Connect the two DC terminals to the track.  DONOT connect the AC to the track.

Quote from: in_eden on December 22, 2016, 11:08:55 PM
I'll have several in B&O. 4-6-2 and/or 2-8-2.

At least B-mann put correct numbers on these and the proper tender.  I would expect that if Bachpersonn does these in N, they would have the correct numbers and tenders.  Further, I would expect B-mann's to be better than the Model Power/MRCs.   Why MRC did not correct some of the glaring deficiencies in the old MP designs, I do not know.  They did try to compensate for the half-wheels live tenders by making the pilot trucks live, but that is poor compensation.  If I can swap the stock MP tender for a B-mann SPECTRUM tender, something that many of us smokeheads have done with the MP, MRC could have done similarly.  Further, I would expect that the B-manns would have separately applied handrails and other details, which is the current standard.

As a B&O modeller, I would be in for more than one pacific and mikado.   The MPs just did not get it and the allegedly "improved" MRC version ain't that much improved.

That thing has  a tender that has an electrically live front truck.  I suspect that there is something not making proper contact in that truck.  As the locomotive has a traction tyre on one driver pair, the electrical contact on the locomotive is somewhat compromised.  B-mann attempts to compensate for that by making one tender truck live.

The first thing to do is to separate the tender from the locomotive.  You will see a slot in the drawbar that has openings to accommodate the separation.  Basically, you move the tender to one side and lift it up and away from the locomotive.   Now, you examine the front truck.  There should be two brass colored tabs that make contact with a silver colored conductive tape on the drawbar.  Make sure that the contact is good.   You may have to take off the front truck to bend up the tabs.

If you  must remove the front truck, take note of how the whole business is assembled.  It is critical that you re-assemble the whole thing exactly as it was.   Take a Phillips head jeweller's screwdriver and carefully unscrew the screw and lift off the tender truck.  Take care not to let the pieces fall out of the truck.  Gently bend up the contact tabs.  While you are at it, make sure that the contact wipers are properly seated in the wheels.  Next, examine the drawbar.  There should be two stiff wires on it where they make contact with  a split post on the locomotive.  Make sure that they are clean.  You might have to bend them in a bit.  BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU DO THIS.   THOSE WIRES ARE VERY DELICATE AND BREAK OFF OF THE DRAWBAR VERY EASILY.  In fact, you might want to clamp the drawbar in some small needlenose pliers toward the forward opening in the drawbar between said opening and the point where the stiff wires are soldered onto the drawbar.  Still, whatever you do, BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL.   Once you have done this, examine the split contact posts on the locomotive and make sure that they are clean.  You can do this (and the contact surfaces on the tender) with some fine sandpaper.  If there is a craft or hobby store near you, you can buy some sanding sticks for this purpose.

You then re-assemble the whole business and see if that solved the problem.  In my experience, that is a not uncommon problem with these things.

If you are so inclined, the best thing to do with this one is to swap out the factory tender for a B-mann SPECTRUM tender, which has all wheels live.  In fact, doing the tender swap turns this thing into a SUPERB locomotive.  It allows it to run better and pull more rolling stock.  The design of the factory tender truck is such that it creates a tremendous amount of drag on the locomotive.  Upgrading to a SPECTRUM tender both eliminates the drag and improves the electrical contact.   If you will check Spookshow's website, there are some hints as to how to do this.

B-mann recently upgraded the power chassis on this thing.   I was somewhat surprised that it did not upgrade the tender, as well.  At some point, I suspect that B-mann will issue this one with a factory decoder, at which point it will have to upgrade the tender.   If you will add the all wheels live tender, this thing is a REAL WINNER.   I have one that does the most demanding job on my pike.

Be aware the disassembling the tender might void the warranty.  Perhaps Mr. Bachpersonn can provide some enlightenment.  Sending it back to Bachmann might not solve the problem.  I have seen contact problems in more than one of these.  The tinkering and cleaning always has solved the problem.  In fact, even if you do the tender swap, you must make sure that all contact surfaces are clean and that the stiff wires in the drawbar are making proper contact with both the tender wheels and the contact post on the locomotive.  Fortunately, the SPECTRUM drawbar is a little more durable than is the drawbar on the Standard Line tender.

