I have been following this caboose project since we saw the pilot model at the show in Timonium MD over a year ago. It looks like it will set the standard for cabooses in 1:20.3 for many years.

My question to the Bachmann is about the RGS version. Is this going to be an accurate a model of the RGS 0404 long caboose?? I don't remember seeing a pilot model for this version. I hope it is not going to be the same D&RGW caboose with a different cupola.

Looking forward to your reply and hope you can fill us in on the particulars and that a picture of a pilot model will appear soon.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

I will post those too on the MLS or you can email me directly tomorrow and I will send you some pics and specs. Just a coupling of the Bachmann coupler box shank with the Acc coupler with some K&S rectangular tubing.

Compudah is in the final stage of reloading.

Rog

I am installing Accu on all the Bachman cars and engines. That is what I have on all my other rolling stock. The KDs will drop right in and the Accu requires splicing the Accu coupler onto the shank provided by Bachmann.

Just a matter of preference.

Roger

I always pre-order as then I am assured of getting what I want. This time they fooled me and didn't announce the 455 post wreck until much later. What a pleasant surprise.

Great job Bachmann. One thing that I really like about their products is the documentation that is included. This one has about 6 sheets of exploded views and wiring. By what I am seeing, this time the color codes on the wiring are easier to follow and don't change at some mysterious hidden point. Even the tank car came with exploded view.

Anyone interested, I have devised a method of splicing the Accucraft coupler to the Tank car email me.

Roger

 Here is what I posted last night on MLS. Copied so I don't have to type it again. Hope the snow doesn't stop your delivery. I am thinking you guys really need snow pack in your area.

Also working on a quick way to install Accu couplers on the Bachmann engines and rolling stock. Nothing against the Bachmann couplers, as they do work as close to flawlessly as you can, but the looks?? Sorry BAchmann, its a personal problem.

"In answer to a MLS question this engine should navigate 5' radius curves. It won't be pretty, but gets the job done.

I think that the installation will be relatively easy since the tender is large considering what has to be placed in it and no wiring has to be ripped out and replaced. You will have the battery packs in the rear. To do that you will remove a stud that is behind the water hatch and is attached to the floor. What purpose it serves is beyond me. It is plastic and a Zona saw or a Dremel tool will remove it. Then you have the room for 3 rows of 4 batteries, giving you 14.4 volts (16v with charging). This falls under AirWires 18v max above which have to break the batteries up into two groups.
I have checked and you can fit either Sub C or D cells. This will give you between 3800 and 5000 Mah or 4 hours of operation with lights and sound.
From there you have to install the speaker (place provided for up to 3" speaker. I would use a Phoenix or other high quality speaker. Sort of like your stereo, worth the investment. This fits under the Bachmann board.
Next is locating your on/off switch and volume controls. I drilled holes either side of the speaker for these. On/off on engineers side with forward being ON. You can get away with a single pole, double throw. The volume control comes with the Phoenix sound unit and plugs into the board. I located a fuse holder behind the coal doors, which slip out for easy access to the fuse. The Phoenix board sits nicely behind the fuse. In the pictures that were posted I had the fuse in the rear. Next install will reverse the positions. I was using a 2k2 board and it would not fit between the mounting posts for the Bachmann board.
You will have to wire the batteries to the fuse and then to the on/off switch. From there you feed the power to three places, 1 the AW board, 2. the Bachmann board. The AW board has screw terminals (no soldering) the Bachmann board will require two solder connections.
I placed the AW board on top of the Bachmann board. Some double sided stickey tape will do the job on top of the old plug in for the jumper board for DC operation.
There will be two wires that connect the AW board to the Phoenix board. A plug is used at the Phoenix board and screw terminals at the AW board. Two wires will feed the power for the motor from the AW board to the Bachmann board with solder connections. I wire to fire the head light and one for a reverse light will go from the AW board to the Bachmann board with solder connections.
I mounted the charging jack under the tender hatch (some drilling) and that will require connection to your batteries after the fuse and before the on/off switch.
The programming jack is a plug in and you can mount it under the coal load or just wrap it in tape (preventing a short) and drop in into the tender.
Finally the two connections from the Phoenix board to the Bachmann board for the chuff will be necessary and that is where the transistor will be used and we have not finalized that connection. Work in progress.
So far we have approx 8 solder connections excluding those used to hook up the batteries to the fuse and on/off switch. Not bad and we hope that we can help with how to solder to the board without melting down things.

In answer to Mike, the engine does very well. It pulls, starts smoothly and has good speed control with no extra programming on the AW receiver. I set it to 128 steps and it pulled smoothly from a start on level track with no load. Better than the pilot model. With a load of 5 tank cars and a 10 lb Accu caboose, it started smoothly on a 3% grade. Kept running at under 1/2 throttle.

