The little Atlantic is still a favorite of mine. I'm not sure which version TINPLATE ART remembers as I cannot recall any die-cast Atlantic with reverse-in-tender that did not smoke. I checked my collection of 300s (by definition, the 300 has no smoke) and all have reverse-in-boiler. The closest cataloged set that seems to fit TINPLATE ART's description might be something like the 501T or 501TR, both of which had 302/302AC with smoke and reverse-in-tender. The young boy running his train on the cover of the 747 cardboard trestle set box seems to fit TINPLATE ART's description, but it is a smoker. If I had to guess, I'd say he's running set 501TR with the brown 642 reefer. But then again, I'm never surprised to find things that Gilbert put together that I never imagined. Feel free to correct my memory!
I agree that the 1948 4-piece Atlantic was the high-water-mark for this locomotive. Some day I'd actually like to take a 1946-47 "short-nose" version and somehow add a nice sound and smoke unit. While the 1948 version has these features, the extended nose causes it to look a bit less prototypical. Add a trailing truck from a 312 and you would have a beauty.
