The word from the Horizon hobby rep for the store I purchase thru, the Cass Scenic version w/sound should be shipping to the shop by the end of November or early December.  Early Christmas present for me!!   I cant wait other than the part of making my wallet lighter.   Mike

Got my K4 today, comes from the production run just prior to the dcc/onboard series, its dcc ready but not dcc equipted.  This is perfect as I have a QSI Revolution thats going in it shortly.  Its beautiful, both running and in the looks dept.  Much nicer than the first run K4 I had years ago.    I do plan to upgrade the headlight to a LED shortly.    Speaking of that, does anybody have a instuction booklet handy and can tell me how the boiler shell comes off?   He had lost the box and books when he moved so I didnt get them.   Thanks   Mike

I have always hoped that Bachmann would produce a follow up model to the PRR K4 locomotive.  A nice small freight engine would be an excellent seller to the small and large layout crowd.  Any one of the numerious H class 2-8-0's would be perfect and they already have the basic drive system.   One of the L class Mikados would also be a welcome addition in plastic at an affordable price.  All we have now are high priced brass,  high priced BLI/PCM engines with sound, hard to fine blueline series engines or bidding wars for old Bowser kit engines for those willing to build and detail them.  I for one would sign up for a couple H8 or H9 class consolidations if produced at an affordable price point with good detail, on par with the current K4 model and with the same running qualities.  The K4 is of a lone wolf in the Bachmann product line, while Bachmann could put the PRR name on some of the other steamers, none have the proper Belpair boiler that screams PRR without ever looking at the name on the tender.  How about it?  How many would sign up for a PRR prototype 2-8-0 in the DCC/Onboard series with running qualities and detail on par with the K4 and NKP Berks produced currently?   I need about 4-5 of them for my PRR layout personaly.    Mike

I can see it being done, but it would have limitations to DCC ready engines and not the earlier runs that lacked this ablity.  I would love to see a replacement chassis to go under say the shell of a PRR K4 that has the quick plug, but not DCC/Sound in it.  Have the chassis preloaded with a Tsunami with proper sounds, downward facing speaker with enclosure.  Then you just swap the shell over, or they could offer the whole tender.  Great upgrade to previous issue K4's that are out there.   But with the headaches of early models and owners trying to upgrade them, the problems outweigh the benefits right now.  Best bet is to ship your models to one of the companies that do sound/dcc installs.  I know of several I could recommend off forum.   MIke

I have put Miniatroncs 3mm yelglow LED's in a few of my DCC and Analog engines, I use the 470ohm resistor on both set ups unless the decoder already has outputs just for LED's  I am working on a trade deal for a recent run K4 with factory DCC.  I will be putting sound in it if I end up with the engine.   Mike

Thanks for the info,  I can upgrade to a LED.  My home layout is DCC, but the club I belong to is analog DC.  If I get a non sound version, I would upgrade it to a QSI Revolution sound board.  I remember my old K4 had a split chassis design like a N scale engine.  Can motor with a worm/flywheel set up.  If there is room for a bit more weight, that helps.  I would love to pick up one of the Diecast MTH or BLI ones, but they are very hard to find in the 1361 road number.   And PRR did run with thier headlights on very early compared to many other roads during the steam era.  Maybe because many miles of urban trackage with lots of road crossings.  If I can get some stuff sold that is excess to my needs, I will pick up a K4 shortly.   Mike

I am in the market for a K4 engine, years ago I had one of early spectrum engines and was disappointed in the pulling power and poor headlight output.  Are the current runs any better, ie what upgrades have Bachmann done to the Pennsy engine since the first ones.  Obviously sound/dcc is one, but I am more concerned with pulling ablities and a decently bright headlight when compared to the first runs. Thanks in advance.  Mike

So how does it run, is it improved over the 2 truck in relation to the drive problems it suffered.  I have one ordered from the LHS in Cass Scenic colors.    Mike

My vote for dream motive power to see in On30 goes as follows, EBT 2-8-2's, Westside 3 truck shay, Westside #2 Heisler ( an excellent choice instead of some unknown prototype) and the Unitah 2-6-6-2 Tank Mallet.    Small power is nice, but how about some larger prototypes like the Shay and the 2-8-2's of the EBT. I really wonder if the 2-8-2 isnt on the book for future production, seeing all the EBT rolling stock that has been made over the years.   Cheers  Mike

I work as the shops repair dept, so I get great deals on stuff so to speak.  I ended up getting one with sound.  I will report on the drive system once I get mine unless someone else beats me to it.   MIke

I went ahead and preordered my 3 truck Climax tonight at the LHS, getting the Cass Scenic #9 as my wife and I plan to head to Cass the first year the Climax goes into operation, hopefully in the next couple years as they are making good progress.  I do hope that Bachmann has taken a very hard look at the drive system and made the necessary improvements over the previous 2 truck design.  Although I am more that capable of upgrading the drive with NWSL parts if it came to that.  For the price, one would hope the drive system would be metal/diecast/brass, rather than engineering plastic.  Hopefully more details come to light about the new Climax as we approach the estimated release date in a couple months.  Anybody else here taking the chance and ordering up one of the new Climaxes for thier logging line?    Cheers   Mike and Michele T

Here is a pic of #14 I borrowed from TnT's website.  My ten wheeler is packed up in the closet while I am building my layout.  Mikie

Thanks for all the research and hard work Johnny!!  I have one of the Train and Trooper ten wheelers (#12 late hobbs) and its a beautifull model to say the least!   I would love to go On30 but was already commited to HOn3 long before the On30 craze hit.   Maybe someone will invent a time machine and we can all go back and take a ride up thru Doe River Gorge and see those little ten wheelers in person.   Cant wait to complete my main line loop so I can start breaking in my little engine, its smooth but with bit of tightness in the way it runs.   She needs to just spend some time running around the loop to bed in the rods and valve motion.  Cheers   Mike

the black you see on the short hood is actualy some paint bleed from the black walkway, need to touch that up, you dont really see it in person, but the camara picks it up.   I had to remove about 1/8 inch of the cast weight to clear the low nose.  I swapped in golden white LED's.  Note to the Bachmann, please put those amber LED's in the trash and get with the program on golden white LED's   They must have a bulk discount rate on unwanted amber ones in China!   

Here is the completed project pic, only needing yellow translucent paint for the bulb being used for the strobe, and a 4 function decoder installed to make it flash.  Cheers   mike