I have been looking for a different engine(s) for our indoor and outdoor garden railway set up. I am watching for a Lionel BN GP20. I had found a pair of powered units, but didnt care for the gentlemans pricing with shiping, so I passed on it for now. The local hobby shop was sitting on a new in the box PRR Atlantic, which is the version I wanted. Its never been run so no gear damage or wear. Its runs decent with a slight hitch in the get along that I will fix while its torn down to add 2 extra zip strips to keep the motor in alignment and shim up the axles mounts to keep them tight against the gears. I also plan to add metal wheel sets to the tender and LGB pickups I have on hand to supliment the poor electrical pickup these have. I also plan to add working lights to both class lights and tender marker lights. Extra weight will be added to the locomotive once drive line improvements are made. From my research, this engine has a solild drive system that is very simple, and just a couple of minor corrections and some extra ballest in the boiler she will keep up with most current production large scale steam locos. There is an excellent website that explains how to tune one of these engines up to run as good as it looks. Now I am watching for 4 of the PRR passenger cars that Lionel produced. Two came in a set with a 0-4-0, not sure if they made add on cars. I will get some pics once I get it back together and running. This one has full railsounds onboard but that will probably stay off most of the time, I think its an early version of railsounds and not as good as the RS2.5 that came later on. Yes I know about avoiding Pulse Width Modulation power. I didnt pay a dime for the engine, but horse traded a bunch of stuff I didnt want, bunch of Kalazoo freight and passenger cars and some HO scale stuff. Cheers Mike
Mike said:What is the website URL?
There is an excellent website that explains how to tune one of these engines up to run as good as it looks.
Here is the site’s link. http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/atlantic_tips.html I plan to remove the sound from my Atlantic as it is poor by todays standard and even with the switch in the off position it draws power. Just need motor and lights. I got it running fairly smooth, but not as smooth as I would like. I had a pair of Bronze Tomar track sliders, made for the smaller scales, but it allows it to run resonably smooth. I wish someone offered add on track skates like LGB uses but with the bracket to hold them and thier springs that keep tension on them. That would be the best option on this engine to better pickup. I will order new metal wheels for the tender and pilot truck next week. Going to tear it back down and remove all the extra crap I dont want in there, add about 3lbs of weight and make all the marker and class lights work. Cheers Mike
I added leds to the tender marker lights and the loco marker lights–I used red leds in the back and green in the front–not prototypical but it looks good at night. I had to drill out the little lanterns, which are solid, but managed t get 3mm leds in there. George’s site recommends replacing the carbon brushes with LGB power plungers–I did that and it worked well
An easy way to add power pickup is a couple sets of AML Ball bearing wheels. They pickup power with no added drag.
I also put metal wheels on the pilot and the trialing truck, with power pickup from each. I replaced the plastic wheels with wheels/axles from a bachmann big hauler (filling the spokes wth epoxy putty) and at first used an aristo Pacific trailing truck wheel, but then bought a wheelset from Sierra Valley
http://www.sierravalleyenterprises.com/wheel_specs_78.html
It was hard to get them to work, maybe not worth it, but with 18 wheels of power pickup it rarely falters
I love that version of the Lionel Atlantic. Want another one myself.
LAO
Does AML have proper size wheelsets for the tender? Thats my main plan right now is to metal wheel the tender. Also do you remember the part number for the metal trailing truck wheels. I will come up with something for the pilot that I dont have to modify.
Ohhh, E6 4-4-2 Atlantics are on top of my favorite loco list 
next to old time 4-4-0s
(and, no, I’m not an SPF. {Slobbering Pennsy Freak})
E6s Atlantic in Pennsy Power book, page 127:
Quote:Well, the quote block is dysfunctional, so, E6s Atlantic in Alvin Staufer's Pennsy Power book, page 127: "PUREST OF THE PURE, PRIDE OF THE FLEET". The E6s Atlantics were everybody's favorite, even though none ever had stokers, feedwater heaters, or power reverses. Bud Rothar got this quote from an E6s engineer, "nicest hand fired engines ever built. Speed Queens rode beautifully, but at 75 m.p.h. started a 'tipsy' side motion that many times scared crews, as they felt top heavy. Once up to 80 m.p.h., they settled back down and could keep right on climbing with no effort or effect on riding quality. They were very easy on coal and water, and were the pace-setters for timetable operations".
