Hunt, I'm being cautious with money because I don't have a lot to spend.  I just found a caboose on eBay that is the same model as mine for $1.95.  It has a broken part but good wheels so that will fix one little problem.  I really don't want to join any groups, I am disabled which is why I want this train - it's something to do.  Thanks for your concern though.

Doneldon, if the drive wheels are the ones in the back, one set with rubber around the hub, they are rock solid.  I doubt I could move them if I tried.  I was wondering if they were supposed to be that way, you just confirmed that.

I was reading in the paperwork that came with that the power pack will make a humming sound.  Mine does not.  It seems like it might have when I first got it last year.  I bought it, then put it away and sort of forgot about it until recently and decided to play around with it.  Could the power pack be the problem?  If so, how does the light turn on?  It is real dim to start with but as I turn the nob up, the light gets brighter and brigher and when I turn the nob back down, the light gets dim.

Could the rail joiners I bought be the wrong kind?  I bought what Bachman support suggested. They gave me the part number.

I really don't want to give up on this train. All the parts are in excellent condition. The box is a little damaged but not bad.  It doesn't look like anyone ever played with it.

The train was reacting the same way before I manually pushed it around the track - I thought maybe it wouldn't move because the track wasn't fully "connected" which is why I gently pushed it around. 

Can one replace the DC motor and if so, where would one get such a thing? 

Could the problem be in the power pack (thanks for the proper name)?

I don't think my tape measure can measure that - or rather, I can't.  Maybe I can find a caboose like it and take the little wheels from that.

Thanks again.. Appreciate all help and advise.

I replaced all of the rail joiners with new ones so they have a tight fit.  Now, my problem is, the train won't "go".  The light goes on in the engine when I move the "dial" up to around 40 but it won't budge.  I pushed the train around the track manually and the light stayed on the entire time which makes me think that it is getting power.  My question now is, why won't it move?

Another problem, on the caboose, there are a set of wheels on each end.  Each set has four wheels.  On one set, two of the wheels are missing.  They look sort of like a little barbell. Can one purchase this set of wheels?

Since my train won't move, could it be the transformer (I think that's what the black box is called).

Quote from: Hunt on December 18, 2013, 04:08:13 PM
Connect track to the power pack terminals labeled DC. Powering with AC will ruin the motor.

The locomotive has a DC motor.  The power pack knob varies the DC voltage sent to the motor which controls how fast the motor turns thus how fast the locomotive runs.

The AC terminals voltage output is fixed.

OH!  So, I need to change the connecters to the DC side!  No wonder it ran like a little demon!  Thank you!

Thanks to everyone for the responses.  They are all helpful.   When it went off the track, I really wasn't paying any attention to where I was moving the little speed dial - mostly because  I didn't think it was going to run!  I am not sure if I have it connected properly though.  The transformer has 4 little terminals (not sure what they're actually called).  It says AC on one side and DC on the other.  It seemed to run on either side.  I have it connected on the AC side.

I just looked and see there is a very tiny hole in each piece of track.  This must be where the nails go and I am guessing I could get them in a hobby shop.  I have it on my dining room table but need to be able to remove it should I ever want to have dinner there so I am thinking maybe if I nail the track down to a piece of plywood, I could easily remove that.

Does anyone have any idea how old this train might be?  I'll definitely check out the link on calculating the speed. As  said, I've never had a train before or even been around anyone who has.  This is all new to me.

Again, your help is appreciated!

Hi everyone, I have a few questions and hope someone can help. I bought a used train on eBay last year. It is a Bachman HO Electric Continental Express. Does anyone have any idea when this train was made? I know it's not current because it even came with a little comic book showing how to set it up.

Is there a secret for keeping it on the tracks?  When it goes, it goes!  It flies right off the track and the track falls apart. I put it away after I got it as I didn't have time to play with it but now, it's on my dining room table.

I noticed that it has some of the rail joiners missing so I just ordered a package of 36. Do I need a special tool to install them?  Can the existing ones be made tighter?  I tried using my tiny needle nose pliers on one but managed to squish it beyond repair.

It has 12 pieces of track, including the re-railer and forms a 36" round circle. I would really like it to be an oval shape for a better fit on the table. Can I add some straight pieces to the curved ones? 

This is my first train ever and I'm anxious to see it running around the track. I may start liking it so much that the table will no longer be used for food!  There is a sticker on the box that says G2.  Does that mean anything?

I know the train itself works because, as I said above, it started going around the track at a high rate of speed (that surprised me) and off the track it went.

Would I be better off replacing the track with the EZ Track?  I even tried wiring my pieces of track together but that didn't work.  The track wasn't even where it went together.

Any help and/or advice would certainly be appreciated!