I'm looking for any available information on a 3rd Rail PRR J1a, 3 rail, cab number 6443. Any idea when these were made, and what sort of capabilities they came with (conventional only, TMCC, etc...)? This particular one looks like it has a 4 pin tether from tender to cab from the pictures I've seen (don't have it in my hands yet).
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The 3rd Rail PRR J1/J1a models were made in 1996. They were conventional (QSI reversing unit) with QSI sounds (like MTH Proto-1) and Seuthe smoke units. They have Pittman 9000-series motors. New out of the box, they did not have traction tires and won't pull long trains up a grade (assuming you have them on your layout). You used to be able to buy a set of drivers with traction tires from 3rd Rail as replacements, but I imagine those are long out of stock by now. Minimum curve diameter is O63. The tender will bind on O54 curves.
Bob is the authority here. But I heard two credible accounts of folks shredding their gearboxes by asking 3rd Rail's Texas-type locomotives to pull heavy loads. I'm NOT bashing 3rd Rail. The build I'm referring to was circa 1997, after the sturdy but bulky KTM-style gearbox used in the excellent 1990 Decapod, but before adoption of the current "Quiet Drive" belt-and-pulley arrangement with a lower shaft. The 2-10-4 gearboxes were mounted transversely which made them less visible when viewed from the side. But by some accounts they were light-duty, so I don't advise about adding tires.
The 3rd rail J1a is a true scale highly detailed brass model. The QSI sound system was great for its day for conventional control. I have run this model run on 072 track and have noticed that even on 072 curves only the first and fifth drivers were making contact with the rails. I am sure with wider curves tractive effort would be improved. I have seen an instruction sheet that said a replacement fifth traction tire driver set was included. I have run the j1a with five eighteen inch passenger cars and the locomotive pulls them easily. As with any brass model like the j1a be careful when handling as the detail parts can break. The model i have does not have traction tires.
They can be made into decent runners with a bit of work. I think Ed Rappe posted at one time he destroyed his gearbox in his 2 rail version. The one in my vid below had slipped drivers and I ended up with a whole new frame. I have a few other vids of the work I did on it. I would probably do a few things differently now.
@Norm Charbonneau posted:They can be made into decent runners with a bit of work. I think Ed Rappe posted at one time he destroyed his gearbox in his 2 rail version. The one in my vid below had slipped drivers and I ended up with a whole new frame. I have a few other vids of the work I did on it. I would probably do a few things differently now.
Oddly enough, I just watched that video this morning (and read the article about your layout in OGR). Amazing layout detail! Looks like you've got it pulling about 24 cars plus caboose, I doubt I'll ever have room to exceed that. Had a chance to pick one up with some minor cosmetic damage to the cab roof (nothing I can't handle fixing) for a really low price, so I jumped on it.
Norm. It's always a pleasure to watch one of your videos.
I need to make some small repairs to the back of the cab roof on this. Any reason on earth why the cab roof should be that "tuscan-y" color? Every color photo I've ever seen of a real one has the cab roof either DGLE or black, either from paint or soot.
The red roof is incorrect for the J1a. It should be the same color as the rest of the locomotive.
I have the 3 rail C&O version of this engine. There has been a lot written over the years about gearbox failure owners have experienced. Fortunately I haven't had this problem but isn't the moist common failure the stripping of the center driver gear? The gear on mine is tan/yellow colored (may have originally been white but discolored with age) and appears to be made out of a plastic type material. Is this the original gear that I need to be careful about?
Ken
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