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South Jersey S Scale Modelers

PRR K4 3768

This is an American Model Pacific made to look like the streamlined PRR K4 3768. Finding “new to me” locos or cars I would want now is getting difficult. Also by far most of these locos were made as Hi Rail so seeing a loco with scale wheels in Brunswick Green in almost new condition was a bit rare. This loco was made when American Models was doing business in China. It is not listed as being available on their website now.

 

It is not supposed to be the very best model of 3678 ever made. It was made more for the American Flyer operators as something different.

 

I am generally not into streamlined steam including the Reading G3 for the Crusader and even the PRR T1, but I liked this one. This is and will likely be my only streamlined loco especially since no others are made in S Scale anyway.

 

This real 3768 was well photographed.

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There are a few unique design things about this loco. While it looks like a steam loco model it is actually more like a diesel. On most steam loco models the side rods drive the other wheels from the driven axle. On this loco the side rods are purely ornamental. The axles are geared to each other. Further the side rods are electrically live on both sides.

 

This was not going to be a big project, mostly just get it set up for DCC. The first thing that had to go was the American Flyer style smoke and chuff unit. Since I was installing a sound decoder it had to go. It is mechanical so there is no way to turn it off. I should have taken a photo while it was still in the loco but did not. It really is almost identical to most A C Gilbert American Flyer locos with the smoke unit in the loco.

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I was surprised that the loco shell was die cast making it rather heavy. Once the smoke unit was removed there is a LOT of room available for the decoder and speaker. Note I am using a TSC decoder and Soundtraxx Current Keeper. I like the TSC decoders better, but the Soundtraxx Current Keeper has a huge electric storage capacity. The speaker is a RailMaster DLG8 which is my most used speaker if I have room. I used my usual 3MM LED for the headlight. I had to make a bushing from plastic tubing to hold the LED in place.

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The original tender wheels were rather odd. I was getting continuity and some shorting readings with my electric meter. There was rubber tubing on 4 of the 6 axles. I could not figure if they were split axles. The wheels were code 125 which I don’t like anyway so the easiest thing was to replace them with code 110 NWSL wheels. I bent the pickup wipers up on the insulated side. Good to go.

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Completed 12-11-22

 

I glued brass angle to the cab wall and added Artista crew figures. That is the only change in appearance that I made.

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Updated 12-14-22

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