My K-27

[woody31]

I got an e-mail from my supplier on Tuesday that their shipment of K-27s was in and they had #453 reserved for me. I rushed over there on Wednesday and it was already sitting on a cart still boxed up. They showed me the other #453 in their display case and I had real trouble holding back the salivation. When I got it home I took it out of the superb packaging and all I could say was.....WOW! what a beauty. I've got lots of Bachmann products on my HO and On30 layouts and have the two truck Shay and the Connie in Fn3, but the K is a work of art. Thanks Bachmann, you've excelled again.

[glennk28]

I totally agree!  What could they possibly do to top it?  I also got a 453--my pusher said he had 3 other requests for 453, but only got the one. 

Have you found all the little blocks of foam yet? the ones in the front corners of the cab are particularly tough to get out. 



I do wish Bachmann would quit hiring these 12-year-old kids as engineers--The fireman looks adult, but the engineers seem quite undersized--

[woody31]

Yep, found all the foam pieces.

I'm going to paint some stubble and a moustache on this engineer but I still have to do something about his sibblings from the shay and connie though.

[Matthew (OV)]

There's an old rumor out there that the small engineer fellow is a scale representation of Sherman Pippin, locally famous engineer of the 1:1 ET&WNC.  Initially designed for the 10 wheeler, Mr. Pippin was chosen because of his small stature, and authentic presence in the 10 wheeler cab... or so the story goes.  In a 1:20.3 locomotive, the larger scale of the locomotive and Mr. Pippin's generally small stature tend to amplify each other.

So, if you believe that much, and want to know more about the fellow, you can look at http://www.johnsonsdepot.com/crumley/tour7a.htm and judge for yourself.  Down the bottom of the page is a link to a fellow over on MLS (and from Hawaii, of all places) who's making a slightly upscaled version of the same guy if you like his looks, but just wish somehow he was a bit bigger.... you can see a side by side shot of the prototype Sherman and his model next to the link.

Matthew (OV)

[Ricky]

Hi guys. I've been reading messages here for a long time...but just actually registered today. I received my K27 yesterday...and all I can say about it is...."WOW!!! WOW!!! It is incredibly beautiful!!! Fantastic". I haven't had any chance to run it yet....what with all the rain, for many weeks now, and mid 30s temperatures...yuck. But, I wanted to say a BIG "THANK YOU!" to Bachmann for this one! WOW!
a member on here, glennk28, asked, "What can Bachmann do to top this?" Hey! I have an answer for that question!....Bach-man, are you reading this? Hint! hint!   PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do a K36 or K37 next!!! Yeah!!! and, even offer it painted and lettered for the Cumbres and Toltec! I KNOW I will buy one if you do! Keep up the GREAT stuff,  Bachmann!

Rick

[Ricky]

I looked at the the photos of Sherman Pippin....and that is definitely who it is supposed to be, it appears!  However, that figure in the model locomotive cab on that web site is definitely not the Engineer I received with my K27. The Engineer I received looks more like a "100 year old baby"    I don't know how else to describe it...the facial features have the chin and mouth of an old man, but a very round face and "bubbly cheeks" like a baby...with NO features painted...and incredibly little detail...more like a toy from the old Five and Dime Store....even the Sir Toppem Hat that I have with my Lionel G Thomas looks more realistic than the Engineer I received with my K27!!! I definitely need to fire this Engineer....or send him back the the Day Care Center...and find a REAL Engineer! Does anyone know of any source of decent (more realistic) looking Engineers is?  I don't buy the Woodland Scenics figures....not that they aren't nice....but they look too much like caricatures than realistic, in my opinion.....they look kind of like the drawings in the Leanin' Tree Old West artwork/greeting cards.

Rick

[Matthew (OV)]

If you like the new Sherman Pippin figure on the page, the fellow who made that sells them, and several others:

http://poe.kapuaala.com/available.html

There's also

http://www.warriorrunlocoworks.com/finefolk.php

and

http://www.warriorrunlocoworks.com/railroadave.php

Just to mention a few notable ones.

So... you have quite a choice.

Matthew (OV)

[Paul W.]

Here's another choice on 1:20 folks

http://www.railroadavenue.com/

In my Shay, I had to do a little cutting and glueing, but my engineer looks right at home now. Even his fireman gets to sit down and enjoy the ride.

[Ricky]

ey Matthew and Paul,

Thanks for the "heads up" on the Engineer figures!  Now I'll have to pick one!

Thanks again!

Rick