brass pilot

[tatans]

Rescued a brass 2-8-4 Berk. which needs a new pilot, want bar-type if possible (NKP?) now where and how do I get one, and will it fit when it arrives? found the proper headlight, any help out there? Keith

[orsonroy]

Hi Tatans, and welcome to the forum from a fellow Nickel Plater!

You've got a few ways of getting ahold of a correct NKP slat pilot. Here's what I've found out over the past five years or so of being a "serious" NKP steam modeler:

1) Cannibalize a Rivarossi Berkshire. You can find dead engines on Ebay for $10.
2) Cannibalize an old Hobbyline plastic Berkshire kit (from the 1960s). These can also be foun on Ebay for around $10.
3) Call (not email) Bowser. They bought out the Arbour line of white metal steam kits, and still have some of the parts available. Arbour made a NKP Berkshire. I've bought something like 10 of the correct pilots from Bowser (but I forget what the stock numbers were; sorry!)
4) Call Oregon Rail Supply. The owner, *** Yager, is a bigtime NKP fan, and also sells NKP-related products. He's got the only correct NKP sheet-metal pilot on the market (over runs from an old brass production). He's ordering a large amount of Berkshire detail parts from Life Like, and he might be able to get a few of the pilots. You won't know unless you ask! Tell him Ray from Illinois says hi!
5) Make one yourself. It might not be the simplest solution, but there are several plans out there for NKP engines, that include the pilot you're looking for. Assembling one out of styrene wouldn't be that big of a deal. I'm fabricating the pilot air pump shields out of plastic. You gotta do what you gotta do!

Hope this helps!