K-Line PRR B-1 BoxCab "Rat" engine

[Bob.M]

Just got my B-1 from Pat's trains in W.Virginia. Nice little engine. It was part of the early electric engine history around New York City. To avoid running the steam engines thru the tunnels, the B-1 would come along and pull the passenger cars from New Jersey to Penn Station. My father took some pictures of them way back when. I think I have a very poor quality picture of one at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. Maybe it is a slightly different model, as it has only 1 pantograph.

One thing I need to get used to is the lack of sound when in neutral. All my other engines make some kind of "hum". Even while running, it is a quiet engine.

[SantaFe158]

Those K-Line units are nice, not a true B-1 but nice. This is my Lionel BB1 set (two B1s coupled together), there's quite a few differences. That K-Line unit is technically based on a diesel used in the logging industry (actually it's based on the Postwar Lionel 520 unit), but it's prototype was the diesel.

[sir james I]

I have one, it's a good looker but gives ho-hum performance. I have to run mine in reverse(engineer facing the train)because the front trucks derail on some of my GarGraves switches. It has a small motor and no flywheel so keep the trains short.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob.M]

sir james I

...  the front trucks derail on some of my GarGraves switches.

I have noticed a few derailments due to the front trucks while going thru Lionel O-22 switches as well. Hopefully I will come up with a solution for that. Maybe to remove them?

I notice that in reverse, the anti-derailment feature of the O-22 switches does not work initially due to the rubber tire on one of the wheels. The switch will throw eventually when triggered by the trailing front wheels, but that may be too late.

It has an odd way of stopping when you remove power with the reverse button. If it is not pulling anything, it stops so fast the rear lifts up off the tracks. Not a problem (yet).

One problem I have already solved is how it would stop on O-22 switches, losing contact to the return path through the wheels. The wheels, and the couplers are painted with non-conductive paint. After I sandpapered the wheels, and coupler, it keeps going. The coupler provides an additional "ground" connection by way of whatever car it is pulling.

SantaFe: Thanks for the picture of your BB1. They look a lot more like the B-1 in Strasburg:

[ Image removed by Bob.M ]

This is a poor quality picture I took with a disposable camera. The original picture I had in this message was replaced by the owner with a message about copyrights. I just don't understand. He has a website which I am sure he would like you to visit, but if I put one of the fotos here, where I do not make a dime from its inclusion, he gets all upset.

 

The K-Line model has different windows. I intend to use it only for pulling a small number of cars.

[Bob.M]

I see that Ready Made Trains is listing the Boxcab in their catalog. It looks just like the K-Line model. Price is $140 versus the $90 for the K-Line. From their pre-production pictures, I can't tell if it has the 2 "loose" front wheels. It looks like 4 wheels located in the corners of the engine. They say it will have 2 motors. I guess the K-Line model has only one.

One question though: Did the Pennsylvania RR ever operate one of these? What I find at Wikipedia implies that GE made them for the Chilean Exploratory Co. for mining operations.

[Seayakbill]

I have K-lines Great Northern version, a pretty good runner, I have not had the derailing problems through Gargraves or Ross switches. It seems that RMT's listed prices are higher than K-Lines listed prices ( Chinese Inflation ? ), will be interesting to see what the dealers prices will be. I paid $69 for the Great Northern version which I think was the first one offered by K-Line.

[Papa_D]

Hi

I have both the K-Line version and the original Lionel 520.  While the K-Line version is much better looking, the 520 is a vastly superior puller.  I've up-graded my 520 with a Dallee E-Unit, frosted windows, porthole "windows" made for F-3's and an ornamental horn.  As soon as I find a suitable set of 4 lenses I'll add directional headlights just like the K-Line version.

The 520 has a reputation of the front truck causing a lot of derailments.  Many operators just remove them.  I haven't had this problem, and my layout has a lot of O-27 turnouts.

 

Papa-D

[Bob.M]

I saw this CN 6714 Z1-a Class boxcab at a local Trolley museum. It looks a lot like the K-Line B-1. Not sure what the wheel arrangement is. I need to take another look at it.

Here it is from another angle: