2-10-0 Problems

[UP Mike 2499]

I have engine product number 81708 and it seems to start and stop all over the track. Is there anything wrong with my engine that can be fixed easily? I really just want to fix it at home and not have to send it in and a wait a while for it. I first suspected quartering issues. Anyone have an idea on whats going on?

[bobwrgt]

Make sure both plugs from the tender to engine are pushed in.
Check the wheel linkage and rods while running slow and see if they are hanging up on each other. Might have gotten bent.
Look at the wheel wipers for electrical pick-up and see that they all touch the wheels.

Bob

[Pacific Northern]

I would suggest that you contact Bachmann Service department.

There was a bad batch of 2-10-0's that had an electrical problem. Give them the model number of the engine.

I had one of them and it was DOA, some others indicated that the engine ran for a very short period and then would no longer move.

[Bo_Diddley]

On a somewhat related note, I suspect this is what happened to me and those other few who had problems with our 2-8-0's.  I firmly believe that a bad batch somehow slipped by Quality Control...  That you also mentioned an electrical fault with the 2-10-0's confirms my suspicions...   But as another modeler pointed out to me, either these things will work properly out of the box or they won't... The good news is that if a problem is going to occur, it tends to show up fairly early on, usually during the "break-in" period.  That's not a given though.  I had an IHC steamer that ran beautiful out of the box but seized up a year later, despite lubrication and keeping things nice and clean...

Good luck, and let us know how you make out.

-Brad

[ABC]

This particular electrical problem was only present (and widespread) on the 2-10-0's and was not an issue for the 2-8-0's, so a person from Bachmann service said when I sent in my 2-10-0 a while back.

[Bo_Diddley]

OK, just wondering.  Since my power supply went into overload, I thought it would be an electrical problem too, especially when I could smell something "burning", almost like melting plastic, since it has that distinct acrid smell...

Still...

[ABC]

Could be an electrical problem, but it is highly unlikely it was the same problem that plagued the one batch of 2-10-0s

[Pacific Northern]

Spectrum #81708

I checked my notes on my Spectrums and it was the L&N version that I had that was the problems engine.

Both the problem engines and the replacements I received were #81708. I would have to assume that not all of that production run had problems, only some.

[ABC]

That's besides the point, I was just explaining that it did not affect the 2-8-0s, but it probably did not affect all the 2-10-0s in that batch, but it got a good portion of 'em.

[Pacific Northern]

That's besides the point, I was just explaining that it did not affect the 2-8-0s, but it probably did not affect all the 2-10-0s in that batch, but it got a good portion of 'em.

You are the only one discussing 2-8-0's. Why would you even bring them up, the discussion is 2-10-0's.

[ABC]

On a somewhat related note, I suspect this is what happened to me and those other few who had problems with our 2-8-0's.  I firmly believe that a bad batch somehow slipped by Quality Control...  That you also mentioned an electrical fault with the 2-10-0's confirms my suspicions...

You are the only one discussing 2-8-0's. Why would you even bring them up, the discussion is 2-10-0's.

First off I didn't bring up the 2-8-0's Brad did when he thought that the issues that plagued the 2-10-0s also plagued the 2-8-0s as seen in the above quotation from him, I was informing him that when I sent in my 2-10-0, they said that it did not affect any other engines besides the 2-10-0.

[Bo_Diddley]

ABC is right, I originally brought up the issue.  Sorry to spoil to thread.   I'm a newbie around here.   

How many electrical pickups are on these things?

[Cooped]

I had a similar problem with a 2-10-0 bought 18 months ago. Below is the post I sent at the time as to my fix. Just in case it's relevent here.

Regards
Dan

"Just thought I'd share my experience with my new Decapod. When I tried to run it for the first time nothing happened, lights would not come on and it wouldn't move so I immediatly suspected a short somewhere.

To cut a 45 minute investigation short what I found was the copper strips inside the body that make contact with the wheels to pick up the current were maybe 1/2 mm too long (in horizontal length) and were therefore raised up bridge like and making contact with the metal weighted base in the loco. To solve I just cut a couple of strips of paper and stuck them over the offending contacts to insulate from the rest of the loco, with a space to allow the gear to fit in it's dip. Screwed it back together and it worked a charm.

Hopefully this will help someone else who may experience the same. I may have a loco with paper inside now (actually strips of an Acme supermarket kid sticker that my son graciously volunteered for the task), but saved on sending the thing back!

Dan"