MTH RK PRR K4s Front End Detail Project - MTH RK M1a Pilot Upgrade Pics Added

I am a scale 2 rail guy. I like to add or dress up my models.  I think you did a really nice job on the model. Much improved.  Does not matter if its 2 or 3 rail --  scale or semi scale its called modelling and should be fun.  NICE JOB.  Keep letting us know what you are doing.

Franky-Ogee

Nice work! I have gone scale but still have my RK K-4...it is a nice loco. The Neo-Lube is a great way to improve the looks and is easy.  The brass detail parts are a big step up. 

Franky-Ogee posted:

I am a scale 2 rail guy. I like to add or dress up my models.  I think you did a really nice job on the model. Much improved.  Does not matter if its 2 or 3 rail --  scale or semi scale its called modelling and should be fun.  NICE JOB.  Keep letting us know what you are doing.

Franky-Ogee

Yup. I'm "officially" 1:48 Hi-Rail, but I like your work. Nicer RK/Traditional equipment can be just fine even in a 1:48 environment, actually. I still admire the way they did my RK Triplex; it's a big little engine.

Good evening Scott, great job on the K4. 

I Have a K4 just like yours but never had the nerve to start cutting on the front end.

With everything you did up front did you ever think of adding a coupler so you could double head the engines.

Myself I keep looking for a solution for this issue but so far I haven't found a good one. I want to have a good plan before I start with cutting with a Dremel Tool.

Do you try to go with Kadee style coupler or a standard claw coupler ?

I am leaning toward a Kadee style coupler just for the overall appearance.

Again great work !

Terrific work and great step-by-step report. 

Scott,

   Nice work on that pilot. I'm not familiar with Neo-Lube so Googled it and found a few OGR posts. Seems to do a good job.

Tom 

Tom,  Neo-Lube is great stuff available from Micro Mark.  I use it on the drivers of all my steamers.  As AMCDave said, its an easy upgrade.  

Mark, I thought about upgrading the coupler, but decided against it this time. I think it would be significant work to bore a hole for a coupler pocket.  Maybe someone has done this and can chime in on their experience.  Double headed K4s would be awesome! 

Thanks to all for the nice comments.  It was a fun project.  I was pleasantly surprised when I received the Precision Scale pilot and noticed that it came in three pieces.  That the bar pilot was separate from the pilot beam made the conversion straightforward.  I like the lacey, delicate look of the new pilot and the train control box hides the fact that there is no cylinder saddle on this model.   Overall I'm very satisfied with the end result.    

That’s pretty work, how are you applying paint?....really looks like a nice blend out.....color match looks spot on............Pat

Pat,  I used an airbrush to apply the paint.  My setup is not cosmic.  Picked up an airbrush and compressor at a nearby Harbor Freight for about 80 bucks.  I sprayed the cylinders too to make sure the whole front end blended.  Finished it off with a clear coat mix of 2 parts satin to 1 parts gloss.  The resulting sheen was just right for my taste 

I apologize to resurrect a dead thread, but I’d love to see a close up of that M1! 

I'll post the M1a pics this weekend.   

Nice Work! 
Al

I was planning on starting a separate thread for my detail MTH RK PRR M1a detail project, but since ES44AC asked I'll add the pictures of progress to date here.  All I have done to date is upgrade the front end with a PSC Pennsy style drop coupler pilot.  I wanted to capture an M1a with this "post war" modification while retaining the "pre war" traditional headlight and generator locations.  There are a couple of M1a pictures with this front end configured this way in Alvin Staufer's book Pennsy Power II.  Although not all that common, it's by far my favorite M1a look.  I have PSC parts on hand for further detailing:  Pennsy style whistle and whistle shield, handrails and stanchions, extra piping, Pennsy style pop valves, junction boxes, and marker lights (the molded on class lights do not look Pennsy at all and they should really be marker lights).  But the rest of the effort is on indefinite hold while I complete some structure projects and start my new layout build.   

As for the new pilot, the picture below shows the starting point with the stock model and PSC pilot.

It took a lot of cutting, grinding, and fling to get the stock pilot ready to accept the PSC part.  Pictured below is the stock pilot with the footboards and pilot beam removed.  Below it is the PSC pilot detailed with grab irons, drop coupler, and air hose.

The two pictures below show the completed mod.  I used JB Weld to attach the PSC pilot.  I painted the pilot and cylinders with the same Badger Modelflex DGLE cocktail I used on my K4s project.   Overall I am pleased with the result, but it is not perfect.  The pilot sits higher than I would like it to and it sits too far forward.  If I were to do it again I would remove some material from the back of the PSC pilot and mount it slightly lower.  Nevertheless, I like the look and look forward to the rest of the project.

Real nice work. With all this unexpected free time we've been having lately I've been considering obtaining one for myself and performing similar upgrades, though I would go all the way and complete the postwar look. Thanks for posting, looking forward to seeing the project completed. 

PSC has all the parts you need for a complete Pennsy post-war front end, except for the smoke box mounted marker lights.  Good news is Cal Scale makes the appropriate  part.  I plan to use the markers from my RK L1s.  I used Pennsy style pilot beam mounted markers for that project so the somoke box markers are left over.  The MTH representation of the markers are good enough for me. Plus they are illuminated, Although the green LEDs should be swapped for red. 

Good luck if you take on a M1a project and please post pics of your progress!  

Update: stars aligned and I bought a PS3 M1a that had been stripped of the boards for under $150 from eBay. Once I get and inspect it work will commence with updates in it's own thread. Thanks for the inspiration!