Legacy E6 Atlantic Drive Rod Query

Clearly that valve stem is way too short to be any kind of effective …..send the whole locomotive to me, and I’ll rebuild all the linkage …..I have plenty of much longer valve stems, so we can make your existing valve train work like it should, and not fall out,…..this is my realm,….you guys solder wires, and make ‘em’ go choo choo, ….I make the mechanical parts work,….

Pat

It appears that your steam chest is too far forward in the picture by about 1/8 inch. It does not line up with the pipe above the running boards. That would explain your rod slipping out. Perhaps it was a side effect of the destroyed rods.

It needs an offset ground stroker crank from harmonyards.

@Randy_B posted:

It needs an offset ground stroker crank from harmonyards.

I’ll CNC the chambers and blend the bowls while I’m n there,…..give that E6 some grunt…😉

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Clearly that valve stem is way too short to be any kind of effective …..send the whole locomotive to me, and I’ll rebuild all the linkage …..I have plenty of much longer valve stems, so we can make your existing valve train work like it should, and not fall out,…..this is my realm,….you guys solder wires, and make ‘em’ go choo choo, ….I make the mechanical parts work,….

Pat

It doesn't move much, but the hole is much larger than the valve stem, and I couldn't figure out how it would ever stay in there.  Also, the recess that it slides into is way larger than the valve stem.  Also, the hole bottoms out 1/4" from the surface, so the rod couldn't be all that long.  Truthfully, I don't understand how this was ever supposed to work, although that valve stem doesn't have much travel.

@iguanaman3 posted:

It appears that your steam chest is too far forward in the picture by about 1/8 inch. It does not line up with the pipe above the running boards. That would explain your rod slipping out. Perhaps it was a side effect of the destroyed rods.

Actually, in looking closer at it, it's back slightly in regard to the pipe above, so that certainly can't be it. If anything, it's too far back.

Also, it aligns on the frame a locating pin, and two screws.  There is no way it goes anywhere else.  Finally, this is actually a new one from Lionel, and the old one was in the same position, but it was all beat up, so I replaced it when I was ordering drive rod parts.

John, that nice box I sent the T1 back in can easily be boomeranged right back here,….don’t sweat it, …pop the shell off, and send down the chassis ….I’ll straighten it out….

Pat

That's not the right rod set for the engine. Notice the combination rod is shorter than the original. Also the valve slide rod is not correct either.

@Chuck Sartor posted:

That's not the right rod set for the engine. Notice the combination rod is shorter than the original. Also the valve slide rod is not correct either.

Well, they came right off the parts page for this locomotive, so that's as close as I can get!

The correct one is 620-8070-160, is of course, unavailable.

Pat, I think I'll do that.  I got everything else running, when it came to me it had a bad motor, and Lionel doesn't have any motors for the Atlantic.  I bargained for a dead atlantic and ripped the motor out, put the Legacy sensor and flywheel on it, and got it all running.  All of the other rod pieces went together fine, but that valve rod is wonky, and I see no easy way to make it work.

@harmonyards posted:

Clearly that valve stem is way too short to be any kind of effective …..send the whole locomotive to me, and I’ll rebuild all the linkage …..I have plenty of much longer valve stems, so we can make your existing valve train work like it should, and not fall out,…..this is my realm,….you guys solder wires, and make ‘em’ go choo choo, ….I make the mechanical parts work,….

Pat

LMAO!!!!!!

If you two guys ever went into business together the results would be both spectacular and scary at the same time.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Pat, I think I'll do that.  I got everything else running, when it came to me it had a bad motor, and Lionel doesn't have any motors for the Atlantic.  I bargained for a dead atlantic and ripped the motor out, put the Legacy sensor and flywheel on it, and got it all running.  All of the other rod pieces went together fine, but that valve rod is wonky, and I see no easy way to make it work.

Not a problem,…..send what you have, I’ll add whatever is needed to make it work good and look correct,….

Pat

Here's the links right from the page for this 6-84945 locomotive.

That's the rod pair that is installed.

I’d agree with Chuck, on what he said. ……that pair don’t look like they belong to that engine,….nonetheless, I have piles of levers, rods, and valve stems, plus a pile of dead MTH Premier Atlantics, …..I’ll make a correct set of rods, they’ll look the part, and function….

Pat

Serves me right for ordering off the product page!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'm rebuilding an E6 Atlantic that had the drive rods destroyed by the previous owner.  I am having a problem with the main rod with Crosshead assembly, specifically the valve rod appears to be too short to stay in the cylinder valve hole.  It's also very sloppy in there, another mystery.  This is the part I have for the E6, note the top valve rod is really short.  Not having another Atlantic to look at right now, I'm curious how the top valve rod ever stays in place.

Here's mine, but the valve rods occasionally escapes and I'm concerned it'll jam the works and cause bigger issues.

I've looked around and it seems the other shots of Atlantic E6 running gear are the same, so I'm wondering why they don't suffer the same fate? I'm not seeing how mine are any different, so why am I having this issue, or why aren't they?

Here are a couple of random samples off the web, everything looks pretty much the same as mine.

Where it enters the steam chest can you put a sleeve, have it float with a stop. If you send the inside measurement I might be able to make one, or put a small flat that thickens the chest just a hair. Then it would not have the space needed to destroy itself.

As has been pointed out, they may have the wrong parts listed on the product page.  Since I didn't have the old one to look at, I took it on faith that Lionel listed the right parts.  They've shipped tons of these, so there must be a part that works with the steam chest that's on the locomotive. I have to say, what I see with this one, it's a very poor design and lousy fit!

I think I'll let the mechanical expert sort it out, I'm going to get back to what I do best.