A 1st Look At Atlas' New N-Scale 4-4-0 Steam Locomotive

[pmpexpress]

Just received one of Atlas' brand new C.K. Holliday 1955 4-4-0 steam locomotives.

Part of the Walt Disney Carolwood Pacific Series, this "Signature Series Special Edition" model was manufactured by Atlas Model Railroad Co., Inc. exclusively for Lowell Smith and  San Francisco's Walt Disney Family Museum.

For those of you interested in a sneak peak of an Atlas production model, here a few pictures of my C.K. Holliday locomotive.

Notes:

1. Intended to become a "shelf queen", I have not (and do not plan to) run this model.

2. An out-of-gauge lead truck wheel-set and paint chipped off of the out-of-gauge wheel (the outer sides of the chemically blackened wheels are painted in red, with yellow stars printed or painted on the axle centers) were the only factory defects that were visually detected.

[sizemore]

With the exception of the drivers and pilot wheels this appears to be top notch! I'm quite impressed by the mechanism and tender trucks/body.

The S.

[Chris333]

Saw a couple Disney models on ebay for around $300, I'll wait till BLW gets them in stock. Elsewhere it was said that they run smooth and creep slow! wow.

[peteski]

Thanks for the photos. Very interesting.
While the photos don't clearly show some of the details I would like to see, there is plenty to comment on. I guess I'll have to wait until I get and dismember one myself.

It appears that it uses a small motor (similar to ones used in Kato "critters").  Will have to wait and see if there is enough room in the tender for a DCC decoder.

Like (like Bachmann 4-4-0) the drivers all have traction tires, only the front driver is driven. I prefer Bachman's design where both drivers are driven and siderods are strictly for appearance.  But it is not a deal breaker for me.  I also think that the Atlas gears have finer pitch (and most likely closer tolerances) which will contribute to smooth operation.

The tender wheels appear to use the CAP (cone axle point) pickup (as IIRC the phrase was coined by Victor Miranda).  That is a huge improvement compared to Bachmann's loco!

It appears that the rear tender truck is part of the tender body (does not pivot) while the front one does. I don't see a problem with that design. But (at least in the photos) the tender seems to be riding too high on the trucks.

The tender and leading truck wheels are larger diameter than the Bachmann "roller wheels". They might be a bit oversize but to me that still looks way better than Bachmann.

I assume that the lantern is non-functional (as in the Bachmann model).

One thing that I wish they did different was to either have deeper relief on the hollow areas of the drivers or even better, make the spokes see-through.  I know that the areas which suppose to be open can be painted black but that will still look like the drivers have solid disc wheels with black painted "holes".

I love to get my hands on one of these (when they are available in non-Disney paint schemes).

[pmpexpress]

Peteski,

Answers to some of your questions:

Although I have not taken the model apart, it appears that both sets of drivers are geared.

The tender axles have coned axle point ends with pickups that resemble those that are utilized on Kato diesel locomotives.

Neither tender truck pivots.

Measured from the wheel thread (as opposed to the flanges) the driver diameter is .355 inches.

The distance between the driver axle centers is .590 inches.

Measured from the wheel thread (as opposed to the flanges) the diameter of the lead truck wheels is .155 inches.

Measured from the wheel thread (as opposed to the flanges) the diameter of the tender wheels is .135 inches.

Bench tested in a foam cradle, the locomotive has a functional headlight.

[Chris333]

Don't know if you have to be on Facebook or not, but here is a nice pic:
http://www.facebook.com/LowellSmith.SignatureSeries#!/photo.php?fbid=10150878106473870&set=a.383520323869.170165.182239268869&type=3&theater

[pmpexpress]

A photo of Lowell Smith's Disney Carolwood Pacific Series Lilly Belle (which is not yet available), you do not need to be on Facebook to view the image that has been referenced.

[DKS]

Atlas certainly put their thinking caps on with this design. I like the fact that the cab isn't crammed full of metal weight. And the cylinders are nicely detailed. Plus a four-star job of finishing, not to mention a working headlight to boot! I'm in for at least one. My only major disappointment is that they have shallow relief spokes on the drivers, just like the Bachmann; it would have been nice to see spoked wheels.

[Lemosteam]

Some careful hand milling and filing might remedy that!  I'd be inclined to try!  Although it is hard to tell if there are bushing for electrical pickup on the drivers or a wiper system?  I see wires on the drawbar- maybe just for the headlight?

[Bremner]

I have to ask, but since this is a premium priced product, what is the street value? The box car and gon for Lilly Belle are $35 each

[DKS]

...But (at least in the photos) the tender seems to be riding too high on the trucks...

I don't think the tender looks all that bad. Various 4-4-0s had different tender heights; some of them rode quite high:



I think what may be exacerbating the apparent ride height problem might be the stark contrast of bright red paint against the black frame underneath.

...Although it is hard to tell if there are bushing for electrical pickup on the drivers or a wiper system?

Doubtful there is electrical pickup from the drivers, given that all four have traction tires. Kind of pointless to bother.

[pmpexpress]

While I have no idea what the actual street price is (was), my C.K. Holliday was delivered by a third party source for $135.00 postage paid (i.e., only $15.05 higher than Atlas' MSRP for the standard production models).

Although there are no visible electrical wipers behind the engine's drivers, the locomotive has an uncanny ability to draw power from just the tender wheels, just the drivers, or a combination of both the tender and drive wheels.

Only the lead truck wheels lack the ability to draw power from the rails.

[peteski]

Thanks for the info Neville.
So the tender wheels scale out to 21.6". That sounds right for that type of a loco.  Leading truck wheel size also seems to be scale properly at 24.8".   NICE!
I think that DKS might be right about the tender's color making it look like it rides too high over the trucks.

Next thing I'm wondering is whether MicroAce or Ajin made that model for Atlas. 

Oh, one more question:  Are the backs of the drivers solid metal (with plastic spoke disk inserts in the front) or the plastic spoke wheel centers are exposed in the back of the drivers?  If the plastic is visible on the back of the wheels, maybe we could open up spaces between the spokes (not that this will be easy with so many spokes there).

[Kiasutha]

Next thing I'm wondering is whether MicroAce or Ajin made that model for Atlas. 

Seem to remember that MicroAce used SandaKan as manufacturer;IE for their Porter Mogul Atlas sold.
Since Kader took over SK,it seems "highly unlikely" that is the source of the Atlas loco...
Really like to know who/where it's being made....
JimR.

[seusscaboose]

A photo of Lowell Smith's Disney Carolwood Pacific Series Lilly Belle (which is not yet available), you do not need to be on Facebook to view the image that has been referenced.

Lilly Belle is available... it is in my basement... sitting next to the Holiday.