Erie K5a Pacific

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Brian Tusin
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:25 am
Location: Austintown Ohio

Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Brian Tusin »

I am starting a 1.5 scale Erie K5a Pacific using Little Engines parts. I have been collecting parts for the engine since earlier this year. Yesterday I just made the trip out to Mike Venezia's in Lancaster Pa to get my laser cut frames and some castings, and Mike has provided great service. The first trailing truck frame I had and started to machine had a problem. Mike exchanged the bad one for a new one. It was an aluminium one and he let me get a brass one for a small extra charge. You can not ask for any one better to deal with then Mike. I also dropped the drive wheels and cylinder block off to Andy Pullen to have him machine them since I do not have a big enough lathe to do the wheels. With the cylinder block and my limited experience I did not want to screw that up.

I have not made any parts yet other then starting to machine the first trailing truck. Hopefully within a couple weeks I will start machining the frames. I am going to put Baker Valve gear on the engine like the real Erie K5a's had. Here are some pictures of a couple castings and the frames. I also have all the castings for the lead and trailing trucks, cylinders, and the brakes. As I make and machine parts I will post pictures here.

Image

Image

Image

Brian
Andypullen
Posts: 2165
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Andypullen »

It was nice to finally meet you, Brian.

I have the drawings ready to scan that you need. I also found the AAR standards for rods and will scan those to incorporate into the basic design....

Andy Pullen
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
Brian Tusin
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:25 am
Location: Austintown Ohio

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Brian Tusin »

It was nice to meet you too Andy.

That sounds good.

Here is a picture of the engine I am going to model. I will have the long tender behind mine, not the short tender. I will also have spoked drivers on #1 and Box Poc on #2 and #3.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/loco/erie-s2935abd.jpg

Brian
JohnHudak
Posts: 1140
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 2:18 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by JohnHudak »

Looking good Brian, keep us posted on your progress...
John
Rob Gardner
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:27 am
Location: Newbury, OH

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Rob Gardner »

Brian, these engines were basically USRA Heavy Pacifics?

Rob
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kenrinc
Posts: 708
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:11 pm
Location: SF Bay Area

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by kenrinc »

Brian,

Nice choice for prototype. You don't happen to know the center to center distance of that trainling truck do you? The distance from the axle center to the pin connection with the frame at the spreader?

Looks like a later model Delta but could be modified. Nice looking casting.

Ken-
Brian Tusin
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:25 am
Location: Austintown Ohio

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Brian Tusin »

I have not been able to do much until the past week on the Pacific. I rough turned the pilot truck wheels last weekend and I am currently in the process of making all 30 of the pins for the suspension. Last Saturday I finally got my 9 inch Southbend lathe. I have been getting used to the new lathe by starting with something simple. Instead of starting with the frame for the engine I am going to complete the pilot and trailing trucks. Andy Pullen is almost done with the wheels for me, so I figured I would be a lot more motivated to finish the frame if it can be a rolling chassis the instant I finish machining it. Here is a pic of the first suspension pin. I still have to drill holes in the end for the cotter pins. My goal is to have the pilot and trailing truck machined and rolling by the end of the year.

Image

Rob, sorry for taking so long to answer. The Erie K5's were USRA Heavy Pacific's.

Brian
Rob Gardner
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:27 am
Location: Newbury, OH

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Rob Gardner »

Nice!

Can't wait to see it come together. I'm sure you've seen Bob Dean's K-5 down in Florida, right? Mighty nice K-5! I can see why you would want to build one!

Rob
Marty_Knox
Posts: 1723
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 6:50 pm
Location: Michigan, USA

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Marty_Knox »

Brian, the short tenders were used for North Jersey commuter trains. Somewhere I have a lot of pictures of them. I believe the Erie had the only USRA Heavy Pacifics.
Brian Tusin
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:25 am
Location: Austintown Ohio

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Brian Tusin »

Marty, I have seen pics of the K5a's with the cast frames and all the upgrades with the short tender and others with the long tenders. I have never known why there would be a certain tender with an engine. Thanks for the info. I want to do one with the long tender and one cross compound pump on the side of the boiler. I want to put an Elesco feedwater heater on it, but trying to cut the smokebox and smokebox front to fit the heater would not be easy.

Rob, I have seen picture of Bob's K5a. It is beautiful! I had the chance to go see it last February but I did not go. Mine will not be a museum piece like his, I know that for a fact! If mine comes close to looking like Brian Keim's LE pacific I will be happy.

Brian
Andypullen
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Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Andypullen »

Here are Brian's wheels. 2 of the BoxPok wheels had porosity in the tread at the flange. Brian decided to have me machine them so he could fit tires to them.

Andy Pullen
Attachments
Tusin drivers2.jpg
Tusin drivers3.jpg
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
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Fender
Posts: 3084
Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 8:33 pm
Location: Chattanooga TN

Re: Erie K5a Pacific

Post by Fender »

Andy,
I like the way you have the drivers overlapping, kind of like on the "Soul Train"! Now, that would be a cool model....
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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