I have yet to see of these "in the flesh" - I know the drivers just have a shallow inset instead of real spokes - but how do they compare in terms of size with the Bachmann 4-4-0? Do they run well? Has anyone tried a "modernization"?
The difference in running between the two is like night and day. The Atlas pulls exceptionally well for a small loco and will out pull the Bmann hands down.And I put mine in the shop to slightly modernize them giving them a Pyle generator, pilot coupler, and a single lung air compressor in front of the cab. I also had the problem of the delicate pops and whistle breaking off and replaced it with a more sturdy assembly from my parts box. I also turned it into an oil burner with an oil bunk. An extended wood, coal, or oil bunk can give the space for a very small decoder if you wish one. I added Tungsten putty where I could find some space but particularly the tender to increase rail contact. I have had no issues with mine getting through unpowered frogs probably because unlike the Bmann this critter has pick-up with both loco and tender wheels where the Bmann is only tender pick up. I can navigate 8 inch radius with mine with no hitches. See Mark's (Spookshow) site for a good review and there was a lengthy earlier thread here about them and the few issues.
The 4-4-0 Bachmann has the motor in the tender. where is the motor in the Atlas? I am also doing a sound chip in my Bachmann. It is also by chance i have two of those bachmann 4-4-0's. The prairie 'Jupiter'" model can't get out of its own way. The other is the Blue B&O model and is strong as my shays i have. I guess it is just a weird chance that i got a good engine. The ' Jupiter' is going to be made a rusting old accident model some where on the grade to the logging camp. The other is getting sound installed. I just hope i don't screw up the pulling power in that little motor after the install...smoke
It is not easy simply because the pilot itself sets too low. There are a couple of options. MT made a pilot conversion to turn a 0-6-0 into a 2-6-0 and I have used those to give my Bmann 4-4-0s pilots with MTs a long time ago. Since the Bmann pilot is cast as part of the body I ender up sanding down the pilot deck and trimming it back some then laminating the new pilot onto that. The Atlas pilot is a separate piece which make it easier to take off and work on. I did a lot of research looking at real 1 to 1 4-4-0 pilots that had been converted from link and pin to knuckle couplers. One of the things I saw was that some had a bolted on coupler pocket that also ran on top of the pilot deck so I copied that. I did not try laminating an MT pilot on the existing at the time because the only ones I had were in use on the old Bmann 4-4-0s and I was still fighting with them trying to get a few running. I only wanted a coupler that would allow me to double head my two so the off set shank I used met that requirement. I knew I had a photo somewhere with a NMRA coupler gauge. Trying to mount a coupler under the pilot runs into two things. The coupler would be too low and the pony truck interference. So possibly finding one of the MT small road engine pilots and laminating it on top of the pilot with some sanding could give one a working pilot coupler. The brass post would have to go and the support rods for the pilot would have to be remounted but might just work. Being that this loco has a separate and removable pilot maybe MT will come out with a replacement conversion for this. Who knows.
I will have to check with Cory when he returns to the office, but I believe we also have a pilot set up for a coupler as appropriate by paint scheme.
That would be good news if there is one and even better news if there is a extra supply as parts to retro some.
I've got a cast metal cab weight and a cast metal coal bunker (extension) like that one - available - not on my web page yet. I'm definitely having issues with mine on 9" curves. The pilot truck is light enough that it is very easy to derail. Haven't experimented yet with adding a bit of weight but I will be. I'm modeling Sheffield & Tionesta 4, which also had a knuckle grafted on it when it came off the C&NW (original CN&W 605) and went to the sticks of Pennsylvania in 1900. The coupler is bolted right on the front sill, relatively short knuckle, and the pilot was shortened considerably from the CNW days. The coupler shank is absolutely the exact same height as the deck, neither on top nor underneath. When I get this entire project to work better I'll put up some photos. So if you're struggling trying to get a pocket either on top or under that pilot frame, the answer is that the prototype couldn't do it either. Here's the magnificent Shorpy image of the 605 on the C&NW, with an air compressor, coal-fired with bunker extensions, but still a link & pin rod on the pilot. http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/SHORPY_4a04052a_0.jpg
I get a page not found on your link. From all the pictures I looked at I found a variety of ways the coupler appears to have been mounted when some were converted. The bolted on as you mentioned but then there were some that it appears the shop forces basically cut a trough in the pilot deck, and probably with some bracing etc. mounted the coupler. On those a slight raise for the pocket is seen above the pilot deck. So it looks like they split the difference with part of the pocket above and part below the pilot deck. It is that design, that I found several photos of in my books, that my brass pocket is based on except my raised part above the pilot deck does not go through but is secured by ACC and a styrene pin through the pocket and pilot deck.
