Newcomers might find this of interest as I am sure the "oldtimers" here have already figured this out.

I have spent the better part of a week going over my grandsons layout trying to identify and cure all causes of derailments. My efforts have vastly improved the operation.

I had bad alinement and out of crosslevel spots in my track, some noticeable and some that were hard to spot except when running at high speed. The slightest problems were amplified at the higher speeds..just like in the real world. The slightest bump or ruff spot at HO Scale is bad news.

Some were problems associated with hook and horn couplers..they did not swing as needed or then had too much up and down movement in them. in the curves even after I worked on them. So I started changing all the freight cars out to KADEE 148 and that helped .

I had cars that were derailing every time around. They might go around twice then hit the ground. These were problems were cured by using weights to bring the cars up to or slightly over the NMRA standards.

One thing I found out is to remember to keep the weight as low as possible in the car or you have bad derailments account of a high center of gravity.

Also, by putting slightly more weight centered over the trucks then spreading the rest out evenly in the car. In my opinion this held the wheels down on the rail better over frogs and switches. I changed most of the cars out to Model Power RP-25 Trucks with Steel Wheels. That really helped the operation. The rest will be changed out soon.

At each stage of this I had a noticable improvement in reliability of operation.

Then I was left with two cars one was a 50' flat and the other a 40' wooden box car. These two cars had been weighted and couplers had been changed to KADEE 148. They had steel wheels in plastic trucks.

I would run them at slow speeds and no problems and then a little faster until I noticed a slight shimmy in the cars even though it was very, very slight. Then as I increased speed they would start derailing. However, as the shimmy did not look bad so i did not really think much of it.

Then I thought of the real world where trucks that "HUNT" or wobble are bad news and will cause derailments. So I am thinking that this slight shimmy at this scale would translate to a real bad shaking in the real world.

I took off the trucks and laid them on a flat surface and lo and behold they had a slight twist and would not sit flat on the table. I looked at them real close ( my eyes ain't what they used to be) and I could see it. I then twisted them back straight and that was it.

Then cars started tracking straight and true no shaking at any speed and no derailments. I was really proud of my investitgative skills.

Then I got up this morning bragging to my grandson "Papa is the smartest railroad man on the planet". I then tell him how I have fixed those cars and now we could play trains with no derailments.

I put the engines on all the cars and a caboose and told him start it out slow and increase your speed and you will see how good Papa fixed your
train.

Well away he went about 3/4 around and all cars and the engine went in the ditch. He said "PAPA! Somebody must have broke them while we were sleeping!"

Man I was speechless after bragging to him like I did. When looked at the cars the twist had come back in them. I guess they had a "set" in them and went back to it even though I had straightend them last night and they ran fine.

So I found some that were straight and put them in and threw the old ones away. I have been running them for 3 hours now with no problems.

So I am sure all you "oldtimers" here have been through this and know about it. However, someone like me who is new might find this of interest and check their cars out for even very slightly twisted trucks and if they are get rid of them. They might have a memory set that they return to even if you straighten them out.

Redatil67

I got this little engine just a few weeks ago from my daughter. It was dirty  and was missing some parts and others were broken. After contacting Bachmann on the 215 number I ordered the parts and recieved them today.

I had taken the little engine apart and cleaned it up and when the parts arrived today I started the reassembly of it.

All went well and when I placed it on the track the DC motor was running full out and headlight was blazing. However, it did not move.

After a close look I could see that the driver wheels ( number 3 axel) was not turning. The bottom of this engine has an inspection slot that lets you view the gear on the number 3 axel. It was spinning but the wheels were not turning.

I took the engine back apart and saw that the wheels were pressed onto the plastic axel/gear and that they had no slot or groove to hold them on the axel. They relied soley on a tight fit to spin with the gears.

The holes must be worn and does not allow a tight friction fit of the parts and results in the spinning of the gear and not the wheels. They feel tight are not sloppy but the fit is not tight enough.

My question to those on this board is:

1. Do they make a glue of some type that would hold the wheels to the plastic gear and not allow it to spin without turning the driver wheels?

2. If they do where can I get it?

I also have a coupling on another F Unit that spins on the motor shaft the same way. If I could attach the palastic to the metal shafts semi permanat but tight that would solve these problems.

Any help you can provide would be appreciated.

Redtail67

One hour Documentary tonight on the History Channel. It might be of interest to some of you.

Redtail67

My daughter is sendeng me a box or 2 of mostly HO cars, tracks, power supply and engines. About maybe 10-12 she did not say.

