I’m looking for some advice on a Bachmann EMD 40-2 (HO scale) that was given to me by my young son back around 2005. It has been sitting safely in storage for the last 15 years.
Overall, the locomotive still runs great, but I am having a lot of trouble getting it through #4 turnouts at slow speeds. It results in a short-circuit and derails at least 50% of the time.
Before I give up and turn this sentimental piece into a display-only decoration, I wanted to see if anyone has tips. Is this a known issue with this specific vintage and tight turnouts? Should I look into checking the wheel gauge, cleaning specific pickups, or modifying the turnout frogs?
Any ideas or step-by-step troubleshooting tips would be greatly appreciated!
I’m assuming this is an SD40-2 (each truck has three axles)? If so, it is a fairly large engine to have go through a very tight No. 4 turnout. Sometimes, even an engine that will negotiate a tight 18" radius curve will have trouble with a No. 4 turnout.
It might not hurt to get an NMRA gauge and check the wheelsets. Sometimes, manufacturers make the wheelsets slightly narrow to better handle sharp curves. This could mean the wheels are able to make contact with part of the turnout that is the opposite polarity, causing the shorts. The wheels being out of gauge could also be the cause of the derailments.
Next, what brand of turnout are you using? It might be a different maker’s No. 4 might work better. Long run, building a layout with larger curves and turnouts (like at least 22"-24" minimum radius curves, and No.5 or No.6 turnouts) might allow the engine to run fine.
I’d hate to see you put a perfectly good engine on the shelf if the problem ends up being the track/turnout.
I am using atlas isolated ftogs.
15 years ago life happened and i packed everything up and been moving it all around where ever I went. I am on disability now, so i decided to do a small HO layout i only had to buy glue and few tools i had everything to start back up enough for a small layout,track,ballast etc.
Do you have other engines that run well over your turnouts? Checking the track visually and by running another locomotive over is the first step to figuring out what might be going on. We’ve all had spots on our layout that, for one reason or another, are unreliable.
I have a newer Bachmann SD40-2 that handles 18" curves and atlas snap-switch turnouts (similar to, and probably even tighter than, your no. 4’s) just fine. In terms of inspecting the engine, I agree that using a wheel gauge may be valuable, but if that’s not a tool you have, you could at least put the wheels on the engine up to another piece of rolling stock to do a spot-check. The other thing I would check is whether the trucks rotate freely. If you try to rotate them with your hand and feel undue resistance, remove the locomotive’s shell and check for pinched wires or debris that might be interfering with the movement of the trucks. It’s very possible that congealed lubricant or other grime has built up in an engine that has been sitting for that long, or some component has become brittle.
Both of you guys thank you for the suggests to check.I will be doing that over next couple days. I do have a BLI GE 30-7 CSX 7001 NO sound early 2000s i believe got it used. That gives me trouble as well not as much as 40-2 i think might be 6 axles trucks , my 4 axles rarely give trouble they are both Buchmann.
Sometimes, you can just put the engine on the track and try moving it side to side. If it moves a lot, most likely the wheelsets are out of gauge (too narrow).
BTW…General Motors road switchers are GP (General Purpose) locos with two axle trucks, or SD (Special Duty) units with three axle trucks. As I mentioned, you probably have a Bachmann SD40-2, as Bachmann has modelled that engine but not a GP40-2. Also GE engines use B to indicate two axle trucks, C for three axles. So your GE engine is either a B30-7 or a C30-7. In any case, the letters are part of the name, so help clarify what engine your asking about.
