My bachmann DCC Consolidation has developed a real hitch – it’s like the drivers have to power through a “tight spot” or something that results in it having very, very jerky motion. I don’t want to just start slathering lube everywhere, but am hoping for some good basic maintenance advice or perhaps a link or two … thanks very much in advance, everyone! Haven’t posted in a while, but it’s nice to be back.
Check the side rods and valve gear, they are easily bent in handling and could be binding or hanging up in some way.
Sheldon
I see the problem, Swayin. There’s a small head protruding out the top of the boiler, as pictured in your avatar. [(-D]
Tom
I had a similar problem with my consolidation and finally decided it was because one of the driver sets was out of quarter, that is the left driver was not exactly 90 degrees from the driver on the other end of that axle, which causes it to bind and go bump-bump while running. I don’t know how to fix it without buying a quartering fixture and dismantling the valve grear and drivers. I finally sold it on ebay with the understanding that it had that problem it anyone wanted to fix it. It sold for $30, much less than I paid for it but I didn’t want to deal with it any longer. If you don’t see anything binding in the valve gear or even a loose screw on one of the drivers, I would assume you have the same problem. I don’t know if any hobby shops or other repair shops can fix it but that is what I would look into next. You could also contact Bachmann and see what they will do, even if it costs a little for the repair. Good luck, they are beautiful looking and running engines.
- Bob
Bob, why didn’t you send it back to Bachmann. They would have fixed or replaced it, most likely for free. Was it like that from the time you got it or did the problem “develop”? In any case the worst would have been to pay Bachmann the $25 service fee.
I have eight of them, hey all run great. Most every modeler I know personally has at least two or three - very few problems.
But again, Bachmann will fix or repalce them if you do have a problem. Selling it at a loss just makes no sense to me when you could have gotten it fixed?
Sheldon
bwahahaha! thanks, thsat should be easy to fix, tstage!! [;)]
My consolidation was like that when i got it on ebay and it was an older one. I have three more that all run great. I guess I just didn’t want to mess with it. I have so many engines and don’t have room on my layout for them. Only lost about $15-$20 on the sale. Also, it was a UP road which I don’t model. I originally planned to redo it and make it a NYC version.
- Bob
Most likely one of the drivers has slipped out of quarter and is binding up the side rods, unless you see a visably bent rod or valve gear part. Your best bet is the ship the engine back to Bachmann and let them repair the problem. Most of the current Chinese production steam models have a plastic center section of the axle to insulate them. Much like the well known Proto 2000 diesel axle gear cracking, these also can split as the plastic shrinks and the metal stub axles dont. If the driver works loose from this split, it will loose its quartering position in relation to the other wheel. I have dealt with several Proto steam engines that have had this issue, along with a few of the Bachmann models. If you want a 2-8-0 that is virtualy bulletproof, find one of the old PFM/United ATSF 2-8-0’s thats made of brass. They imported over 5000 of them so the prices are quite resonable and they are very common to find for sale. The drive, even with the open frame Pittman motor is quite smooth and many times as quiet as a can motor. Repowering them with a modern can type motor is very simple for most modelers and the model is actualy much easier to take appart than you might think. Three screws is all it usualy takes! If anybody needs assistance with repowering or painting thier first brass model, feel free to PM me. You will find it would become your favorite model to run once painted, lighted and if need be, remotored with a modern Sagami or similar motor. MIke
This sort of problem may have one (or more) of several causes. As mentioned, a driver may be out-of-quarter. A side rod may be bent. The rod protruding from from the cross-head may be hitting the inside of the steam chest. the cross-head may be hitting against the support for the cross-head guides at the rear of the travel. The side-rod hole may require elongating either to the front or back, (highly unusual for commercial models, but frequent in scratch-built locos). Finally, the gear inside the gear-box, if plastic, may be split. (Found in diesels often)
The solution: Remove the gear-box, leaving side- and main rod, and cross-head/steam chest attached. Push the locomotive along the track, noting where the drivers show a “hitch”. Lift from the track, and try each pair of drivers with your finger. If all wiggle freely, check the rod into the steam chest from the cross-head. If one (or more) driver sets bind, your problem is most likely an out-of-quarter driver. (don’t discount a side-rod hole that is out of position, but this is unlikely in a commercial model).
If this is the problem, you can contact the manufacturer, or try to quarter it with a machinists square. (Unless you have mechanical experience, this is not recommended. A split gear inside the gear-box is a return-to-manufacturer problem. If you have had enough experience to pull the driver and replace the gear on the axle, you wouldn’t need any advice; having already fixed the problem.