Our subject is a well-used PRR 4-8-2. The nickle plate is worn off the drivers and it has been repaired in several spots, but the wheels turn when you apply power, it has pretty good detail, and I could afford it.

Here is  a perfect example why you should not hard-wire everything.  From the smokebox front to the back of the tender, everything is tied up.  I can't separate the tender and loco to work on them separately.

Step 1.

Lay it in on its back in a cloth cradle and check the wheel gauge with an NMRA gauge. Perfect!  I have never seen tender trucks like those and have no idea how to add electrical pickups.  I'll think of something.

While it is there, I determine which drivers are insulated and mark it. The right side gets a dab of red craft paint. If the frame picks up from the right side, I mark the gearbox with another dab of red. In the rare case the frame pickup is on the left, I mark the gearbox with black. (Yeah, I know the frame is also black – I can see the different black of the acrylic paint.)