These engines also have a problem with the smoke stack melting or bending out of shape. The type of plastic used in these models is not up to grade for the head produced by the smoke unit installed in these units.
Continuous operation wet/dry will eventually cause the smoke stack plastic to soften when it will either bend it self or melt all the way through.
If you do have one of these engines REMOVE THE SMOKE UNIT you will be happy you did.

If it were to be going to a disgraceful demise, then why would someone go through the trouble of installing roller bearings on it.
I highly doubt CSX would even touch a friction bearing car with on a revenue freight.
Any how friction bearings are not legal for interchange and would need a FRA waiver.

FWIW, The Overland Limited set I got as a kid came with 18R curves and the 4-8-4 I always said it was way too tight on those curves. I wonder why they did not sell the set with at least 22R I mean they did have them at the time.

Has anyone thought of a "special track pack"
Something in the range of $10-$20 that includes 2 of each special track length/radius.
Such as the short straights, and the curves to match the divergence of the switch.

Being that Easy-Track is "fixed" and not flex track, I don't know why these special track sections to make a genuine passing siding are not included with the switch it's self.  You either use it or you don't If it were produced with the switch then how would it effect the cost of the switch and the manufacturing?

What era do you model? what type scenery are you planing to install?

Have you drawn up the track plan or just built it out of memory?
Again it looks very good.

I do share in the frustration of buying a new locomotive just to find out that it is defective. After spending a fair amount of money I'd expect the engine to run flawlessly.
Understanding that these things are mass produced I do realize that some may pass through Q.C. and enter the market and tick a few of us off. Especially if the dealer we bought it from is loaded with the defected units.
I have 8 PRR K4s' are they run  just fine.  I bought a 2-8-0 recently and it has a sticking motor and gets runs erratically.
As said before  It's probably 1/1000 units that are defective and as long as Bachmann is going to replace them at no cost to the customer then it's annoying but I can live with it.
My suggestion would be requiring all dealers to open their delivery and test and engine from each production run they receive to see if they were given defective units,  If so ship them all back and have the replaced, This is almost the only way of getting these bad eggs out of the barn.

Is this one of your first layouts?
I like the track plan. The "S" curves provide even even distribution of ware to the flanges.
Are the curves are laid with a mix of Flex track and Sectional track?
I been planning on building a new layout for some time but have not settled on a track plan yet.

Mine pretty much did the same thing, just right out of the box.

There are a lot of PRR Modelers out there,  A H9/10 2-8-0 and G5 4-6-0 are a definite necessity for PRR modelers.
You have the E6 4-4-0 too.
These are all small steam locomotives that have yet to be modeled on a mass scale.
The Lackawanna and CNJ Camel backs would be great too!
Bachmann has the K4 model, How much retooling would be needed to make a mold for a G5/H9/10?

Nice Layout!  Is that a Walthers 90' Turntable?
What radius are you using for the inside and outside curves?

I Too have bought a Bachmann 2-8-0 Ex Spectrum now "Standard" Line
B&O ENG 2784 and the engine right out of the box had problems, The engine sises up and stalls out. It's defiantly a motor problem or so I believe.
This unit came DCC Equipped.
Now It's sitting in it's box waiting for me to get funding together to send it back to Bachmann.
This may be due to the new type motors installed since they downgraded the model to the "Standard" Line.
Bachmann, What's this going to cost me to replace a factory defective engine?
I know Bachmann makes some nice steam engines, I have several K4's and they run flawlessly I absolutely love them!

Not to throw this off topic, For the time being I have 7 Bachmann K4s and All are using the Stock Bachmann Decoders with NMRA 8pin plug.
In Analog and now in DCC, the engine headlight seems to be dull/almost non existent.
Has anyone here ever replaced their stock headlight with a different bulb, perfectible a golden white LED?
4-Prewar
3-Postwar
on a side note; These engines look magnificent with the Con-Cor mP54s

If your looking for a Bachmann K4 Pacific (PRR) both pre /post WWII
Take a look here:
http://www.trainworldonline.com/catalog/category/detail.php?id=4865&find_section=642
The above link is to the prewar engine.
If you call the store, I used the Lynbrook, NY location, (800-541-7010) they may have both road numbers 5448 and 5474 in prewar.
Call with the item numbers as that is how the stock their supply.
EX: Item #84113  for the road# 5448 as in the link above.
I got mine for $99.00