Can't help you with the whistle, as I run in DCC.

As for stalling on turnouts, it is a pickup issue. Things to check:
(1) are the wheels clean; If not, clean them.

(2) are the contacts from the drawbar making good contact with the contact "ears" extending up from the first tender truck? If not, bend them outward ever so slightly so that they do (note: the wire contacts should be contacting the INSIDE face of the truck contacts.

(3) are the tender truck contact ears clean? Are the spring contacts in the tender body clean? Are the truck contacts making good contact with the spring contacts inside the tender? Checking the former requires removing the trucks... not terribly difficult, they're just held on with screws. The latter requires removing the tender shell... carefully insert a blade or screwdriver in the seam between the tender frame and shell, and gently pry the shell off (working one side, then the other). Then, look from the side and see if the ears are touching the spring contacts in running along either side of the tender floor.

(4) Lastly, power is also carried from the loco to the tender by wires (more reliable than the drawbar, IMO). These anchor to the loco chassis with screws on either side of the chassis. On my 2-8-0, one of the screws was loose, and so that wire was not delivering power. To check, you have to remove the loco shell. This requires carefully freeing the pilot ladders from the boiler, and the cab hand rails, and the power reverse detail on one side of the shell (this was glued on mine, but I was able to get it free w/o breaking it). Then the shell should lift up and forward to come off.

These are nice running little locos was you get them all adjusted... Good luck!

I am guessing that the Yard Boss train set came with the 0-6-0? I don't have a manual, but you an find a parts diagram of one version of the 0-6-0 in Bachmanns "Parts, service, and information" pages (link at the top of the page.

I am guessing that there is a drawbar (coupling) on the tender with a hole with two stiff, spring wires to carry track power from the tender to the loco. These would fit over a split peg at the back of the loco... the spring wires go OUTSIDE of each side of the peg ( the split halves of the peg pick up the power from the spring wires). It's easier to fit the wires over the peg if you turn/swing the tender drawbar about 90 degrees to the loco...

Simple things first... have you got the loco selected by the correct loco ID number in your controller? Sounds dumb, I know, but more than once my controller has undergone a "hiccup," and suddenly my loco doesn't respond because the controller has "slipped" to a different (sometimes totally random) loco ID. can cause a bit of a panic if the loco is actually running, and needs to be stopped...

The wires on the tender drawbar go OUTSIDE the split peg on the loco. It is easier to slip them over if you turn the tender ~90 degrees relative to the loco... the pegs are a little narrower fore and aft, and can slip between the wires easier.

The wires in the drawbar pickup track power (from right and left rails) thru the split frame of the loco... the slot on the loco's drawbar "peg" is the split between the two sides of the frame... thus the two sides of the peg carry the different rail "polarities." it's a bit redundant, since the track power is also carried by wires from the loco to the tender.

I don't know who made the decoder, but here is a picture showing what it looks like:



I could not tell you what the components were, but you can see that the leads to the loco are all labeled. From bottom to top (right to left in the tender):

Right rail (red), motor + (orange), headlight + (common +, blue), headlight - (white), motor - (grey), left rail (black)

Sounds like a problem with picking up rail power... probably the loco and maybe also front tender truck.

I had a similar issue with my Bachmann 2-8-0 when it was new... it would more than occasionally stall out when a tender truck was on a turnout frog. I finally pulled the loco shell, and found one of the screw posts for connecting the leads carrying power from the loco chassis back to the tender was not tightened. Tightened it up, and no more stalling!

Looking at Spookshow's loco encyclopedia, it appears the power contacts might have changed in the different light mtn releases... might be from the forward light PCB in early versions (a screw going thru a contact spot on the PCB and into the chassis... that's how it is in the 4-6-0), but the newer release appears to have screws into the chassis anchoring wires with  spade lugs (that's how it is with the recent 2-8-0).

[In principle, the contact wires in the drawbar SHOULD carry chassis power back to the tender, in addition to two of the 6 wires between the loco and tender. But, the drawbar connection is not foolproof... as my stalling issue demonstrated. My stalling problem was exacerbated when I swapped tenders (and decoders) and eliminated the drawbar contacts... then, with the loose screw, I was not getting ANY left rail power from the loco, and it stalled on almost every turnout. Once I tightened the screw, no more stalling.]

You might also check and make sure that the tender truck contact ears are making good contact with their contact strips on the floor of the tender, and of course, make sure you have clean wheels and track.

I don't have a 2-6-2... but, if I had to do the repair, I would probably opt for the valve gear + wheel set. It's doesn't cost much more, and you won't have to push in any of those nasty little crank/rod pins. Looks like the center geared driver must not be connected to the rods...

Of course, save the old drivers in case you ever have an axle crack...

There is a replacement axle and gear set for a Bachmann 4-8-4 available from Shapeways. Don't know if it appropriate for your loco, or anything about it's quality or ease of install.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/H8T8H8U8D/bachmann-n-us-4-8-4-axles-gear-3rd-generation?optionId=101919311&li=marketplace

Bachmann... if this post violates the forum rules, please delete it.

Looks like the smaller version is still available from Bachmann's parts:
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_79&products_id=217&zenid=4ns1es6ts3rg6j0bdk2ffmeb22

https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/contactus.php ?

Ummm... because I need the shell for the locomotive?

Quote from: DaveGard on June 06, 2019, 01:41:10 PM
Sorry, I should have been more precise (I'll change the post title if I still can)... I need the LOCO shell for a Bachmann Spectrum series 2-8-0.

I am planning a bash of my 2-8-0 to resemble (but probably not match perfectly) UP #618. That will require removing/moving the sand dome and all sand piping. I don't really want to start that w/o a backup shell,  in case I manage to screw it up...

Sorry for the confusion.

Sorry, I should have been more precise (I'll change the post title if I still can)... I need the LOCO shell for a Bachmann Spectrum series 2-8-0.

I am planning a bash of my 2-8-0 to resemble (but probably not match perfectly) UP #618. That will require removing/moving the sand dome and all sand piping. I don't really want to start that w/o a backup shell,  in case I manage to screw it up...

Sorry for the confusion.

Yes. The Bachmann parts department rep said everything they have is on the website.

Don't know if a "wanted" post is allowable (I didn't see anything in the terms and conditions saying it wasn't allowed)... but moderators may delete this post if it violates policies...

I am in need of a Spectrum 2-8-0 locomotive shell (N scale, or course!) for a kit-bash. If you have a spare shell or derelict 2-8-0 that you can spare, please contact me. Any road name... I can strip and repaint as necessary (tho' black would be preferable to colors).

Thanks!
Dave

It looks to me like you could lengthen your grades... spread them out... a bit more. If you can spread your grades to 9' (108"), bringing you to <2.5%.

Also, the NMRA overhead clearance for N-scale is ~1-5/8" (one of the first things you should do is get yourself an NMRA standards gauge). That should clear any N-scale loco and rolling stock. If you make your overpass a bridge (trestle or girder), you could probably get your railhead to railhead vertical distance down to 2-1/8" to 2-1/4" (1-5/8" plus the bridge structure), rather than the 2-1/2" you have in your plans.

With some planning, I THINK you should be able to get your grades down to max 2%. My twice around layout is basically the same as yours... but a little larger 9-1/2 ft  x 3-1/2 ft, and I was able to get my grades down to max 1.8%. I run steam, and my small locos, Bachmann 4-6-0 and 2-8-0, can each pull 10-14 40' freight cars around my layout. My Challenger (4-6-6-4) can pull 20-22 40' freights, and my FEF-3 (4-8-4) can pull more than 25 freights (that's all I have).