MTH Premier K4 & Lionel Fastrack

I'm not sure which engine we're talking about without an item number but if it's a Railking engine you should have no problem with 0-36. If it's a premier engine 0-36 would be a tight fit if If it would work at all.  

Since you asked about Hi-Rail wheels you must be interested in the Premier model.

 

For this kind of information the best place to look is in the product manual which can sometimes be found on the MTH website. In this case the manual is available here:

 

http://www.mthtrains.com/sites...ction/20st12618i.pdf

 

"Compatibility Scale Wheels: This engine will operate on any traditional 54” Radius Measure track system Hi-Rail Wheels: This engine will operate on any traditional O-72 Gauge track system."

 

Looks like it requires O-72.

The PS-3.0 hi-rail versions of the Premier K-4 are advertised in the catalog as O-42.  My experience is that Premier locos listed for )42 will not run on 36 inch diameter Fastrack or Atlas track. 

Thanks!  The website and catalog list O72 for 20-3473-1 and the website lists O42 for the PRR set at 20-3482-1 and both are PS3.0.  Maybe a difference in the loco and tender in the PRR set than if you got them under the stand alone product number?  O42 is a lot easier to swing for me than O72!

AJH4,

   Lee is giving you the correct advise on this one, however IMO I would plan most of your layout with 048 and with a few 042's in certain needed areas.  Once you purchase a Premier Engine that runs on 042 you are going to want to purchase some of the other Premier engines also. 

PCRR/Dave

 

He's looking at the streamlined K4 guys. I don't own one, but I highly doubt that it is going to run on the same curves as an unskirted model. The 2011 V2 catalog clearly states "* Streamlined K-4s require 0-72 curves" - the same as the manual.

 

We have to be careful when giving advice. That would be an expensive mistake to make. Will it run on smaller curves than O-72? Possibly... Will it run on his O-36? Almost certainly not.

The set listed with the O42 curve is also for the streamlined version.  Thus my confusion.  I will have to go right to MTH I guess.

You will find that the most likely mistakes will be in the catalog and the website. If the previous version of the engine is O-72, and the current version is O-72, you can bet that the set won't magically run on less. They make typo's all the time. It is always a good idea to contact them directly if you aren't sure, but many times they won't know either unfortunately.

As a data point, I have the MTH 20-3180-1 Mikado with Hi-Rail wheels, and for whatever reason, the front pilot truck derails on almost every O72 Fastrack turn, and also on O42 tubular curves.  It runs like a top on Atlas, Gargraves, or Ross track, the tightest turn I had available was O54, no problem.

 

This is a switchable 2R/3R locomotive.  The flanges appear narrower than on other 3-rail stuff, though not truly like 2-rail locomotives.