# Bachmann - K27 - How to make reliable?



## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi,
 
Earlier this year I drank the 1/20 scale Kool-Aid and have been slowly progressing down that path.   I bought a new Bachmann Connie and sent it out to be upgraded with the unit from Barry’s big trains.  I also ordered 8 AMS cars to begin my move from the smaller scale to 1/20; However, I may have made a miss-step.   Last week I ordered a Bachmann K27.  I then wrote to Barry asking him to provide an upgrade kit for that one as well.  He said that he doesn’t make a kit for the K27.  Now what do I do?  I want to make sure my K27 is as reliable as it can be.  Dare I say as reliable as a LGB Mogel or perhaps as reliable as a Connie with Barry’s kit?  What can I do or did I just make a mistake and now I’m out of luck.  It’s not about pulling power as I won’t ever pull any trains longer than 8 cars.  I just want a reliable K27.  I didn’t consider my stock Connie that reliable.
 
Thanks
 
Ed


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

i would not worry,mine is running for 3 years flawless pulling 15 cars ,added the downgearing from Rodney ,makes for really slow lurch free speed! 

Manfred


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The K-27 is an excellent engine. Other than the misfit on the counterweights on the first units everything is OK. The original engines had a problem, but this was corrected quickly. 


Chuck 


PS Barry doesn't have a fix for the K-27. But Rodney does. His revised gearing makes the engine run slower with more power for the hills. I've added his to my two K-27s and I'm very happy.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

The only thing wrong with the K-27 I have found is the final gear ratio. For a given voltage it will run a lot faster than the Connie will. Even so it runs just fine on flat layouts, but, bogs down and runs away on undulating layouts. 
There is an aftermarket re gear kit available.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Rodney, where are you.


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Rodney seems to have achieved the status of Madonna or Cher, getting by with just one name. This seems to be the righrt place: 

http://www.randkrailroadproducts.com/


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I agree, there's nothing about the K-27 which would cause operational concerns straight out of the box. If your grades are more than 2%, I'd consider a re-gear kit from R&K, but I'd run it first to see how it does with the stock gear. Mine did just fine on my RR--no worse than some other locos on my roster. I will say the re-gear kit did give the loco a little more "oomph" to get up and over twigs and other obstructions at slow speeds, but at the expense of its quiet running characteristics. If you're going to put a sound system in the K, then it will probably drown out the whine of the gearbox, but without that, you may find it a bit noisy. I posted a video on GR's web site with my K running with the gearbox so you can listen for yourself. It's under the "Product Videos" heading. 

Later, 

K


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

If you install Rodney's new motor it will run and haul anything you want.


Best one I have seen.

This custom made gear box reduces the drive ratio to about 26:1 from the orginal ratio of 14.2:1. This new gearbox also prevents the loco's ability to coast downhill.


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## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By astrayelmgod on 05 Apr 2012 12:12 AM 
Rodney seems to have achieved the status of Madonna or Cher, getting by with just one name. This seems to be the righrt place: 

http://www.randkrailroadproducts.com/ 


Thanks! I sent Rodney an email today. I won't buy any more engines until I talk with you guys first.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm not sure what you mean by the Connie being "unreliable." I ran mine, out doors, for three years, and when I sold it (to buy a K-27), it has some slop in the drive train, but still pulled trains perfectly well. I have two K's, both of which I run, and other than the pulling "issue" on grades, I've yet to have a problem with either one of them, other than one that had a wiring error out of the box. 

And to be honest, I really don't see a problem with the gear ratio and pulling power. They are almost spot-on with the prototype. 

According to D&RGW Timetables, on a 4% grade, a K-27 was rated at 183 tons vs 1190 tons on level track. 

Basically, on a 4% grade, a K-27 could haul, in good weather, dry rail, 4 loads and a caboose. Or 15 empties. 

So... In the Real World, K-27 463 will be hauling a train soon from Antonito, Colorado to Cumbres, CO, Westbound and is rated by the C&TS at 595 tons on that stretch of track. On the return trip, Eastbound, Chama to Cumbres, she is rated at the above mentioned 183 tons. Or as one of the crew puts it: "6 coaches (on a good day.)" 