If you look at the video enclosed, we were pulling 15 cars up the same grade with no stalling. Admittedly we had some issues starting on the grade, but that train was heavy and all friction bearings.

With the competitions K-27 they came with incorrect motors, wheel gauge problems  and had to be remotored before they performed properly. Their electrical pickup was poor in the first runs. This engine seems to do it all right out of the box. Lube it, and enjoy.
Till tomorrow"

I have been off line for a few days due a Worm call TxHMou.exe. Bad couple of days.

Stan and I have pretty much worked out the AW / Phoenix installation. Found a grounding issue between the Bachmann and Phoenix board. Not the fault of either manufacturer. Tomorrow we are going to test out the latest fixes and should be able to report the results on Monday. The glitch only effects the chuff. We have chuff, but you have to turn on the headlight to get it. Oh well, who said electronics 1A was easy.

Engine runs great and has a low speed operation better than the pilot model. 5 tank cars and an Accu brass caboose up a  3% grade with less that 1/2 throttle. With 4300 Mah batteries (sub C) we should get 4 hours of running with sound and lights.

I now have a 455 pre-wreck on the bench and will verify the component locations will work in the smaller tender.

Will be posting some pictures over on the MLS site and will be happy to discuss how we approached it with any of you.

The good news is that there is lots of room to work inside those tenders, even with the Bachmann board in place.

Rumor has it that Al from AirWire just purchased a K-27...

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

Gee, a large scale guy with patience. Just kidding. It will be worth the wait. Stan Ames and I are working on the wiring for AirWire and Phoenix. Taking some time to work out the kinks. Results will be posted on Bachmann for all to use.

Last night fired it up under batteries and the wheels turned, lights came on and the it made noise.

Can't wait until the rain stops and I can take it outside for an innageral run.

Will be posting pics of the install on MLS. Keep an eye out. Product review is where the posting will be.

When I was a little guy, I lived in Larchmont the the New Haven tracks. They kept a small steamer there to go rescue electrics when electricity failed. That was late 40s.

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

You are not going to share your and Lee's secrets... Thats not the holiday spirit.

You could also reletter some USA 3 bay hoppers to pull behind the EBT outside frame K. Or remove a driver and call it EBT 11A.

Best for the holidays...

Rog

Kevin, just re letter it EBT and put on the number 12 and no one will know the difference.

Should get operational report on it today. Up early working on the battery installation...

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

Glad I got the photos posted. Thanks to Dean.

Here is the link to MLS

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50353&whichpage=2

Hope to have photos of the tender interior and the start of the AirWire install on MLS tomorrow morning.

Roger

I am working to get them posted over on MLS. Will let you know as soon as they are available. Sorry for the problems getting to RGS Group....

I think you are right as far as detail. The Accu engines are kinda bullet proof, but you can have 3 of these to wear out for the cost of one of theirs. The cab interior detail on this engine far exceeds anything Accu has done.

I have posted 5 pictures on the RGS Yahoo group for your enjoyment. More will follow.

Follow this link.


http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/RGS/photos/browse/bec6?c=

Enjoy

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

I am sure it will be a hard wait, but worth it. Yours is a post wreck???
I am now editing some pics so that I can post them. Will put them over on MLS or the RGS list at Yahoo. Will let you all know.

Now to go to work on the AW install. Gotta get this thing running.

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

Mine came from John Weigel at Peterboro (sp) Railroad in Maryland. We are one shipping day away from Philadelphia. Now we are waiting on the tank cars. Should be Wednesday if all goes according to plan.

It is worth the wait. Can't wait to fire it up tomorrow and move some revenue.

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3

Just unboxed my 455 post wreck and it is a honey. Packing was excellent and there was no damage.

I went to Silver San Juan and RGS Story for pictures of the engine and the plumbing appears to be quite accurate. The cab is well done and has better rivet detail than I have seen on other models of 455.

The tender even has the patch on the engineers side. Don't quite know where they came up with foot boards on the rear, but those are easily removed.

One the the best upgrades they did to the engine is a "coaster" drive, so you don't have to slide it down the track when power is not available. Wheels turn fairly easily and should take the shock out of sudden stops.

The plow comes installed and there is a spark arrestor included in the box.

I will take it outside tomorrow and do a test run and see how it smooth it is. When I had the pilot model here for the filming of the video, it was a ran very well, with excellent low speed. It also had enough power to pull 15 cars up a 3.5% grade and that was without the boiler weight.

Congrats to the engineering folks at Bachmann for the design and workmanship on the engine. This will satisfy the most ardent DRGw/RGS folks and should make Bachmann some new customers.

For the "rivet" counters, there are some errors, but without the real engine to look at, that is to be expected. Those few errors can be corrected and that is the fun of an engine like this, it is plastic, it is under 1k and you can have a ball bringing it up to your specifications.

Will get some pics posted tomorrow.

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3