I should get them tommorrow if I am lucky sent from NJ 3 days ago via UPS. I can not wait.

After I get them I would like some help as to what company made them and any input about whether they are any good.

One is a real beauty Santa Fe F, she sent a picture email, which is gonna see use for certain on my future layout.

After hearing (reading) so much about various company locomotives I am just hoping that I can idenntify them.

I plan to record any markings of course and I am wondering, if it is possible, could I post a photo here on this site if needed to help identify them.

Redtail67

I watched it at 2:00 A.M. this morning. As one who is brand spanking new to model railroads, I found it very interesting.

It dealt mostly with Lionel and their competitors when first founded and then the continued history of Lionel with mention of others.

They showed how Lionel had the better mouse trap that solved so much of the wiring problems by having the 3rd rail.

The major competitors were out of Germany. The First World War and the banning of German Products as well as American predjudice against anything German allowed Lionel to take the lead in sales and keep it for a long time. This saved them from bankrupsy also.

Then as times changed how HO scale started taking the lead in sales. This happened because the cost of 1 engine was more than a rfridgerator and in the depression very few had the money to spend on a hobby so size was reduced to bring down cost and attract a new era in model train history that was strong untill the mid 1950.

If was a very informative  show and it showcased some of the finest sets ever produced.

The earliest engines and car sets they showed were real beauties and they showed one that was considered the most detailed ever produced by Lionel and said it would easily bring $30,000 at a auction. Boy it was a real example of craftsmanship.

If you saw it what did you think of it?

Redtail67

Reading through the Post on this Board I see references to a Programing Track for DCC. I plan to build a DCC Layout in the future and I am reading all I can about it.

Just a few questions at this time:

1. Is EZ Track DC or DCC or is it capable of both types of operation as is?

2. Is the EZ Command DCC Controller a capable Unit or should I consider going to a Digitrax? Is the EZ capable of being just DC Mode with EZ Track and when I get ready to convert to DCC just get the Engines DCC and use the EZ Command?

3. This Programing Track that I have read about, is it a factory option for programing the Locomotives in DCC or something that a person builds to do this?

In the future I may operate 2-3 tops 4 Engines at once probably just 2 most times. Is the EZ Track and the EZ Controller all that I need?

I am very very new to this and as you might guess I know nothing but I am willing to learn.

Redtail67

I have a Bachmann Item No. 41-635-01 Emd GP 40 Diesel Union Pacific that is Dead. I purchased this in a set maybe 20 years age for my son. I just got it out of the closet and set it up for my Grandson.

It will not run and the headlights do not light up. I have taken it apart and cleand everything I could as well as the wheels. The motor still does not work.

I purchased a new DC Engine a few days ago and it runs perfectly on the track with no problems.

I have emailed Bachman to get instructions on sending it in to be repaied and have not received a response.

I have several questions for members of this board:

1. Can I buy an electric motor like the one in it or perhaps a better one to put in it? If so where and what motor would I use?

2. I have noticed that this Engine is powered only on the front trucks aand on the No. 1 Wheels there are what looks like rubber bands on the lead wheels.  What are they for? It seems that would insulate the wheels from the track and keep them from getting power?

3. The rear trucks have no gear connection to the electric motor but they do have wires going to the wheels. WHY?

I know that this is a cheapie engine , however, I would like to return it to service.

I am totaly new to this other than I bought this set for my son about 20 years ago. So bear with me as I am a newbie but plan to build a l;ayout for my Grandson.

I will now introduce myself, I am 59 years old and retired totaly disabled with 34 years of service as a Locomotive Engineer on the Santa Fe and the Colorado Southern Railway.

I have worked all over Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Wyoming.

I hired out in 1967 at the age of 17 years, and have personaly operated almost every type of Diesel Engine they have from some Fts to the new AC Engines.

Personally I loved the F Units  the Santa Fe 200 and 300 Class and the 2650 Class GP 7. The later GP38-2 and the the SD40-2. As far I am concerned they did not come any better than those for an Engineer.

I studied and paased the 1st 2nd and 3rd year steam qualification tests for Locomotive Engineer. This was in an effort to be selected to be a fireman on the "Flying Scotsman" that had been brought to America for a tour of the US.

Well as fate would have it I was not selected the most Senior men who had been claiming that they would never run another Steam E ngine in their lives, took the jobs as soon as they were offerered.

By the way, that "Flying Scotsman" was an absolutely beautiful train as it passed me while I was in the side track for it on a drag freight.

Well so much for all that, I hope some of you can help me fix that old cheapie engine.

Redtail67


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