Will a Bachmann K-27 haul six AMS coaches up a 4% grade? On a good day? Probably, if the rolling characteristics were improved. 

My point is that a K-27 is a tiny locomotive, compared to a standard gauge loco. Even the D&RGW K-37's, which were converted from Standard Gauge C-41's, while "huge" narrow gauge locos, they weren't "Big Boys" -or "Allegheneys" if you prefer. 

As far as speed, K-27's were limited by the railroad to 30 mph. Optimists that they were! And that speed limit doesn't mean they could tackle a 4% with 4 loads and a caboose at 30 mph. That meant they could DRAG that much up the hill. Probably the only time a K-27 went over 30 mph was one cold dark night on Marshall Pass... 

C-19 346, at the Colorado Railroad Museum, struggles to pull 2 coaches and two open gons full of railfans around the loop up there! She usually slips drivers and needs sand, to get up the hill on the back side. And it's not much of a grade... 

As I mentioned in another thread, due to the sheer size and weight of G gauge locos, regardless of scale, we really do have to take into consideration some good train handling on heavy consists. 

Robert


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Posted By rdamurphy on 05 Apr 2012 08:32 PM 


And to be honest, I really don't see a problem with the gear ratio and pulling power. They are almost spot-on with the prototype. 


As far as speed, K-27's were limited by the railroad to 30 mph. Optimists that they were! And that speed limit doesn't mean they could tackle a 4% with 4 loads and a caboose at 30 mph. That meant they could DRAG that much up the hill. Probably the only time a K-27 went over 30 mph was one cold dark night on Marshall Pass... 



Robert 
The K-27 is an okay puller, but the way it bogs down as the sight of a grade and how it runs away down grades may also have some prototypical truth, but some prototypical things do not belong in the model world. Also the Bachmann K-27 is to fast.



The replacement box by Rodney is a great addition for the Bachmann K-27. Makes it a good loco great.


Alan


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## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Unreliable is probably a poor choice of words.  I should say not as reliable as my LGB Mogul.  I have had that Mogul about 5 years and have yet to do more than one service on it.  Even the tech at Accucraft said their trains would not be as reliable as the Mogul.  My goal is to get the same reliability from a Bachmann with the right customization.  Perhaps that is not posable.  Perhaps the Mogul has set an impossibly high bar.  

I don't think I'm doing the customization for pulling power as I will never have more than 7 or 8 cars behind the train.  My maximum main line grade is 2% and 3% on the spur to the rail yard.  I just want reliability and if Rods motor is only for gearing and doesn't add any reliability, perhaps it isn't necessary in my case with only a 2% grade.

Sent from my iPad
Ed Kornegay
Hewlett Packard


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Ed 

Your right, Rodney's gear box will make the loco better. It will not improve reliability. 

Rodney's gear box sits between the Bachmann motor and gear box. Its like a gear head 

Alan


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

I would beg the question 'Define Reliable'. 

I concur with all the above comments, in particular Roberts comparison to the prototype. I run my locomotive like an engineer. I prefer to stay near, and add throttle if needed and reduce it accordingly. There are those who would prefer to 'set it and forget it'. At shows I have been present at, I have pulled up to .30 mixed Bachmann, Aristo, LGB, USA and MTH. All cars were well lubed and roll on steel wheels. At shows we are on flat and level track, usually with 20 foot diameter curves. On our club layout I typically pull 6 AMS cars and a Bachmann Spectrum caboose, 20 foot curves and 1.5% grades. To maintain prototype speed I run at about 14.0 volts and might see 1.5 amps on the up grade. I do not consider this to be excessive. Yes, there is a bog on the hill and a run on the down. Try setting one of the K's on the C&TS or D&S the way some ask our models to run and see if they even make their destination without staling out somewhere on a grade. 

Runnability is purely a matter of personal preference. As for 'Reliability, other that having to replace a board from a derailment and subsequent short, I find mine to be a total winner. A bit of the story can be found here: 

http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=16194 

I personally would not be at all concerned with the quality of the Bachmann K27. 

My Tuppence worth. 

Bob C.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

A little Off-Topic, but K-27 has finished her total rebuild, and should be put back together and is scheduled to start running on the C&TS soon. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmFmCah3Kh0&feature=related 

Robert


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