over the process of several months of using a spectrum 2-10-2 and 2-8-0 i have noticed several issues. number 1, the valve gear tends to loosen over time. number 2, the motor got LOUDER over time (slightly). but after lots of run time and several tweaks here aqnd there they run great. i strongly recommend these locomotives for anyone looking for a cheap yet efficient steam loco fleet.(http://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii494/chesapeakeandohio/009.jpg)
(http://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii494/chesapeakeandohio/008.jpg)
gret info,could you elaborate on the tweeks&tune-ups you did as i too have some bachmann 2-10-2,2-8-0 &some 4-8-2 mountains. what specificaly do you do to the valve gear? after break-in my units have about 15 to 20 hrs and after resetting the start voltage to 0 as bachmann likes to set their;s at 10 i find my slow speed control is so much better. these locos are trmendous operators and smooth running to this point.i agree about miminal motor noise ,but in my case i believe their is a certain ammount of sound being transferred from loco thru kato track and 1 in base pinf foam board. looking forward to seeing your tweeks post and will thank you in advance. excellent post.
REGARDS&LATER KEWATIN
i added a spring in the front truck and am going to add bullfrog snot as a replacemant for the traction tires.
Quote from: n-scale chesapeake & ohio on March 11, 2012, 06:16:32 PM
am going to add bullfrog snot as a replacemant for the traction tires.
Waste of time. Traction tires will out pull snot. Snot is a good solution when there are no traction tires as an option but it does not out perform good rubber traction tires.