The Tuscan K-4 pictured here is the result of an article I was shown about the Pennsylvania Railroad experimenting with painting one or more of its K-4 locomotives Tuscan Red.
I was intrigued to see how this would actually look so I modified the boiler of a Gilbert K-5 locomotive by removing the feedwater heater, the feedwater pump and its piping, the cast-on sand pipes and installing applied piping for the sand pipes. I also moved the bell from the boiler front to the top of the boiler. The pilot has one of its cast-on steps broken off so I made a new one and attached it.
The tender casting had seen better days. Someone had removed the front steps, not just the section below the edge of the sides but the entire assembly. I created two new step units out of brass and attached them to the tender. I also used S-Helper service tender trucks on this locomotive.
One final touch was the drive wheels. On a whim I drilled out the webbing between the spokes of the Gilbert cast drivers. After filing the holes smooth I ended up with a set of drive wheels with open space between the spokes.
The Tuscan Pennsylvania Railroad K-4 Pacific pulls a seven-car string of American Models Pennsylvania passenger cars on Jeff Hill's layout. (2:18)
The Tuscan K-4 steam engine pulls a Pennsylvania passenger train at the Trains and Planes show. A Royal Blue steam engine pulls a Baltimore and Ohio passenger train. And the Brunswick Green K-4 steam engine pulls a third passenger train. (48 sec.)
The Tuscan K-4 is waiting for an assignment during the NMRA Train Show in Virginia Beach on September 18, 2010.
The Tuscan K-4 got an assignment pulling the circus train on the ACSG Tidewater Division modular layout during the NMRA Train Show on September 18, 2010. (26 sec.)
Tuscan PRR K-4 passing the strip mall at the Trains and Planes show.
This locomotive was run on the ACSG Tidewater Division modular layout during the Greenberg Train Show on February 27, 2010. (19 sec.)
I also created another K-4 and painted this one Brunswick Green. It is identical to the Tuscan K-4 except for the color. Here it is at the Trains and Planes show.
The Brunswick Green Pennsylvania Railroad K-4 Pacific pulls a seven-car string of American Models Pennsylvania passenger cars on Jeff Hill's layout. (2:37)
The Brunswick Green PRR K-4 roars down the mainline with its passenger train.
