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

[victor miranda]

how can that TT not be on the rails?

... is BFS so hard that it does not give traction?

victor

ok I am changing my answer
check the pilot.

it is always the pilot's fault!

victor

[Dave V]

 

Mad Max is da man!  Victor too...  Both noted the "proximity" of the bottom of the cowcatcher to the railhead.

It was indeed touching!  Don't I feel like an idiot!

Now she pulls 5 cars in a 10" curve at 2% without slippage at low speeds!

Thanks to all of you...  Tony, Victor, Max, Mark, Chris, and everyone else!  It now runs like it should!

That also explains the occasional stalls I'd have and why, when I tested her on Unitrack, she'd pick the switch points.  BOOM!

Now I understand why everyone loves this engine.  She's now running smooth and pulling right.

I love the Railwire!

[Missaberoad]

This has been more exciting then television! I'm not sure Ive ever watched a forum thread hitting refresh every minute

[SkipGear]

Dave,
  Just glad you have a proper running loco now. These little things are a jewel when they run right. I had mine at a recent Ntrak show pulling a Tichy work train and a couple other cars. There were a couple of guys in awe as it ran around the layout. They refused to believe it was a Bachmann. I had to pull out the box and show them.

[peteski]

Now you can put your grade back in!    Looks like while I was playing with a NW2 in the DCC forum thread I missed all the drama here.  It is a fun read though. 

[victor miranda]

ah I am laughing.

this is a fun read.

Give Max the credit, he is the one who said it first.
Once I read you had pulled the lead truck,
it left the cowcatcher as the only possible cause.

it is a little unusual that all of us knew there should be more 'pull' available.
all that was needed was to whittle down the possible list to get to the cause.

victor
 

[Chris333]

About the grade. I think it would look a tad better if it started at the turnout. This way each tunnel portal would be at a slightly different height.

Oh and also... I think it's the pilot. 

[Dave V]

About the grade. I think it would look a tad better if it started at the turnout. This way each tunnel portal would be at a slightly different height.

Oh and also... I think it's the pilot. 

Exactly right.  I can keep a nice 2% if I start back at the switch.  I had started the 3% near the other end of the tunnel in order to ensure proper clearance beneath the double mine spur.  I can always just shorten them.

I'm messing around with the 2% risers and honestly, it looks a lot more real railroady and a lot less model railroady.  Even though the Midland had plenty of 4%!

[Mark.S+10]

Dave,

If you want just a little more pulling power, I opened a thread on NScale.net (under Motive Power, Steam) with pictures of my nose weight addition.  I posted it there because it is easier to insert pictures.

Have fun, Mark

[mmagliaro]

Congratulations, Dave!   Well done.  Ya stuck with it.
Now... I'm not sure "bending" that thing up will really stay.  You might want (or have to) file a little off the bottom.
Just something to keep an eye on.

Bravo!

[Dave V]

Congratulations, Dave!   Well done.  Ya stuck with it.
Now... I'm not sure "bending" that thing up will really stay.  You might want (or have to) file a little off the bottom.
Just something to keep an eye on.

Bravo!

Agreed!  There's a minor "ridge" along the bottom that could be easily removed.

FWIW, if you look at all the other photos I've taken of this locomotive, you can see the pilot resting on the railhead...   

[OldEastRR]

The only way to avoid these problems is to get a sample loco from a company rep picking it out of an excellent batch at the factory. Which is how I got mine. Except it wasn't until the third loco sent that the thing ran right.

[mcjaco]

This was my thought.  Shimming the TT journal on the light 4-8-2 about doubled the power.

Jealous of you guys that got the shimming to work on the Lt. Mountain.  Mine actually ran worse.  Chulvis sat and watched me mess with the loco for over an hour at the NMRA show in 2010...and giggled the whole time  Not one iota more pulling power with the shim.  It actually ran worse.

[victor miranda]

the shim trick is a tune-up item.

you need a repair!

from this thread, one of the takaways is that the TT must get to the rails
and you have to find what eve is keeping it  off the rails.

your particular Lt mtn has two problems
the TT AND a pick-up problem.

the shimming did some good it moved a little weight from a pickup to the TT....

now you know where to look....

victor

[mcjaco]

^ I've taken mine apart more times than I care to remember, and I can do it with my eyes closed at this point. 

I've re-quartered and it seems to be much happier.  I can pull about eight heavyweights (WOT, MT, and Walthers Express), fairly well, until I get to our return loops.  Then it spins. 

I will be moving the decoder to the tender, and adding weight back into the boiler where the removable weight was.