"Older" Run Bachmann K4...

[strummer]

Hi all; you should have fun with this one!

I just received one of these, sans tender, for a few bucks. It's a pretty thing, with gold striping on the drivers, etc.

Now, I know NOTHING about these locos; my only steam experience has been with more "traditional" types, like Bowser. This apparently has a "split frame" design, as it will run by itself without a tender. However:

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As (I hope) you can see by the photo, the first and #3 drivers have a kind of "mushroom" shape to them, on both sides, so it wobbles like crazy. It's the damnedest thing I've ever seen.

Is this typical? And it there any way of replacing these? A quick check of B-Mann's website only shows drivers for the DCC model, and those are sold out to boot! And how does one go about taking apart this thing? I can find no instructions for disassembly on line...

Thank you.

Mark in Oregon

[dougnelson]

As Bob at Esther's Hobby would put it - is this Horribly Oversized or the Nice people's scale?

Bowser??

[strummer]

Shoot, when I saw "Doug Nelson", I thought "this is gonna be good", as I know he's a Pennsy guy. But only in N scale, I guess.

I put this in the "HO and Larger Scales" because it is HO.

Sorry I didn't mention that right off...

Mark in Oregon

[peteski]

Um, it is posted in the H0 or larger scale forum.
Going by several details it also looks like H0 model to me.
 

[strummer]

Ok here's what I did.

I needed to create some space between the side rods and the drivers' centers. I took off the side rod screws on all 4 of the warped drivers, and installed a washer behind the side rods. I then put the screws back on, but left plenty of space so the rods could clear the drivers. And...

..it worked like a charm! It actually runs quite well, which is typical, I guess, for a split-frame steamer. I know my N scale B-Mann Consol and Kato Mike both run really well, but this is my first HO steamer of this type.

I did contact Bachmann; will see if they can be of any help; I'm not too hopeful, given that this model is fairly old, so parts for it may not exist anymore.

Anyhow, there you go.

Mark in Oregon

[peteski]

I'm glad that you found an easy fix.

Looking at the photo you posted it seems to me that the middle drive also has slightly curved (mushroomed) spokes. Is that an optical illusion?

Was the other side also mushroomed as badly as the side in the photo?

If you look at the back side of the drivers can you tell is the spokes are curved towards the outside of the wheel? I'm wondering if the plastic driver centers were molded that way or maybe the mushrooming was caused by the plastic swelling while being confined by the metal driver.

[strummer]

Thank you.

1. No, the center drivers were ok (both sides.)

2. The other 4 were all equally "mushroomed".

3. I will look and let you know. The plastic used seems very pliable, so it's doubtful there can be a "fix" for those. I can only hope that there's a full set somewhere in Bachmann's basement, and that someone will be able to find it for me. If not, it still runs ok; now to find a matching tender...

Mark in Oregon

[strummer]

Here's a few photos, in case anyone's interested...

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As you can see, it's a nice looking unit, although I'm not sure that "Brunswick Green" is correct; it looks a little blue-ish to me...

Mark in Oregon

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Strummer,
The DGLE (Dare Green Loco Enamel) is I would gestimate a little on the light side but unless it concerns you greatly I would not be too concerned about it. http://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=66_68_665&sort=20a&page=3 Should give you access to the Bachmann Store Parts so you can buy all the parts for a tender. The mushroom bits you are talking about are the wheel counter weights.
Regards

Al

[strummer]

Hey Al.

Thanks for weighing in; I'm not at all concerned about the color (colour? ); was just making an observation.

As far as the drivers are concerned, please note how the spokes are warped coming off the axle and tapering back towards the frame; further research has shown that this was a fairly common issue with the early B-Mann K4s...since I was able to jerry-rig it so it runs, I guess it really doesn't matter too much.

Mark in Oregon

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Mark,

I know where there are two of them that are broken but the tenders are OK. I bought two for a mate to use when looking at the K4 for n Scale. They were just to be used as as guide. I don't know their statue but I may be able to help you there with a tender. As for the wheels I do not know what they are like on the other two.

I can see what you are saying about the wheels. It looks as though the torque was too great for the spokes. I was pretty darn lucky and got a brand new latest run HO Model fitted with DCC for just on $100.00. I doubt if it will ever run but it will sit in a display cabinet and look pretty along with some Branchline Pullman Coaches I have in PRR.

Regards

Al

[strummer]

Hello again Al. 

If somehow a tender could present itself, that would be great!; thanks for looking into that for me.

FWIW, there is currently a similar HO B-Mann K4 on eBay; from the description it sounds like it has the same wheel issue, as the seller describes a "wobble", and is selling it "as is". The pictures are all too blurry to see really anything, but I'll bet the drivers are warped just like mine. Interestingly, the frame on that one says"Bachmann Spectrum Hong Kong" whereas mine says "China", so maybe mine really isn't a "first" run after all...(?)

Mark in Oregon

[Alwyn Cutmore]

Hi Strummer, I have not forgotten your tender. PM me your address so I can get it sent to you. My mate is going to dig one out for me and send it to you. He lives in Michigan. He has two Failed K4s which he is using one of for another project. 

Regards

Al

[strummer]

Thanks very much, Al.

I do appreciate it! 

Mark in Oregon

[peteski]

The mushroom bits you are talking about are the wheel counter weights.
Regards

Al

The way I understood Mark (and what the earlier photos show) is that the spokes are distorted. Instead of the outside surface of the spokes being flat, it is curved. That makes the driver's hub stick out further than the face of the driver's tire.  This has nothing to do with the counterweights.