My friend bought one of these and the front truck keeps derailing. Anybody got a solution?
Weight? Spring?
I would help if we knew more information. Does it derail in a certain spot? What radius is he running? Is it on a switch? Has he gauged the wheels?..
David B
22’’ minimum radius, no particular spot. We haven’t gauged the wheels yet, didn’t think about
it at the time.
I’d check the gauge on the wheels. I’ve found every Bachmann Silver Series Rolling Stock I have has been extremely tight in the gauge. I have had to move the wheels out so they sit evenly in the gauge. Otherwise they have trouble going through turnouts.
Check the wheels out.
Bill
I would characterize a 22" radius curve as marginal for such an engine with 5 coupled drivers a side. The BLI 2-10-4 engines will do a 22" curve, but only at walking speeds, and not every time. Twenty-four inches would make the world of difference.
Wheel gauge, I agree, could very well be the major issue, though.
I also know, from personal experience, that track that is unlevel is going to raise the ends of the engine, where the two trucks are, as the middle drivers cross over the high and low points. You can often get away with that problem on tangent tracks, but not on curves, and not on tight curves…which these are.
Strangely, it did better on my track which has both 22" and 18" curves. BUT, I have
superelevation, my friend does not.
I have the model, if there are screws holding down the trucks, loosen them a tad. Test the trucks for side to side and rotational play.
For superelevation if they can’t lift or rotate into the angle, they will derail.
On our club layout my 2-10-2 doesn’t have a problem with the curves broader than 18". Looks odd on something that small, but it will handle 18". The superelevation does a nice job of helping keep the leading truck in place but I used about an 1/8th of a dimes size of lead, flattened and placed that on top of both the trailing truck and the lead truck and it worked a lot better in hauling the engine around corners.
As to the comments of the “walking” speed and corners, the engine doesn’t have anything above walking speed to begin with, if the factory defaults are in place (save for ID), At max throttle my engine will maybe do 35 scale mph with a 30 cars and with no cars it will 35. Pushing a 90 car ore drag it will to 5mph all day.
I had this same problem when I got mine. I have had mine for a while, so my memory is a bit sketchy. I believe I undid the screw holding the front truck, and just flipped the truck assembly upside down, screwed in place, and everything worked fine after that. I hope this helps[:)].
Badger
SIMPLY PUT,
Wheels ARE NOT following your track. WHY is the question?.
COULD be poor assembly - Wheel wobble/gauge - or your track. 'Super-elevation (raising one rail) would aggrevate the problem, not minimize it.
Probably a combination. Do other engines give similar problem? A 10 driver coupled engine is going to be a problem with tight switches, but 22" r. can also. Bachmann’s assembly can be ‘iffy’.
What happens when the pilot trucks are removed?
You will likely get more advice on the Bachmann Forum
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/board,2.0.html