Quote from: Mark Oles on February 03, 2017, 11:52:11 AM
I have a Starbucks boxcar!!

What brand made a Starbucks boxcar? Can you provide pictures and more details?

I don't mean to steal this thread talking about new locomotives from Bachmann, but what about maybe a Starbucks Coffee boxcar? I would buy one. I'd even buy one in 'O' gauge.

Just my 2 cents.

Michael

Bill,

The gear that meshes with the worm gear on the motor, no teeth left. Gearbox seemed to have plenty of grease.

The loco pulls 4 Bachmann lighted passenger cars that have multiple copper strips sprung against the wheels for electrical pickup which creates a lot of rolling resistance. I am thinking of replacing these wheels with wheels that have ball bearings with electrical pickups to help the cars roll easier which I hope will reduce the stress on the loco.

I am glad to hear the version 5 gearbox is so reliable. I was worried. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I purchased this set at a local train show, so I don't really know the history of the loco.

I haven't yet ordered a chassis, your earlier suggestion, but I am leaning more towards doing just that. If nothing else, I'll have some spare parts.

Thank you for your time and the information you have provided me.

Michael

Thank you for the reply Bill.

I used Backmann's EZ-lube so I should be safe. I watched and followed the instructions from the loco maintenance video from Bachmann on how to lube the 4-6-0.

The layout is a Christmas layout and for some reason the track seems to be dirtier than usual this year. I took a damp rag and wiped the curves down and the squeaking temporarily stopped. I put a drop of EZ-lube conductive lube on each of the locomotive's wheels as instructed to do in the video. Wonder if that was a mistake.

Once we take the tree down I'll be able to get to the track easier. I'll try cleaning it with a track cleaner and will also clean the locomotive wheels and see if that takes care of the squeaking.

This has been a good learning experience for me. Hopefully I'll never need to replace the gearbox again in this loco, but would if I needed to. So that brings up a question. Do they make a gearbox with metal gears for this loco? From what I have read on this forum, version 9 loco's use metal gears.

Michael

Well, I received the replacement gearbox from Bachmann. It took a few days to tear down, replace the gearbox and put the loco  back together. I think the gearbox replacement was the easiest part of the job. The part that gave me the most difficulty was putting the shell back onto the chassis.

Unfortunately, she squeaks when she takes the curves in forward. Reverse squeaks also, but not nearly as bad. Otherwise she runs well. Not sure what to do about the squeak, since it didn't have this problem before the teardown. 

Michael

From the above info, I have the Bachmann 81096, WP&Y Annie, since I have the metal siderods. As for the passenger cars, I do have the boxes for them.

Thank you Bill.

Michael

Bill,

I tore down the loco today and was able to get to the gearbox, so I went ahead and ordered one. I would like to order a chassis, especially at these prices, just so that I have a backup. The one you sent me in the link appears to be dark green. I am not sure that really matters to me though. It says that it has the 2 switches, same as I have, but does it have the 2 plugs for sound and backup light or is that something that would need to be transferred from the old one?

BTW, I am not sure which Annie I have either. I purchased this loco, tender and some passenger cars at a local train show a couple years ago. It's got 'White Pass' printed on the tender, so I assume it's the 'White Pass and Yukon'. The number on the side of the cab is '10' so I assume that is the anniversary edition loco. As mentioned above it has 2 switches, smoke and reverse?, and 2 plugs at the rear of the cab that the tender plugs into for the backup light and sound. Any additional information you can give me on this loco would be much appreciated.

thank you,
Michael

RkyGriz, thank you very much for such detailed instructions and thank you Loco Bill Canelos for the info and links. You guys are a wealth of information. I have the anniversary model and the chassis I need is Model: CH-81093, but unfortunately they appear to be sold out.

Since the chassis I need is not in stock, I think I am going to attempt to tear down the chassis to replace the gearbox, since I will need to perform some of those same steps if I were to replace the chassis. I'll take Loco Bill's advice and photograph each step of the way. I'll wait to order parts in case I break something along the way and maybe by than they'll have the chassis I need in stock and I'll order that as well so I will have a backup.

many thanks,
Michael

I need to replace the gearbox (G813X-0AY01) in a Bachmann locomotive. How do I gain access to removing the motor and gearbox? Any additional tips would be greatly appreciated.

thank you,
Michael

From what I could tell, 2 of the 3 amp units were close in price to the 10 amp unit. So, I ordered the 10 amp unit. Hopefully it will arrive soon.

Thank you all for the advice.

Michael

New to G gauge, as you may have noticed from my last post.

I've recently set up an oval (11' x 5.4') around the Christmas tree. I am running a 4-6-0 #10 + tender and 4 lighted cars with a '1 amp starter set power supply'. The train doesn't move very fast at WOT. I think the power supply just doesn't have enough amps for this set up. I am considering a 2nd G gauge train for under the tree next year, so that I would be running 2 separate trains (2 tracks). If I did this, would the 'Bridgewerks MS DUAL' be a powerful enough option to run both trains? If so, could I use it on the 1 train this year?

Fell in love with some of the G gauge Christmas trains 

thanks,
Michael

Just wanted to thank everyone for the info.

Update - We ended up with 6' straight (4' & 2') and 5.4' curves. It's a little shorter, but wider, then our 'O' Christmas layout of years past, but I love it.

Michael

Thank you both very much for the info.

I talked my wife into expanding the train layout this year to a 4' x 11' foot diameter layout. I doubt she would go for a 8' diameter circle, too big. I thought I saw someone selling LGB 5.5' diameter curves. I could probably do that and I suppose the train would run better on that then the 4' diameter track.

So, I am thinking maybe an oval, 5.5' wide and maybe 9' of straight track, which would bring the total length of the layout to approximately 14.5'. Does this sound doable?

What's the longest straight track that I can buy?

3 amp transformer for the locomotive, tender and 4 passenger cars? What do you all recommend for an inexpensive transformer?

Since this will be a Christmas layout, what is recommended to keep the track from separating?

thank you,
Michael

Went to the train show a couple weeks ago and fell in love with the Bachmann White Pass 4-6-0 Loco, tender and 4 passenger cars, so I purchased the set. I need track, but before I buy some, what is the minimum radius track that this loco would run on?

I am an 'O' gauge guy and this is my first 'G' gauge train. Any other helpful info would be appreciated.

Joe,

Here is a picture of the circuit board that has 2 plugs that go to 2 lights, possibly LED's.