I bought an old 4-6-2 with ATSF logo under the cab window with the #826 on the tender. There are two wires going to the tender that plug in just above the fireman’s stand. The two male connectors on the wires are in actually a round connector terminal with a hole in the middle. This unit is about an inch longer than the Mantua 4-6-2. The standoffs for the boiler wires are 1/8’’ long. There is alot of small detail on the diecast boiler. Also has two sanders. The smoke stack is oblong. The tender truck axles (four of them) are 1/4" in diameter and black.
Been trying to identify for a week and so far no luck. Can anyone help me here?
Thanks for the replies. I was not sure on the make or manufacturer of this unit. I do have some MRs from the 60s. I’ll take a look there too. To me it is a good looking locomotive. I should have posted these to help too.
Ok ,Looking at it closer, the tender wheels seem to be the same wheels used on the old Athearn rubber band drive RDC’s. So it’s probibly an Athearn engine.
Same wheels as those on my Athearn RDC but looking at the 1963 HO Lionel catalog, the loco
only has a two frame window and the cover plate would state “The Lionel Corp”. and it appears
to have a much better gloss finish versus a flat.
The locomotive in question is most definitely Athearn’s Boston & Maine P-4a Pacific in its alternate ATSF paint scheme. The number of the tender issued as ATSF was #826 in large numbers, just as shown in the image that accompanies Greengoose1’s post. My references indicate the engine was in general production from 1960 to 1964 but never gained great popularity among hobbyists.
All right now we are getting somewhere. For all of you a few more images of this unit. Detail view to leave no question about what we are talking about. Thanks again to all of you that answered and helped me.
I used a bright light almost above the locomotive to bring out the detail, but it caused some discolortion.
I recall being told that there were problems with the gear drive in the Athearn Pacific. At the time they were built, most Athearn diesel locomotives still used Hi-F rubber band drive. This may have discouraged production, if it took longer to get one in working order. Old Irv Athearn tried to simplify the manufacturing task to keep costs (and prices) down.
I don’t think they were ever built in the numbers that the diesels were, even at the time of introduction. I think an 0-4-2 Tank loco was offered about the same time, but it didn’t last long. either.
In response to Locomotive3’s comment above, let me offer the following for those who may not be quite so long in the tooth as to remember these engines. Athearn in fact produced three rather short-lived steam engines circa the early 1960’s. There was the Vulcan 0-4-2t “Little Monster” which I seem to recall was the brain child of Linn Westcott at MR, a standard 0-6-0 USRA switcher, and the big 4-6-2 Boston & Maine P-4a Pacific. It was perhaps the Little Monster that saw the largest number of sales and is most commonly found of the three at train fleamarkets today. Interestingly, this same odd little engine was also offered as a brass model by LMB and Gem about the same time.
Athearn came into the game of producing steam locomotive models quite late and the quality and reliability of their product didn’t begin to approach that of Mantua, English, and others who were long established by that time. Before long Irv saw that Athearn’s niche was diesels and the steamers were dropped from the line.
I have got to tear it down as it just runs herky jerky at the moment. Bad contact somewhere I would imagine. I will post at least one photo of what it looks like when torn down.
I have never seen one like this before and now I have a fairly good idea why from all the comments made. I already have a string of ATSF passenger cars to go behind it if I get it running well.
Hi all, This will give you a bit more on this locomotive. Now as I said this unit is longer than the Mantua Pacifics. Can it be a Heavy Pacific. Or just a larger model?
