k4 pacific

[evafan002]

Hi I was just wondering what the difference is between the pre and post war versions of the
Spectrum K4 pacific other than the pilot? Ie is it okay to run the different versions together on one layout without them seeming out of place?

[ebtbob]

evafan,

      Other than the pilot I do not know the differences,  but let me address your second question.  Whether the Pennys ran the two different types of K4s at the same time has nothing to do with you.   You do what you want on your railroad because this wonderful hobby is for fun.   As for the Pennsy,  I am sure they had both version running around at the same time.

[Woody Elmore]

When the PRR started to update the K4s, they also changed the style of headlight and mounting location in addition to the new cast pilot. There are also many minor changes.   If you google PRR steam engines you find a number of sites with pictures.

[Woody Elmore]

Here is a PRR site that has lots of pictures. When you scroll down there is a picture of a K-4 at Timonium , MD in 1940. It has the new cast pilot, headlight mounted on the boiler and disc drivers! Here's the site: http://prrsteam.pennsyrr.com

[RAM]

Railroads updated locomotive when it was time to shop them.  So it years to completely update a large fleet of locomotive.  so until they where all updated,they would have ran together. 

[evafan002]

When the PRR started to update the K4s, they also changed the style of headlight and mounting location in addition to the new cast pilot. There are also many minor changes.   If you google PRR steam engines you find a number of sites with pictures.

thank you for the information

[ebtnut]

You will find K-4's that remained essentially untouched right up until the end in 1957.  SPF's (Slobbering Pennsy Freaks) generally refer to the revised front ends as the "beauty treatment", and not in a kind way.  This was also applied to some of the M-1's as well.  The P Company, despite its mantra as the "Standard Railroad of the World" was forever fiddling with its steam fleet.  The cast pilot was intended primarily as a safety device to help shove obstructions (read, autos) off of crossings instead of having the vehicles roll under the pilots and derail the loco.  Some locos got disk drivers on one or all axles.  Some got poppet valves.  And so on.