Help with Bachmann 4-4-0


OBTC 1909

OBTC 1909

Well-Known Member
Because focus isn't a thing for me, I have several different areas I'm wanting to dive into. One of these is the desire to decal and fix one problem with my Bachmann 4-4-0 (Bachmann item number 80101). The problem I need to fix is that the wires that run between the tender and the locomotive. They actually hold the front trucks of the tender up off the rails (see pic) which generally results in a quick derailment. The wire is very stiff and probably a little too long. Not sure what the best way might be fix this and looking for suggestions. I have included pics of my 4-4-0 with the number 10 on it from my mostly disastrous first attempt at applying decals. The other picture is of the real life 4-4-0 that was operated by the Oil Belt Traction Company.
 

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There are a couple of ways you could try, you say that the wire is a little too long, so try gently pulling the wires out a little more, so they hang down more, that should hopefully give you a little more slack, so your tender sits firmly on the track, if that can't be done or it simply doesn't look right, you'll probably have to re-wire it using decoder wire, I've done that to a few Bachmann's that I have, and then used heat-shrink (but don't shrink it) to make it look like a steam pipe between Loco and Tender.
 
That's going to be difficult to rewire you could maybe use something like this, if you can get it to fit.

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Or you'll have to re-wire it without the plug, but you'll probably have attach the loco and tender together.
 
I figure it's going to be a pain in the rear no matter what I do. I'm going to work on it more later today and see what I can come up with. It's such a weird problem.
 
It's not a very good overall design, there are definitely better ones, I've had a similar problem, fitted a new plug and socket but hid it under the tender counter, had to drill a hole through the floor for the wires, but still a pain to uncouple, second one I just wired it through and screwed the tender and loco together.
 
This was a home wiring job, and the person botched it....unfortunately. Wrong wires, from the looks of things, wrong connections, and wrong routing, as we know. This job needs to be redone by someone with skill and experience, and the right tools and materials. It's a perfectly good locomotive otherwise. Sorry you have this thorny problem.
 
Thanks Crandell, you may be right about that. I bought it long enough ago I can't remember if it was supposed to be new or not. Probably not it seems.
I've looked at it some more and can't find any reasonably easy means of solving the problem. I have a friend I could ship it to and he could probably fix it. I'll email him and see what he thinks. I'm not experienced enough for this job I think.
 
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