These particular Bachmann engines are known for the problems you are explaining. I have one sitting in its original box that needs to be sent in to Bachmann.

You won't find replacement parts for this. Your best option really is to send it in to Bachmann for "repair". They won't repair it because they don't have the parts, and will replace it with an equivalent engine . Visit this page for those details:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/service.php

Good luck.

I've been looking around and can't find any information as to when these engines will be released. I see them in the 2015 Catalog. Can someone shed some light on this? Will we be able to pre-order anywhere?

Specifically, I want the Southern #4501 - Item# 54403

Thanks in advance.

Hello Harvey,

I don't know if you have stopped viewing this thread or not, but I thought I would post up this option to you since I think it is a very valid option for the age your Grandson is.

Model Railroader Magazine just put out Part 1 of a video series yesterday of "Build a Family Layout", which is a smaller 40" x 60" SIMPLE layout specifically designed for the younger engineers. I took a screen shot of the video and posted it below. The good news is that this video series is OPEN to those NOT subscribed to MRR, so you can go and view the Part 1 video if you like. The link is below the picture. Also, just because they chose to use the Bachmann Thomas the Tank Engine trains in their example, obviously you are open to use whatever trains you want to.. keeping in mind the limitations of the radius of track used in the project layout and the choice of trains you run. For example, it appears this layout uses 18' and 15' curves, which works great for most of the Thomas the Tank Engine trains, but may not work well with longer wheeled steam engines (such as what comes with the Challenger set you mentioned).

Another thing is that it appears they designed this with folding legs, so it can be stored out of the way easily, though I can't confirm that since they have only posted up Part 1 of the build process so far.

Whichever way you go.. your Grandson will love it and have a blast. I started with my Son at 4yrs old by buying him the Thomas & Annie/Clarabel Deluxe set and starting on our old, unused ping pong table. Now, nearly 4 years later we have graduated from the Thomas trains and the ping pong table to realistic trains and a full on 4'x8' layout.

BTW.. if you do decide that the Thomas Trains option strikes your fancy (or your Grandson is even into that), I still have a good bit of those trains that we don't use and I'd be willing to get them to a new home at a very reasonable price.

Happy Modeling! -Chuck



http://mrr.trains.com/basics/family-train-layout/2013/11/family-train-layout-episode-1---building-the-frame

Within the last few weeks I have gotten the JMRI software, a PR3 and a PTB100 booster, so that I can not have access to advanced programming of my sound decoders with my very basic Bachmann EZ Command 4x8 layout. I then discovered the wiThrottle app and it's capabilities,got excited about that because of what things it could open up with the layout.

Then I realized that none of that was possible due to the layout being controlled by the EZ Command controller. It is required to upgrade to a DCC system that uses Loconet (I think this is accurate?) in order to take advantage of these advanced features of JMRI and extra apps/etc. It simply will not work with the Bachmann DCC command stations in their current form unfortunately.

I have plans to purchase a starter system within the next month or so, that has all the necessary equipment needed to be able to use the extra JMRI features.. to include the wiThrottle. I want to be able to control multiple trains with multiple portable devices (iPhones or iPods - for the kids) on my same layout. The only thing that hurts is the required purchase of almost $200 worth of equipment, after the recent $130ish purchase for the PR3 and PTB100 booster.  BTW - the PTB100 bootster will be a waste once I get the new DCC station, as it won't be necessary. I love being a rookie and realizing after I've spent money on something that I won't need it in a few months. Oh well.

I watched that Total Overhaul also. Very cool.

That lead me to find this: Monster Moves: 100 Ton Train:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBozymv2QrU

Haven't updated on my 4x8 layout in a LONG time. Mainly because there hasn't been any progress to update. It's only been a few years.  

Anyway, I will post a pic or two here and a link to my Picasa photo album, which has a good many more pics. Some in progress pics, up to it's current state. Basically the layout started as the "Thomas Sodor Island" layout that Bachmann built and takes to shows. i liked it and my son was into Thomas at that time. All I had room for was 4x8 (still all I have room for). So, off I went.

The layout has went through a change from Thomas to contemporary trains in the last 2 years or so, well... almost 3. I still have a box full of Bachmann Thomas Train items, but they don't get pulled out except for special occasions. Anyway, my table is on casters so that it can be mobile. My plans long term were to be able to take it to places to display for special occasions (Christmas, etc.). The very first outing it had was this past Tuesday at our Cub Scout Pack Meeting. We had our annual Operation Life Saver meeting with a Norfolk Southern Engineer, so I brought the table in and ran some trains.  

(bfelix - and anyone else doing a 4x8 layout) Keep you imagination open. There is no reason a 4x8 layout can't be multi-level.   BTW Barry, following your progress and you've got a great start!

Chuck

Picasa Album of Layout
https://plus.google.com/photos/102700810654735985344/albums/5855671069321659233

I will second the low temp hot glue. I used it to glue all of my EZ Track down to my foam board. No reason it should not work as well for gluing to wood as well. The benefit of it is that you can easily remove your track from the board at a later time if you need to. Just use a putty knife or something like that and it should come up fairly cleanly.

Also, I can take a sharp blade, exacto blade, and quickly remove the old hot glue from the bottom edges of the EZ Track so that I can re-lay it again.

The screw/nail method would also work though.

