Hello there.
This may be a really stupid question to ask but....... ;D,
Some months ago I received the Bachmann GE B23-7 locomotive and was very pleased with it.
I was really impressed with the fact it was 8 wheel drive and pickup which gave it smooth operation :).
I have plans now to purchase a second Bachmann locomotive, a EMD GP40 from a online model train store and was wandering if it too had 8 wheel drive and pickup as the B23-7 as it did not mention it in the info ???.
My question is does all new Bachmann Diesel come with all wheel drive now :-\?
PS: Also is there any other alternative oil I could use to lubricate the locomotives other than the purpose built model locomotive lubricant ????
Thanks a lot in advance :D,
Loco 722.
the gp40s i and my son have are all 8 wheel drive with a very smooth motor. they do not have a flywheel though. all are dcc onboard. i am pleased with their performance enough that we have 4 of them.
The key to lubing the loco is to use 'ONLY PLASTIC COMPATIBLE LUBES'
My first DCC locomotive was a Bachmann GP35. While not the best runner in the stable, the GP35 has served me well in horrendous conditions (on a garage layout that is subjected to heat, humidity, and cold in the winter...it has never missed a beat). My Atlas MP15DC is the only other diesel I own and it is an outstanding machine - however it cost several times more than that little Bachmann.
I use plastic compatible greases and oils on my locomotives...this has served to quiet the GP35's gear noise considerably. If you want an inexpensive, no nonsense diesel locomotive; you can't go wrong with a Bachmann product. BTW, while I model the late 1800s, I still get out the GP35 and MP15DC as a balm to soothe my occasional diesel 'itch'.
Ray
Hello there,
Thanks for the input guys :). Really helped me.
I have placed the order for the Bachmann EMD GP40 and am waiting for it to be delivered :)!
Just one more question. When I got the Bachmann GE B23-7 to break in the new locomotive I ran it forward at half throttle for 10 mins and reverse again at half throttle for 10 mins. I never did lubricate it even once :-\ (It still runs well though).
After reading some model railroad forums about how to run in a new model locomotive: some plain simple, others there are procedures to follow, I was wondering if I was doing the right thing or not ???. Please let me know.......
Thanks again in advance :)!
Loco 722.
Loco722,
I'm not the most knowledgable on this forum. However, every locomotive I have received, from every manufacturer, has had more than plenty of lubrication. I wouldn't worry about oil or grease for a while, unless you hear something unusual.
For breaking in, I keep it simple: forwards and backwards for a few minutes, watching and listening for anything unusual. Never run at full throttle.
Hope this helps,
Jonathan
what my dad and i always swore by, for break in, is a week in yard service sorting cars. that's alot of start and stop, back and forth running and it seems to make them run smoother than just letting them run 10 minutes in each direction.
my gp40 very smooth . Looking to buy another one, maybe 2 . I bought a gp38 sf which is alittle smaller . There is a line by where i live . And usually 4 of them in tandem pulling steel coil carriers . about 40 cars sometimes . I take my coal haulers and switch up loads at times .And wish i had the track to pull 40 cars .Someday . oh and all are dcc .
On this post I am looking to buy another dcc bachmann gp40 . That I want to run in consist . Are the locomotives programmed the same and will they run the same speeds, .on the same channel . No lags , like one a little faster than the other . I just have the digital commander .
they should all run close enough in speed to run in multiple. they all come from the factory set up for address 3. i am not sure what the digital commander is, does it have capability to do some programming other than address changes?
excuse me it is the low end ez commander from bachmann . the 10 address one , soon i will upgrade . But for now it does what I need . I figured they "the loco's" might be close enough , for operation. but wasn't sure . I sure want another gp40 or 2 . either the gp or the ft units . finding dummys is rather hard . I see them in N , but not much in HO .
i would think they'd be close enough to run in multiple. i have several bachmann units with dcc onboard, and other than the gp30 and gp35s having flywheels and the gp40s and "gp50" not having them, they all work together for me. for what it's worth, i've also run the gp40s with an atlas trainman rs36 and other locomotives in my fleet without problems.
Thats good info . Our LCH usually gets a good line of bachmann diesels in , At really good prices . If I can't find what i want there I'll go online . I like trying the LCH 1st , Kepping them in business .
What type of controller do you have mr ward
i am using the digitrax zephyr. it has trouble programming bachmann decoders so most of my bachmanns have only had the adress changed, everything else is at factory default settings.
Need some advice . www.historicrail.com has a powered and nonpowered gp40 sante fa set . item #r93956c . Comes with a caboose also . Im more interested in the nonpowered gp40 sante fa loco it has .
Is it possible to add a dcc decoder to the powered locomotive in the set .the ho set is on sale for 39.95 .
Or... www.modeltrainstuff.com
I love my GP40, it's a shame that Bachmann's plastic is too soft to strip the paint by using brake fluid.
Oh well.
Joshua
you can often find the dcc equipped gp40s for around that price.
it would be cheaper to buy one with dcc already than to try to convert a non dcc one. figure on probably $15-20 for a basic decoder.
btw, santa fe only had one gp40.
well I kinda ordered the gp40 set powered and nonpowered units non dcc . but thats ok . if i need to put a decoder in the dc gp40 I will . I did see the dcc gp 40 sante fa on a couple of site's cheep .
problems with wants and want it now . I can use them .
