PRR K4s

Streamlined or non?

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ines-proto-sound-3-0

The Railiking K-4 is a pretty nice loco.

There was a NOS Williams Pennsy K4 on Ebay the other day for under $400. 

My favorite is the Scale Craft.  Pretty good proportions, and often 3-rail with fairly big flanges. Around $180 when you can find them.

I have all 3 of the K-line versions and they are great.

You guys touting scale K-4's miss the essential point: he has an 048 curve.

I have a 2012 Lionel Legacy K4 that is scale size(original K-Line tooling) and the instruction says min curves of O54. In reality unless it is coupled to a long wheelbase car it has no problem running around O36 curves.

We run an MTH, RailKing K4s. Though somewhat shortened, it is still well proprotioned and functions very well.

You should be able to find a Williams Crown Edition or even a Weaver for fairly short money, then have it converted. 

John

The Williams/Weaver is a great deal and the Lionel Legacy K4's are also great and will run on 036.

It depends: Do you run Legacy, TMCC, DCS, or conventional?  Also, is the rest of your rolling stock and scenery scale-sized, or "traditional" O gauge.  There are several good choices- choose the version that best complements the trains and layout you already have!

That being said... I know you have some LionChief Plus locos.  I was really hoping Lionel would reissue it's "semi-scale" K4 (check out 6-38089 for example) as a new addition to the LionChief Plus line.  @Dave Olson Maybe in 2020 they will!

One of the first TMCC offerings, Odyssey Speed Control.   Scale is not right, but a good running locomotive.   Slideshow. 

There were two different numbers, (also 5385), of this Lionel offering. ??Double header??  Note the optical tether,  innovative technology, at the time.  Too big, Too long??  K-Line K-4,  by Lionel, may be a better, closer to scale model??.   Over the 20 or so years since this model was introduces,  the 1:1 K-4, (1361), has been a point of discussion, as attempts, to rebuild, and operate it, again, have all ended in different degrees of failure.   

I have mostly "traditional" cars, but with some 40- 50 ft. Scale cars mixed in.  I run conventional AND (lately) TMCC.  I have one Legacy (F7 Set), and three (so far) TMCC engines.

The limits are one segment of 048 curve, and tunnel entries that are too small, such that the back cab overhang of my CC my "scale" 773 made contact, so I had to trim those corners.  I don't care much about "collecting"- by the time anything I own would appreciate in value, I'll be a distant memory.

I run and weather everything, and don't mind making concessions to avoid rebuilding the entries and tunnels.

I really like my newly-acquired TMCC Cab1 system, and just can't get my head around $1200- 1400 for a locomotive.  I honestly have never looked too far into anything except Lionel's K4s, and have no intention of using two control systems (DCC and Lionel), although I have one conventional MTH engine that I like very much.  Partly to decipher all the various models of Lionel K4, I compiled a spreadsheet listing them w/ features.  Attached.

I think my Lionel TMCC 6-28023 is what you are looking for...semi-scale, but highly detailed. Perfect for my 048 curves. I've had it for about 8 years. Below is one on eBay for $295.

Mike Wyatt posted:

I have mostly "traditional" cars, but with some 40- 50 ft. Scale cars mixed in.  I run conventional AND (lately) TMCC.  I have one Legacy (F7 Set), and three (so far) TMCC engines.

The limits are one segment of 048 curve, and tunnel entries that are too small, such that the back cab overhang of my CC my "scale" 773 made contact, so I had to trim those corners.  I don't care much about "collecting"- by the time anything I own would appreciate in value, I'll be a distant memory.

I run and weather everything, and don't mind making concessions to avoid rebuilding the entries and tunnels.

I really like my newly-acquired TMCC Cab1 system, and just can't get my head around $1200- 1400 for a locomotive.  I honestly have never looked too far into anything except Lionel's K4s, and have no intention of using two control systems (DCC and Lionel), although I have one conventional MTH engine that I like very much.  Partly to decipher all the various models of Lionel K4, I compiled a spreadsheet listing them w/ features.  Attached.

