Accucraft D&RGW K-37 Instruction Manual - page 5
Instruction Manual D&RGW K-37 Live Steam
7
Notes on radio control
Although the K-37 was designed as a
manually controlled locomotive, there
is no reason why radio control (R/C)
cannot be fi tted with some ingenuity.
A two channel radio is all that’s neces-
sary, one for the throttle and one for the
reversing lever. The gas valve should
always be controlled manually. The re-
versing lever will have to be modifi ed
so that it does not lock in position, but
must still have stops at either end of
its throw for proper positioning of the
reversing valve.
Instruction Manual D&RGW K-37 Live Steam
4
4. Unscrew the fi ller plug; which is at
the top of the steam turret inside the
cab and fi ll the boiler with water. The
water level will show in the sight glass
on the boiler’s back head. Fill the
boiler until the water reaches the top
of the glass. (Arrow indicating area in
picture below)
This is a BIG locomotive and it will take
a lot of water. Do not overfi ll the boiler-
there needs to be room above
the water for steam to be formed. Use
only distilled water in your engine’s
boiler. Tap water contains minerals
that will leach out and ultimately affect
the performance of the engine.
5. Finally add the fuel. Your K-37 burns
butane gas. The gas tank is located in
the tender beneath the dummy coal
load. Remove the coal load with the
ring provided. Butane gas can be pur-
chased at the grocery store or at a to-
bacconist’s as cigarette-lighter refi lls.
These will come with a nipple suitable
for the fi ller valve on the K-37’s gas
tank. (Butane can also be purchased
more economically in larger containers
at camping-supply stores, but these
cans will require a special adapter for
fi lling the engine’s tank.) Simply press
the nozzle of the butane canister hard
onto the fi ller valve atop the tank, mak-
ing sure that the control valve is closed.
You will hear the gas transferring and
will see a little gas bleeding out of the
valve. The gas may tend to sputter
a little from time to time while fi lling.
When the tank is full the gas will begin
to sputter a lot and much more gas will
escape the valve. When the gas tank
is full you are then ready to fi re up the
engine. NOTE: Because of the size of
this locomotive and the fact that it has
two burners, a very large gas tank has
been provided, which takes a while to
fi ll completely. If you fi nd that you are
getting relatively short runs and there
is still a lot of water left in the boiler,
chances are that you did not fi ll the
gas tank all the way.
Firing up
The engine’s burners reside at the back
of the fl ues inside the boiler. Open the
hinged smokebox door at the front of
the engine. To light up, strike a match
and hold it at the opened smokebox
door while simultaneously opening the
gas valve in the tender very slowly un-
til the gas ignites. You should hear the
gas coming into the burner. Opening
the valve too wide or too fast may blow
out the fl ame or cause the fi re to burn
in the smokebox.