I do have one more question . I also bought a dcc ft-b unit "sante fa war bonnet" I have the FT-A unit .will they run ok together in consist A/B unit together . on the dcc ez command controller. If not I will wait until i upgrade . I was looking at the dynamis controller from bachmann ...not sure about that one would like to here some feedback on it .
still had some to post . I bought a new laptop for the train room still getting used to it . The tech is pretty good at our LCH . I will pick up a decoder , for the powered DC gp40 As I need some experience in this area .
Why do the bachmann decoders have a hard time with being compatible .in use with other dcc controllers . as all my engines are Bachmann dcc on board
Quote from: mf5117 on July 25, 2009, 09:45:27 AM
Is it possible to add a dcc decoder to the powered locomotive in the set .the ho set is on sale for 39.95 .
It is possible to add a decoder to virtually all locomotives H0 scale and larger and to many locomotives smaller than H0 scale. How easy or how hard it may be and whether it is worth it depends on the particular model and who manufactured it.
Quote from: mf5117 on July 27, 2009, 05:13:01 PM
Why do the bachmann decoders have a hard time with being compatible .in use with other dcc controllers . as all my engines are Bachmann dcc on board
The only compatibility problem I am aware of is the difficult often experienced when trying to program one with a Digitrax Zephyr. The fix for that is easy. Just connect a 1000 ohm across the track when programming. The often quoted advice of just laying the resistor across the rails may frustrate you more than not using one at all. If the resistor wires and the rails make poor contact, the resistor trick may work one time and not the next. You are better off to get two alligator clips when you buy your resistor. Attach one to each wire and clip them to the rails. Alligator clips come in both solder on and screw on styles.
There may be other compatibility problems that I am not aware of. If so, I would like to learn about them.
Jim
jrward,
Mine technically isn't Santa Fe. I used White-Out on the "Santa Fe" lettering on the side, and I took off the numbering on the cab. I was going to make it ex-Santa Fe, but then I found out that it look stupid, and it runs good nevertheless. :D
Joshua
i am probably going to do the same thing with some conrail engines. the story is my railroad bought some old engines off conrail dirt cheap. the white out was a good idea, but white out wasn't what you wanted. it is better to buy decal striping, and cover the number and lettering with that. look at photos of conrail in the late 1970s and you will see many instances of locomotives with their former identity patched out. the same goes with the milwaukee road after it was taken over by soo line in 1985.
csx and norfolk southern left the locomotive's paint scheme intact, but patched out the number.
I finally got my gp40 set from historicrail.com .the blue and yellow santa fe's . I love them ,they are so fricken cool . I didn't know it but they are bachmann products . Says on the box , Great Plans Dist . HO emd gp40 powered and nonpowered plus caboose . I'm going to put dcc in the powered loco this weekend ....... Yeahhhhhh now I'm waiting for a FT-B unit sante fa war bonnet and 3 more 40ft pulpwood flats with load . I got 4 sante fa 50 ft flats with 45ft trailer and 2 40ft flats with beech bananza airplanes , last weekend . Almost done buying rolling stock . But I know i'll see something else ,so maybe I'm not done.
Historic Rail is not the only source. Shop around to $$$ save.
I know there is other place's to save money . Historicrail was the only place out of about 10 that had what i wanted . the rolling stock i got from wholesale trains . just like the pulpwood cars I've been looking for 6 months for those . the load and flat car combo . In the walthers flyer , they sell the load but no flat car . "bulkhead" . Or you go to shops and they have one or no sets . Or unavailable unavailable . Then if you have no patience and buy online, you pay for more shipping , so what are you saving . But anyway i got what i wanted . I know the tech, so just the cost of the decoder . He will help me install it . And i have my 3 gp40's for consist . Cool
Hello there!
I received my Bachmann GP40 today :D!
It is a GP40 with Union Pacific livery.
I ran it to make sure it worked fine and it did :)! Runs smooth-I was expecting it to be jerky since it had no fly wheel-and has really nice low speed performance!
Thanks to all who gave me info :D!
There seems to be one problem, when the throttle is at 1/4 to between 1/2 to 3/4, it emits a small groaning noise. I ran it for an hour or so and the noise now seemed to have reduced.
Did anyone else experience this with their new Bachmann GP40s ????
Thanks in advance!
Loco 722.
I bought a digital commander set with a GP40 inside. it makes the same groaning noise at low speed. tried to take off the shell and do some inspections but no luck.
Hello,
Thanks abu0724.
Despite the groaning noise it runs well :)! So I assume I need not worry about it!
Loco 722.
I've had generally good results with Bachmann locomotives. In my mind at least, we need to keep in mind that Bachmann builds locomotives at two quality levels. First the standard Bachmann engine. Generally, pretty good looking, fair pullers, not bad little engines. Enter Bachmann "Spectrum" locomotives. Steam,diesel, electric, these are great locomotives. I have two steamers.(Excursion service) and four Spectrum diesels. Great performers. They pull well, I can MU them with other engines, even those of other manufacturers. In short, great engines.