The K-27 tender trucks have a price of $25. Is that price for a pair of trucks or for a single truck? Thanks. John Lyans

Hans at Gold Coast Station has them. Great price.

BACHMANN,
1:20.3 K-27 LOCOMOTIVE #83099
UNLETTERED (BLACK)
LIST $1650.00  SALE PRICE $595.00
OTHER K-27s AVAILABLE - CALL FOR PRICE                                                       

Ventura Store:                                                                   
2500 Knoll Drive, Unit "B"                                                                       
Ventura, CA 93003 
(805) 650-8893
Thur 11:30 am - 6:00pm , Fri  11:30 am - 5:00 pm and Sat 10:30 am - 4:00 pm (PST.)

Tehachapi Store:
426 N. Curry St.
Tehachapi, CA 93561
Phone (661) 822-5026

FRI-SAT-MON-TUE-WED 11AM TO 5PM

SUNDAY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

You use rechargeable batteries in the engine to power the motor and control the voltage with a radio receiver and transmitter. I would advise sticking with track power to begin. If you go to a club meet someone will probably be using radio control and they can show you how their system works.

I have had nickel silver track in my backyard since 1993 it is still in great shape.  My oldest track is Micro Engineering NS, code 250, http://microengineering.com/products_rail.htm. I also have some Llagas Creek NS, code 250 that is about 6 years newer. http://www.llagastrack.com/#railmaterials. They both work great. I still run some track powered trains but I find myself increasingly preferring R/C battery operation. When I do want to run track power I just brush the dirt and leaves off the track and find that I don't have to scrub the rail until it's shiny to get it to conduct the current.

My track just floats and I use decomposed granite for ballast. (For a backwoods, narrow gauge look).

Good luck in planning and building your railroad.

John Lyans

Yes, I have installed the Airwire and Phoenix combination in the Bachmann K-27 and it works great. I was just thinking that if the new Tsunami would work it would cost quite a bit less. As Kevin mentioned, it remains to be seen how well the Tsunami's effects such as the load/speed-sensitive chuff volume and other things that rely on motor draw will work. 

I am happy that there are those here that have R/C and DCC knowledge and are willing to share their experiences.

John Lyans

Thanks for for that information. I was afraid that it would be a little more complicated than just using a sound only board.

John Lyans

Kevin,

Do you know if  the soon-to-be released 4 amp Tsunami sound board can be used with Airwire radio control? Something along the lines of using the Airwire receiver to control the motor, lights, etc. while using the Tsunami strictly for sound? The Soundtraxx unit looks to be about half the price of a Phoenix board which would make installing sound in the C-19 much more affordable..

Thanks,
John Lyans

I just installed Rodney Eddington's gearbox between the factory Pittman motor and the existing Bachmann gearbox on my K-27 #455. I also added some lead to the engine.  At full voltage, (19 volts), the engine moves along at just over half of it's original speed. At 14 volts, (the voltage I intend to use to RC/battery control), the speed is much more realistic with way better torque. It will pull 10 cars up a curving 4% grade barely slowing. It's more like starting up in 1st gear instead of 3rd gear. Before the conversion the engine would slow way down on even modest curves and then would take off like a rocket on the straight track. Now only minor voltage changes are needed if at all to control the speed. With this new gearbox the engine runs very smooth with only slight gear noise. I uploaded a video to Youtube from my phone. The noise you can hear is from a plane that I didn't notice while I was shooting the clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGENcVgSbv0

If anyone is interested in this modification Rodney Eddington can be contacted at:
http://www.randkrailroadproducts.com/

I know that Rodney has been working on this project for two years and I am really happy to have a solution for the gear ratio problem. This brings the ratio close to what I think Bachmann originally intended. The K-27 is such a beautiful engine. I think this gearbox will help the K-27 to run as good as it looks.

John Lyans

I picked up one of the new Spectrum, 1:20.3 long cabooses today. Bachmann has really raised the bar on this one.  The dimensions look good, the detail is great, and the interior is fantastic! The car even rolls well. Well done Bachmann.

John

If the price is that good.....I can understand that.  The Anniversary 4-6-0 is a great runner and a terrific value even if Sam's Club doesn't have them. I can sure live without those paint jobs though. But that is just my opinion.

QuoteI find it unconscionable, that there will be no new large scale Christmas train offered by Bachmann this year.

Bachmann only produces a "Sam's Club" set if Sam's Club contracts with them to provide the set.

I don't understand why folks are so enamored of this set every year. You can go to a hobby store and purchase a new set every year if you want and not have to repaint the gaudy colors as many do.  I've also seen really nice Anniversary 4-6-0's in basic black or other road names with the full valve gear for about $99 - 120 available from various retailers. And they run around the Christmas tree just as well.

Maybe someone can explain their passion for these sets?

Hello Bach-mann,

I was just wondering if there has been any discussion or if there are any plans to address the problem of the 15:1 gear ratio on the K-27?  My K-27 runs smoothly but I can't run it double-headed with my Accucraft K-27 because the gearing is too high. I understand the intention was to have 30:1 gearing but this didn't happen. What would it take, a different gear box or a different output at the motor?

I don't think it was intended for these fine models to run a scale 80 mph at 18 volts.  Also, the model's operation would sure improve on both up and downhill grades, (especially uphill).

Do you know of any fixes for this problem? Thank you.

John

I would fix it before it becomes a problem. The longer it is run "loose," the more wear there is in the counterweight.

John

QuoteHow much difference is there in detail to justify $180.00 price asked for by the other mfg

They are a different scale. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

Glenn,
Here is a link to a picture of what happens. Most of the problem seems to be too much slop in the rotation necessitating the shims on the flat part of the axle. But there is also too much lateral play hence the need to very slightly file some, (but not all), of the axle ends.

When I first ran my K-27 it locked up only twice when I would  reverse the direction. But the problem will only worsen with time if there is any play at all. Of the two metals that make up the axle and the counterweight, the counterweight is the softer of the two and eventually as it "works" back and forth the opening will enlarge.

John

http://www.elmassian.com/images/stories/motivepower/bachmann/whoops1.jpg