New C&O 2-6-6-2

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Despite all the screaming and gashing of teeth over yet another ugh' Articulated may I say nice one Bachmann!!
Seeing the preproduction picture just has me drooling,and this from a dyed in the wool Great Nothern fan.
Many have our own fictional railroad or  branchline or whatever...
I must admit that on seeing the first run of the 2-6-6-2 with the USRA tender and white sidewall drivers I was not at all really impressed,but this latest offering with slant cab and the VC12 tender And those huge compound cylinders has looked me in the eye and say's BUY'ME!! ......BUY'ME NOW!! LOL

[SteamGene]

I don't NEED one, but there is every chance I will wind up with three! <g> That will be two C&O and one undecorated for the VT&P. 
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

And I expect two or three will show up here on the Atlantic Central property as well.

Sheldon

[Rashputin]

     looked me in the eye and say's BUY'ME!! ......BUY'ME NOW!!


     Whew, I'm glad to find out that the little buggers talk to someone besides me.  I was afraid I was nuts or something.  Now that I know others can hear them talking, I feel much better.


   Regards

[southerner]

yeah i might hacve to get an udecorated one and usealy steam int my fancy butt this is one that speaks to me haha i like articulatededs zman

[Yankeeflyer]

I can't recommend The Bachmann 2-6-6-2. I bought one quite recently and there is so much slack in the gearing that the drivers turn 1/8th to 1/4qtr turn with out moving the motor. This causes surging going down grade. I talked to management and was told to oil the gears and clean the pick ups.    I did that but to no avail. I sent an Email several days ago, but do not have answer yet. I don't believe there is a way to fix the 2-6-6-2. there seems to be an extra gear in the truck pivot tower. More gears more slack.     
Lee

[Pacific Northern]

I can't recommend The Bachmann 2-6-6-2. I bought one quite recently and there is so much slack in the gearing that the drivers turn 1/8th to 1/4qtr turn with out moving the motor. This causes surging going down grade. I talked to management and was told to oil the gears and clean the pick ups.   I did that but to no avail. I sent an Email several days ago, but do not have answer yet. I don't believe there is a way to fix the 2-6-6-2. there seems to be an extra gear in the truck pivot tower. More gears more slack.     
Lee

The new Spectrum 2-6-6-2's are not on the shelves yet, so you have an older version. Did you buy it new?

Your comments are the first negative comments I have ever heard on this engine. I have a couple of these and my engines are both superb runners, excellent slow speed control and they pull well.

I would suggest that you send the engine in with a note for repairs or replacement.

[Rashputin]

   I second the opinion that any Bachmann 2-6-6-2 not running well should be shipped back for repair or replacement.  I have several and they are extremely fine engines.  I even bought one to keep on the shelf as a spare in case I ever should be unable to get one repaired or somehow total one.  I don't think I've ever seen an articulated run any better and only a few remotored and regeared brass ones run as well.

   Regards.

[Santa Fe buff]

I love that locomotive! It's perfect for my layout. I'm going for 20" curves, so that things that can only run on 22", and can't or bearly runs on 18" will run fair for me. As mentioned, it talks... It scares me though it says, "Buy me, Josh, buy me for your layout! No money? GET ME, find a way!"  Though, I think when the time comes, the time comes. I'll just have wait for a few months or a year, and she'll be mine. Now, that that's over, I can drool some more. Is that webcam on?! Oh, wait, I don't have one.

I do hope it comes sound equipped, otherwise I'm going to stop in with Soundtraxx for the TSU-1000.

Joshua

[Atlantic Central]

I can't recommend The Bachmann 2-6-6-2. I bought one quite recently and there is so much slack in the gearing that the drivers turn 1/8th to 1/4qtr turn with out moving the motor. This causes surging going down grade. I talked to management and was told to oil the gears and clean the pick ups.   I did that but to no avail. I sent an Email several days ago, but do not have answer yet. I don't believe there is a way to fix the 2-6-6-2. there seems to be an extra gear in the truck pivot tower. More gears more slack.     
Lee

Lee, what kind of control and how steep is the grade?? I have three Bachmann 2-6-6-2's and they run great and pull well.

Sheldon

[Yankeeflyer]

Sheldon
Hi
I'm using DCC and running grades 1.2% to 3% I've been playing with the CVs but it doesn't seem to help. Like I said the guys at Bachmann told me the units on their shelf had the same slack in the drivers. Tom took one out of the box and tried the movement. I have Bachmanns 2-8-0, 4-8-2, and this 2-6-6-2 which I just bought new. The 2-8-0 has no slack. The 4-8-2 has almost none, and the 2-6-6-2 will roll about 5/16Th inch on the track without moving the motor. Since the company doesn't seem to know what to do,  if anyone else can help me solve this that, would be terrific.
Thanks
Lee

[Atlantic Central]

Lee, I don't use DCC so I might not be much help, BUT, I do know a little about DCC, so here goes some thoughts.

Forgetting about DCC for a bit, there is no mechanical reason that the slack in the driveline should make the loco surge going down hill. Once the driveline is loaded in either pulling or being pushed, it should stay that way.

Now, if the decoder has back EMF or some other load compensation circuit, it may be that circuit is becoming confused as the loco starts down the hill and is not reacting quickly enough to provide smooth operation.

Try turning off any such features if possible.

I run my DC locos with Aristo Craft Train Engineer Throttles which put out pluse width modulation motor control much like a decoder. All my Bachmann locos, including my 3 2-6-6-2's, run just fine and they run well on more conventional DC power supplies.

Unless there is something truely mechanical wrong with the loco, I think it is a decoder problem. Did this loco come from Bachmann with a decoder or did you install it?

Hope this gives you some new help.

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

I have three of the C&O H-5s - one of which I have not yet run.  The two that have, run fine.  As noted, the original Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is the USRA light Mallet.  The one coming out is the C&O H-4 (6) - not the same locomotive - but very close. 
I agree with Sheldon - it might well be a decoder problem.  Can you try it on DC? If it still doesn't run well, send it back.
Gene

[Yankeeflyer]

I have three of the C&O H-5s - one of which I have not yet run.  The two that have, run fine.  As noted, the original Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is the USRA light Mallet.  The one coming out is the C&O H-4 (6) - not the same locomotive - but very close. 
I agree with Sheldon - it might well be a decoder problem.  Can you try it on DC? If it still doesn't run well, send it back.
Gene

Gene
I have tested everything, CVs ETC. The problem is, on DCC the decoder tries to keep the loco at a given speed. The cars push, motor slows, train slows, motor speeds up, because of the slop in the gearing the decoder can not maintain a constant speed. On DC the train speeds up going down hill and slows going up hill. No one notices.
By the way Tom at Bachmann says there is no point in sending it back they can't fix it. So much for that!
Others have said to try to shim the worm gear. I may look in to that. Brand new loco $#@%##.
Have a nice day
Lee 

[MC]

I wish two or three would show up at my place. The one I have is pretty lonely so maybe one more would be nice. I know that they should be ordered in pairs like Sheldon recommends but on a limited budget that isn't always possible.