Hello all,
After recently replacing the front trucks on my 4-6-0 Anniversary all was going very very well. Train ran so smooth and quiet but suddenly very recently I started hearing a ticking/scratching sound. The frequency/rate increases as the train goes faster. It still runs strong and smooth but the sound causes me a little concern. Now that I'm comfortable with taking the bottom off the train I thought to do a visual inspection. I found one thing that makes me a little concerned.
The forward set of large wheels sits up into the chassis. The wheel/axle assembly has what looks like brass hubs or bearings with a patterned or sintered edge that gets captured up into "U" shaped cut-outs in the chassis. It appears as this should be a bit of an interference fit. I say this because all but one of the axles fit snugly into the chassis. I have one that appears as though the brass part has been turning inside of the "U" shaped saddle section of the chassis and has started to wear at the plastic. It's also very loose in the chassis as compared to the other axle bearing assemblies.
I apologize for the poor description but I don't know what these parts are called. I've attached the parts breakdown and I've attempted to post a photo. Any advice you have would be appreciated. Thank you!
(http://s18.postimg.org/4qrqadl8l/20150614_140506_001.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/4qrqadl8l/)
http://postimg.org/image/4qrqadl8l/
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/LS_4-6-0_Metal_Gears.frame_&_wheels.pdf
Hi Punkin,
From your excellent photo, it appears that the brass bushing is intentionally knurled to prevent the OD of the bushing from spinning in the chassis, thereby defaulting to the axle spinning in the bearing instead. Obviously there is too much friction between the metal axle and the brass bushing, or the brass bushing would not be spinning in the chassis (which is chewing up the plastic chassis slot). The fix would appear to be to lubricate the axle/bearing interface, and then try to secure the bearing in the chassis with a drop of CA glue. I don't have an Annie in my fleet of Big Haulers, nor have I encountered the problem you seem to be having, but based on your photo, that's what I would do if I were seeing what you're seeing.
Good luck, and let us know how you make out.
Jay
I had a similar issue on a used loco, I disassembled the loco rugged up the plastic and then used two part export to build up the warn area, after it set for a week I told and sanded it to shape, I cleaned the bushings and lived them and reassembled it. It's been fine since the repairs.
Nm-Jeff
Punkin: I assume that it is basically a new unit since you bought it from trainworld.com,right? If so, and the problem is bad enough, I would contact Bachmann customer service and send it to them for replacement(they don't repair them. The returned units are used for parts). You could also contact the company that you bought it from and see if they'll allow you to return it for exchange. They may even pay postage both ways since it was bought new. No matter what, you shouldn't mess with trying to fix it yourself until you talk to Bachmann or trainworld.com and find out what they're willing to do to fix it for you , especially when you consider that you've only had it for less than a month and a half and it's already had 2 problems. Trying to repair it yourself could possibly invalidate the warranty.
Just my 2 cents.
Later!
You might call Trainworld, but my guess is that they will tell you to go directly to Bachmann. I wouldn't try to fix it yourself. The knurled fitting should be locked in and not spin. I think there is more to the problem, such as something locking the axle in the bearing, preventing it from turning, forcing the entire assembly to turn.
Chuck
Thanks everyone,
This is a brand new train. During my first problem with the front truck pickups I did call Trainworld but all I got was there must be something with how I was operating it and that I should let the train run longer so it can "break in". They weren't highly motivated to help me out.
I did end up working direct with Bachmann who was very very helpful. Before calling them again on this matter I wanted to be sure that I was really experiencing a problem as I'm still new to this and not sure what is good/bad. I will call them again this morning.
Thanks to you all for taking the time to look at this for me. I do appreciate it.
Have a great day everyone!
I'm missing something... I didn't see where it's a new loco in your previous post.
Being new I would get it replaced under warranty, since these locos usually run very well for a long time
I may not have mentioned that in this post. I did contact Bachmann and they're having me send it in. My hope is that they turn around quickly. I ordered this about a month ago now but I've had some level of problems with it since the very beginning. Initially I had some issues where it would run roughly in one direction so they sent me a new front truck which made things much much better. At that point I really got to start running it and then after only a few hours of operation (not all at once but rather over the course of a few days), the train started making a rythmical scratching sound. My curiousity got the better of me so I opened the bottom and found what you see in the photo.
I have to once again thank everyone for the support and taking the time to read my newbie questions.