Now that's something new.... correct me if mistaken (Budweiser Black Crown taking its grip) but, is that a TEXTILE headlight cover flipped back across the side of the headlight box?! Leather, canvas, or ??? NEVER seen that before and I am extremely curious!
It could be a metal headlight cover probably made in the home shop. Most common thing seen is a stack cover usually secured in a bracket either on the smoke jacket below the stack or in a bracket attached to the side of the stack. Very well could be the stack cover that they elected to mount on the headlight side.
Here's that same C&NW 4-4-0 on its second owner, the Sheffield & Tionesta, about 1904. I'm almost certain it's the 605, it's at least the same class, the reason I think it is the same locomotive is the pattern of dents on the air compressor shroud that matches. I think this crew can appreciate just how stunned I was when I found the online Shorpy image of the C&NW 605 after decades of having the S&T shot below. Take a good look at the pilot and how it was modified for the knuckle coupler; the shortened and modified cowcatcher, bolt-on coupler, and the position of the air hoses. The knuckle is also slotted to accept a link so that the link-and-pin cars can be moved, a typical logging railroad configuration. This little shortline also got hold of secondhand ancient D&H gravity railroad coaches. I'm rather attached to it as I found my father made a furtive attempt to buy the railroad in 1942, prior to abandonment. This was basically a common-carrier logging railroad. Look at all the damage, dents, and changes - including one spoked and one solid pilot truck wheel. I have a big enlargement of this on my office wall; you can read "C&NW" on the smokebox front.
Back to the 4-4-0 coupler mounting. This is what solved my problem and the 1 to 1s problem also. Note that the coupler pocket projects above the pilot beam in this shot. At some point this loco stubbed it's toe somewhere and received a new pilot with metal straps aligned horizontally. That new pilot was also taller so the coupler then went into a more normal position in relation to the top of the pilot beam.
I heard from friends of mine at "Steam Into History" in New Freedom that Atlas will be making a version of their 4-4-0 in this series.
Check RR Archives and one can find several excellent reference photo of the B&O William Mason No. 25 which is a 4-4-0 locomotive. There are photos that show the appearance of the pilot. None I saw had a knuckle coupler. I purchased the MTL B&O Civil War "train set" which includes the Bachmann 4-4-0. I also purchased an undecorated Atlas 4-4-0 locomotive separately. I know there has been considerable online discussion about MTL choosing the Bachmann 4-4-0. I know that I prefer the Atlas 4-4-0 for appearance and operation. The drive motor is in the tender. At least two modeler have done online posts of their installation of a DCC decoder in the tender of the Atlas locomotive. I think Peteski is planning to publish the approach he used in one of the magazines. The Bachmann version is strictly a museum display piece on my layout. Having said all of this, the question is what sort of coupler might one use on the pilot. This is a link and pin era locomotive if used with the Civil War MTL cars. The 4-4-0 locomotive at the B&O Museum does not seem to have a conventional pilot knuckle coupler, instead it has a bar that seems to fold down on the pilot. I am not going to add one or any type until I see how someone more inventive than I am do it. I am also very skeptical that MTL will offer a replacement pilot.:wideeyes:
I did a link and pin coupler search online and found some locomotives that had a "slotted" metal device that was mounted resting on the back of the pilot. In some cases there were 3 slots, I am assuming that the pin was pulled out a rod with a hole in it inserted with one end attached to the locomotive and the other to the link-pin coupler of a car or other locomotive. THIS IS purely speculation, I found no photos of this arrangement. I also found a view of the back of the William Mason No. 25 4-4-0 tender that has the same 3 slotted device for the back coupler. I am guessing this was to allow for differences in the height of couplers between locomotive and cars.
In the mid-nineteenth century, locomotives, on the front pilot, had a hinged iron rod with a loop on the far end that would go into the link and pin coupler on a car. When not in use it lay along the center of the pilot - very inconspicuous, and hard to pick on old photos, but it's there. Engines without pilot would have normal link and pin style couplings on front and back. The "three-holer" coupler was indeed to allow for variations in coupler heights, which were NOT standardized (not much was standardized in that era). Also used were offset links, and other assorted patent nostrums. If you want to be truly authentic, Shapeways has N scale link and pin couplers - but you'd better have good eyes, steady hands and a collection of tweezers!
