PRR M1b customizing finished! -for the most part.

Looks great!  I love all the piping!

- Mario

Great updates, do you have a before picture?

Way to go! Kudos to you!

Larry, welcome to the 3rail scale club.

Ron H

Thank you.  Here is a photo of the same engine that I found on the forum.  Originally, Brian Wowak (he does a great job) removed the oversized hinges that Lionel puts on their engines and then I had Brian put more scale-like grab irons on the smoke box front.  I went to Strasburg to see the 6755 last December and thought that those same grab irons could be a little thicker and the stanchions a little longer.  So I ordered what I thought was the right size from PSC and replaced what he had done.  Then I ordered a new headlight, class lights, piping, generator, generator platform, junction box, pipe holders, 90 deg elbows, larger pilot wheels, and an assortment of other pieces to get what I finally got.  I hated not to have lighted class lights, but as Keystone Ed told me, they were only lit in certain situations, so I went with the ones I ordered from Bowser.  I also lowered the keystone so it would be closer to the smoke box front; it just seemed to sit out too far.

I wanted an engine that looked used.  I believe the engine was made in 1930 so this would be about 1946, I think.  I wanted the smoke box front to look a bit dirty/warn.  I need to now work on the rest of the weathering.  

It certainly isn't perfect, but it took me back to the days where I modeled cars and airplanes.  This was a bit more rewarding because there were no directions or parts.  I had to study pictures and try different things.  It was an expensive project.

I'm now going to tackle my Legacy K4.  This one should go a lot faster...fingers crossed!

Very nice work!!

Thank you.

As a side note, Gorilla Glue Super Glue Gel is amazing stuff!  I used Testor's plastic glass glue to do the headlight lens.  

Larry, great job on the M1b. I recently was given the Lionel Legacy M1b from a friend, engine only, and intend to do so upgrades to it as well. Still searching for a tender, hope I can find one soon. The engine runs GREAT, and is in new mint condition. 

The only thing is, my boiler is painted a dark green, and carries the same number, 6750, as yours. When I search this engine, 6-11147, all the photos show a black boiler. The boiler I have is original, and has not been repainted. Did Lionel offer 2 different paint schemes with the same number? 

If you have any suggestions on where I might find a tender, that would be appreciated.

RAY

A note of caution about the Legacy K-4: if it's from the same dies as the original Lionel K-4 the firebox is wrong-too long.
Best bet, if you want a K-4 to super-detail, would be the 3rd Rail K-4. It's also scare as hen's teeth.

I think the Lionel Legacy K4 is the same boiler as the K-Line K4, not a remake of Lionel's older "K4 1/2."  I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.  

As far as a tender goes, you could always build one if Lionel has spare shells/parts.  It would be expensive though.

I have weathered mine with chalk water in order to tame down the green.

Good luck!

Larry Mullen posted:

I think the Lionel Legacy K4 is the same boiler as the K-Line K4, not a remake of Lionel's older "K4 1/2."  I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.   My understanding was the Legacy K4 was done from the K-Line molds.   A Lionel "K4 1/2" offering around 2002/2003 had Odyssey control and the over all length and height of the Belpaire Fire box was altered to accommodate  the drive system. Note that this model had a unique optical tether, locomotive to tender.   It is big, but I wouldn't throw it away.

The two chuffs per revolution of the drivers was another feature.  This was corrected later with some add on electronics, I believe.  Limited smoke was another problem.    There were rebuilds and retrofits that addressed this also.   I always thought the sound was pretty good. IMO. 

As far as a tender goes, you could always build one if Lionel has spare shells/parts.  It would be expensive though.  Tender appears to be a good replica, some complained about the lack of real coal in the tender, though this could be altered, without a lot of work,  IMO.    Large Smoke box door hinges was another complaint.  

I have weathered mine with chalk water in order to tame down the green.

Legacy, second time around, 15 years later, you would hope all the "what ifs" are corrected for a more demanding train public.   Weaver also had done a K4 offering.  Norm C had done some work with, I think another, K4 offering,  High Iron, which appears to be an early Sunset Thirdrail offering.  

Good luck!  

rex desilets posted:

A note of caution about the Legacy K-4: if it's from the same dies as the original Lionel K-4 the firebox is wrong-too long.
Best bet, if you want a K-4 to super-detail, would be the 3rd Rail K-4. It's also scare as hen's teeth.

Rex - Are you referring to the High Iron version from 2004?

My doorstop Max Grey K4s requires similar details upgraded or added.  Along with countless other projects, it gets worked on when the mood strikes.   I can sure appreciate the time and effort involve in such things.  Don't know if I'd be brave enough to tackle an entire Lionel or K-Line engine, what with the wealth of molded in detail that would have to be ground off to start.  Anything is possible I guess.

Never the less, just upgrading the smoke box presents that M1 nicely, and is pretty much a duplicate of what the postwar K4s needs, if that is what your Legacy K4s also represents. 

Bruce

GG1 4877 posted:

rex desilets posted:

A note of caution about the Legacy K-4: if it's from the same dies as the original Lionel K-4 the firebox is wrong-too long.
Best bet, if you want a K-4 to super-detail, would be the 3rd Rail K-4. It's also scare as hen's teeth.

Rex - Are you referring to the High Iron version from 2004?

Yes.

Calling it a High Iron locomotive would possibly confuse the non-cognoscenti

rex desilets posted:

GG1 4877 posted:

rex desilets posted:

A note of caution about the Legacy K-4: if it's from the same dies as the original Lionel K-4 the firebox is wrong-too long.
Best bet, if you want a K-4 to super-detail, would be the 3rd Rail K-4. It's also scare as hen's teeth.

Rex - Are you referring to the High Iron version from 2004?

Yes.

Calling it a High Iron locomotive would possibly confuse the non-cognoscenti

True.  Even calling High Iron a series is problematic since the K4 was the only one in the series.  I have both numbers in the post war 2 rail version.  The detail is very good, but when I saw the mods that Bob Heil did to his, I realize there is still work to be done on them. 

GG1 4877 posted:

rex desilets posted:

GG1 4877 posted:

rex desilets posted:

A note of caution about the Legacy K-4: if it's from the same dies as the original Lionel K-4 the firebox is wrong-too long.
Best bet, if you want a K-4 to super-detail, would be the 3rd Rail K-4. It's also scare as hen's teeth.

Rex - Are you referring to the High Iron version from 2004?

Yes.

Calling it a High Iron locomotive would possibly confuse the non-cognoscenti

True.  Even calling High Iron a series is problematic since the K4 was the only one in the series.  I have both numbers in the post war 2 rail version.  The detail is very good, but when I saw the mods that Bob Heil did to his, I realize there is still work to be done on them. 

As I recall there was also a 2-6-0 of some sort.

I bought a pre-War version first and then found a post-War. The pre-War is an anacronism for me; may have to modernize it at some infinitely far date.

Got to contact Heil and see what magic he performed.

I think if one were to super detail a 3 rail K4, one should seriously consider the Williams brass Crown edition K4.

Rex desilets posted:
A note of caution about the Legacy K-4: if it's from the same dies as the original Lionel K-4
the firebox is wrong-too long.Best bet, if you want a K-4 to super-detail, would be the 3rd Rail K-4.
It's also scare as hen's teeth.