Have a great day everyone! :)
Hey Punkin. You're probably looking at around 4-6 weeks turn around time. Make sure to inspect it carefully for damage when it comes back. I had one a couple of years ago that had to be sent back 3 times because it arrived all three times with broken parts on it due to shipping issues. The 4th one arrived in perfect condition and I still have it today. It was a real hassle. I had to call Bachmann customer service over it each time and they were kind enough to pay for return shipping. I sent the original locomotive back to them in late July,2012 and the one that I wound up keeping arrived on December 22, 2012. It's the black 4-6-0 #12 that appears in most of my youtube videos. Don't get me wrong-it's a great locomotive. Bachmann bent over backwards to take care of me on this and I would give them a 5 star rating for their customer service. It's just that shipping sometimes causes unexpected damage (as we all know) and there are a lot of fragile, breakable parts on these locos and the fault lies with their carrier (UPS) in the way they sometimes handle packages. I just wanted to let you know what happened with mine so that you'll be aware of these issues and be sure to carefully inspect your loco for damage when it comes back to you.
Happy railroading my friend!
Andrew
4-6 week turn around :'(
I surely hope my experience is a little different. I am sympathetic to the shipping aspect. I would hope that they ship it back in one of their original boxes. Those boxes seem to be very well made.
I'll be sure to keep you all posted. I'm looking forward to a time when this thing is completely operational for more than a few days. Thanks for setting my expecations to something more realistic too.
Have a great evening!
Punkin,
When you call them about your repair ask about how heavy the workload is and the estimated turnaround time?
In the past I have discussed turnaround time with in-the-know folks at Bachmann and this is what I learned. Turnaround time varies greatly depending on the time of the year and vacation schedules of the employee's. December, January and February are usually the heaviest due to folks pulling out their trains set for christmas and finding something wrong and sending them in. Early spring and mid fall are the slowest. The second busiest time is now, because late spring and earlier are prime time for running trains. Folks often send in loco's to fix that aren't actually broken or having a problem, because the problem was with another component or a short on their track, even carpet fibers wrapped around the axles. Needless to say these have to be received, evaluated and sent back taking up technician time. Interestingly I also learned they have had problems with some folks trying to get over on the system, and even in those cases they try to be accommodating up to a point. Beyond saying that I cannot say more about the specifics of some of the scams, because I promised not to. Needless to say this also takes up tech and management time, and causes delays us, the non scamers.
As for your locomotive, it is unfortunate you are having a bad experience, especially since you bought it new. The version five chassis Anniversary 4-6-0, and the Version 5 Big Hauler have been so trouble free problems with them have been rarely reported here on the forum. When Bachmann produces a new version chassis for the 4-6-0 they produce a large quantity of extra chassis to stock the repair operations. The quality of the version 5 chassis has been so outstanding Bachmann has had a very large quantity of chassis that are not needed, because warranty repair on the 4-6-0's have been at record lows compared to the version 1 thru 4 chassis made before 2000. This is why Bachmann has been selling the excess Version 5 chassis in the online store on and off over the past year. I did notice that the sale is back on for many of the 4-6-0 variations.
None of this good news helps when it is you having the problem, but I can say the chances are great that when you get your loco back it will give you great service if you take good care of it and follow the lubrication procedures.
Your problem may be that someone at the factory failed to lube that one bearing causing it to bind and fail, so to be safe be sure to lube the chassis as soon as you get it back. Many of the warranty repairs are often due to lack of lube, or not using plastic compatible lube. Definitely use plastic compatible lube. I knew one guy who laughed about the need for plastic compatible lube, and used WD-40 and sprayed the hell out of his chassis every time he ran the locomotives. Needless to say all three all three of his locomotives failed in less than a year and had damage to the plastic bodies and plastic drive rods as well.
Don't be discouraged over your problem and keep having fun with your trains!!! Bachmann has the best warranty in the business, I can name 4 other brands that don't even offer a warranty, or have gone out of business.
As your finances allow consider getting a second locomotive not just for fun, but to have as a spare when a problem does come up.
Good Luck!
Bill
Punkin: Building on Loco Bills suggestions for maintaining your loco: I've had positive results with Bachmann plastic compatible lubricants. I use their Light Gear Oil and Heavy Gear Oil for the drive rods,wheel, and bearings. I use a product called Labelle 106 Plastic Compatible Grease with PTFE for the gears on the locomotive and wheel axles on my cars. Bachmann also offers their similar E-z Lube grease which is what Bachmann recommends for their products. If you need instructions on how to lube your locomotive, the video has been posted on youtube by Bachmann:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTWNdIusF4
I also recommend removing and cleaning the drive rods once in a while to remove any built up residue-especially if you are running your train over carpet or have pets! And that goes for all of your cars as well!