The B-mann turnouts come from the factory with the frogs neutral.  You must undo some screws and move some wires to make the frog live.  The instructions are on the back of the package.  The turnouts are factory gapped, so that should not be a problem.

Is your locomotive stalling at speed or when creeping?   I have seen certain locomotives stall on specific turnouts when creeping due to a short.  the solution was to stop operating that locomotive over that turnout, operate in in MU with another one so that it would be pushed over the short spot or run it a little faster through the turnout then scale back the throttle.   

In addition, I have seen certain live frog turnouts trigger breakers in hypersensitive DC systems and trigger re-sets on more than a few DCC systems.   I assume that you are running DC.   If it is occurring when you are running at slow speed, try running at speed and see if it still stalls or if the pilot light flickers.   Does the locomotive trigger the short if it is pointed in either direction, or only one?  I have had locomotives trigger a short when creeping through a turnout in one direction only.  I have turned around the locomotive, had it creep in the same direction through the same turnout and have in not short.

Sometimes, swapping out the turnout does it, but it appears that this will not help you, as both turnouts are doing it.

Is it the same locomotive that does this, or is it more than one?

What locomotive(s) are you operating?

I have had problems with locomotives' stalling on some of these, but that has been due to poor contact of the points with the stock rails.  Usually cleaning the contact areas with LL track cleaner and making sure that the points contact the stock rail properly has solved that one.

Are you on DC or DCC?  I do not use DCC, so I can not make too many comments about it.

I have run the locomotive that you mention on more than one reverse loop.  Never have I had any problem.  Do make sure that your isolated "turning section" is long enough at least to accommodate both locomotive and tender.  That would be the only point at which I could see a problem. 

You must wait until the locomotive and tender are both fully in the "turning section" before reversing any polarity anywhere.

Put a SPECTRUM all wheels live tender behind it and it will really impress you.  The design on the live truck in the stock version creates a tremendous amount of drag on the locomotive.   The SPECTRUM tender has the needlepoint axle pick up which minimises the drag.  The pulling power is doubled when you use a SPECTRUM tender.

The USRA short, which is the correct as built prototype tender for the USRA originals, does track better than does the slope-back.

I watched the video after I posted this.  I see that you are aware of the advantages of using the SPECTRUM tender.   I am surprised that B-mann has not upgraded this thing with the factory DCC.  At that point, it will have to go to an all wheels live tender.  The newest one is the best, so far, although the older ones are not as bad as some would have you believe.  I had one that crept very well until the plastic piece in the middle of one of the driver axles cracked.

Second to what Spookshow posted.  This goes double for black.  Sometimes, you must look really hard even to see if the manufacturer did put black paint on a black plastic body.  If it did, you must look really close to make sure that the paint actually came off the shell.
Most of the steam that I have stripped was black from the factory.  The paint came off with ninety-one per-cent.

Quote from: propmeup1 on October 23, 2016, 10:46:19 PM

Looks like PC green but I don't know if concor ever made the PAs in PC green.    When I got them they were all Pennsy tuscan but I've made them Brunswick green and five stripe.

C-C is known for phantasee paint schemes, but I can not state that I have ever seen PC PAs.  I do  not think that the PAs lasted to PC (not that sucha fact would stop C-C, mind you).   NYCS PAs did not last to PC.  I do not know about PRR's or NYNH&H's.  There were one or two NYNH&H DL-109s that did make it to PC, but I think that they were steam cars or some sort of utility application by the time of PC.   Never have I seen a prototype photograph of a PA in PC paint or lettering, but then, PC did not paint or letter all of its equipment to PC from the component roads.

C-C sold E-8s or E-7s (I forget which) in PRR DGLE as well as in Tuscan.  Never have I seen C-C PAs in PRR DGLE, although C-C did sell them in Tuscan.   LL also sold PAs in PRR Tuscan.  Kato sold PRR PAs in DGLE.  I have two A-B sets that I never ran very much.  In fact, I still wonder why I bought them.

