am looking at most brands of loco's and I have some Proto 2000 switchers that are just as smooth as one could want. I ordered a Bowser sd40 with sound, mainly cause it was a steal but also because I am confident it will run smooth. I am looking at the Athearn Genesis loco's also. I already bought a few Kato's. 

I am still learning what the best drive trains are. What is most important to me is how smooth and quiet do they run as most will get sound decoders. The detail is okay but I don't see nearly as well as I hear.

My original Atlas yellow box loco's are worth what I paid for them. My brass steam is another story. I got the detail parts in for my SD7's and I am looking forward to them but I am so deep into layout construction they may sit for awhile. These are the black box.

Kato drives

The Atlas Classics GP7 have Kato drives.  I have 2 of them also.  Smooth as silk and very strong runners.

I've a lot of Atlas and

I've a lot of Atlas and Stewart Hobbies with Kato drives and Kato locomotives. The Kato mechanism is the best smooth runner I know in DC. I use DC only with a brilliant English controller.