Like Loco Bill has already said, lubrication is the most important thing to maintain on your locomotive to ensure many years of trouble free operation!
Andrew
It's worth the wait to get it fixed correctly, I love Bachmanns products with proper maintenance they run very well, I've run big haulers literally thousands of miles over the course of a few holiday seasons.
Nm-Jeff
Ps make sure to lube those bearings so you don't have a recurrence of this issue.
I have also had this happen to my Generation 5 4-6-0. I had to build up the area of the chassis where the round brass bushing rides with split silicone tubing (chainsaw gas line). This condition is due to poor engineering! The outside profile of these bushings should have been square so they could not turn and grind down the plastic. Daaah, plastic is softer than brass. :-\
I have three Annies. bought the first in 2000 when they first came out, the other two within a year. They still run beautifully, I actually can't believe that it was almost 15 years ago and the first one is still going strong. It started out as a track power then I converted it to battery & RC. Still a favorite :) 8). I wish I had a car that would go that long without a repair :'(!!!
Mine all have the more complex Walsearchts vale gear. Yes, I baby them ::), I lube them more frequently than most guys. I too use the Labelle 106 grease for the gears & light oil for the rest of mechanism. On the axles where they enter the bushing I add a puff of teflon powder, also a Labelle product, after I use the light oil. If you are running in very hot outside temperatures, I strongly recommend more frequent lubing. I always make sure the rods are not binding when I run them. I would have used the Bachmann lubes, but the hobby shop did not carry them, and I had been using Labelle on my HO stuff way back when...
My son has many problems with his supposedly "higher quality" other brand steam locomotives and they sit on the shelf looking pretty :'(because there is no warranty repair, no service department, no parts, no replacement chassis, no nothing and the company went out of business :'( :'( :'(. I still stand by Bachmann, especially since 2000 when the Annie came out, before that not so much, as the earlier chassis versions 1 to 4 where not great runners. As for the warranty and service department, where else can you send in a 15 year old 4-6-0 and for $55 bucks get back your locomotive with a brand new chassis 8). Where else can you drop your expensive locomotive on the floor and still get it replaced at the warranty fee, or free within the first year!!! Just saying......
Bill
I can't agree with you more,Bill. Bachmann has the best warranty in the business. Let's hope that they never change it! I lube my Anniversary locos every 4-6 hours of operation to keep them going. I also partially disassemble the drive rods and remove all of the old lubricant to ensure that there's no grime or pet hair built up in them. The more often you lube 'em the longer they'll last!
Do you take the bottom of the train off every 4-6 hours and lube that brass bit as well?
Thanks gentlemen...this is very informative.
Hi, Punkin. I never remove the bottom of the chassis unless there is some kind of obvious problem with it. It's all too easy to break off those little connectors between the chassis and the cover. I've had to resolder them back together a couple of times and it's a a bit of a pain. :'(
Punkn,
There are oil bottles that come with long thin tubes so you can reach these bearings.
If you don't have one you can go to a fishing tackle shop and ask for a worm inflator, which is usually just a little plastic bottle with a hollow needle.
Nm-Jeff
If you can't find a needle bottle locally you can also search needle bottles on Ebay where you can get a set pretty cheaply. If you don't mind waiting you can get a set of 2 of them with the long metal needles for $1.98 including free shipping. They're directly from China and the wait is normally about 2 weeks. Remember: when it comes to buying needle bottles for lubricating your train, you only want the needle bottles with the long,thin metal needle. The bottles with the shorter needle are too short to reach and the ones with the tapered needle are usually too thick to get all of the way down to the axle where the bearings are. I used to put the oil on a tooth pick to get it on the axle and bearings before I bought a set of needle bottles!