I will add my voice to the ninety one per-cent,

As Spookshow correctly states, the Kato paint is tough.  I have had the best luck with brake fluid on that, but the problem is that not all Kato shells will stand up to brake fluid.  The PAs, in particular become quite brittle after using brake fluid.

B-mann shells also become brittle after using brake fluid, so I would not use it for them, either.   Ninety one per-cent always has worked on B-mann for me.

LLs absolutely will not stand up to brake fluid.

Atlas will stand up to it, at least the first generation stuff will, although I have found that ninety one per-cent makes short work of Atlas' paint.  Why take the chance with the brake fluid on the Atlas?

Life-Like Walthers did a USRA 0-8-0.  The first run was HOON-kay.  Supposedly the second run was allright, but I did not buy any, as the first one left such a sour taste in my mouth.

There is an announced USRA light 2-8-2 in HO.  I suspect that it might be the next N scale steam.  What is funny is that in HO, B-mann is not offering it in B&O.  B&O had one hundred of the originals that lasted until the end of steam.  The first USRA locomotive ever built, a light 2-8-2 built for the B&O still exists.  It is at the B&O museum in Baltimore.  I was surprised that B-mann did not announce a B&O road name for that one.   I would be happy to see a USRA light 2-8-2/4-6-2.  Yes, Model Power did them a number of years back and MRC has picked up the line.  Still, the models suffer from 1970s construction methods that MRC has done only the minimum to address.   The tender still is not all wheels live, which is the modern standard.

B-mann could issue a few locomotives fudged onto existing chassis.  An A-2a or a Niagara come to mind.  Several Pacifics are possible.

Make sure that the stiff wires on the drawbar and the contact posts on the locomotive are clean, as well.

The current McKinley Explorer Alaska Railroad set has a GP-something in it.  I have neither the locomotive nor the cars as they are too modern a prototype for me.   The passenger cars are full size, which means that they would look better on curves of fifteen inches, or greater. 
B-mann does sell E-Z TRAK in those radii, or more broad, but I do not think that curve sections that broad come in any of its sets.   

I do seem to recall that B-mann used to sell an Alaska Railroad set with F-units, but I do not remember which F-units it had.   If, indeed, it did sell such a set at one time, I do seem to recall that it had the same full size passenger cars in it.   If B-mann ever sold an FT in N scale, I have never seen one.  The only F units that B-mann ever sold, at least of which I am aware, are FP-9s or F-7s.

The FP-9s are an older design that has had different power chassis, over the years, most of which ranged from barely mediocre to bad, very bad.  They appear out of scale, as well.  I would stay away from them.

There have been three versions of the F-7 of which I am aware:  the PLUS, the SPECTRUM and the current one that has factory DCC.

Stay away from the PLUS.  The SPECTRUM are acceptable.   The current version, with the factory DCC are the best of the bunch, whether you choose to run them on DCC or DC (they have a dual-mode decoder).  You would need to find out which F-unit the Alaska Railroad train set has.   

The THUNDER VALLEY set has a GP something about which I know nothing, as the prototype is too modern for me.   It has freight cars instead of passenger cars, which will look better and operate better on the sharper curves that come in train sets.  Thus, if those two sets are the only choices, you might be better off with the freight cars.

A good resource is Spookshow's website.   He rates all of the locomotives that have come out of the manufacturers over the years.

B-mann does sell some pretty good steam and first generation diesel locomotives.  I am familiar with more of the steam and first generation diesels that B-mann sells. 

You might look into some other sets or try to order locomotives, rolling stock, track and power supply separately, if financial consideration allow for it.

I do not know of any available, unless B-mann's Parts Department has them.   Did B-mann ever use Accu-Mates?  I know that Atlas did (and may, still).   You could try Atlas' Parts Department.

Another option is the Micro-Trains, which are compatible with both Accu-Mate and the McHenry that Bachpersonn uses, these days.