Quote from: CJCrescent on February 24, 2013, 12:41:27 AM
Had a visit from napa15 on Wednesday. Just hope he didn't get scared away by the mess!

He brought over a Southern 4-6-2, and I showed him what he could do to improve the appearance of it.

I enjoyed the visit CJ. I didn't see a mess.. I saw a work in progress.  It was interesting to see a layout of your magnitude, and in it's status up close and personal. I look forward to all there is to learn about it, from the basics of how you've assembled it to train operations. I also appreciate your time and patience in answering my questions and specifically helping me out with my 4-6-2. You're definitely helping me out with more than improving the appearance, considering we'll be re-motoring and re-gearing mainly.

Been working feverishly on my meager 4x8 layout the last several weeks trying to get it much farther along than it has been for the last few years. I'm very close to finally being able to add scenery to it. Just finishing up with the foam (rock) carving this week.

I too have this locomotive (thought maybe a different road name than yours). I would personally recommend the Tsunami Soundtraxx TSU-1000 "Heavy Steam" sound decoder, and a 1.06" oval high bass speaker (which you can also get from Tsunami. You can do the research as to where to purchase this product, and how much it costs. Also, there are other options... cheaper options. I will say that I "skimpted" with the sound decoder I bought for my 2-8-0 Consolidated, and was disappointed. The extra money spent on the above mentioned product, in my opinion, is well worth the quality.

Oh, and the Berk was my FIRST DCC engine.. and it was also my first sound install. So if this rookie could do it.. you can to. 

@trainmannick83

Thanks for the comments. Man, I hadn't looked at this particular thread in several weeks and peeked at it and was scrolling down and saw my old pics and it was a bit of a blast from the past.  Weird.

That is a cool pic of my boy, and his enjoyment of his new train.. and our new venture. Well, I suppose I could give a little update on the layout. Actually, the layout hasn't progressed too much farther today than from what it looked like 9th picture. We had moved to FL from AL and my job there took up a LOT of my time, so not much time to work on it there. And then we moved back to AL, and I haven't had much time to work on it since we've moved back here... until the last few weeks. I have actually been going gangbusters on it that last few weeks and am trying to get it as done as I can as quickly as I can. We have a Cub Scout Railroad Safety event coming up in March and since the 4x8 table is on casters, I want to be able to take it to our event and put it on display for the boys.

Also, another "change" to the layout since i posted those pictures is that the layout "design/purpose" has shifted from a Thomas and Friends "Sodor Island layout to a realistic train layout, but not with any specific era or anything. It just won't have the European look and feel that it would have with the Thomas stuff. It was interesting to watch my son change his tastes as we would go to the hobby stores to buy train stuff. i would ask him if he wanted to buy another Thomas train car (Bachmann HO) or something, and he would chose an Army HO flat car with a Tank on it, or a passenger car.. stuf like that.

So, all the Bachmann HO Thomas engines and cars are now boxed up and not getting used much now. Will probably break them out for the Cyb Scout meeting though. I even put a DCC decoder in Spencer. 

Did someone just say "Southern 630 from TVRM"? Yes, I think they did. Funny, I just posted this video today. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cVvSwYb0G0&list=UUCCFdpXt-D-yp4c5rEJeDlA&index=1

Carey,

I'm in Birmingham (technically, Hueytown) and am well aware of The Wrecking Crew and the work the club does. My family and I come out to see the exhibits at The McWayne Center every Christmas. You guys are truly gifted. Didn't you guys used to put on a train show over at the Bessemer Civic Center once or twice a year also, quite a few years ago? I know I remember going out there to some, but can't remember who put it on. I'm not a member of a club. I've considered it.

I have 3... ranging from 6 to 18! 

The two in the 2nd video I linked to are mine. I'm hoping to get out and work on ours soon. It just too cold here right now, and ours is in an un-powered shed in our back yard. Burrr. I have a feeling we'll be out there next week though doing some test runs on our new addition when it comes in the mail.

Thanks for the comments. The top link, which is the shorter video is the most recent video and pretty much the most current version of the layout. The only difference really at this point is that I have added some cardboard ribbing to the upper level edges where the pink foam is so that I can add the plaster cloth to make the rocks. And on top at the far end I have also added some cardboard ribbing to some other foam board I had stacked up there where I am going to make a small mountain there. I honestly haven't even decided what I am going to with the top level yet as far as scenery. It's such a small area. When it was originally going to be the Sodor Island layout I knew, but now that it's not going to be... I'm undecided. 

But, I've got some buildings and such laying around and I see all these other great layouts for inspiration.. so I'm sure something will come to me.

Here is a very short video I shot on my iPhone a few months back when my son and his friend were out playing with the layout. I didn't get but a little bit of it. The trees are all just plopped on there because my boy said he wanted them there, though they are are just temporary. You can see that there has been some scenery added to the lower level, but the upper level needs much work. I have since done some additional work on the upper section.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m37WtQsYoSU&list=UUCCFdpXt-D-yp4c5rEJeDlA&index=1

Here's a video from a little over a year ago of my layout. It's kind of fun to watch because my kids give a guided tour, as they play with it.   Not much to look at as far as scenery, as it's early in construction.. but you get a better idea of the layout than in the video above. It's only a 4x8... but it's better than no layout at all!!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxi5OvxFh60&list=UUCCFdpXt-D-yp4c5rEJeDlA

Enjoy.