The Eddystone Lehigh Valley roster now has some flesh on the bones with
3 production locomotives currently available. The next LV steamer will
be class K5 Pacifics, from 1916. The LV K5 locos were an excellent design,
the result of a close collaboration between Baldwin, and the LV Mechanical
Department.
There were 30 of them, built 1916-1917, # s 2100 - 2129. With 74"
drivers, they were originally fast freight locomotives. Freight Pacifics
were used by the Lackawanna, and further away railroads such as the Atlantic
Coast Line. They hauled shorter freights, at passenger train speeds, perishables,
and merchandise freight being their area of expertise. Later, as faster,
eight wheeled freight power became available, the K5s were assigned to
passenger work-particularly where their lower drivers could be used to
best advantage. Their boiler was so good it was repeated for use on the
N4 Mikados, and the K5s lasted until the end of main line steam on the
Lehigh. The overall design remained in tact, only slight changes occurred
through the years, attesting to the excellence of their design.
I chose the K5 from amongst several LV Pacific possibilities for a number of reasons. They have very good looks, and are distinctly LV with their tender, cab, twin sandboxes, smokebox front, and many other construction details. Also, the lower drivers are much easier to get than the more typical 77" Pacific drivers. The project is in the early phase of development, and you should check with this website for announcement of prices and availability. Order an N4 in the mean time ! You'll be glad you did. By the time the K5 is ready, you'll be ready for more, and then you'll have two very good looking, very able medium sized LV steamers on your roster. The K5 will be the next to last LV steam Production loco I expect to offer.
The LV K5 Pacifics are being developed from Baldwin and LV company drawings, photos, and the help of a man who ran them and remembers them well.
The models will use Bowser frame and drivers, and rods. They will have
either Eddystone's As 36 or As 28 drive-your choice. Crew, coal tools
and MV Products lenses are standard. You may order light or heavy weathering,
and Digitrax or Soundtraxx T'sunami decoders as options if you like.