Anyone add weight to a Bachmann 4-6-0?

[victor miranda]

I thought the truck lifted the leading wheelset?

.... I suppose it could lift the front driver...
certainly worth a look.

victor

[SkipGear]

I thought the truck lifted the leading wheelset?

.... I suppose it could lift the front driver...
certainly worth a look.

victor

It would be a rather extreme case but the loco looks like it is running down hill so it would be worth a look to make sure.

[Dave V]

I removed the BFS.  Still slips on 10" and 2%.

I already did the pilot fix.

Victor, just so I don't make any more mistakes...  #3 axle is the rear driver axle, right?

[Dave V]

OK, filed the bearing pocket on the #2.  No improvement.

[SkipGear]

Dave,
 Wondering if you needed to flip the pilot truck to begin with. The problem was corrected in later runs. You might have flipped it into the wrong position.



The leaf spring detail in the pilot truck frame should have the point of the triangle at the top when the loco is setting on the rails.

[Dave V]

So...  it should be wrong?

[victor miranda]

! If the filing didn't get more traction.

the problem .... is the tt is not on the rails. and likely never were.
so pilot truck... weight of the tender on the rear driver...
thinking out loud here mostly

it is following rail so this is a small thing.

Hi Dave, yes the #3 is the last driver.

Skipgear is leading the way, in that the pilot truck
is about the only thing that can keep the front drivers off the rails.

the test is as simple as trying to lift the second wheelset of the pilot truck.
it should lift without raising the loco at all.

victor

[Dave V]

OK, flipped the pilot truck so the triangle points up.  No improvement. 

Removed a little more in the #2 bearing pocket.  No improvement.

the test is as simple as trying to lift the second wheelset of the pilot truck.
it should lift without raising the loco at all.

victor

I don't follow...   

[mmagliaro]

Say, is the bottom edge of the pilot touching the rails?  You know... the bottom edge of the "cow catcher"  (LOL, love that
term).

In that photo, it looks like it could be touching.  Maybe it lifts the weight off the front driver, which is the important one.

So...  that engine can freely lift up and down and that drawbar doesn't offer any pressure on the back, does it?
How about that wiring bundle between them?  Any resistance to lifting the back end there?
What I want to make sure of is that there's no downward pressure on the rear of that engine from the tender.

[SkipGear]

Edit: Posted after I see that Dave figured it out......

The picture above is the correct way to install it. The first runs, the bottom was unpainted. I think in the corrected versions both sides were painted but I'm not certain of that.

It should look like:

O--^--O

The majority of pilot truck frame should be below the center line of the axles instead of above. The axles holes are offset top/bottom in the piece. The axles should be offset to the top of the truck frame.

All this is describing the loco setting on the rails, up is the top of the loco.

[mmagliaro]

You should be able to take tweezers and gently lift each of the pilot wheels up in the air, off the rails, without
that putting any upward pressure on the engine, or lifting it.

In fact, while we're at it, take the darn pilot truck OFF, and see what happens.  That will settle it for sure (whether
the pilot truck has anything to do with this).

[Dave V]

In fact, while we're at it, take the darn pilot truck OFF, and see what happens.  That will settle it for sure (whether
the pilot truck has anything to do with this).

Did it.  Still slipping at low speeds.  No improvement.

[victor miranda]

OK, flipped the pilot truck so the triangle points up.  No improvement. 

Removed a little more in the #2 bearing pocket.  No improvement.

I don't follow...   

set the loco on rails
use a screwdriver and try to raise the pilot truck wheels.
the front set may lift without lifting the rest of the loco.
the rear set should be able to lift off the rails without lifting the loco.

you are testing to see if any of the loco's weight is on the pilot truck.

and the cowcatcher may be on the rails.... just look for that.
I am dubious because that often causes squeeks...


victor

[Dave V]

Say, is the bottom edge of the pilot touching the rails?  You know... the bottom edge of the "cow catcher"  (LOL, love that
term).

In that photo, it looks like it could be touching.  Maybe it lifts the weight off the front driver, which is the important one.

Max, I think you just won the Internet...

Yeah, so I noticed that too....  Bent the pilot up just a hair, and suddenly she can start a 3-car train (with caboose) on a 10" curve and 2% grade!

For now...  Let's put the pilot truck back on and see if we can reproduce the result!

[Mark.S+10]

Sorry Dave, thanks Skipgear.