Frist of all I bought one of these about 4 years ago, and because of my lack of knowledge and general impatience I quickly returned it to Bachmann. Why? It would derail on curved turnouts (21" radius) and I didn't want to dig in and try to find out what was going on.
Fast-forward to today: About a week ago I bought one new off ebay (C&IM with Baker valve gear).
The first thing I did was to see if all 5 driving wheel axles would easily slide sideways: they did! I have some of Bachmann's 4-8-2s and 2-8-4s, and they all 3 generally have the same problem from the factory - the "plate" that screws into the underside of the loco frame that holds in the drive wheels is almost always too tight in one or more or ALL screws. While the motor does turn these wheels, they won't move side-to-side easily so they can and do derail on curves, mostly on the curved route on turnouts. Well, the fix is EASY - back the screws out 1/4 to 1 turn or so and test the axles' side-to-side play.
The next thing I did (and do) is to remove all DCC stuff in the engine and tender, and rewire for motor and headlight, and then change the orange headlight for a 7-18v soft white LED headlight. (Be careful of the headlight bracket molded to the smoke box front, it breaks off somewhat easily; I'll give you one guess as to how I know this.)
Next came 3 to 3.5 ounces of weight added to the loco - all in front of the center of the #3 (center) driver. Another ounce would probably get the loco perfectly balanced on its 10 drive wheels; what I'm fighting is a metal shell (which I'm glad to have) with a lot of metal around the cab that extends out past the firebox (its weight is sort of leveraged cantilevered out like that.)
NOTE: Key to get boiler shell off the body - first remove the very small screw that holds the two air pumps on, then the other normal screws.
I did a lube job (Label 107)on the engine/tender and, as per normal, the two motor bearings needed it (loco's probably been sitting for a few years).
With all the running gear the engine has it makes a very slight click sound that is drowned out when it's pulling a train. Also, at times when running light (no load) it has a very slight wobble but when pulling a train that disappears.
When pulling my 60+ car train on 22" curves it MUs real well on the head end with a Bachmann GP38-2 or SD40-2. (I haven't yet tried any other MU combos with it.) My GPs, SDs and steamers all have had 2.5 to 4.5 ounces of weight added to each with the goal of equalizing the total weight on the trucks/driving wheels.
As a test, I tried the 2-10-2 on my 19" radius route. There was at least a spot or two where the pony truck derailed (and I had widened the screw hole a little). The 2-8-4 and 4-8-2 locos go around this radius fine.
Having the Bachmann Berkshire (well, more than one - beautiful engines) I really like the white-walled driver tires. As for my preference, the C&IM 2-10-2 could use white wall tires also. If I get another 2-10-2 I'll shoot for one with white walls.
As most of you know I find that most of Bachmann's HO engines have an increasingly very good value/cost ratio for me. [And no, this is NOT a paid ad!
]
Hope this is helpful.
DougC
Fast-forward to today: About a week ago I bought one new off ebay (C&IM with Baker valve gear).
The first thing I did was to see if all 5 driving wheel axles would easily slide sideways: they did! I have some of Bachmann's 4-8-2s and 2-8-4s, and they all 3 generally have the same problem from the factory - the "plate" that screws into the underside of the loco frame that holds in the drive wheels is almost always too tight in one or more or ALL screws. While the motor does turn these wheels, they won't move side-to-side easily so they can and do derail on curves, mostly on the curved route on turnouts. Well, the fix is EASY - back the screws out 1/4 to 1 turn or so and test the axles' side-to-side play.
The next thing I did (and do) is to remove all DCC stuff in the engine and tender, and rewire for motor and headlight, and then change the orange headlight for a 7-18v soft white LED headlight. (Be careful of the headlight bracket molded to the smoke box front, it breaks off somewhat easily; I'll give you one guess as to how I know this.)
Next came 3 to 3.5 ounces of weight added to the loco - all in front of the center of the #3 (center) driver. Another ounce would probably get the loco perfectly balanced on its 10 drive wheels; what I'm fighting is a metal shell (which I'm glad to have) with a lot of metal around the cab that extends out past the firebox (its weight is sort of leveraged cantilevered out like that.)
NOTE: Key to get boiler shell off the body - first remove the very small screw that holds the two air pumps on, then the other normal screws.
I did a lube job (Label 107)on the engine/tender and, as per normal, the two motor bearings needed it (loco's probably been sitting for a few years).
With all the running gear the engine has it makes a very slight click sound that is drowned out when it's pulling a train. Also, at times when running light (no load) it has a very slight wobble but when pulling a train that disappears.
When pulling my 60+ car train on 22" curves it MUs real well on the head end with a Bachmann GP38-2 or SD40-2. (I haven't yet tried any other MU combos with it.) My GPs, SDs and steamers all have had 2.5 to 4.5 ounces of weight added to each with the goal of equalizing the total weight on the trucks/driving wheels.
As a test, I tried the 2-10-2 on my 19" radius route. There was at least a spot or two where the pony truck derailed (and I had widened the screw hole a little). The 2-8-4 and 4-8-2 locos go around this radius fine.
Having the Bachmann Berkshire (well, more than one - beautiful engines) I really like the white-walled driver tires. As for my preference, the C&IM 2-10-2 could use white wall tires also. If I get another 2-10-2 I'll shoot for one with white walls.
As most of you know I find that most of Bachmann's HO engines have an increasingly very good value/cost ratio for me. [And no, this is NOT a paid ad!
]Hope this is helpful.
DougC
