I recently got a Bachman 2-8-2 Loco from Ebay. (Stock no. 54501). It was a mess but I enjoy fixing things, so working on it is relaxing to me. When I got it it had been taken apart and “fixed” by someone who had no idea how to put it back together. The best that can be said was that all the parts were still there.
After solving the puzzle of how it goes together, cleaning and testing, straightening the body pins holding the running gear, and fixing a set of driver wheels that were slipping and getting out of sync, I have it running - but only in reverse! When I try to run it forward, it seems to jam. Sometimes the (pancake) motor seems to disengage, and other times it just stops. (There is a gear in the drive train which is pierced in a way that gives it some spring, and I think it disengages as a safety feature because the gears are all in tact and run smoothly (in reverse). I have the drivers 90 degrees out of phase (after fixing the loose one). I have run out of ideas.
So, now I am stuck. Any ideas? I have ordered Jim Volhard’s book on repairing trains.
There is a good chance the problem is the brushes and armature in the old sidewinder motor. They had a habit of doing that. You may be able to smooth the armature and/or fabricate new or smooth the existing brushes. Or it may be one of the many other things mentioned. Are you sure none of the drivers are coming out of quarter under power? They were famous for that, too.
After rereading the initial post, this caught my attention… arent steamer drivers supposed to be something like 15 or 30 degrees offset (might be wrong on the measurements) so that there isn’t ever a situation in which the main rods are never parallel to the track at the same time?
Thank you for the suggestions. I removed the motor early on and it runs well in both directions. It also runs installed: (1) the engine runs in reverse until running it foreward jams it. (2) The motor sometimes disengages and just whirs when I try to run it foreward. So, I think the motor and its brushes are fine.
The running gear is a bit loose. How can I tighten it?
Also one of the pins on the frame that a plastic part of the running gear pivots on was bent, and that did jam it. I straightened it, and it seems to turn in both directions without the motor when I turn it ny hand. Also, after I straightened it, it was able to run the loco in reverse.
And, yes, one of the drivers was slipping on the axle and I put a drop of super glue on the end of the axle to stop it from slipping before I posted my note and it it seems to stay in quarter now.
Sometimes after fixing one thing it helps to go back over the previous steps again, so I will remove the motor and run it by hand on some track again and see if that helps pin point the problem.
If you are sure that they are supposed to be 15-30 degrees out of phase, maybe that is the problem. I will take a look at a loco I got running and see what the angle looks like.
I owned 2 of these pancake motor driven Bachmanns. Unfortunately, they have design flaws that I do not think can be repaired. As you have found out the motor has an armature the size of a slot car motor. The drivers will not stay in quarter and eventually crack in the hub areas.
I had Bachmann send me drivers once and also a motor. It broke again and I tired of fighting a losing battle.
I installed the Bowser drive kits. I was lucky in that I bought the kits for ½ off on a LHS mark down table. This was before Bachmann redesigned the drive to a better system. This system is still not as good as the Bowser drive but much better than what you have now.
If I am not mistaken your engine has a lifetime warranty. You can mail in your engine and pay a service charge and Bachmann will send you either a “Plus” or a " Spectrum" model. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/service.php
Steam Loco drivers are indeed offset by 90 degrees, or a quarter turn, which is why it’s called “quartering.”
Dennis, are you sure you got that set of drivers aligned properly? If they are even the slightest bit out of quarter, it will cause binding problems. I’m assuming that since the engine runs in reverse that the gears have all of their teeth. If the drivers are completely in sync, check the pistons, crossheads, and valve gear for any binds or hangups.
I’ve had 2 of those old USRA 0-6-0’s sine 1981, and while I don’t use them anymore, when I did I couldn’t kill 'em. Years ago I double-headed them and had them hauling over 30 cars for a long time, with no problems. They were noisy, but I sure got a lot of bang for my buck. They were pancake motors, but far more durable than what Tyco used.
Maybe I lucked out, but I’ve never had a problem with Bachmann drivers going out of quarter. Are people twisting them, or do they slip on their own?
Wait a minute, is it jamming up, or maybe just not moving and the motor is spinning? Very different problems. If the motor gear seems loose that could definitely be the problem. If it isn’t split/cracked, you could try epoxying it to the shaft. Be sure and put the epoxy in the hole and not on the shaft so it doesn’t get pushed down into the motor.
[#oops]… i re-looked at the diagram i was using, and it shows 15 deg from the centerline of the axle (give or take) for the pin on a particular side, but each side’s pins are 90 deg to the other side’s… this is why going off of memory is sometimes a bad idea… lol
The valve eccentric is usually “leading” by approximately 15 degrees on the crankpin. Each crankpin is supposed to be 90 degrees out of phase with it’s mate on the other side of the loco.
Here’s a “for what it’s worth” hint. Worn axle bushings or bearings if you will. When the loco is run forward (which is probably 95% of the time) those bearings-bushings wear up and forward. Now consider that all that pulling power is transferred through those bearings plus the weight of the loco. Now when the loco is run backwards the axles are pushing against a relatively unworn bearing surface. Now when the loco is run forward, the axles shift forward to the worn part. If one bearing is worn more then another it will put those side rods in a bind. This may not be the problem here, but it’s worth a look-see. Check for fore and aft slop or play in the drive wheels. Ken