My Key Imports PRR T-1 4-4-4-4 arrived a few weeks ago. Had to open up a 25' secondary main I was using for passing the long freights. Runs like a dream and the detail is great. Not sure yet what it's limit is? Tried 10 heavy passenger cars plus two front-end REA cars and it took them without a slip. No rubber tires and pulling very well with no derailments over switches and crossovers. Staying under 1% grades on the secondary. Lashed a K4 on the front to climb the 2% grade I have on the main. Looked great. Running regular now with a more realistic 8 passenger cars and three front-end cars. I have two passenger stations on the seconday line so it's a match made in heaven. ...Eddie
There was an article in Trains Mag a few years ago about a junior PRR Operations office type hitching a night ride in a T cab through parts of Indiana and Ohio. The T's hoghead made up an hour or so by running better than 100 mph most of the way, while pulling 15+/- varnish and head-end. It was a wonderful story, I'll see if I can find it. Hank By the way Eddie, those are nice pictures of a great looking loco. [ 05 June 2001: Message edited by: Hank Coolidge ]
Beautiful looking loco Wish I had the trackwork and funds for one of them! Let us all know how it performs long-term and let's see more pics Russ/NYC The Hoffman Valley Railroad
I remember seeing some news reels about the T-1's when they first came out. Boy were they ever Streamlined! They looked like they were running full tilt even when they were just sitting at a station! Is your model articulated to negotiate curves? I think Popular Mechanics artical said there was a special bearing on some of the axels so the drivers could slip sideways aenough to go over switches and not too sharp curves.
Eddie Leave it to Pennsy to develop a 4-4-4-4 to run the 4-track main at Horseshoe Curve. A stunning locomotive -- did Raymond Loewy help with the streamlined design? (I think he did the GG-1 but not sure). Is the model dual-powered (twin motors)? Please post more photos.....thanks again. eNjoy Don B
Hey...thanks for all the nice comments releated to the T-1. I didn't expect the questions! Brass always gets blasted for it's performance? I don't prefer bass over plastic..just trying to get as many PRR steam for my collection. Currently I'm scratch-building a PRR S-2 Turbine. Crazy but lots of modeling enjoyment. Started with a Bachmann 4-8-4. Found the 6 wheeled trucks on a tender that were perfect....the rest is yet to come? I wish I had more pictures right now. I realy don't have a good enough camera to get the good closeups. Read the T-1 article in past Trains Magazine. It was very interesting. Yeh..Raymond Loewy hand a hand in the design. In fact he did from late 1940's thru early 1950's. He did the Bullet K4, passenger cars, GG-1 and little known fact, he designed the bullet look Studebaker car. Busy guy! I fear to remove the body yet and see what's under the hood? As usual, no printed specs come with the engine. I can't imagine more than one engine driving both sets of drivers. One day I'll get bold enough to open? I've aready changed the pilot trucks retaining spring from outside to inside. The y always put the spring tension to force the trucks upward and I found that downward helps the trucks track better. The center screw that holds the pilot trucks has, to my surprise, a free standing nut on the end. My heart almost dropped when the nut fell loose. Not easy to place and hold while replacing the screw without having the body removed! Also I learned the hard way, that the pilot truck center is a 'hair' off center. If not facing the correct direction then the truck frame drags against the front drivers. Yellow dot now marks the front! Did other brass engine make overs to aid performance, that I learned from having a brass PRR M1-a mountain. All in all.....I'm pleased with it! A good Web source for a picture of the actual model is below: (select Locomotive model/steam/brass then 1945 KEY 4-4-4-4 T-1) Whew...sorry to ramp on and write so much. ...Eddie See T-1 model closeup. N-scale Encylopedia
