AML PENNSYLVANIA K-4 4-6-2, Instruction Manual, Page: 6 / 12

PENNSYLVANIA K-4 4-6-2
NOTE: Because of the size of this
locomotive and the fact that it has two
burners, a very large gas tank has
been provide, which takes a while to
completely fill.
If you find that you are getting
relatively short runs and there is still a
lot of water left in the boiler, chances
are that you didn’t fill the gas tank all
the way.
Firing up:
The engine’s burners reside at the
back of the flues inside the boiler.
Open the hinged smokebox door at
the front of the engine and you’ll be
able to see both flues.
To light up, strike a match and hold
it at the open smokebox door while
simultaneously opening the gas valve
in the tender very slowly until the
gas ignites. You should hear the gas
coming into the burner. Opening the
valve too wide or too fast may blow out
the flame or cause the fire to burn in
the smokebox.
The fire should flash back into the
back of the flues with a quiet “pop.”
If it wants to burn in the smokebox or
in the forward part of the flues, slowly
close the gas valve until it flashes back
to the burner. Don’t let the fire burn in
the smokebox your engine will not run
as it should and may be damaged.
The fire should burn in crescent-
shaped flames that should be clearly
visible through the smokebox door.
The flames should be bright blue and
should burn steadily. If they sputter or
look yellow or green, adjust the gas
valve accordingly.
The object is to run the burner at the
lowest setting possible to operate
the engine, thereby increasing the
efficiency of the engine and the
duration of the run. You’ll get the hang
of this with practice.
Make certain that both burners have
ignited by looking down the flues at the
fires. If only one burner is lit, simply
strike another match and put the flame
in the smokebox. This should ignite
the second burner. If a burner goes
out while the engine is in operation
(you might be able to tell by the sound
of the fire or by sluggish performance)
it must be manually relit. One burner
will not automatically ignite the other.
After ten or twelve minutes, pressure
on the pressure gauge should read
about 20 psi (pounds per square inch)
or so. The safety valve is set at 60
psi. When the pressure on the gauge
reaches 40 psi, the engine can be run.
5