This is the direct link to one of the many auctions for needle bottles I found on Ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FD732-Rosin-Flux-Alcohol-Bottle-For-Rosin-Solder-Flux-Paste-1PCS-Needle-/121404402567?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c44442b87
I have a set of three of these exact same bottles and they are excellent for lubing the bearings, drive rods, and anything else on your new loco. Don't worry about having to lube it when you get it back as it will already be fully lubricated and ready to go when it arrives! Just remember to allow it a short break-in period( recommended in the video by Bachmann) every time you lube your loco by allowing it to run around the track at slow to medium speed for a few minutes in both directions with just the tender and no cars. You want to baby it at first, adding cars after it has had a chance to run for a little while. Watch the lubrication video on youtube if you have any questions on how to perform a lubrication service on your loco. That's what I did and I watch it every time I lubricate mine so I don't miss anything!
Take care!
Thanks again everyone,
When I bought my train I also purchased a lubrication kit that was recommended for G scale trains. It comes with four different lubricants. Excelle Lubricants #XL9012 Kit For O-G Gauge (Medium, Heavy, Gear, NLGI 2). The needle tube ends truly are the only way to go. It makes placing the oil in exactly the right place and does wonders for regulating how much is applied. I couldn't agree more...this is the only way to go :-)
Before I ran the train I saw the care and maintenance video and I did lube all the moving parts I could get to. Not too much, just a drop or two. That really is a well done tutorial. I also put a little dab of the heavy grease onto the brass gear inside the service hole on the bottom.
Again, thanks so much for all the very sound advice!
Hello everyone,
A bit of an update on my train and a follow up question.
I sent my 4-6-0 Anniversary back to the factory for repairs. As some of you speculated, it does appear as though they replaced the entire unit. I believe this to be true because of the front wheel assembly being entirely different.
My original train had a rather heavy metal swing arm affair from which the front wheels were supported/suspended. The new unit has a plastic assembly with a spring between the wheel assembly and main chassis. A completely different design. Also, after a more close inspection, if I'm not mistaken my original had a metal gear that could be seen through the inspection cover whereas the new has a white plastic gear.
My question is, is the new replacement considered an improvement? Is it a newer or older model? The original heavy metal swing arm seemed to be a sturdier product. Anything here I should be concerned with?
Thanks very much!
older model. Contact Bachmann and explain situation.
My original statement above is not correct since Punkin added a different front truck. The correct advice should have been to contact Bachmann and explain that the front truck was changed and could Bachmann send it back. See my detailed response below. I was not an older model as I stated above.
Edited to reflect the correct advice.
Thank you Loco Bill Canelos. I sent them an email. Laura replied and said she would contact the technician and get back with me.
Thanks!
Punkin, sorry to hear about your loco. How is your caboose? Still OK? Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi
Punkin,
Looking back at your posts, I see that you replaced your front truck on your Annie with one that is not stock for the locomotive you bought. The Annie with the front truck that slides in the slot has the plastic gears and never had the swing arm style front truck you added. It is the same exact version 5 gear train as the one with the brass gears, So the one you bought had plastic gears. Bachmann was correct in sending you back one with plastic gears. When sending a locomotive back to Bachmann for repair it is CRITICAL to remove any thing you added that is not stock or changed that is important to you. So you should have removed the front truck before sending it in for repair, and put it back on when it came back. While I suspect you did not know this, the technician looked at the problem with the axle, saw you had the version 5 Chassis with the plastic gears and opted to send you a brand new one also with the plastic gears.
I apologize for my earlier post when I was mistaken in saying you got back an older version when in fact you got the product you sent in. The easiest way to deal with the problem is to ask Laura nicely if they can send you back your added on front truck. If you still feel you were wronged please let me know exactly what the Bachmann product number was that you bought and the road name and cab number and I can confirm what I say above.
For all reading this:: It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you remove any thing you added to your locomotive that is different from the original if it is important to you to get it back. The generous Bachmann warranty and replacement policy replaces only the stock locomotive and cannot remove any added on item and put it back on the replacement loco. Most likely the technicians will not even notice added on items, since they test for the problem and either replace the chassis or the whole loco at their option. Remember to either REMOVE any added on items or as a minimum tell Bachmann service what you have changed and follow their recommendations.
Also check out the FAQ on repairing the Big Hauler as most of it applies to the Anniversary version as well except for the higher price of the repair service fee:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,30394.0.html
Again I apologize to Punkin for the poor original advice I gave on this.
Loco Bill
Thank you Bill,
My original train did come with a metal swing arm front wheel assembly. The thing was giving me difficulty when running anti-clockwise corners. After putting an Ohm meter to it I could tell that when the wheels shifted or leaned to one side or the other the continuity would drop out. I contacted Bachmann and they sent a replacement front wheel assembly which did correct the problem. Laura has been very VERY good to work with. She has been exceptionally responsive.
