I just had that problem with a refurbished BLI Niagara. I shimmed track, shaved the front truck’s pivot flange, and did a lot of glaring. I finally inverted the truck and found that my problems went away…the techs who refurbished it, or the original owner, had installed it upside down. BTW, I loosened and tightened the retaining screw on that pilot truck umpteen times, to no avail. I believe my improving the track to ensure that joins didn’t have changes in grade helped (although I will find out when I run my Challenger across it tomorrow), but the inverted truck made all the difference.
Some people have asked for more information on how I added
weight to the Athearn Mikado and Bachmann Consolidation.
In this case, it’s fortunate that I’d already
returned the two 2-10-2s to the hobby shop, since I got, in
return, two more Athearn Mikes and another Bachmann 2-8-0.
It was much easier to examine the new locos as an aid in
jogging my memory about the modifications, especially the
2-8-0, since mine are a little more work to disassemble due
to cosmetic modifications.
I weighed the new stock Athearn, loco only: it weighed 12.5
ounces and the balance point was behind the centreline of
the third driver set. In other words, it was back-heavy.
I’ve heard that some modellers put a stronger spring on the
trailing truck in order to shift some of that imbalance
forward, and this may help. However, I removed the spring
completely (the loco still tracks well) and added weight,
making sure that all of the new weight was placed ahead of
the mid-point of the driver wheelbase (between the 2nd and
3rd drivers).
To balance a loco fairly accurately, you need a balance. I
made one using a sheet of heavy brass and a piece of brass
tubing. Find, by measuring, the mid-point of the brass (you
could use any material, as long as it doesn’t flex under the
weight of the loco). Then place the fulcrum (brass tubing
in my case) beneath the sheet at the marked mid-point. You
may have to move the tubing a bit towards either end in
order to get the sheet to balance properly. When it does,
mark it, then solder the tubing to the sheet. It’s not
necessary to fasten the fulcrum to the balance if you have
some other way to ensure that it’s placed accurately when in
use. If the lead and/or trailing trucks are sprung, they
should be installed when checking the balance, since, as
noted, the springs can shift the balance point. It is
And when have they ever done it before a limited run is exhausted and you can’t find one to buy? [:D]
I just got done packing up my 2-10-2 today and shipping it back to Bachmann, return time 8 to 10 weeks they are just sending me a new one.
Correct - Bachmann has no repair facilities. So, they send you a new one. I had a lot of problems with their early DCC-socketed steamers and had to send several back, which they replaced… but they were a lot faster than 8-10 weeks?!
Joe:
The only photos of the new 2-10-2 I’ve come across have been on the Bachmann Photo Gallery, which does not show an undec.
What missing extras are you referring to? Does the undec have a cowled or uncowled headlight?
Are there any loose customizing parts that come with the undec, as Bachmann have sometimes done before, e.g. a doghouse?
[:)]
I contacted Bachmann about theproblems I am have with my engine. They told be to sent it to them and they are going to just repalce it. But its going to take 6 to 8 weeks.
I returned my 2-10-2 due to a jerky mechanism and out of gauge drivers. I haven’t seen the replacement yet. I’m using it as a B&LE #525.
I find it hard to beat the 129.00 price tag.
Don Murphy
Bob,
May be apple vs oranges kind of thing but try weight on the front pilot. My 2-6-6-2 would of all things derail the pilot truck on a straight section of track. The straight section where it derailed did have an older Atlas switch so I figured that was the culprit. None of my other steamers derail at this section of track.
Bottom line it wasn’t the switch and the pilot wheels were in gauge. OK, off comes the pilot wheel truck for the addition of some weight. Ran it with added weight at pilot truck and derailment problem disappeared.
Jon
Doc Wayne,
Didn’t ask but glad others did. I think your adding weight answer is going to move my Athearn 2-8-2 from the dead track. First order of business will be to blow the dust off. Thanks for sharing the expertise. [tup] [:D]
Jon
I ran the new 2-10-2 for the 1st time last Saturday and found it to ran with a bit of a lope and rather jerkily, in either direction. My LHS checked it over carefully and said that it needed running-in, having observed the same pattern with another customer’s 2-10-2 , for which running-in solved the problem.
I’ve since run the loco for about 1/2 hour and its seems to be smoothing out although still lumpy in reverse. The driver quartering and the wheel gauges are good. More running-in to come this week.
[:)]
I have already received my 2-10-2 Back they said 6 to 8 weeks had it in just 3weeks. New one works great. Nice engine.
To continue my 2-10-2 story: despite running the loco for a further hour it remained jerky in reverse, so back I went to my LHS with it. He gave the rod mechanism a careful lube job and backed off the six screws holding the bottom plate under the drivers, since the screws had been tightened to the point where the plate was buckled and rubbing on the driver axles. That did the trick! The loco now runs very nicely in both directions.
Since then he has had another customer bring in his new 2-10-2 with the drivers virtually seized and the same problem was found i.e. overtightened bottom plate screws.
In all fairness to the reviewing magazines, they may have light weight bricks.