"PUREST OF THE PURE, PRIDE OF THE FLEET". The E6s Atlantics were everybody's favorite, even though none ever had stokers, feedwater heaters, or power reverses. Bud Rothar got this quote from an E6s engineer, "nicest hand fired engines ever built. Speed Queens rode beautifully, but at 75 m.p.h. started a 'tipsy' side motion that many times scared crews, as they felt top heavy. Once up to 80 m.p.h., they settled back down and could keep right on climbing with no effort or effect on riding quality. They were very easy on coal and water, and were the pace-setters for timetable operations".
Mike Toney said:No, the AML wheels are too big--I had to cut away a bit of the underframe to make them work. I'll try to get a picture today, when the sun comes up!
Does AML have proper size wheelsets for the tender? Thats my main plan right now is to metal wheel the tender. Also do you remember the part number for the metal trailing truck wheels. I will come up with something for the pilot that I dont have to modify.
Thanks Mike, that will help me see what I need to do. You dont remember the AML part number for the wheels do you? With good power pickup and all the horrible RS1 sounds removed, she should run quite smooth and draw very little power. I am adding 3lbs of ballest today hopefully, have to hunt thru my junk in the garage and see what I have that is heavy and fits inside the boiler. Mike
Here she is doing some break in runs on a short freight train. Need some Position light signals now! Mike
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/cadetpwr/002-12.jpg)
Here’s a picture of mine–I bought a used one on ebay that had been repainted gray. I didn’t try for brunswick green, just went with black. Seeing yours I’m sorry I didn’t try for the green–looks really good.
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/460.jpg)
The number plate was made by Robert Dustin, I painted the bell and whistle brass and added a second pop valve, as well as some control rods for the throttle, bell and whistle
(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/460b.jpg)
You can see the tender wheels are too big, but I don’t think it’s a big problem. The trailing truck wheel is a little too small
Quote:
You can see the tender wheels are too big, but I don’t think it’s a big problem. The trailing truck wheel is a little too small
Went through E6 photos here, http://www.northeast.railfan.net/prr_steam3.html and, yeah, not a problem, good point. (there’s a photo of the real 460 there) On tender’s wheels, maybe it’s not so much the wheels as it is the trucks are different?
Mike I used bachmann small metal wheels on all three of mine and they seem to be just the right diameter.
Nice pics, Most of the E6 pics i have from late in thier careers they have PRR style Dauphin trucks under the tender, doubt we see those made in LS unless someone makes thier own mold. I dont mind the bettendorfs, I will look for wheels at the Wheaton IL show this sunday, I will be there helping a buddy set up his shops HO scale stuff for sale. I do plan to deal with the chrome rods in the near future, to flashy! I want to get the mechanical bugs dealt with before I worry about weathering. The bulbs I used to light up the class lights are to dim, need to stop by rat shack and pick up the ones Greg used in that link I posted. Shame Lionel didnt take this engine to the next level with better electrical pickup and detailing. They had a real winner in the making with just a bit more time spent in improvements. This engine fills a void in smaller layout mainline steam engines.
I agree–I can’t understand why Lionel took this thing out of production. A few simple mods make it an excellent puller, and it works really well on smaller curves
I blackened the rods with “neolube,” which is a liquid graphite you can paint on. It sticks really well but can be rubbed off if you want “highlights.”
