K4 headlight relocation

[Bill Baker]

Has anyone removed the top mounted headlight on the Bachmann K-4 and placed it in the middle of the boiler face? If so, are there any unforseen problems in doing that?  e.g. Wiring?  I love the loco, but really don't care for the top mounted headlight.

Thanks

[SteamGene]

Assuming you mean the PRR K4, I believe all of them had the headlight mounted high.  Of course, with "the standard railroad of the world," it's sometimes hard to find a standard.
Gene

[Tim]

Bill

PRR lines west had the headlight mounted at the center of the Smokebox.

Tim Anders
Souderton, Pa

[BillD53A]

Is there anywhere on the web where we may see a photo of a K4 with it's headlight in the center of the smokebox door?  I looked through the Keystone Crossings website, and found a K4 photo archive with photos of every K4.  I didnt look at them all, but I did look at all, west of Pennsylvania, and they all  had the headlight mounted either at the top of the smokebox front, or on top of the smokebox.  (Except for streamlined locos).

I havent seen my K4 in almost 20 years but IIRC there is a plastic light guide to the headlight.  You would have to find a way to pipe the light into the new location.

[Conrail Quality]

At some point (I can't remember the date, I think it was the 30's or 40's), the Pennsylvania moved the "misplaced" headlights on the Lines West K4's.

[BillD53A]

They sure did didnt they...wikipedia has a picture of one in 1920.  Looks strange to me...

[Bill Baker]

Thanks guys for your comments on the PRR K-4, but I was really interested in finding out if there is any unforeseen problems in relocating the headlight on the Spectrum K-4.  I love the detail and performance of Bachmann steam locomotives and would like to incorporate one in my semi-freelanced Rock Island layout.  I don't know if the Rock even used K-4s and it really doesn't matter to me, I just want a clean Pacific pulling my passenger consist.

As an after thought, what are the opinions on an IHC Pacific? Do they perform as well as the Bachmanns?

Thanks, Bill

[Woody Elmore]

Bill -your posting reminded me a fellow I once met at a club who had a Penn Line K-4. He had used files to remove the belpaire firebox and had epoxied on a Cal Scale smoke box front. He also sawed off and replaced the PRR style cab. I don't remember the tender but I do remember the engine. I felt that, with all his work, the engine still looked Pennsy; he didn't change the cylinders or valve gear.

There is no reason why you can't remove the high mounted PRR headlight and use a Cal Scale or other headlight mounted on the smoke box front. Doing things like this make the hobby fun. You can always say that the engine was purchased from the Pennsy and modified by another RR.