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Are RED bows common to the delivery of ALL Accucraft engines? I ordered a C19 about 6 weeks ago and the anticipation is overwhelming!
New K-4
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Hi Gary,
My K28 tender came wrapped in a red ribbon. When I was in Viet Nam, I learned that folks in southeast Asia always make a point of wrapping any gift or offering in red. I don't know the exact cultural reason; but, it seemed quite important. I suspect that the red ribbon around the tender relates to that tradition. If the C19 is anywhere nearly as nice as the K28, your wait will have been worthwhile!
Llyn
My K28 tender came wrapped in a red ribbon. When I was in Viet Nam, I learned that folks in southeast Asia always make a point of wrapping any gift or offering in red. I don't know the exact cultural reason; but, it seemed quite important. I suspect that the red ribbon around the tender relates to that tradition. If the C19 is anywhere nearly as nice as the K28, your wait will have been worthwhile!
Llyn
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3,857 Posts
Hi Llyn
Yes the anticipation is something.During my combat tour in Vietnam in 1966-67, we received many "presents" from the locals, but they weren't wrapped in "red bows". Ha! Ha! But that's a story for another time. Welcome home brother! I have been told by Jonathan that I could probably see my engine sometime in March
Yes the anticipation is something.
During my combat tour in Vietnam in 1966-67, we received many "presents" from the locals, but they weren't wrapped in "red bows". Ha! Ha! But that's a story for another time. Welcome home brother! I have been told by Jonathan that I could probably see my engine sometime in March
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20,513 Posts
Another comment on the K4, JC, maybe you did not notice, but the wheels on the tender are dual ball bearing wheels, as far as I can tell. They rotate independently of the axle.
I finished the lighting wiring today, since they are LEDs you have to be careful of the polarity. The color coding of the wiring is also backwards, the backup light has a red and black wire, the red is ground and the black is positive. The markers are green and black, and again, green is ground, and black is positive. Anyway, if you rewire your loco, 3 ma for each led, and 6 ma for the markers and classification lights (since it's two LEDs in parallel).
It's breaking in on my layout, after oiling everything.
Regards, Greg
I finished the lighting wiring today, since they are LEDs you have to be careful of the polarity. The color coding of the wiring is also backwards, the backup light has a red and black wire, the red is ground and the black is positive. The markers are green and black, and again, green is ground, and black is positive. Anyway, if you rewire your loco, 3 ma for each led, and 6 ma for the markers and classification lights (since it's two LEDs in parallel).
It's breaking in on my layout, after oiling everything.
Regards, Greg
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740 Posts
I had read somewhere the red ribbons signify joy/luck. And let me tell you, when I was opening up my Accucraft Big Boy, I was feeling a WHOLE BUNCH OF JOY!! Especially since I was waiting over two years for it. Maybe some year I can even find a track power layout with large enough curves to actually run it sometime.
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1,976 Posts
Nick,
That's interesting about K4's on the NYC! I was looking at steamlocomotive.com and there is a roster of their pacifics listed. They had their own K3's and K5s but no K-4 was listed. I thought "well that makes sense, seeing as how the PRR was their main competetion and their flagship locomotive was called a K4." Were the NYC's K-4s letter for the Central or were they left as PRR? (In a way, it sort of seems like Chevy putting a Mustang engine in their Corvette. Know what I mean? Not disputing your book, just commenting that its interesting. )
Maybe you could scan the picture and post or emai it. I'd be interested to see it.
Mark
That's interesting about K4's on the NYC! I was looking at steamlocomotive.com and there is a roster of their pacifics listed. They had their own K3's and K5s but no K-4 was listed. I thought "well that makes sense, seeing as how the PRR was their main competetion and their flagship locomotive was called a K4." Were the NYC's K-4s letter for the Central or were they left as PRR? (In a way, it sort of seems like Chevy putting a Mustang engine in their Corvette. Know what I mean? Not disputing your book, just commenting that its interesting. )
Maybe you could scan the picture and post or emai it. I'd be interested to see it.