After replacing the front wheel assembly I thought I was good to go and a very happy camper but then after a few additional hours of run time I started to hear this ticking noise. After pulling the bottom wheel cover plate off I then noticed the brass axle carrier parts were chewing away at the chassis. This time after contacting Bachmann again, they asked me to send the entire engine in for repairs. Keep in mind, the original did have the heavy metal front wheel swing arm assembly and brass gears.
After what I thought was a very quick turn around, Bachmann sent me what appears as a brand new engine. However, it is quite different from the original in that the front wheel assembly is plastic and sits on a small spring and the drive gears are plastic.
I had a brief email exchange with the service manager who says that the technician will be emailing me with an explanation to effectively suggest that this version that I now have is as good as the model I had previously. I'm looking forward to his explanation.
Again, thank you very much Bill. I learned much from your suggestions and make no mistake I'm still very happy with the service that Bachmann has offered. I'm sure I simply had bad luck but, I am interested in knowing more about the different versions, options improvements and draw backs.
To Zubi, my caboose is great! I recently set up an update on another post. I bought the new metal wheels and electrical pickup parts. I also installed a voltage regulator, LEDs, rectifier, load resistors and capacitor. The lights are set up to run at 5 volts so they come on even before the train starts to move. They don't flicker, they dont get bright/dim with speed and work when the train goes forward or back. This has been a great little project. Couldn't be more pleased.
I now wonder if there should be light in the cabin of the engine where the driver would sit? It looks very dark when I run the train at night. I don't know what the real trains would have.
Hey, Punkin. It it were me I wouldn't let them get away with giving you an older model. You sent in a brand new, latest model chassis loco and they returned an older model to you. Here are a couple of things that you should know:
The older chassis #5 model is what they sent you. The chassis #5 has plastic drive gears whereas the one that you bought was a chassis #6 model with the new and improved front pilot and metal drive gears. Yes, Bachmann Large scale locomotives with the earlier #5 chassis will normally run for a long time just fine as long as you do your maintenance. However, the plastic main gear inside them can split, making it slip on the drive shaft and, well...I'm sure that you get the idea.
Basically, you sent them in a brand new, updated #6 chassis locomotive and they sent an older #5 chassis loco back to you. I'm sorry, but that strikes me as an unfair exchange, especially when one considers that the #6 chassis with updated front pilot and metal gears is currently selling for $125.00 versus $55.00 for the older #5 chassis that has plastic gears and the older front pilot. It's up to you, but speaking for myself I wouldn't accept such an unfair exchange and I would insist that they replace my loco with the exact same item.
I wish you the very best of luck!
Later.
Punkin, great to hear that you are happy with your caboose! I hope your locomotive problem will be sorted out soon. While you are waiting for it to be serviced, do yourself a favour and get a small reliable Porter or a diesel switcher - it is a shame to have track and a caboose that you cannot run! Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi
RkyGriz,
Let me be clear. I do not work for Bachmann, but Punkin said in his first post that he changed the front truck from the one that slides in the slot to the one with the swing arm that does not ride in the slot. If that is true, Bachmann sent him back the correct product and it was brand new. I totally stand by my statement made earlier And my apology to Punkin for my first bit of bad advice. I believe he said he bought a set, so the set number would reveal what product he had. If Punkin will provide the product number or set number, I will gladly confirm what he should have got if it is different from from what I have said in my earlier posts. Punkin may have simply been mistaken as to what he remembers. I would like him to be confident and reassured about his situation. Telling me what the product number of what he bought will settle it for everyone. I don't want to see anyone get screwed over, but it would be just as bad if there is a mistaken belief that creates a mis-belief for others on the forum.
Please see my post about sending in products for repair that are modified.
Bill
This is what Punkin said in an earlier post:
Thank you Bill,
"My original train did come with a metal swing arm front wheel assembly. The thing was giving me difficulty when running anti-clockwise corners. After putting an Ohm meter to it I could tell that when the wheels shifted or leaned to one side or the other the continuity would drop out. I contacted Bachmann and they sent a replacement front wheel assembly which did correct the problem. Laura has been very VERY good to work with. She has been exceptionally responsive."
So, yes Bill, if you read his prior posts you'll see that he clearly states that his original locomotive was equipped with the new upgraded front pilot when he received it brand new from the retailer that he bought it from. There was a defect with the front pilot, and Bachmann sent him a replacement for it. So, we must therefore conclude from Punkins' prior posts, that the loco he originally bought was indeed equipped with the newer #6 chassis.
