Rumors of Bachmann N Scale K4

[Dave V]

Meh, as long as they clear code 55 rail I'm good.  I can always Neolube the treads and flanges of the pilot wheels to tone them down.  It's not like they contribute to traction anyway.

Seriously, are we doing this again?  Let's at least wait until someone has one in hand.

Frankly, yes, I could probably sit and pick nits with any number of flaws on the loco in the picture, but:

1)  We've been begging for a K4 for decades, and I don't see anything on this engine (assuming it's a production engine) that is a fatal, unfixable flaw.

2)  Bachmann uses those big McHenrys...  That's a known quantity, so why act surprised or disappointed?  I'm sure within a week of these things in the shevles, there'll be a nice tutorial on replacing the McHenry with an MTL Z scale coupler both on the slat pilot and on the drop coupler pilot versions.

3)  The $399 price...consider that it'll probably hit the streets at $300-ish, and that's still with DCC and sound.  After-market DCC and sound will cost around half that value anyway.

Long overdo , and as a plus a source for a delta trailing truck . Now as a note , the DLGE version so shinny with the spokes so rusty will be an easy enough fix ...........I hope Bachmann realizes that is unrealistic for a working K4 , and should leave the weathering to the purchasers discretion in the future .

I don't think the driver spokes are meant to look rusty.  I'm pretty sure those are the spoke pinstripes, as on their HO model:



That does look ham-handed, I'll grant you...but I certainly wouldn't want to attempt pinstriping on driver spokes in N any more than anyone else I'd wager.  Slap some Neolube on 'em to tone 'em down.

Maybe this thing is a mechanical turd; I don't know.  None of us knows.  But appearance-wise, I don't see any issues I can't fix, nor do I see any that I really want to fix right away.  And as for the mechanical part, I know Bachmann can be hit-or-miss, but with my recent acquisition of a Bachmann 4-6-0 (serving as Colorado Midland Railway #34) I feel very comfortable with my chances of getting a gem.

Call me a Bachmann fanboy if that's what it sounds like, but I will not be ungrateful for this.

For you non-SPFs, as you go about your merry way disparaging the ungrateful SPFs who chose to bash this engine--our holy grail--upon its initial announcement, please be sure to note the exception of one Dave Vollmer.

[muktown128]

I'm with Doctor Dave on being grateful for this loco.
I've certainly made enough comments about wanting a K4.
I'm surprised there were no rumors of this announcement.
I think this will be released before the BLI M1.
I look forward to getting one or more of these in my hands.
I'll probably change the front coupler to an MT905.
I'm glad they are offering pre-war and post-war versions.
I would like to see a painted / unlettered or un-numbered version also.

I need to start selling stuff to raise the funds to purchase these.
I need to upgrade some Lima / Model Power P70 coaches now.
Maybe Bachmann will offer some new P70's 

Scott

[Kuchler10]

nyway.

Maybe this thing is a mechanical turd; I don't know.  None of us knows.  But appearance-wise, I don't see any issues I can't fix, nor do I see any that I really want to fix right away.  And as for the mechanical part, I know Bachmann can be hit-or-miss, but with my recent acquisition of a Bachmann 4-6-0 (serving as Colorado Midland Railway #34) I feel very comfortable with my chances of getting a gem.

Call me a Bachmann fanboy if that's what it sounds like, but I will not be ungrateful for this.

For you non-SPFs, as you go about your merry way disparaging the ungrateful SPFs who chose to bash this engine--our holy grail--upon its initial announcement, please be sure to note the exception of one Dave Vollmer.

I agree with Dave. While being a newcomer to the PRR N Scale party, I have waited a few years for something like this. Not that I had a stash of $400, but I can work it out. I bought a Berkshire as my first sound-equipped loco and I don't get why people call it "junk". It sounds great (haven't heard much else, but still), performance is pretty good once I used John Colombo's CV adjustments (albeit still a bit jerky) and the thing pulls 30+ on flat track. I have very little to complain about it, and if people call it "junk", then I am very excited for future Bachmann steam. If the K4 performs as the Berk does, then it will probably drop in price. I got my Berk new for $175. If it's better, then we have a great running, looking, modern, factory DCC and sound K4. The nitpickers can pick on it all they want, but would you rather start with this or a Minitrix for adjustments/ improvements? Or start with the brass at 400+ and then get the sound decoder, install the thing and repaint it? I think I know your answer. It is a welcome release for me, although not top priority for my roster. An L1 or I1 (and the M1, BLI) would have been more welcome, but I will buy nonetheless. It will just have to pull a coal drag, and at shows I can put it ahead of the Kato Broadway Limited. It will be decent enough and if you want to see an improved second run, buy a first one. If this wasn't the one you were waiting for like me, buy it anyway. Buy, buy, buy. Prove that it's feasible.

[Dave V]

Where's the N&W one???

http://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=91279
http://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=11696
http://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=11876
http://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=69779

They were not K4s.  The N&W ones were K3as.  The firebox on the K3a was smaller, and the K3a drivers were 72", versus the 80" drivers on the K4sa.

[CBQ Fan]

How do these match up with the Kato Broadway limited?

[eric220]

How do these match up with the Kato Broadway limited?

Not too well; practically an Eds Law situation. By the time the cars represented by the Kato Models were introduced, the BL was running under diesel power. Additionally, for a train that length, they probably would have to be double headed.

