Bachmann K3

[paul 27]

Looking to purchase one of there late br models, is the older model as good as there latest offering,

what is the difference between the standard and stepped tender are they of similar height.

 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

It hasn't been changed materially in design since first produced as far as I can see. Early productions came out when there was a push for lead free solder, and a number had dry joints, especially where the wires were soldered to the pick-up strips, resulting in some unreliability: but easily rectified. That done, I have had several in operation since they were introduced, and they have been trouble free with just one small matter needing attention. A couple of 'bumps' in the track led to the pony truck flanges eventually wearing through the paint on the underside of the metal footplate, and then there was shorting. My poorly profiled track rather than a fault on the loco, cured by cutting shallow arches into the footplate undersides.

 

I have never thought to compare the overall heights of the tender sides: visually very similar.

Edited November 7, 2019 by 34theletterbetweenB&D
typo correction

[rogerzilla]

Mine's a fairly recent one and runs very nicely.  The pony truck doesn't like bad track, as mentioned above.  I had one dodgy Hornby point where the grooves in the frog were too shallow and various stock could derail due to the jumping effect as unloaded wheels hit it.  I swapped the point out and everything runs over it smoothly now, including the K3.

[Dominion]

I think they are nice models. You asked about the stepped tenders. The models have the coping plates stepped out from the sides of the tender bodies. The flush sided tender is one of the group standard LNER tenders. Nice variety and a good reason to run at least 2 K3s. :-)

My Bachmann models of Great Central locos often come with stepped tenders. They ended up on some K3s because of tender swaps the LNER did.

[paul 27]

Having purchased one it sounds noisy seems heavy on the wheels, lubricated every thing adjusted pick ups,

any thing else to look for.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

First suspect for 'noise' from a new purchase of this type of design from Bachmann, would be grease gone hard in the gear train. Often evident if the model purchased is a year or more from manufacture. Two effects, drag if it is between the gear hub and the gearbox wall, interference with meshing if it is on the teeth, both contribute to noisiness. If it is otherwise running well enough, then usually continuous running with some light oil in the gear train rectifies. It may take 3 or 4 hours running at medium speed to quiet. Alternate direction every half hour for best effect.