Berkshire pilot

someone just did a rebuild on a Polar Express Berk. I'd make your own more realistic pilot.

If Lionel doesn't have it, Stevenson Preservation Lines will have a brass casting that you could screw on to the frame, after a bit of filing with a new file.

Stevenson Preservation is a great resource; I've ordered from them a couple of times,

though not lately.

HOWEVER: the Lionel Parts Department is a wealth of parts, with photos of many/most

of them. They take Visa; they ship quickly; go to Lionel's website and find "Replacement

Parts" in a top menu.

I don't know how the Berk Jr. is constructed, but you may find a drop-in replacement

in a more realistic, non-Polar style, as this loco has been made in various incarnations. 

here is a NKP Berkshire pilot.

not sure if 1225 is an different.

cheers...gary

I replaced mine and it was primarily a job to get a straight and level cut off of the old pilot to have the new pilot grab onto a solid surface. There are a lot of suppliers of O brass detail parts on Ebay which is where I got mine.Some light roughing up of both mating surfaces and JB Weld and it was done. The replacement pilot is very similar to Overland's photo with the exception of being a cast pilot but having the steps bracket it as in the photo. I would post a photo myself but this new notebook is worthless for that. That cut off of the old pilot in a straight and true manner was the toughest part of the job I used a small hacksaw, just make sure the blade is new and really tightened up in the frame..takes some time but the result is terrific.