i have 2 bachman 0-6-0’s which r older models they both run fine unless overloaded (8cars) then slipping starts and derailment happens at switches, and i also have an 0-8-0 by model power which runs ok also, is it worth while to remotor these small engines or not? i like my little critters
if u do recomend remotoring which brand would fit and work the best for power 4 longer loads and faster speeds
These little critters should be some what limited in their capacity and speed. If you want greater speed and longer trains I would think that it would make more sense to acquire larger road locos like a Consolidation, a Mikado, or a dual purpose Mountain.
Will
ok thanks, i was wondering were these used originally as switchers or what?
If the Bachs are around 20 years old and are the split frame design, I don’t think you can remotor them. You could probably buy a whole new drive frame, but by that time you might be better off buying a whole new loco. They weren’t made to haul much weight.
More of a switcher.
Indeed, they would have been switchers. Re-motoring would not help you much. If you can add some weight to them they would probably have better traction and be less prone to derailing.
A more powerful motor will just make the wheels spin faster than they do now. The problem isn’t a shortage of power, it is a shortage of weight.
In the rare case, a motor that runs unevenly may precipitate slippage, when it surges unexpectedly, but in many cases, this is a problem with the electrical pick-up design or your trackwork. Only when the motor itself has a design problem that leads to surging and uneven operation would remotoring help.
Start looking for ways to add weight to the model, te,mporarily to know where you stand and where you need to be, and permanently, in nooks and cranies if possible, in drilled out boiler sections if available recesses don’t make it heavy enough.
Adding weight may help reduce the frequency of derailing, and again it may not help. The key there is to observe, detect problems, and address them specifically. Watch from close-up the derailment process. Note which trucks or wheels come off first, which direction they come off, which rail they come off of first, which side of the loco comes off first, and the exact point where the derailment process begins. Does that side come up or drop down before coming off? Once you know exactly what is happening, then you can figure out why it is happening, and then you can deal with precisely what’s wrong and make the problem go away.
Unless you have wheels dropping into the great abyss of Atlas #4 frogs, then your only options are to avoid that area or replace the turnout.
i agree with jeffers
I agree with the general consencous here. You need more weight. A-line sells self adhiesive weights that can be cut into 1/4 oz squares. I would take the boiler off the frame. Stack some on the frame between the wheels and as high as you can go up between the frame and the boiler and still clear the boiler. If you have access to the inside of the boiler adding some more weight inside of there will help to.
One thing to make sure while your adding weight. each time you add something try and balance it on its center driver on a piece of wood or something. If You can keep it balanced, This will help evenly distribute the weight on the drives and this also helps increace traction.
I wish you luck.
James