The otherwise accurate K-line scale PRR K4 suffers from a 1 1/4" gap between the engine and tender. I made replacement drawbars for my 2 locos and 1 for a friend. I used K&S #8225 (0.090" x 1/4") brass bar stock and 8-32 brass nuts. Both were sourced from my local Tru-Value Hardware store (don't bother looking at Lowe's or Home Depot).
The original drawbar has a bend on the locomotive end to drop it lower to match the tender height. I clamped the last 1/8" of the bar stock in a vise and uncerimoniously whacked it with a hammer and metal bar to introduce the bend. Then I cut the bar stock to 1 1/16" length to reduce the total length by 5/8". Using a drill press, I drilled out one brass nut to 11/64" (tender end) and the other to 13/64" (locomotive end).
Using plenty of flux and a Weller 80W soldering iron, I soldered a nut to each end of the bar stock making sure to keep the nuts parallel. The nut with the larger hole goes on the end of the bar with the bend. I cleaned them up with a file and sprayed them flat black. I could have Dremeled off the hexagon shape of the nuts to make them round, but you really can't see them, so I didn't bother.
Here is the result on straight and O72 track. The gap is narrow enough that I can fill it with an apron. I can also remake the drawbars and narrow the gap by another 1/8".
Bob
I do similar things with 1/16" fiberglass sheet. Plenty strong and pretty easy to work. I just color them black when I'm done. I recently got some 1/16" black fiberglass sheet, it'll eliminate the coloring step.
