If Santa Fe had some, then we can at least say they were being built pre-1995.

I don't think any of us knows what would be a marketable model in N scale, and many manufacturers don't seem to know either. I have to wonder, e.g., whether Bachmann actually announced the Decapod before considering the size of the motor.  Why would they do that? Seems like you'd want to know you could actually produce it before you announced it! It's just as possible that there wasn't enough of a demand for it, and the lack of a small motor was just a smokescreen.  So, why not announce a K4 and see what the demand really is? If the answer is that there isn't enough of a demand, then maybe some of us will shut up.

One of the benefits of the pre-order system (which Atlas uses, for example) is that the manufacturer has a better idea of what's maketable. LL/Walthers did not use this system with the Berkshire, and as a result they overproduced them.  But the 2nd and 3rd runs of the 2-8-8-2 were pre-ordered and sold out very soon.  Bachmann generally does not use this system, which makes the introduction of a new model more risky, but seemingly they've done well anyway.  However, within a few months of the first run of 44T's, you could buy a one new for $55. Does that mean Bachmann made no profit from it? I don't think so.  We'll never know, but a LL Berkshire for $70 may only represent leftover stock from overproduction with Walthers making a profit anyway from the total  number they produced.

Bachmann's job is to figure out the market. Our job is to advocate for what we want in order to help them figure out the market!  Thanks for keeping this thread alive!

Chris333 shows how to trim the Z coupler here: http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=53917&whichpage=11&SearchTerms=44T

Tony, how did you make the little "lips" on the tops of the bunker sides? I might try putting bunker extensions on some model tenders, if I could figure that out.

There's also a Mayfield (neighborhood name, not incorporated) in Middletown OH. It could be a suburban stop for Cincinnatti commuters. That would put both the B&O and NYC in play.

OK, Bachmann, here's the deal. You make a very good K4 in HO scale, but you perhaps think sales in N scale wouldn't support an N version. But note that in HO scale there are at least 4 manufacturers who have produced or currently produce K4 models (Bachmann, MTH, BLI and Bowser). The Trix N model is way out of date and not very good in terms of detail. Forget it as far as competition goes. The field is wide open for you! Almost every modeler who would buy a K4 would buy two, since they often ran double-headed. With a diecast boiler (maybe with separately applied Belpaire firebox?), traction tire and all wheel pickup, there's no way this thing would fail anyone's performance test.

Is the decoder that's used in the 44T small enough? Bachmann uses their own decoders, as I understand it, and other brands are not options. However, I agree with calls for a smaller tender. Here's the shell of a Model Power 2-6-0 tender on the Bachmann Spectrum slopeback chassis.  Bachmann could use the same chassis and would just have to tool a new shell.

However, there's a typo in the address should read ".com" not "_com". Here's the corrected URL: http://www.bachmanntrains.com/2010_NMRA.pdf

You're right in general, Mark. Usually the smaller locomotive led on doubleheaders, and the usual doubleheading with the J was with 1218. But there were exceptions, e.g. the photo below. I also recall the J running behind NKP 587, but that was a tripleheader. It may have run with 587 on other occasions--or maybe with NKP 765--but I don't remember.

The 611 ran doubleheaded on excursions occasionally. The J's did not run very often with aux tenders in steam days, so I imagine excursions are what sp4449lover is aiming for.

EDIT: the disance between the pilot and the rear of the canteen (aux tender) is 11.25 inches. It may be 1/4" or so more, depending on your connections between the engine, tender and auxiliary tender. I used the closest drawbar hole engine to tender and Unimates between the two tenders.

I believe that LL did the C&O sand dome placement correctly on their HO 2-8-4's, so it's not just a case of who makes it, but how much regard the manufacturer has for N scale. If you want a correct C&O Kanawha (sp?) just renumber an incorrect one to the high 2600 series (ex-PM).  For example: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/co/co-s2697dsa.jpg

I followed Chris' method, the only dfference being that I drilled out the trip pin holes to accept an N scale trip pin.

Do you mean Model Power Mikado? I'm not aware of any recent Bachmann 2-8-2. If you do mean Model Power, then I can tell you a bit about it. It's a pretty good runner, but it has no factory installed traction tire. The tender is 4 wheel pickup only. I don't have insulated switches, so I can't comment on that.

The L1 and K4 boilers are not exactly the same. They have the same dimensions, and the steam dome appears to be the same, but the sand dome and piping are not identical. These are minor points as far as tooling goes, I suppose, but the mechanism and tender would have to be new and different.

Whatever, let's get some K4's soon! They often ran doubleheaded, so some of us will need plenty of them! There are prewar and postwar versions, different tenders, paint schemes (including one Tuscan) and eras. Lines West had headlights in the middle of the smokebox in the 20's. There are other variations as well, so Bachmann could sell many of these. I'd say that it's a "no-brainer" except that Bachmann does have brains. I expect an announcement this year!!