3/4" scale, 3-1/2" gauge K4 class 4-6-2 "Pacific"; Pennsylvania Railroad
NOTE: Castings for the Tender Section were produced December 2012. Castings for the Frame Section were produced April 2013. All else in development. Please scroll down!
The elevation drawing of the 3/4" scale, 3-1/2" gauge K4 "Pacific" by H.J. Coventry.
Designed by H.J. Coventry beginning about 1919 and available commercially from the late 1920s until about 1960; design was updated with minor changes circa 1959-1960. Castings in production 2012/2013 for the first time in 50 years. Tender Section now available, December 2012 (see below).
Coal Fired
Walschaert Valve Gear
Piston Valves
Steam Clearances, and Exhaust Ports, "cored" into the cylinder castings. No complex "step boring" or difficult drilling required.
Steam Brakes
Superheater
Hand Pump in the tender; left and right injectors on the engine
5" diameter Copper boiler; silver soldered. Seamless 5" tube may be purchased from suppliers in the UK, or it can be "rolled" from flat copper sheet and the joint silver soldered.
Belpaire Firebox, with cast bronze throat sheet for easier fabrication
Machinery Requirements: 9" or larger lathe (10" lathe recommended), small to medium sized milling machine, drill press, grinder, hand tools.
Estimated Building Time: 3 to 7 years.
The complete set of castings as formerly available from Mr. Coventry is being produced 2012-2013. It will be available for purchase in "sections". The tender section is available for purchase at this time. Please check back on the website often, or join the Friends Models "email list", to be kept abreast of more sections becoming available.
The complete set of drawings is available below, for live steamers who may want to look the project over before buying castings. (If you are outside the USA and would like these drawings shipped to you, please inquire).
A complete castings list may also be seen below.
Thank you for your interest!
Section 1: Frame
Mr. Coventry's K4 uses a steel frame, comprised of left and right frame sections which are 3/8ths inch thick each (which you may purchase locally or online); the frame has various bronze castings attached for functionality, appearance, and overall rigidity of the frame assembly. These frame castings, available in 2013 for the first time in approximately FIFTY years, are exactly the same as were offered by H.J. Coventry for his "K4" beginning back in the 1920s. You CANNOT tell the difference between these, and those cast ALMOST a century ago. It has long been a desire of mine to supply you with castings "today" that are "just like" the ones that live steamers would have received "back then". I hope that I have done so, and that these castings meet with your approval.
The Frame Section for the 3/4" scale K4 "Pacific" by H.J. Coventry is now available. Bronze "sand castings" are made in New England, USA to Mr. Coventry's original (1920's) specifications. Note: trailer truck sideframes are included in this photo for clarity and "good looks", but are not included in the "frame section". They may be purchased with the frame section now, or, with the "trucks" section (to be available approximately June 2013).
Section 1: FRAME
Guide Yoke
Motion Beam
Frame Brace (2)
Draft Casting (drag beam)
Trailer Truck Pivot Bracket
Front Deck
Front Corner Bracket (2)
Trailer Truck Bearer Bracket (2)
Footstep (2)
Front Coupler
The Paypal button on the right is for your K4 "Frame Section" to be shipped to the USA. Note: left and right "trailer truck sideframe" castings (shown in photo for clarity and appearance) NOT included. They may be purchased separately at this time, or, when the "Trucks" section is ready. Please inquire!
(December, 2012): My live steam friends, you wanted the "H.J. Coventry K4" produced, and you wanted the convenience of purchasing in "Sections". So here it is! It is an honor to have produced this for you.
For no particular reason, I produced the tender section first. Mr. Coventry's K4 uses a "Bar Stock" tender frame, which uses lengths of steel or brass angle (available commercially) screwed or riveted to the various frame castings. Steel or "drill rod" axles (also available commercially) run in plain bronze journal boxes which you'll see in the photo below as a "stick of 8". Trucks are sprung and equalized, and can "rock" left and right via the bolster and transom.
The hand pump is NOT Mr. Coventry's original (although it IS in production, and will be shown here soon, for those who want to use EXACTLY the pump Mr. Coventry specified); but rather this is the "Miniature Power Products" hand pump for the 3/4" scale P7 "President Washington". It's double-acting, is higher capacity than Mr. Coventry's, and will provide ample water for when you're stopped (or for emergencies out at the far end of the track). It's also an EXCELLENT casting on which to practice your machining skills. (And it's used for hydro-testing your boiler, too!)
The "Tender Section" for the 3/4" scale K4 "Pacific". These parts have not been cast in FIFTY or more years, and are EXACTLY the same as the castings formerly available from Mr. Coventry during the era from about 1920 to about 1960. All are traditional "sand castings" made in New England, USA.
Section 6: TENDER
Tender Draft Casting (2)
Rear Footsteps at Tender
Front Footsteps at Tender
Body Bolster at Tender (2)
Tender Truck Frames
Tender Truck Bolsters
Tender Truck Transom
Tender Truck Bearings (8)
Tender Truck Wheels (8)
Tender Tank Filler
Hand Pump
Rear Coupler
Castings for the tender cost $795.00 plus $25 shipping to the USA, or plus $45 shipping to Canada. Paypal buttons for USA and Canadian shipping may be seen below, thank you.
If you would like to pay by check, or by credit card but not through Paypal; or, if you desire shipping to a non-US or non-Canadian address, please inquire. Thank you for your interest!
The Paypal button on the right is for your K4 "Tender Section" to be shipped to the USA.
The Paypal button on the left, is for your K4 "Tender Section" to be shipped to Canada.
The H.J. Coventry K4 Pacific in 3/4" scale, 3-1/2" gauge. (Photo by Errol Groff, used with permission).
The 3/4" Scale, 3-1/2" gauge Pennsylvania Railroad K4 class 4-6-2 "Pacific".....the standard locomotive from the "Standard Railroad of the World". Designed by H.J. Coventry in the 1920s. Photo by Bernie Grow.
An example of the H.J. Coventry 3/4" scale, 3-1/2" gauge K4 "Pacific" under steam at Waushakum Live Steamers in Massachusetts, October 2008. This is a slightly modified version of the Coventry original, but the general outline is the same.
The tender, the backhead, the firedoor, and of course....the FIRE! This 3-1/2" gauge 4-6-2 will pull a few adults or several kids.....and will provide all the thrills of small-scale live steam operation that the hobby's pioneers, and those who came later, experienced and enjoyed for decades.
