Thanks for the advice.  I have removed the cab roof and should be able to fit the doors without needing to remove the whole cab.  Down the track I will need to remove the cab in order to upgrade the drive train so it will all come in handy.  In the meantime I need to find some paint to match the cab interior colour so I can paint the inside of the doors prior to fitting.

I purchased a used K27 and on arrival noticed that the doors were present but not fitted to the cab.  On closer inspection parts 00R03 and 00R02 were loose (sitting on the floor of the cab. It seems to me that the easiest wayto fix the problem is to remove the cab, fit the doors and then glue parts 00R03 and 00R02 in place before fitting back in place.  Am I on the right track?  If so any tips on removing the cab would be greatly appreciated. 

I have also ordered a replacement pilot -whomever previusly handled the loco roughly.

I will seek to make the case for a 1:20.3 K36 by Bachmann.  While it will take time for the World economy and the American economy in particular to recover there is a long development lead time for a loco like the K36.  If Bachmann was to start now the economy would be picking up around the time of the first run.

While it is a large loco the K36 should take the same curves as the K27 based upon the very nice but very expensive Accucraft model.  Anybody who has ridden the Cumbres & Toltec or the Durango and Silverton will have ridden behind one and all but one of the K36s is still in existence. How could any large scale modeller who has seen one in steam resist.  I certainly couldn't.  It would make a big model, but big is beautiful!

While I and many others would like a C19 if most Rio Grande LS modellers were honest a K36 would be top of the list.

Thanks. The Kadee conversion instructions on their site would have required some guess work.

Which of the E Series did you use for the k27s and for the caboose or tank cars?  Is it the Kadee #916?

Thanks Glenn, much appreciated.  I will try with needle nosed pliars when I get use of my right arm again (broken collarbone).  I am using accucraft couplers as most of my rollingstock is made by them.  At this point I have a three locos 2 K-27s, and a Bachmann 4-4-0 to which I will hopefully add a Bachmann Porter.  Rollingstock wise I have a quite a few AMS freight cars and a couple of AMS passenger cars, a bachmann long caboose and framed tank car with a couple of other Bachmann items to possibly be added.  On balance, convenience favours accucraft couplers at least for now.

I have a brass Accucraft long caboose in flying rio grande scheme (Bachmann needs to make more numbers for their long caboose in this scheme as I also have one from Bachmann).  The rear coupler is broken off and I have purchased a replacement pair.  What micromark nutdriver set will I need to take off the remnant of the old coupler and screw on the new one?  I have a set of calipers but can't lay my hands on them at present.

Advice would be appreciated.

I figured that the later ones would be more popular - my only K27 at present is #463 in flying rio grande scheme. I had thought that some enterprising type may have made a slide valve version - that would have to be a whole lot easier than converting a 2-8-0 into a 1:22.5 K27 for example.

I would be nice if someone would cast a few parts as there would seem to be a limited amount of work involved in the conversion compared to practically building it from scratch.

Has anyone out there made other versions of the K27 starting from the Bachmann model? For example slide valve engine 460 or even one of the original compound version with the wooden cowcatchers, slope back tender and compound cylinders.

A K28 would offer a range of options and would definitely be on my list. A White Pass and Yukon version I suspect would probably also be a reasonable seller in its own right although I would want mine in D&RGW colours.

I was wondering Bachmann, whether from the organisation's point of view the K27 has thus far been a success.

I have one K27 and am interested in purchasing at least one if not two more (i.e. I am happy with my purchase). I am also interested in more D&RGW or RGS locomotives and if the loco has been a success there is at least a chance that there will be more on the way - perhaps a C19 or a K28 or K36.  I do not have the  finances to purchase the alternate 1:20.3 Rio Grande locos not produced by Bachmann.

I have been looking for following items but it seems that they are out of stock everywhere: -

No. 88196: UTLX #13168 SPECTRUM® 1:20.3 SCALE FRAMED TANK  CAR 
No. 88495: GRAMPS #88172 SPECTRUM® 1:20.3 SCALE  FRAMELESS TANK CAR

Has Bachmann stopped producing them and if not when will they be stocked again? Alternatively does anyone have them at the moment?

I have a K27 some AMS 3000 series boxcars (on order) a Bachmann caboose 503 and one of Phil Dippel's 6000 series flat car and would like some tank cars to go with them.

I am looking for a set of 1:20.3 decals for a D&RGW 6000 series flatcar. Does anyone know where I might be able to buy a set?

I have recently received a Bachmann K27 but unfortunately have not run it yet. From the instruction manual and DVD two types of EZ lubricants (heavy gear oil and contact lube) are required. Has anyone succeeded in finding someone in Oz that has these products in stock. I know that I could probably find a substitute but I would prefer to use what the factory recommends. I have found two places that say that they will have some arriving in around two weeks time but that means at least three weeks until I can run the loco as I live in Darwin.