Well there was 1 in the L-3 class, 2 in the L-4, and 2 in the L-5 which one was the #55. The #56 is shown to have been sold in the early teens and off the roster rather quickly. The L-1 and L-2 classes were made up of the CR&N locos. The #55 though was the one which lasted the longest. The oil bunk would solve the place to put the decoder though. The only thing I see is you would be adding some detail parts, including class lamps high on the smoke box to get the flavor and the other detail parts I mentioned in the previous post. The issue of the pilot and front coupler probably will have to be left to modelers' license. Found some more info. while eating lunch and got back in time to edit this. The Atlas is also a good match for the CR&N locos and the existing vertical stave pilot is good since I found a bunch of photos with that type pilot. Seems that either some stubbed their toes at some point or were upgraded to the other iron band pilot. Also SP&S leased a number of 4-4-0s from the NP in the early years so that broadens your selection even more.
OK, so I just got a stunner.... the 'new' 4-4-0 on the Sheffield & Tionesta, 1915-Baldwin #11, was memorialized by Robert Richardson on film. These photos were just cataloged and scanned into the Denver Public Library. I mentioned this locomotive further up in this thread. This was the 'new' 4-4-0 (steel cab, but still slide valves). What's incredible at least to me is here are shots of it running, as late as 1941, pulling a single coach. If you ever wanted the prototype for the Hooterville Cannonball, here it is: http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cd...40./field/all/mode/exact/conn/and/cosuppress/ My father the lumberman is the one that actually tried to buy this railroad in 1941 to keep the chemical plant open in Mayburg - his customer. Didn't make it, got taken up for abandonment and scrap, but I look at that 1941 shot and go O....M.....G..... what an operation! So if you're tempted to run one of these REALLY LATE on a REALLY BROKE shortline, into the early diesel era, here's your prototype.
11 pages on this, so if I missed these, sorry. Has Atlas hinted on a second run? Any other roads? Have they hinted at why they didn't plan DCC? Is there anyone out there interested in making and selling a load that could cover a TCS z2? I will be removing all wires except motor control. It would need to kinda drop in, as I stink at detail work. Thanks
I must wonder if part of the reason for the headlight's being more dim than many is that the smokebox ain't quite attached properly to the rest of the boiler. Even in the light, if I look from the top, I can see light's bleeding out of the top where the smokebox joins the rest of the boiler. I do have to look harder to see it on the side. Has anyone else noticed that light is 'leaking' from his? To be sure, this is a minor flaw. It will not stop me from buying another one. These things are pretty good.
Woo hoo! I just got mine from the UPS man. Santa Fe All the Way! It was a Valentine's Day gift from my wife. What a woman! I love you dear! Man, it looks great. But, I've heard how fragile it is. I'm almost afraid to take it out of the box. Unfortunately I'm home sick with the flu. Not sure when I'll brave the cold garage to try it out on my test track. Maybe my next day off. Now I have to save up for some more old timer cars, and make more progress on my benchwork.
As I was happy with the undecorated, once I corrected the minor problems, I bought a PRR. I put it onto the track and ran it forward. After a few laps, I put it in reverse. I t made two circuits of the eleven inch radius teat track, got most of the way through the third when the mechanism seized. I tried applying more power, to no avail. I put it into forward. With a little throttle, it went forward. I ran it for one lap on the test track, then put it in reverse. It ran for a number of laps. I changed direction and speed several times. It froze, again. Putting it in forward, freed it, then I put it in reverse and ran it. At one point, it did seize in forward, but putting it into reverse freed it. It has not seized in forward again, but it has seized in reverse more than once. One more thing: the cab on the PRR has a rakish forward cant to it. I am hoping that this is simply break-in pains. I really do not want to pay return postage to Atlas (it will negate the good price that I received on it). Has anyone else had a problem like this?
It could be that the crossheads are binding. I'd check the crosshead guides and cylinder crossmember to see if they're out of whack. Those plastic crosshead guides are pretty flimsy. -Mark
Mark, have you tried some lubricant on the crossheads, etc.? Flat sliding plastic bearing surfaces will bind more quickly than rotating surfaces due to microscopic imperfections on the flat surfaces. Rotating surface imperfections will eventually wear smooth during break-in, whereas flat surface imperfections will only get worse as the sliding unit rocks over the imperfection, similar to washboarding on dirt roads. Not sure if I would recommend wet or dry lube without knowing what plastic was used.
OOPS, sorry 'bout that. I hope Brokemoto sees my recommendations. Though I'm disappointed that Atlas would approve a design that uses plastic for crosshead guides. Plastic crossheads sliding on metal guides would be fine as the metal would smooth any imperfections in the plastic.
