Hi Bill, check the worm and pinion gear as well. I had a similar grinding noise and ignored it till the engine stopped altogether. The worm had worn the drive gear laterally. Am now looking for a replacement gear. Bachmann sells the entire drive assembly.

It seems like a discontinued item. Where did you get yours from and for how much?

Thank you guys for the response. I will be buying the 2-8-2 Mikado thanks to the positive comments. BTW Imackattack did you buy a IHC 4-6-4? I am looking for one too but the MTH, BLI models are really expensive. Cannot afford them. How much did you buy your 4-6-4 for? Thanks once again gentlemen.

Does anybody have the IHC 2-8-2 Mikado? I have seen it for a good price on Model Train Stuff. Would like to know if it has a brass flywheel and how good a performer it is. Thanks.

Anybody has a direct link to purchase this gear?

Hi Jim, you just hit the nail on the head. Looks like you have had this problem before. Your diagram is spot on, only thing is mine is worn out much more. Like half. The gear is in real bad shape. I could move the pinion but i doubt it will last for more than a couple of hours. I am trying to find a substitute gear over here but no luck.As for removing the pinion it took me like 4 hours without a quartering jig to assemble it back. I can do it again. LOL. I am a very stubborn man. I don't want to leave a $120 locomotive static because of a $5 gear.

Hi Jim, it is the worm and pinion. The worm has worn out the gear laterally on one side. I could buy the whole mechanism from Bachmann but am worried that if it has happened once it can happen again. I am looking for a site that sells just gears. Any ideas?

Hi, has anybody had a problem with the 2-8-0 drive gear, where it gets worn out. Looking for a replacement. Bachmann sells the entire mechanism. Suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

I have the MRC Prodigy Express. Two words. Simply Awesome. Very easy to operate. Instructions are simple and are on the back of the controller. In the future you can upgrade to the Advance and wireless if you want to. Also one of the most impressive things about MRC, the service and support manager surfs this site and helps out with any problems you have. Gives his email address and telephone number too. Something i have yet to see other manufactures do. The Express costs $116. Few $ more than the Dynamis.

If it is the regular turnout that is not the #4,5,6 then you will have to open up the underside and see if something is jammed. I have 12 of these turnouts and they give me trouble sometimes. The spring pops out, the flexable wire that shifts the turnout sometimes gets jammed and so on. There are three tiny screws that have to be opened to access the mechanism. These turnouts are a tad bit frustrating but i am sure you can get it working again.

Sure Frank, i'll mail you. I cannot call because i live in India and it costs a small fortune to phone. Expect my email in a few days. Thanks.

Thank you Frank. I now get the picture. I read somewhere that if i send in my express base, there is a hardware and software upgrade for it. Which do you suggest? Which would be cheaper? Send the base to MRC for an upgrade or just pickup the 1505.

LOL that i sure as hell don't want to do. I guess i'll have t g in for the MRC 8 amp one. A lot more expensive too. Thanks for the info.

OK so it is not going to go up to 4.6amps? Like if i connect them to each other via the 8 pin cable.

Hi, i have the MRC Express controller. It presently has a 1.6 amp power supply. Can i add the MRC 3.5 amp booster? Will the MRC 3.5 amp booster increase my total amperage to 4.6 amps if used together with my existing power supply? Thanks.