Mike Toney said:
I have been looking for a different engine(s) for our indoor and outdoor garden railway set up. I am watching for a Lionel BN GP20. I had found a pair of powered units, but didnt care for the gentlemans pricing with shiping, so I passed on it for now. The local hobby shop was sitting on a new in the box PRR Atlantic, which is the version I wanted. Its never been run so no gear damage or wear. Its runs decent with a slight hitch in the get along that I will fix while its torn down to add 2 extra zip strips to keep the motor in alignment and shim up the axles mounts to keep them tight against the gears. I also plan to add metal wheel sets to the tender and LGB pickups I have on hand to supliment the poor electrical pickup these have. I also plan to add working lights to both class lights and tender marker lights. Extra weight will be added to the locomotive once drive line improvements are made. From my research, this engine has a solild drive system that is very simple, and just a couple of minor corrections and some extra ballest in the boiler she will keep up with most current production large scale steam locos. There is an excellent website that explains how to tune one of these engines up to run as good as it looks. Now I am watching for 4 of the PRR passenger cars that Lionel produced. Two came in a set with a 0-4-0, not sure if they made add on cars. I will get some pics once I get it back together and running. This one has full railsounds onboard but that will probably stay off most of the time, I think its an early version of railsounds and not as good as the RS2.5 that came later on. Yes I know about avoiding Pulse Width Modulation power. I didnt pay a dime for the engine, but horse traded a bunch of stuff I didnt want, bunch of Kalazoo freight and passenger cars and some HO scale stuff. Cheers Mike
Mike: I love those Lionel locomotives. I keep one in the shed for use and two in storage. I also like their diesals with the protosound that they were making around the same time. Got a few of them too. Too bad Lionel went the way of the Kalamazoo Toy Trains in G gauge. What they make now in G dosen’t do much for me.
(http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo176/RudyJager/My%20Backyard%20Railroad/Sunday-trains002.jpg)
Looks good Rudy! I really wish Lionel would reissue the Altantic with some upgrades, such as all wheel tender pickup, metal wheels on every axle and the latest sound they have. Nobody really offers a main line style engine in this size, everything is huge and takes monster radius curves, this little girl will go around LGB R1 and not even blink. I found why mine was so jumpy when it was running, there was some flash in the brush spring holder for one of the drivers and it wasnt getting power to the motor, so I only had 1 wheel and 1 track wiper on that side, and the wipers arent worth a whole lot as they are really for HO scale! Now she runs very nice and smooth and with the sound system removed, the power draw is about half of what it was, so I think it will be ok for now. Now I need them PRR passenger cars Lionel offered in a set with a 0-4-0. An Atlantic, espicaly a PRR one doesnt look right on a freight train. Mike
Rudy,
Dude!!
You got a sunroof bus in that picture!
David Russell said:
Rudy, Dude!! You got a sunroof bus in that picture!
David: It’s owned by the local porno movie company and they must be leaving the valley to do some on site filming in the desert. Below is another shot of it at the home office. EDITED IN–I MUST BE LOSING IT. THOSE AREN’T THE SAME BUSSES. TOO MUCH COFFEE AT 3AM IN THE MORNING I GUESS
(http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo176/RudyJager/My%20Backyard%20Railroad/DSCI0614.jpg)
Mike Toney said:Mike, looking at my picture I must admit that the loco and the Tweetsie rail cars behind it don't quite look right either. Not quite the same time periods. Gotta use what one can get though and fudge a bit at times. Thats the reason that most of my cabooses have no road names on them. If I was to have roadname cabooses to match all my roadname engines I'd be in a world of hurt both dollar wise and storage space wise.
Looks good Rudy! I really wish Lionel would reissue the Altantic with some upgrades, such as all wheel tender pickup, metal wheels on every axle and the latest sound they have. Nobody really offers a main line style engine in this size, everything is huge and takes monster radius curves, this little girl will go around LGB R1 and not even blink. I found why mine was so jumpy when it was running, there was some flash in the brush spring holder for one of the drivers and it wasnt getting power to the motor, so I only had 1 wheel and 1 track wiper on that side, and the wipers arent worth a whole lot as they are really for HO scale! Now she runs very nice and smooth and with the sound system removed, the power draw is about half of what it was, so I think it will be ok for now. Now I need them PRR passenger cars Lionel offered in a set with a 0-4-0. An Atlantic, espicaly a PRR one doesnt look right on a freight train. Mike