I'm kind of new to model trains and got this as a train to use with my students. It appears too delicate to use without breaking some of the thin wires or detailing or having the pilot trucks breaking off. I ran it on a simple Kato Unitrack oval with the crossing track section that can be used as a re-railer. The oval consists or eight R216-45 curved tracks, the road crossing track S124C, a feeder track S62F and three 62mm straight track sections. It seems the pilot truck doesn't like the re-railer as it slips off every time it goes thru the section. If I keep on running it around the oval, it would usually re-rail itself when it goes through the re-railer again and slip off when it ran thru again. It made a rattling sound. But sometimes it will slip off on some of the curved sections. The R216-45 curved tracks are R8 1/2"-45. Has anyone else had this problem? I don't have a permanent layout. I just have track sections that can easily be set up in the student's livingroom. I have previously run the Atlas 4-4-0 on a Bachmann EZ Track 24" circle which includes the curved re-railer track that comes with the UP HighBaller Set with no problems. The E-Z curved tracks are slightly less curved. Since I live in Japan it is easier to find Unitracks. I know of no shop that carries E-Z tracks here in Tokyo. I wasn't impressed with the QC of the E-Z tracks that came with the starter set as some of the rail clips were deformed before I put them together. So it wasn't easy for my students to put them together without some joins being out of alignment. The Unitrack goes goes together very easily with no alignment problems. Otherwise the 4-4-0 runs well. But I haven't run it for more that a few minutes in total. There is a screw (part # 4) for the forward chassis that is under the pivot point of the pilot trucks. Can it be replaced with a longer screw with the pilot truck rotating on that? My students are 5-6 years old and can be tough on trains, but they haven't broken the Tomix Thomas the train locos and cars that I let them use. Best wishes, Grant
Grant Unitrack, in my opinion, is the best track you can buy. I suggest R249 0r R282. I think you will be much happier. I can run most of my US steam on R249. I have a loop on top of a piano that has straight side,- 282 - 249 249 - 282 - other side. Most everything at least runs on that. I think the 216 is too tight. Besides this thread, check this out http://www.spookshow.net/loco/atlas440.html Enjoy!
When I took my 4-4-0 to show my brother we were running it without problems around a test track he had set up consisting of a Tomix wye and a return loop of Tomix 170mm radius curves.
kacsjr and Westfalen, Thank you for your advice and comments. I recently started using unitracks. I just wondered if anyone might have noticed something like this. I have the smaller curves because I usually set up the tracks on part of my kitchen table when I test run things. I'll get a set of larger curves as I also plan to get a Kato E5 Hayabusa. I'm very happy with the 4-4-0. I'm also happy with the unitracks. I used the Tomix tracks in the Thomas for a long time but my students sometimes broke the two prong connector to the tracks and so I decided to only use unitracks because the connector to the tracks is more durable. I'll try it on the well used Tomix track tonight. It's lent to one of my students and I'll visit her tonight. I also need to get new Tomix track clips and install them right. As the instructions were in Japanese, I didn't realize the proper way to install them until long after they kept slipping, I finally noticed the small bumps on the clips. For a long time I only had the Tomix Thomas set and never learned much. Because I wanted sound, I had to try new things and have had to learn a lot, usually after something didn't go right. Sorry, I really don't have anything to contribute, but have learned much reading the threads. Best wishes, Grant
The 4-4-0 works on the old Tomix tracks from the Thomas train set. It's a much wider oval than the Kato tracks that I have now. I think that I'll get the next larger R29-45 and on to see which radius works. Best wishes, Grant
holy cow! really! Posting at all, is contributing, learning makes the responses worth typing... Apologize after you allow one of your students to apologize for learning
There is nothing wrong with the crosshead guides and rods. The last time that it seized, I picked it up off the track, VERY carefully. It was the gear that was locked. A little manipulation freed it. The mechanism seized in forward, this time. Usually, it seizes in reverse. Then, there is the rakish, forward cant of the cab, that the painted/unlettered does not have. Another purchaser remarked that the cab on his had the same cant. He did not type anything about his locomotive's seizing. I guess that it was on another forum or maybe another topic on this locomotive on this forum, as I can not see it in this topic. I am going to try to run it some more, but it is looking more and more like this one will have to go back to Atlas. Shame that I must spend the money on postage and insurance: it will negate the good price that the seller gave me on this one. Has anyone else had the rakish cant of the cab on his or a seizing problem? Anyone have both?
The cab is a separate part from the rest of the shell and screws to a metal arm coming off the shell. I suppose if that arm is bent funny, that could account for your slanty cab. Re the seizing, you might check the screws that hold the chassis halves together. Possibly too loose or too tight? -Mark
It's a combination of flashing on the screw bracket for the cab and the back of the boiler. My undec had it pretty bad but a few swipes of a file fixed it.
Hi guys, this is my first posting in this forum... My Atlas 4-4-0 just arrived over here in Europe. On mine, the whole crosshead assembly looked skew on one side. Upon closer inspection, turns out that the crosshead was flipped over - despite appearances it's *not* symmetrical, the connecting rod should sit more to the outside. Once I corrected that, the flimsy plastic fell right back into place. So maybe this is something to watch out for. I'm disappointed a bit by the solid drivers, and Atlas should definitely consider replacing the whistle by a turned brass part, or include at least a spare. Otherwise it's a very nice little engine which runs flawlessly so far, I'm very happy that they chose this kind of subject. Am definitely going to buy more of them. -Andreas
