What's the difference?

XavierJ123

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Dec 17, 2004
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Lexington, Kentucky
What's the difference between a K4 4-6-2 (pre-war with Slat Pilot) and (post-war with modern pilot)? I have looked at pictures of the steam locomotives side by side and for the life of me can not see a difference. Am I blind? It's like one of those puzzles that you see in the comic strip where the cartoonist ask you to pick out the 6 differences between the two cartoons. I can do that---most of the time---but this one eludes me. :confused:
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Mar 25, 2002
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Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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Xavier:
The pilot is the slang term for a cowcatcher -- the pointed thing at the bottom front of the loco. Have a look at the front view.
A slat pilot will have strips of metal going across or up and down. The modern pilot may be a solid metal casting. (Upgraded when cars became heavier than cows.) There are also boiler tube pilots made out of? that look like pipes welded together.