Bachmann VTR #6 S-4 Issue

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I just picked up the Bachmann s-4 yesterday and it sounds like a coffee grinder. I have run it constantly for about 3 hrs trying to break it in and although it has quieted down somewhat it still sounds rough at low speeds. I did lube the worm gear a little, was wondering if I need to do the gears inside the trucks and if so how do I get into them, they are different than the Atlas and Athearn that I’m used to. Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.

Bruce

2

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

3

While I’ve only come across this once with a locomotive, we’ve had this happen with turbine drive trains at work frequently. Generally a grinding nose means there is some interference of some kind somewhere.

Run it in both directions and take note for the following:

  1. Is it isolated to one truck? (Perhaps there may be a burr on a gear or cracked gear)

  2. Have you run the loco without the shell? One of my earliest Athearn engines had a grind until I took the shell off and found the light clip was rubbing on the shell. Fixed that and it quieted down.

  3. If you need to disassemble it, check the Bachmann site for the instruction sheet (this is the DCC ready S4, there’s also one for the sound version). http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/HO_ALCO_S4_(DCC_READY).pdf

3a) If you’re going to disassemble it, take care to organize the parts in a container so they don’t stray. The little bushings and springs tend to wander off if you’re not careful :slight_smile:

  1. Notice if it happens when going and turning all ways, or just one particular way.
4

thanks for replying Bundy. I took the body off and got some grease in the top gears and then I took some labelles oil and did near the flywheels. That seemed to do it and it is running much quieter now, almost as quiet as my Atlas and Kato locomotives.