The new Industrial Rail 4-4-2 Atlantic by Atlas O is the firm’s first attempt to bring a nicely detailed, smoothly operating steam locomotive to the O gauge entry-level market. Its direct competition in the marketplace is Lionel’s 4-4-2 starter set and MTH’s old RailKing 2-6-0 starter set. All three are designed to provide a reliable, economical operating experience once the boxes are opened and the track is laid out.
The model
When you open the box, you’ll first notice the locomotive’s small stature. It is 13¾ inches long (55 feet in O scale), and just about every locomotive that we placed alongside towered over it. With that said, the Atlas O 4-4-2 looks great sitting next to traditionally sized cars.
The model is generally based on a Pennsylvania RR 4-4-2 Atlantic. Even though our sample is decorated for the Southern Railway, it doesn’t take any effort to make the association between the model and the real thing. The pilot and the face of the frame are a bit stark – mostly just flat metal, though the “cow-catcher” reflects a Pennsy look.
The smokebox has rivet detail around the face, with hinge and rivet detail on its door. There is a cast-in grab iron on the underside of the smokebox door, and a Pennsy-style mounted headlight at the top of the smokebox.
Just behind the headlight, you’ll find rivet detail around the face and smokebox. You’ll also find the model’s major add-on parts: handrails that run the length of the boiler and then arch up and over the smokebox.
The cast-in boiler details, such as boiler bands and sand lines, are deep, and crisp. The tooling produced a first-rate casting. The fireman’s side has nice compressor detail.
The drive wheels and running gear are toned down. The running gear is ultra-minimalist, in keeping with its affordable price point.
The cab surprised me, as there are no seats or crew, but there is backhead detail and a clever work-around for firebox glow: The firebox is painted orange red! There are no panes in the windows, but the frames are painted red.
The locomotive has two power pickup rollers spaced 2½ inches apart. The smoke unit’s switch is located under the engineer’s side of the cab.
The tender is a nice low-rider containing a good amount of rivet detail and cast-in grab irons, steps, and ladders. The coal load is a plastic insert that is fairly nice. The tender also has a single power pickup and a die-cast metal knuckle coupler.
The locomotive and tender are electrically connected by a tether. Since there was no larger wire-wrap enclosure, the wire looked a bit thin. The small connector mates with the locomotive on the bottom of the cab – right above the truck. This was awkward to connect, but a pair of curved-tip needlenose pliers made the job easier.
On the test track
This very responsive O gauge steam locomotive is full of zip. It handles lower and higher speed ranges quietly and smoothly. The model has a lone traction tire, which is adequate, though two might have been better.
Our low-speed average was 20.6 scale mph, and our high-speed average was 80.8 scale mph. Drawbar pull was 14 ounces. The model has a smoke unit (interestingly, it’s shipped with a red cap inserted) that surprised me with its heavy output.
Because of the locomotive’s size, I was expecting a bit of a wimpy puffer. However this smoke unit is first rate.
The locomotive has a digital bell and whistle. The bell sounds good, comparable to the bell in Atlas O’s Trainman line diesels. The whistle was a bit indistinct, but again, the target market is the newbie or the traditional operator. At this price point, it’s surprising that the 4-4-2 has any digital sounds, so Atlas O gets two thumbs up from me.
The new 4-4-2 is a well-made model that offers the new train enthusiast a nice locomotive for a traditional-sized railroad. It runs well and produces a nice amount of smoke, and I do believe that fun is its middle name.
O GAUGE 4-4-2 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE BY ATLAS O
Price: $159.95
Features: O-27 operation, can-style motor, die-cast metal locomotive, headlight, smoke unit, digital bell and whistle
Pros: Well made, smooth running, very nice smoke production
Cons: Smallish stature for many layouts, whistle sound a bit distorted
Made in the People’s Republic of China for Atlas O
I just recently purchased one of these Atlas O Industrial Rail 4-4-2’s second-hand on eBay. It seems to be in good shape and runs well after cleaning and lubrication. The reversing unit seems balky. Do I assume correctly that it is an electronic reversing unit? The F-N-R-N-F sequence does not always follow through, especially at lower voltages. It almost seems as though one needs a somewhat higher voltage for the reversing system to work, and even then, it does not always do so. Has anyone else experienced this problem, and if so, is there anything one can do about it? Thank you.
PS: By “somewhat higher voltage” I mean about 8 volts AC. At 8 volts, the locomotive is moving along at fairly high speed so that engaging the reversing system is unwieldy (either by interrupting power or by stopping the loco by turning down the throttle and then turning it back up again). If it is pulling a train, things get really clumsy.
I just ordered my 3rd set powered by one of these. I'm not a purist or a snob, I just want to have fun. They do provide that.
Thought this loco looked more like A.F. 302 in size so compared the two,sure enough there almost identical on size.Runs great,just wish it were larger.Rated it at 4 because of size.
I wonder if you noticed if the nose bobs up?
I put this on my layout with all my other 027 locomotives and it still looks too small, more like an S-gauge locomotive. Industrial Rail's rolling stock looks great with other 027 productst but I think Atlas dropped the ball on this one.
Sure looks nice and the price is right.
I might just get one !
Sounds as if it will be in the stable with my Lionel 2020 turbine and Hudson Jr. Cannot tell from the review what the loco and tender lentghs combined are though….