Yea, I thought wheel pick ups like that should be made out of phosphor bronze sheet stock. I want to make some pick ups like that for a few items I have.
Them Atlantics are nice looking, a bit large for my railroad, but nice looking.
Noel, its nice that you were able to fix the design shortcomings of that locomotives and restore it to revenue service. Nice work.
Joe Zullo said:
Noel,
Are those "wire’ pickups really going to work against painted wheels? I never thought to use brass wire. I have always used LGB plunger type pickups.
Joe Z. Ya … I scraped off a mush as I could at the time by putting the end of the wire bent in to the side of the wheel beside rubbing on the inside of the wheel… If look close you see a black ring make on the wheel from the wire. In time it will make a better connection after running for a bit,. But it seem to do ok where the wires have rubbed against the wheels on all of the wires using a ohm meter. No flicker. But if had more time would of done the wheels inside sanding.
On our Ho trains instead of using the point of the wire, we bend a angle to rub on the back of the wire for less frection.
By using a very small brass wires there is hardly not drag to the Eng.
It sure run smooth with a little wt. and Driver bushing on the axles. Draw on the motor at 12 volts was less than a amp. with wheel slipping. Was amazed of the large size of the Motor it had in it. It has worm drive to each dr. axle and metal side rods.
Wish I had the extra money and get one of these and put a Consolidated Big Beary’s dr. in one. What a great loco it would be of a more modern time of the 20 and 30ths. Very easy to detail them.
Noel,
Well I’m glad it works for you guys. 
Joe Zullo said:
Noel,
Well I’m glad it works for you guys.
Joe when you and wife come out to visit. the kids again. You can run it. It stays here most of the time.
(http://www.largescalecentral.com/application/modules/Chat/externals/images/smile.png)
Noel,
I’ll hold you to that the next trip out. 
Interesting project. PRR E6s Atlantics are at top of my all time favorite loco list.
Photo caption somewhere in Al Stauffer’s 1960-something book Pennsy Power tells of an interview where engineer said they were nicest hand fired engine he ever operated. Nicknamed “Speed Queens”.
They had a startling habit of getting a tipsy side-to-side rocking motion around 70mph which scared crews. Accelerate up past 80, problem went away.
From what all I’ve seen in print over the decades, no one ever really determined the ultimate top speed of the things, but on the level they would happily cruise along at 100+ for however long they got fed fuel and water.
I got one several months ago and also upgraded it much like yo did. I added about 4 lb of weight as this is a good size motor and can handle it. Also added metal wheels to rear poney truck and also front. Tracks a lot better. Later RJD
I have a page on modifications to this loco.
It’s extremely important to do the axle shimming, otherwise it’s really easy to break the side rods.
http://elmassian.com/trains/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/lionel-vignette/atlantic
Greg
I really wish someone like USA Trains would come out with a Atlantic, perfect size loco for just about any layout.
Actually, with the large drivers and not many of them, setting good pulling power is tough.
Most of us have expectations way over “prototype”. I feel that you would really need a die-cast loco, and that means expensive.
Most people want a BIG loco if they spend a lot of money, so Mikados, Berkshires, Northerns get the thumbs up first. Then down to Hudsons, and the poor Atlantic would have a hard time being a $1700 to $2000 loco.
Greg
Greg Elmassian said:
Most people want a BIG loco if they spend a lot of money, so Mikados, Berkshires, Northerns get the thumbs up first. Then down to Hudsons, and the poor Atlantic would have a hard time being a $1700 to $2000 loco.
Greg
I would be willing to pay the price for a quality locomotive that would run on my layout, while I like the larger locomotives I would never purchase one because I know up front they would never run on my 8’ diameter curves.
But then again, I did buy a Accucraft 45T that I thought would run on my layout… and it just doesn’t run!
Vincent, the whole point is not what you or I want, but what the MARKET wants, and the purchase history speaks for itself.
Look how many people buy a mallet or a Dash-9 as their first loco (often to find they won’t work on their curves).
I actually agree with you, if I am speaking for myself, but it’s the MARKET that drives the manufacture, and the history is there, look at the last 10 years of LS production, and what was popular and what did not sell…
Greg
Greg Elmassian said:
Vincent, the whole point is not what you or I want, but what the MARKET wants, and the purchase history speaks for itself.
I know, I get it… but for once I want it to be about me
Sure would look nice in 1:29 running next to my AML 0-6-0!
Yeah, that is right! That 0-6-0 is a great product and an example that some smaller locos can be made successfully, I believe that is the most successful 1:29 loco offered by AML (yeah I know they did not offer many).
Greg
Problem is no one has actually thought about producing a good Atlantic. I think the Lionel one was to toy like for most and had faults. Might have been different had one been made like the AC models and probably in a affordable price range. Later RJD
Its a shame that Lionel produced such a poor locomotive, and then got out of large scale. I think they could have done ok if they had produced a semi-scale locomotive with a decent drive under it.
Yes Greg, so many folks buy them big locomotives and then they either become shelf queen, or go to Ebay, because they are too large for many set ups. But the market can support, and does support, smaller locomotives. Locomotives like the rubber scale LGB Mogul, the Delton/Aristo C16, and the new on the market Piko 6 coupled locomotives. So I have to wonder if some of the push for the big Mallets and triplexes and such is the manufacturers’ advertizing department wanting to make a “big splash”. After all, the biggies get more press then then smaller work-a-day locomotives. They always have. After all, how many Kodachrome slides have we seen of Big Boys and Challengers thundering along the mainline, versus the little 0-6-0 switch engines working the yard.
My Lionel Atlantic is the locomotive that I prefer to run, out of a stable that includes an Aristo C-16, multiples of the Mikado, SD-45, Dash 9, and the GP-9. I also have several Bachmann Big Haulers and Annie’s, and a HLW 4-4-0. They all run well, and do whatever I ask of them, I just like the looks and performance of the Lionel Atlantic.
All that I have done to it is add two more zip-ties to hold the motor in place, and add about four pounds of weight over the drivers. It will haul five Aristo heavyweights up a 2.5% grade for sixty feet without breaking a sweat, and has hauled twelve 40 ft freight cars up the same hill.
Everyone comments on how well the locomotive looks and performs, where ever I take it.
Frankly, I’m looking for another one, at the right price, of course.
Don’t be dis’n my Atlantic.
I am with you on that Steve, I love my Atlantic. Did the drive axle shims and the motor re-mount and added about four pounds of extra weight. It is a pretty good copy of the PRR Atlantics that ran commuter service here in Pgh sooo many years ago. Going to add a sound system this winter and with those huge drivers it should sound great but needs a banshee whistle to sound right
One thing I did and I am not sure how it’s gonna turn out I removed the excess plastic between the spokes of the drivers IT really makes a difference and gets rid of the toy train look. this could prove disastrous especially with the added weight. I am watching for any distortion or wobble on the drivers - - nothing yet --but i stored it upside down for the winter.
Mine pulls three Aristo heavyweights quite nicely. Good runner too.
Bill
Steve Featherkile said:
Don’t be dis’n my Atlantic.
You won’t find me dissin the breed - although I do reserve the right to call ugly prototype Atlantics ugly.
PRR’s earlier classes, as in link below, of Atlantics were nice engines although my favorite is the brutish E6s, it looks like it means business, don’t get in its way.
With its large wheels, this Atlantic City Lines 4-4-2 would be fun to watch run http://www.historycentral.com/railroad/Locomotives/Atlantic.html
My esthetics jury is still out on camelback Atlantics but this is a nice large color image of a CNJ one http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/tr_cnj592.jpg