Mark
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965 Posts
Greg E. alerted me to a problem in the K-4 pilot truck which can contribute to derails. He has this fix documented at his website found at
www.elmassian.com/index.php under the "Misc. info/tips" link.
The shoulder bolt that holds the pilot truck has a sharp lower edge on the head, which can gouge into the sliding surface, causing a bind and subsequent derail. The fix, is to
1. remove the truck,
2. use the bolt head to remove all paint from the sliding area,
3. remove the sharp edge by sanding/filing the backside of the bolt head while chucked in a drill,
4. Lube area with moly or graphite grease,
5. reassemble with washer and spring.
Greg also suggests placing three #4 washers around the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt to increase possible downward travel.
While performing the above, I discovered another issue with the shoulder bolt that required correction.
The edges of the slider slot had burrs on them, causing the bolt to bind in the middle and at the extremes of movement. I filed down the slot as shown in the pictures.
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Now the pilot moves much smoother throughout its travel, without binding.
Re-assembled Pilot truck.
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This last pic is for those interested in seeing the underside of the K-4. The track pickup wires are easily seen.
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Jim C.
www.elmassian.com/index.php under the "Misc. info/tips" link.
The shoulder bolt that holds the pilot truck has a sharp lower edge on the head, which can gouge into the sliding surface, causing a bind and subsequent derail. The fix, is to
1. remove the truck,
2. use the bolt head to remove all paint from the sliding area,
3. remove the sharp edge by sanding/filing the backside of the bolt head while chucked in a drill,
4. Lube area with moly or graphite grease,
5. reassemble with washer and spring.
Greg also suggests placing three #4 washers around the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt to increase possible downward travel.
While performing the above, I discovered another issue with the shoulder bolt that required correction.
The edges of the slider slot had burrs on them, causing the bolt to bind in the middle and at the extremes of movement. I filed down the slot as shown in the pictures.
Now the pilot moves much smoother throughout its travel, without binding.
Re-assembled Pilot truck.
This last pic is for those interested in seeing the underside of the K-4. The track pickup wires are easily seen.
Jim C.
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20,513 Posts
More to come, one more mod, washers between the wheel and the bushings to keep the bushings in place... will have to get some close up shot of the "equalizing" mechanism, but excessive side to side play in the axles makes the mechanism do funny stuff...
Regards, Greg
Regards, Greg
G
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Greg, Jim.
nice write up on the k-4's you guys found some eatra stuff that i didn't know on this loco and i will incorparate your suggestions into my k-4's, nice write up guys, heres a tip on the pilot truck take some nylon washers and cut a small pie shape out of them and insert on all 4 axles between the wheels and the pilot, it will not only keep the bushings in place but because some of the axles are longer than others without the washers the wheels tend to hit the brake pads and short out/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif
learned how to cut the washers from Ray M. he used some of them on my mikado.
Nick.
nice write up on the k-4's you guys found some eatra stuff that i didn't know on this loco and i will incorparate your suggestions into my k-4's, nice write up guys, heres a tip on the pilot truck take some nylon washers and cut a small pie shape out of them and insert on all 4 axles between the wheels and the pilot, it will not only keep the bushings in place but because some of the axles are longer than others without the washers the wheels tend to hit the brake pads and short out/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif
learned how to cut the washers from Ray M. he used some of them on my mikado.
Nick.
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965 Posts
Today I ordered the following tools for working on the K4.
www.arcade-electronics.com/detail.aspx micro metric Nut Driver set
www.arcade-electronics.com/detail.aspx Micro metric hex driver set
qtena.com/22mm-star-driver-eyeglass-wrench-rimless-eyeglasses-fits-22mm-nuts-p-4900.html 2.2mm micro metric nut driver [for painted bolts]
JimC.
www.arcade-electronics.com/detail.aspx micro metric Nut Driver set
www.arcade-electronics.com/detail.aspx Micro metric hex driver set
qtena.com/22mm-star-driver-eyeglass-wrench-rimless-eyeglasses-fits-22mm-nuts-p-4900.html 2.2mm micro metric nut driver [for painted bolts]
JimC.
