If your Mehano runs that well; you may get away with hardwiring the two together.  These things have street prices that are so low that it does not hurt to buy a pair and hardwire them together.  If anyone has an old one with a fried motor; if you remove the motor; the contact wipers will remain.  You can run jumpers from the Bachmann to the wipers on the depowered locomotive.

There is also the choice of a 'live' car.

While some may consider the Kato North American caboose a bit pricey for this; you can find many of the 'live' Kato and Micro-Ace JNR brakemen's vans at shows for twelve or ten dollars (or even less).  One of those bashed into an industrial hack looks more convincing with the MDT; anyhow.  Some of them have tool compartments and other such things that you might expect to find on an industrial hack.

The Atlas are earlier phase; the Bachmann; later.

In most cases; the phase distinctions on Electro-Motive; General Electric and ALCo power are more subtle.  In many cases on Baldwin and Faribanks-Morse; there are major differences.

Earlier phase F-3s had higher fan shrouds; later had very low shrouds; if any.

The earlier phase FM H16-44s had narrower hoods and wider radiator sections; the later had wider hoods and a noticeably different fan arrangement.  Later phase Baldwin babyfaces had shark bodies.

I have not popped the shell.  I do understand that you must be careful; as there is something affixed either to the power chassis or the shell that breaks off if you are not careful.  Many have wondered if the shell will fit the Atlas chassis; but truly; that is not necessary.  The B-personn mechanism runs acceptably.  I have no plans to do a test fit; although I must admit that if I do have occasion to pop the shell in the future; I will most likely test fit it out of curiosity.

The binding is probably due to a stiff mechanism that requires more break-in time.  As I run it more; the binding becomes less frequent.  B-mann power tends to require extensive running-in.  This is not a complaint; it is more an observation.

I bought the B&O version the other day.

Appearance:  looks pretty good.  One thing especially to  note is that the handrails are more dainty than one would expect on an 'inexpensive' locomotive.  In the past; handrails on inexpensive power; of ANY manufacture; appeared to be manufactured by the ClunkiFex Corporation.  the handrails on this one raise the bar for inexpensive power.  The paint and lettering are good.  The window frames are even silver; another raise of the bar for inexpensive power.  Even the fan grilles on the end of the long hood are much crisper than one would expect.

Runnability:  It requires extensive break in.  This is not a complaint; nor does it detract from my opinion of the locomotive; just something to note.  Extensive break-in periods are not atypical of B-personn power.  Still; it will hold a steady fifteen SMPH running either light or under load.  THIS is Standard Line Bachmann??  Clearly it ain't the OLD B-mann Standard Line.  Whatever they did for the motor and gearing clearly raises the bar for inexpensive power.  Since mine is still in break-in; the mechanism will appear to bind; at times; but it quickly frees itself and continues to run.  Pullling power is somewhat less than I had hoped.  While it will pull ten boxcars; of various manufacture and a B-mann caboose; all on MT or AccuMate trucks; up a one per-cent grade at twenty-five SMPH; it would only pull eight loaded MT gondolas and the same
B-personn caboose up that same one-per-cent grade at the same twenty five SMPH.  I did not try more than ten boxcars.    Still; the pulling power is not enough to make me discommend this locomotive; on the contrary; I recommend it.

The chief complaint is the couplers.  The knuckle coupler will mate with the various knuckle couplers; but it sits too low.  If Mr. Bachpersonn would be good enough to ask his superiors to address this in subsequent releases.........  The other problem is that MT conversion will not be easy.  The MT 2004 will come to the proper height.  There are two panels on the underside of the shell between which will go a MT mounting screw.  It is a snug enough fit; initially; but eventually; it will wear out.  At that point (or even now) it will be necessary to glue the screw to one of the panels.

Overall; this is a pretty good locomotive.  It and the Model Power FP-7 make  excellent entry-level locomotives.  B-mann's advantage over the MP is the better construction methods.  MP's advantge is the better pulling power.  Either one runs well enough that should the neophyte decide to continue; he would retain either (or both)_ on his roster even though he has upgraded to more expensive power.  This runs well enough that experienced modllers would also buy it; especially since Bachmann is the only one that offers this in N scale (the Atlas represents an earlier model; the B-mann represents a different body style)

Overall; a good locomotive that I would recommend.  Keep it up and make some adjustments; this is a good sign.  The B&O had eight of these; three that appeared in 1955; five more added 1957.  The Atlas model represents a body style of which the B&O had only two.  B-mann puts only one road number on these; but they run well enough that I will buy another one and change the number.

(The comma key on this keyboard is not working; so I must use the semi-colon in its place)

1133 used to be almost universal for B-mann equipment.  If you are going to work with these; buy the coupler tweezers; they are a necessity for 1133.

The plastic box version of these is the only decent version of this put out by any manufacturer.  Its only drawback is one that plagues all short wheelbase N scale power:  it stalls on plastic frog switches.  This is not a manufacturing flaw; it is just how it is.  To get around this there are a few choices:

1)  You can use only metal frog switches.  This may require much extra wiring

2) You can hardwire an electrically live car to the locomotive.  This is the solution that I usually choose for my shorter wheelbase power.  If you are only going to use the Industrial diesel to shunt; it is no big deal to hardwire any car to it.  The Kato North American caboose is all wheels live.  Kato also sells several JNR brakemen's vans that with a minimum amount of work can be bashed into convincing appearing North American industrial hacks.

3) You can hardwire two together.  You can get away with this better on diesels than on steam.  This is the solution that I chose for the new Bachpersonn MDT switcher.

4) You can use a powered boxcar.  The old Life-Like split metal frame FA-2s are out there at many shows for bargain prices; I have seen them for as little as twenty-five dollars the A-B pair; in the less popular roads; of course.  Since all that interests you is the power chassis; chose the cheapest road name that you can find.  With a minimum of work; the Atlas fifty foot boxcar shell will go nicely onto this chassis.  You now have an easy to make cheater car.  The old plastic frame LL FA also works well.  Either one has enough OOMPH to shove a stalled switcher over the dead spots with the stall barely noticed; if at all.  I use this more with steam or with depowered switchers (fried motors and such).  A well broken in  LL
0-6-0T has similar DC throttle response to the LL FA.  The advantage of this is that you are not confined to shunting.  You can run the switcher around the cheater car for the return trip if you choose this option.  Of course you will have to give the throttle a little kick as the switcher approaches the plastic frog to get it across without its 1-4-0 helper.  You can also hardwire the switcher to the cheater; if you so desire.

(The comma key on this keyboard is broken; so I must use the semi-colon in its place)

Oh; and about those knuckle couplers on the FM H16-44: they sit too low.  Please address this on subsequent releases; Mr. B-mann.  Other than that; the new H16-44 is a pretty good locomotive.  Clearly it ain't the old Standard Line.