 

Just my two cents.  When I swung back to O-gauge in the mid-80's bought scale diesels and many Rail-King steam.  After seeing the scale steam sold off all but one RK and bought nothing but scale for the size and detail.

I have four K4's.  Only my Weaver K4 Torpedo MFG requires large dia in this case O72 curves.  My one Williams and two MTH Premier MFG required only O31.

So except for the Weaver Torpedo the other three will most easily handle the O48 curves.  NOW clearances is another matter.  So if you have clearance problems the die is cast.

Ron

Mike Wyatt posted:

I have a fever:  I want a PRR K4, and am at a loss as to which I should look for.

Here are my particulars:

1.  I do NOT want to invest $1000+ on another engine.  I probably have too many already for my 12 X 20 layout.

2.  I have mostly 060+ curves, but one section of 048.  I also (mistake) made some tunnel portals that are too small and too low-  (so for example- I had to trim the corners off a CC 773's cab to prevent clipping them on a curve).

3.  I run a ZW-L so plenty of power, and (just) installed a TMCC system, so only want a CC, TMCC or Legacy  K4.  

BUT there are still too many K4 choices!  What say you?  What is a good compromise?

 

On the height of things, I ripped the pantograph off my new GG1 about a year or so ago on a signal arm, and I raised the height of signals and replaced bridges to the height of about 6 to 7 inches clearance. I managed to fix that myself luckily.  For the most part, I am good now at about 7 inches. One of the frustrating things was Lionel bringing out that new Fastrack bridge with the around 5 inch clearance. And the Lionel video excusing the height by saying that it's high enough for everything they manufacture when it wasn't. I spent several hours removing the 4 trusses from it and cutting off the lower section, touching up the cut, and putting them back. Looks good but Lionel needed to do it, not me. BTW, the MTH bridges are decent at about 6 1/8 in above the top of the rails.

Mike Wyatt posted:

I have mostly "traditional" cars, but with some 40- 50 ft. Scale cars mixed in.  I run conventional AND (lately) TMCC.  I have one Legacy (F7 Set), and three (so far) TMCC engines.

The limits are one segment of 048 curve, and tunnel entries that are too small, such that the back cab overhang of my CC my "scale" 773 made contact, so I had to trim those corners.  I don't care much about "collecting"- by the time anything I own would appreciate in value, I'll be a distant memory.

I run and weather everything, and don't mind making concessions to avoid rebuilding the entries and tunnels.

I really like my newly-acquired TMCC Cab1 system, and just can't get my head around $1200- 1400 for a locomotive.  I honestly have never looked too far into anything except Lionel's K4s, and have no intention of using two control systems (DCC and Lionel), although I have one conventional MTH engine that I like very much.  Partly to decipher all the various models of Lionel K4, I compiled a spreadsheet listing them w/ features.  Attached.

 

Mike,

I have 2 Williams brass PRR K4s locomotives that I had converted to TMCC.  They have TrainAmerica boards, EOB, and RS4 sound.  With ERR boards now available through 3rd Rail, I would look for these locomotives again.  They were rugged, smooth running conventional engines and are now even better under TMCC.  They run reliably on O31 curves and look pretty good doing it.  They should be available for $300-400.  Figure in $200-300 for TMCC / sound / electro-coupler boards and installation and you are looking at a great running locomotive for under $700.  They are not as well detailed as some of the newer offerings, but they are also more robust.

I have two.  I bought a non-scale front coupler for one of them and I can double-head them.  I can also run 1 as a pusher.

George

Does it have to be a K4s? MTH has made scale-sized versions of the PRR G5s 4-6-0 with PS1, 2 and 3. The lack of a trailing truck and shorter cab overhang minimizes clearance problems. They run on O-31. I have been running the PS1 version pictured below for about 20 years.

MELGAR

Mike Wyatt posted:

I have a fever:  I want a PRR K4, and am at a loss as to which I should look for.

.........

 

Curious if this fever has been taken care of or you are still looking?