bachmann n scale streamline K4

[propmeup1]

So what's the good word. You think Bachmann's new K4 will be out by May 31 as I seen listed at TW. 

[randgust]

I want to see how they handled the pilot truck clearance, as the resin shell kit on the Bachmann chassis (really cool by the way) that Keystone made for the 3768 resulted in some VERY tight clearances between the lead truck and the shrouding around the cylinders and the pilot truck.  Everything else cleared OK, but I'm not sure how you compromise that.   From what I can see on the Bachmann web page, their streamline version just ignored it and did a K4 locomotive without it - apparently the 1120 and 3 others that didn't have the front Loewy shroud.  But the 3768 is still the cool one.

[propmeup1]

I di like the 3768 best, very cool looking  vs the other four.   I just noticed the delivery date has been pushed back once again as I was expecting it to be. July 31 this time.

[BuddyBorders]

It looks like at least MBK is showing them in stock. Based on the few posts here, maybe no one has ordered one?

Regards,

Buddy

[cgw]

Got my four units today from MBK.  They run like the previous K4 locos.   Smooth as silk.     sound is Ok. whistle is a little questionable but OK.   Would I buy them again? the answer is yes!  Another hit from Bachman

[bbussey]

The whistle is changeable.

[greenwizard88]

I have #1120 on order. I’ll post first impressions tomorrow, assuming the tracking is accurate.

[greenwizard88]

Just got it.

The wheel in the trailing truck has a blemish, but it doesn't seem to effect operations. The cab window fell out during transit, and the drawbar is some claw shaped thing with a circular clamp at the end. I never understood why you'd need to re-engineer the drawbar, but it seems like everyone tries to. It makes no sense to me.

Anyway, it's exactly as I expected - pretty much a clone of a K4 non-streamlined. The traction tyre is on the center drive wheel, the siderods don't connect to the rear drive wheel so it should be able to navigate very tight turns. The headlight and tender backup lights are bright, and the sound is... well, it could be better, but I haven't tried tuning it yet either. I put it on a circle pulling 9 freight cars, and it ran without issue. The couplers look smaller than older models, but I don't have anything to compare it to right now. They're exactly the same size as Micro-Trains couplers.

Overall, I like it. If you liked the regular K4, this is the same thing, just streamlined. Which, I suppose, is what it should be.

[peteski]

. . .
The couplers look smaller than older models, but I don't have anything to compare it to right now. They're exactly the same size as Micro-Trains couplers.

Really?  No more giant "boxing glove" couplers?  Interesting.

[robertjohndavis]

@greenwizard88 the side rods don’t connect to the rear driver? How does that work?

[greenwizard88]

A few more observations.

The couplers aren't different. They just somehow look smaller compared to the non-streamlined K4. The whole engine feels smaller than its less sleek brethren, and I had to put the two side-by-side to confirm that they really are the same length.

While I was comparing them, I realized the K4 has 2 metal wires built into the drawbar for electrical transfer, plus another bunch of wires for DCC. I figure that this drawbar was originally for a DC model, and retrofitted, where as the drawbar on the streamlined version is designed with the expectation that a bundle of wires will go between the engine and tender for DCC, so it's just some plastic to keep them coupled. I guess it makes sense.

The traction tyres are really thin for this release.

The sound. It's so loud. And I don't have a programming track setup, and because it's still the crappy sound-value decoder I can't program it on the main.

@robertjohndavis , the way Bachmann tools the engine, the rear two wheels are geared, and the drive rods only connect to the front two wheels. IIRC, Rapido implied that by using gears instead of siderods to move the wheels, you get more pulling power and less stress on the mechanism. The way I see it, it's just one less spot for cat hair to collect, and it doesn't impact the model negatively in any way, as far as I can tell.

Now all I need is for Bachmann to make some Fleet of Modernism coaches.

[nickelplate759]

A few more observations.

...
Now all I need is for Bachmann to make some Fleet of Modernism coaches.

And paint their existing PRR observation in Fleet-of-Modernism.

or for someone to make FoM decals (including all those stripes!) in N-scale.

[learmoia]

..... And do ESE and Century versions of the Hudsons..

[mike_lawyer]

I wonder if they are going to do any new runs of a regular K4.  I could really use a couple for my layout.

[greenwizard88]

We f you don’t mind paying close to MSRP, Esther’s hobbies in Pittsburgh and Hobby Express in Cranberry both have some in stock, last time I was there. You could try giving them a call and see if they’ll mail them out.