Given all the secrecy and prerelease hype, I am surprised that the K-27 is not more ‘popular’. Latest sale price at a L.A. store not known for low prices, is $599.00. How low a street price can these things descend to? I somehow think that the 1/20.3 scale market was not ready for such a beast, as a fall in price is indicative of ‘poor’ sales. I am aware that the popular road numbers sold out, but it seems that the regular eBay sellers are flooding the market to empty inventory of seemingly poorly performing road numbers/colour schemes. A certain largescale diesel comes to mind. Could this be the last ‘large’ largescale loco from the manufacturer? Does the future hold repaints of existing models to satisfy our craving for something new?
Tim,
Might not be poor sales… Could be they listened to the wrong people… Could be they have bought into the “turns” theory of sales… This is like the “just in time” theory, you know you hope the TP is there when you need it, instead of sitting in reach on the shelve…
Tim, to quote a now famous political phrase “Its the economy” 
Things up here have gotten real chilly in terms of spending. People are very nervous about the economy and fears of a recession are chilling out an awfull lot of recreational spending. $600 is $600, even if you can afford it, the wobbly economy might make one think twice about spending it or saving it.
In regards to the model alone, I think its shear size alone may be daunting to some people, not so much the price. While the notion that layouts that were built to smaller 1/22.5 standards and wont support this new beasty is tempting, I dont think so, If you can run a Connie, you should be able to run a K. I can’t of course, maybe if I can ever get around to laying some track outside…
As for last large scale models? I doubt it but I really wish I knew how Bachmann choses their product line, the K seams a logocal choice that may be hampered by a bad economy, or maybe the market for the K was simply smaller than they realized. I think they are realizing that Bigger is not necessarily Better, at least in terms of sales, the 3 truck Shay hasnt sold well either. Why I think the shear size alone hampers it. All the issues with the K’s “super circuit” and the loose counterweights, etc, surely hasnt helped to be sure.
I personally think the K is a cool model and would love to win one at the BTS raffle, but I wont buy one, too much $$$, I would rather have smaller less expensive engines that I can run on my smaller layout. The irony is that Bachmann already has several items in there On30 lineup that would just be wonderfull to have in large scale, the T-boiler Shay, a reissue of the Class B Climax, the Forney, how about a large scale version of the 2-6-0? these would be great things to have in large scale, but what will we get this year? who knows, we could all still end up speaking Vulcan
One might suspect a quick dump of first shipment units in anticipation of second shipment units with counterweights installed, yet, for the last 3-4 weeks, ALL K’s shipped from Philly have been opened and counterweights installed prior to shipping.