I have had one for years. I traded a Westside 2-8-0 for it. Both of us were happy with the trade. I told the other guy that the 2-8-0 would not stay on the track and he told me that the 4-4--0 would not pull anything.
After I had it awhile I got to looking and someone, either the guy I got it from or someone before him, had filled the smokebox with lead wool to try to weight it I guess. However the smokebox rides over the lead truck, well in front of the first pair of drivers. I took a business card and ran it along the rail under the rear drivers and it went right through. They were not setting on the rails! So essentially it was a 4-2-0!
I cleaned the lead wool out or the front. Then I turned the loco over and poured cerro-bend (lo melt heavy stuff) into the cab roof. The loco was unpainted at the time. This really improved the pulling power. I can't remember whether it has any other weight to not.
With Wlathers passenger cars, it could pull one up my 1 1/2 % grade, or about 10-12 freight cars with easy rolling trucks. Since I acquired the GGD P70s, the loco will pull one P70 and 2 express cars up the grade with ease. That is its current assignment.
I did not do so fancy a paint job. I did do the striping on the cab and tender useing the Champ "Blue Ribbon" K4 decal set for teh striping and lettering.
