4-4-2 Atlantics

[Don Gibson]

Quote: 'I picked up an extreamly old 4-4-2 today at my LHS for real cheap" ...

I would guess that just getting it running would be challenge enough.

[jguess733]

Thanks for the help guys. I've been looking around for inexpensive projects to keep me busy for the next few months. I'm getting ready to go to sea for my next deployment and since I can't take the railroad with me, I might as well have something to help pass the time. So I figure kitbashing a few unusual locomotives for my railroad would do the trick. I picked up an extreamly old 4-4-2 today at my LHS for real cheap, and also a bunch of odds and ends from their junk box. Mostly drivers, and rods and such. The other project I'm going to work on at sea is taking an 0-4-0 dockside and convert it to a 2-4-0 cab forward and attach it to a Roundhouse oil burning tender I have sitting around doing nothing.

[AltonFan]

The Chicago & North Western downgraded their Atlantics to communter service, where they lasted until 1950s, where they pulled short trains on fast schedules. The Rock Island retired their last Atlantic in the 1940s, and used downgraded Pacifics in commuter service.

Some engines, because of their size and/or specialization, went straight from mainline service to the scrapyard.

QUOTE: And how hard would it be to pull the big drivers off say the Mantua model, and replace them with smaller ones? I have no need for high speed passenger service on my railroad, but I think a 4-4-2 with smaller drivers hauling freight would look kind of interesting. Thanks for the help.

You might want to look up some articles on building steam from kits by John Swanson, published in Railroad Model Craftsman during the 1980s. Swanson discussed swapping (and adapting) parts from various steam engine kits to build unusual engines. While the articles covered specific kitbashes, there is a lot of food for thought in them.

For what you want to do, I think Swanson would recommend starting with an MDC Atlantic and substituting smaller drivers from another kit, or else getting an American, adding a trailing truck, and extending the frame.

[ndbprr]

I've learned to never say never becasue here are always exceptions. I believe UP used one as a helper over Cajon pass. I would guess some made it into the commuter pool in certain areas. 4-4-2's were flat land runners with limited guts for grades. The Prr used a K4s in freight service during layover and many older 4-4-0's wound up on the Delmarva peninsula used for perishable trains and getting produce to the markets in Philly and New York where speed was of the essence. So yes limited freight bu8t not drag service.

[Anonymous]

Atlantics were very rarely bumped down to freight service. They were only good for pulling passenger cars at high speeds, just like Pacifics and Hudsons.

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jguess733

I know the 4-4-2's were used in passenger service. My questions has two parts. AS they got older were they bumped down to hauling freight? And how hard would it be to pull the big drivers off say the Mantua model, and replace them with smaller ones? I have no need for high speed passenger service on my railroad, but I think a 4-4-2 with smaller drivers hauling freight would look kind of interesting. Thanks for the help.

Generally speaking, no, they weren't downgraded to freight service. However, I do vaguely remember that Illinois Central equipped one of their 4-4-2's with 61" drivers and used it on freight. IC also did the same with one or more Pacifics.

There's that and then there's a picture in Beebe & Clegg's THE CENTRAL PACIFIC AND THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC of a Southern Pacific A-6 4-4-2 (81" drivers and all) in helper service (in Arizona IIRC). I've also seen a picture of an SP A-3 4-4-2 on a freight train in the San Joaquin Valley and the caption stated that they were rated at 2400 tons there.

Andre

[Don Gibson]

The railroads used Moguls and Consolidations for freight.

The Atlantics were speedsters but were limited on how many cars they could pull. They were downgraded to shortline passenger service, but very little freight.

MY brass Atlantic's are only good for 4 cars. i wouldn't play with converting one. You might bite off more than you can chew. Buy a Mantua or MDC 2-8-0 instead.

[jguess733]

I know the 4-4-2's were used in passenger service. My questions has two parts. AS they got older were they bumped down to hauling freight? And how hard would it be to pull the big drivers off say the Mantua model, and replace them with smaller ones? I have no need for high speed passenger service on my railroad, but I think a 4-4-2 with smaller drivers hauling freight would look kind of interesting. Thanks for the help.