I think that it would be more historical correct, if the 4-4-2 Atlantic should be avaiable between 1901 and 1929, instead of between 1910 and 1948. My arguments are: a) In 1894 Baldwin build the first 4-4-2's for the Atlantic Coast Line. Only a few were built after 1915 and the very last engines were built for Milwaukee Railroad in 1929. It is from ACL they are named Atlantics. b) When avaiable in 1910, they will, already in 1914, be superceded by the 4-6-2 Pacific on the fast trains, after then they only played a secondary role as passenger engines.When The 4-6-4 Hudsons and the 4-8-4 Southern GS3 becomes avaiable in 1927 and 1937, some Pacifics were moved to minor duties, and the Atlantics became obsolete or were ending their days on small mixed trains on secondary lines without heavy grades. In the real world most of the Atlantics had dissapeared about 1948: 1948 minus engine age 25 years =1923. Charateristics: Generally, the 4-4-2 Atlantic were good and fast express engines, not well suited for freight or heavy grades, but in the long run, when steel passenger cars were introduced, the proved to be to weak for that kind of service, and the Pacifics became the top express engine.
I THINK IT IS TIME TO DISCUSS A REVISED LOCO PACK, before there will be too much confusion about playing maps. As a mapmaker, I already have had som complains, because some maps are crashing to desk top
to some players, because I have included engines not avaiable in the loco pack.
OK. but the Milwaukee engines were exeptions for the rule, that the 4-4-2 Atlantic were the top express engine for a relatively short period, not only in the US, but all over the world, due to their unsufficient tractive efford, when steel passenger cars were introduced. Even in Europe, most Atlantics were scrapped before 1950 being obsolete.