[nscaler711]

I'm with Dave on this too,
Cause damn some of you guys are already nitpicking the damn thing and its not even out yet...
Look at the Spectrum 2-8-0, that thing is a running machine, and its a clear winner for small steam, I doubt the K4 will be bad At all... If there's one thing Bmann actually knows, its Steam Locos... Even their train set steamers aren't junk even if they do look it... *cough* 4-8-4 *cough*
The lot of you that are already complaining about it, you should be ashamed...

I'm even excited for this loco, and I don't even model the PRR...
What's even worse is the new Kato Announcement thread turned into a K4 discussion before the Bmann announcement and now you get what you've been wanting since the Minitrix release and you are tearing it too bits...
So either buy one, or don't. Or just continue to search for a Minitrix release and upgrade those...
And good luck with that cause those need more work than the Bachmanns will... If any...

Hell I get it its not easy being a prototype modeler, I love my SD75Ms and Genesis series locos, but nobody has made those perfectly either... Especially the SD75Ms, hell the last run of those were in 2008 and they are dated... None of them are remotely DCC friendly, but yet I am happy with the 5 I do have, and will continue to be happy with them until either Athearn improves them or someone else like Kato decides to make them... Which I doubt will happen...
As for the Genesis, I'd love to see a AMD-103, and a more modern P42 with bolt on nose and other various details, but for now I'm stuck with Katos only variant... And in paint schemes that shouldn't be on that variant... But I'm still happy with them, cause they are awesome running locos... That look pretty good too...

Not every model will be perfect, its up to you to make it perfect, otherwise where is the modeling in this hobby?

[Dave V]

Not too well; practically an Eds Law situation. By the time the cars represented by the Kato Models were introduced, the BL was running under diesel power.

True 'nuff, but hopefully by this time next year I'll be running my BL with an M1 (also Ed's law, though perhaps less so) and my MTL heavyweights (with a few Hell Gate B60s for good measure) with a K4, and will have set my calendar back temporarily to 1948.

[bbussey]

... Seriously, are we doing this again?  Let's at least wait until someone has one in hand. ...

I couldn't agree more.

The models in the ad are pilot models, given that the ad had to have been submitted at least three months ago. It makes little sense to criticize the project based on ad photos that are months old and possibly retouched as well.

[peteski]

I couldn't agree more.

The models in the ad are pilot models, given that the ad had to have been submitted at least three months ago. It makes little sense to criticize the project based on ad photos that are months old and possibly retouched as well.

I can see how bitching about a model not yet seen might be considered counterproductive or downright nasty, but look at it from another angle: Bachmann has a long standing record of poorly-designed models and very spotty production quality.  Do you really expect this thos model to any different than all the other recent steam loco models?  Let's put it this way: It ain't now way going to be like Kato Mikado - which to many serious steam modelers and tinkerers is so far the Holy Grail of N scale steam loco designs.  And even if its design was as good as that loco, the quality of materials, production tolerances, and quality of assembly will not be there.  Even with a pretty paint job, gobs of details and a fancy (low-end) sound decoder, that pig is still Bachmann (with a price of a Kato).

Just being a realist here...

[bbussey]

It's still counterproductive at this point. It's not as if the model is in pre-production. It will be on the market in a few weeks. The model will be assessed then, as it should be.

[Puddington]

For what it's worth my Bachmann Connie is far and away better than the two Kato shelf queen Mike's I have.... neither run worth a damn.... I always giggle at the "holy grail" comment about Kato Mike's - mine just show everyone has a few lemons.... I hope Bachmann hits a home run with this and until shown otherwise I will assume it will be....

[Dave V]

Do you really expect this model to any different than all the other recent steam loco models? 

Like the 4-6-0?  The 2-6-0?  Or perhaps the EM-1.  Dunno.  Seems they've had some good ones lately.

Just being a realist here...

One man's realist is another man's curmudgeon.  I still don't--and never will--understand the compulsion to bash something that no one even owns yet.  In my mind that applies to everything that hasn't hit the shelf yet, regardless of manufacturer.

[pjm20]

Pre-war! Thank you Bachmann! Time to get some decals and renumber like 20 of these.  Price is going to hurt, but that's what Ebay and BLW are for.  Man this makes modeling 1930 so much easier, just the fact that they can offer the pre-war slat pilot as a part is a blessing in itself. I sure hope Bachmann makes this model right, because if they do they are in for some serious cash flow.

[peteski]

Like the 4-6-0?  The 2-6-0?  Or perhaps the EM-1.  Dunno.  Seems they've had some good ones lately.

One man's realist is another man's curmudgeon.  I still don't--and never will--understand the compulsion to bash something that no one even owns yet.  In my mind that applies to everything that hasn't hit the shelf yet, regardless of manufacturer.

I haven't said a single negative word about this long-awaited model.    I simply tried to show why people (including me) don't have much hopes for Bachmann when it comes to quality design and  execution.  There are Cadillacs and there are Ford Pintos out there as far as N scale manufacturers go (yeah I know, those are some old examples of cars). As far as my opinion goes, Bachmann is more like a Pinto than a Caddy.  Ok, maybe not as bad as a  Pinto but a Maverick. 

I won't be buying this model as I have no need for it, but it will be interesting to see how good it will be. Of course, as usual, I expect some modelers to say that it is the best thing since slice bread, while others will not be happy with its overall quality.