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20,513 Posts
Nick, take that screw out, and clean away all the gunk! Then do the mod to deburr the sharp underside edge... you can tell it was sharp, it cut away all the paint! Grease the heck out of it with moly grease, it will work more smoothly.
Regards, Greg
Regards, Greg
Well I tknow a few of you will faint when you read this but I ordered a Postwar version last night. I was half asleep when I placed the order. Well this morning I got a call from Matt at St. Aubin's asking me if I really wanted 4 of them. I had mistaken placed 4 1 unit orders last nite when I got a bit confused oredering the unit. This was my fault. I should have gone to sleep and ordered it in the morning. Great, Great customer service from St. Aubin's.
LAO
LAO
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20,513 Posts
Larry, you were just too excited!
Well, are you going to run battery or track power, or DCC or R/C?
Regards, Greg
Well, are you going to run battery or track power, or DCC or R/C?
Regards, Greg
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20,513 Posts
Note: I just updated my K4 mods page: CLICK HERE on my web site.
I added the washers, and worked on the equalizing mechanism. It really works well now, and derailments from less that perfect vertical grades seems to have been eliminated.
Regards, Greg
I added the washers, and worked on the equalizing mechanism. It really works well now, and derailments from less that perfect vertical grades seems to have been eliminated.
Regards, Greg
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965 Posts
Congratulations on your new K-4 order, Larry. The K-4 ran continuously on track power for about 3.5 hours. We had a great day ourdoors with the grandkids playing in the yard while the train was running.
Out of curriosity, I checked the weight of the loco and tender.
Loco: 18.6lbs.
Tender: 5.4lbs.
Total: 24.0lbs.
Several pictures were taken, but sadly weren't good enough to post.
JimC.
Out of curriosity, I checked the weight of the loco and tender.
Loco: 18.6lbs.
Tender: 5.4lbs.
Total: 24.0lbs.
Several pictures were taken, but sadly weren't good enough to post.
JimC.
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1 Posts
To All.
Can you tell me where to find the best price for the Pre-war K4? I have the Post-war. Thought I read on here somewhere that someone purchased them in the $600's?
Thanks,
Charlie
Can you tell me where to find the best price for the Pre-war K4? I have the Post-war. Thought I read on here somewhere that someone purchased them in the $600's?
Thanks,
Charlie
Well I finally took my K4 out of it's shipping container. Wow! I am just shocked had how nice it is. I need to figure out how to get it safely to the ECLSTS. If I sell a few items in the next few weeks I should be able to get a Pennsy E8 and maybe a GG-1. It will give me Pennsy power from 4 different manufacturers.
LAO
LAO
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965 Posts
Congratulations, Larry.
I continue to be surprised at how well the K-4 runs on less than clean track conditions. Today being Easter, I tried to run the Eggliner Express.
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Without cleaning the track, the Eggliner jerked, stalled and required a transformer setting of 85.
Later, I brought out the K-4 to show to visiting relatives. Without cleaning the track, still, the K-4 ran flawlessly at a setting of only 70.
I am pleased.
Maybe next week I will start issolating the track pickups, smoke, and chuff wiring.
JimC.
I continue to be surprised at how well the K-4 runs on less than clean track conditions. Today being Easter, I tried to run the Eggliner Express.
Without cleaning the track, the Eggliner jerked, stalled and required a transformer setting of 85.
Later, I brought out the K-4 to show to visiting relatives. Without cleaning the track, still, the K-4 ran flawlessly at a setting of only 70.
I am pleased.
Maybe next week I will start issolating the track pickups, smoke, and chuff wiring.
JimC.
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