Can anyone suggest a suitable replacement motor for a newer 4-8-4 Northern?  This is one of the newer 4-8-4's made around 2012.  It is not the newest (2015) with the can motor.  Mine has the open frame motor, but that is not important if I can find a replacement that will fit - L=20.8mm, W=14.6mm, H=9.85mm, overall length from back to front tip of shaft=33.9mm.  I can mill the frame some if necessary, but would prefer not to do so.  However, that is not a "deal breaker" as I really would like to get this loco running again - it is being converted to DCC with sound and "keep alive".  I have done a lot of detailed weathering to loco and tender.  I also made modifications to the tender to create additional electrical pickups.  So, I'm anxious to get it back on the rails.

Also, any tips about reinstalling the drive wheel assembly to avoid binding or other problems would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Rusty Rails

Does anyone know if earlier 4-8-4 Northern shells (I have one of the UP "grey" shells as well as one of the newer ATSF shells) will fit the 4-8-4 Norfolk & Western Class J ("DCC-ready" version) frame?

Neither of the locomotive mechanisms for the UP or ATSF shells runs very well and my understanding from various sources is that the "DCC-ready" Class J's are Spectrums and run very well.

Failing this, would the Con-Cor GS-4 4-8-4 mechanism accept one of the shells mentioned above?

Note that I would prefer to stay with the Bachmann mechanism.

That's a shame.  CVs 5 & 6 are critical for any locomotive.  Too bad Bachmann can't provide a decoder that, at the very least, allows programming of the basic CVs such as 2 thru 6, 29 and 65.  Kinda' defeats the purpose of having DCC.

It makes the option of purchasing standard DC or DCC ready locomotives and adding the decoder of your choice a much more attractive one.

I have an N scale Bachmann Spectrum GE 44 Ton with factory installed DCC decoder.  I cannot set the mid range or high end speed.  I run the unit at 28 speed steps and speed step 28 yields a scale speed of 106-107 consistently as measured by my MRT Accutrack Speedometer.  The Top Value (CV#5) is set at the factory default of 30.  The Mid Value (CV6) was set to the factory default of 1.  ?  I reset it to 20.  No matter what setting I program, I continue to get 106-107 with a mid range (speed step 14) of 70-80.  What's wrong here?

My Bachmann Spectrum EM-1 allowed me to program it without any problems as did my Spectrum Light 2-10-2.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening.

Question: What do these three things have in common?  Water into wine, raising the dead, the "pause" is gone.  Answer: I guess they are all miracles.  The next question is: how are they accomplished?  And the answer is - I don't know.

I tried all the suggestions shown above and the pause was still there.  I tested after each "modification" and, each time, showed no change.  So I continued to examine, poke and prod.  At some point (the last round of poking and prodding, obviously), the pause went away.

It has either disappeared or is so unpronounced as to be unnoticeable to the naked eye.

I will put this one to bed - I am a happy hogger !

Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas.  I'm sure it was some combination of them that did the trick.

Rusty

My thanks to all of you who replied.  I would have responded sooner, but have been down with a respiratory infection.

I did pull the bottom plate off before I posted but didn't notice anything in a casual inspection.  After Xmas I will apply all of your suggestions in a much more thorough manner and report my findings.

So glad to have folks willing to help.  Seasons Greetings to you all! 

Rusty Rails

I have a new Spectrum 2-10-2 DCC with an annoying low speed trait.  It pauses - in both forward and reverse - when the drive rods reach the bottom of their "circuit" on the fireman's side.  Click this link to view a video of the problem - http://youtu.be/v8gajurBWuk  The hiccup disappears at higher speeds.  I have checked the driver wheel gauging and it is OK.  I have also checked quartering and there is no problem there.  My Spectrum EM-1 2-8-8-4 does not exhibit this problem.  In fact, it runs so smoothly and slowly I have to double check to see if it's really moving at all.  Neither do any of my Spectrum diesels show any signs of this pause, only the 2-10-2.  I checked for bent drive rods and there were two with very slight bends which I very carefully straightened.  No change in performance.  Anyone have any ideas as to the cause and remedy?