new to model railroading

[starman]

Gene,

thanks for your input.  Some additional info-Some Bachmann advertisements mention "chicken coop pilot slats" on the K4 Pacific locomotives which are pre-WWII.  I just wondered what it meant?

Starman

[SteamGene]

I've never heard the phrase before, but I'd assume it refers to  pilots with bars close enough together to resemble a chicken coop.   Obviously not a solid or switcher pilot.
Gene

[msowsun]

There are 2 types of pilots on K-4 Pacifics.... Slatted and Solid:

[r.cprmier]

To Gene et al;
Why would they use a solid pilot?  Not that it surprised me, but I could never figure it out, as many Pennsy steamers as I had seen.

Rich

[GlennW]

The closed pilot may be used on passenger trains. Try to get pictures of K4's pulling the premier passenger trains of the line. The slatted ones may go to branchlines or freight runs. I doubt if there are many pictures of K4's doing some switching moves?

[SteamGene]

Glenn, the PRR K4 was not used for freight and probaly not on many branchlines.  It was a heavy Pacific.  The solid pilot is probably a part of the GREAT STREAMLINING EXTRAVAGANZA!  No real reason for it, though at high speeds perhaps the wind got deflected from passing under the locomotive, though I'd think that lift would be negligible. 
Solid seems modern. 
Oh, well.
Gene

[Tim]

The solid pilot on the Pennsy K4's was to add fornt end weight.
The same wsa done on the M1 mountain.
The extra weight improved tracking.

Tim Anders
Souderton, Pa