I've had problems with the service department at Bachamnn myself. I sent in a loco for repairs and went through 3 returns until I received an acceptable loco which wasn't even the same as the original loco that I had returned. It was the Blue & Brown#10 D&RG wood burner and the one that I finally received was a black, unpainted coal burner because they had run out of the blue D&RG #10 which was fine as I was tired of having to deal with it and wait for a suitable replacement.
So you can easily see how my sympathies are with Punkin on this.
With all due respect, Bill.
Take care!
Hello All,
This has been a very confusing situation and I should NOT have posted any response to punkin at all until I was able to verify what product he actually bought! I thought he had a 81088 and replaced the front truck. It is especially confusing because Bachmann has produced the Bumble Bee 4-6-0 in at least three different product numbers and more than one cab number.
I have gone back and researched the very first posts made by Punkin. I now think that he most probably purchased Product number 91602 Annie Bumble bee and not product 81088 also an Annie Bumble Bee, but I am not positive since many dealers have both the 81088 and the 91602 Bumble Bee available for sale.
If he did buy the product 91602 it does have the brass gears and that is what he should get back from Bachmann. If the box he got back has the product number 81088 he got the older model with plastic gears. If the box he got back has the number 91602 then it is the newer version with brass gears.
If he told Laura which product number he bought for sure, they will make it right. The 91602 is a current production model so he should get the exact model back and not a substitute.
Again I should not have posted anything without knowing the actual product number. If because of any post I made Punkin does not get the right item, I will buy him a new one at my expense if he sends me the product number and receipt for his purchase.
I fully support him in getting the correct item which ever one it actually was.
Bill
All the original poster needs to do is contact our service department and speak to the service manager. We will be more than happy to accommodate him. Mistakes can happen - nobody is perfect. Our service department does everything within it's power to keep our customers happy. There are often multiple versions of a product due to upgrades made during the life of the product. If the wrong version chassis was inadvertently sent we will be happy to make it right.
Hello all and thank you very much for the support. I'm still very new to the world of model trains and my learning curve is still quite steep.
The train I purchased was a Bumble Bee 4-6-0. The box says #91602. It did come with the metal swing arm thing up front and shortly after running it the thing would stutter and was kind of jerky. The lights would flicker. After some of you offered suggestions on how to troubleshoot, I used my Ohm meter on the truck assembly and could see that under certain conditions the pickups would present an open circuit and drop voltage.
After explaining this to the tech at Bachmann, he sent me a replacement swing arm assembly. After replacing the swing arm assembly all was running very very nicely but then after a few hours of use I detected a second problem which presented as a ticking sound. It got worse over time and then when I opened the bottom cover I then noticed that it appeared that the brass axle carriers were turning in the plastic chassis mount locations and were chewing up the plastic.
After again contacting Bachmann they asked me to send the entire locomotive in. The turn around time was very fast. I was quite pleased with this. It appeared as though they replaced the entire unit. Before putting it onto my track I thought to inspect and lubricate as I know this is important. When I turned the unit over I noticed that the bottom side was very much different. The front carrier assembly was a plastic affair and now had a spring in the middle. When I removed the bottom lubrication/inspection cover so as to apply grease, I noticed that the gears were now plastic instead of brass.
I did contact Bachmann again and asked why the different unit. The service manager said she would look into it. A few days later I received a phone call from the technician who essentially said that the replacement chassis with the brass and metal parts were not available and that the unit that I received was as good as the one I previously had and that it would serve me for many years to come. It was explained to me that this is how they do warranty replacements and that I should not be alarmed. I was encouraged to put it on the track and run it.
Currently I have my replacement engine running, pulling my newly lighted caboose and so far after about 2 hours of run time, all is well :-)
Hi, Punkin. Glad to hear that you're happy with the way everything turned out. In the end the only thing that really matters is if you're happy with the unit that you received. I hope that it will last you many happy years. Just remember to maintain it per the video instructions. All 3 of my powered Annies are great and the one that I was telling you about in my last post is actually my favorite. I just wanted to make sure that you were aware of the differences between the #5 chassis and the #6 chassis locomotives and that you'd receive a proper replacement for what you originally bought and then had to have replaced.
Just so long as you're happy my friend!
Take care!