As you mention Rapido, I am guessing that you want to convert some older pieces to knuckle couplers.  The MT 1133 is almost universal for older Bachmann equipment.  If you are using really sharp curves, 1134 has a longer shank.

Later B-mann (and some of the older) does require a different conversion, but, if you check MT's website, there is an exhaustive conversion table, there.

What version of this do you have?   The performance of these things, until recently, tended to vary wildly.   GF has an early version that runs and pulls well.  I have had several that could not get out of their own way.

The last of the cardboard box versions of these were not bad.  The most recent, that come in a plastic box are pretty good,  B-mann has made some improvements to them.

If you have an older version, there ain't much help for it.  You can try to work the wheels on the tender, if they are locking up.   A little bit of LaBelle 106 (teflon grease) or some MT/Kadee grease-'em (graphite lubricant) might help. 

Sometimes it is the connexion between locomotive and tender that will cause a problem, as the adjustment of the screw might be lifting the drivers off the track .  Usually, the pilot rides rather high on these, but I have seen pilots that scraped the track and caused problems.

If the truck pivots are causing problems, a slight flick-of-the--wrist loosening might help.

What do the ends of the driveshaft look like?   If they are hexagonal, you have the oldest versions of this and there is not much to be done for them.  If you have the universal joint end (ball and pins), you might be able to help it, you might not.   If you bought this one new and it has the plastic box, you may be able to send it in to B-mann under warranty.

This is coming from someone who does use the E-Z TRAK on his pike, in addition to other brands.

One of the flaws of the E-Z TRAK is that it is EXTREMELY difficult to get the metal rail joiner off the end of the track without damaging the track.  If you do succeed in getting the  metal rail joiner off the thing, the construction of the track sections is such that it is not accommodating to the plastic rail joiners currently on the market.  The result is that you get a poor joint if you try to use any of the plastic joiners that currently are on the market.

There are two solutions of which I am aware.  I have not tried the first, but I do use the second.

1.  File or Dremel a gap (or gaps) in the middle of one of the track sections, fill it with epoxy, sand and file to contour.

2.  The E-Z TRAK is compatible both with metal rail joiners currently on the market and sectional track without roadbed as well as the Code Eighty flex track that is out there.   What I have done when I needed a gap is  to put a small section of sectional or a cut-to-fit piece of flex on each end of the E-Z TRAK section and added metal rail joiners where needed to join the flex/sectional to the E-Z TRAK.  I then put the gap between the two sections of flex/sectional as those pieces will accommodate the plastic rail joiners.   You will need some cork roadbed for the pieces of sectional/flex and you will need to put something thin under the cork to get the whole business to the same level as the E-Z TRAK.   Atlas does sell a package under its SNAP-TRAK line that contains small straight sections.   The package comes with metal rail joiners.   You can purchase from Atlas the palstic rail joiners to fit the SNAP-TRAK sections.  The package of the plastic rail joiners is not expensive.


For the purposes that you describe, it seems that all that you need do is break the contact on one rail.  The easiest way to do this might be #1.  You can add a terminal section in the gapped off part, add the wires, but cut the one to the gapped rail, put a switch between it and the wire that goes to the power supply.   When you want to leave the train parked on the siding, turn the switch to OFF.  When you want to run the train on the siding, turn the switch to ON.


It shall remain one of the minor mysteries of this hobby why B-mann sells neither a section with plastic rail joiners or a gapped track section in its E-Z TRAK line.   Kato does have easily removable rail joiners on its UNITRAK line.  You can pull off the live rail joiners with little difficulty and replace them with plastic, neutral rail joiners.   Kato's plastic rail  joiners are not expensive, either, but the work only with UNITRAK.  They will not work with any track sold by Bachmann, Atlas, ME, PECO or any of the others.

The latest issue of these are excellent runners on either DC or DCC.  I do not use DCC.

I did manage to fry the decoders in both of my latest issues of these.   Fortunately, it is possible to remove the decoder and wire the thing to run.  This is not the first time that I have fried a B-mann decoder on DC.