Bachmann Railtruck -- Erratic Operations

[PVT Kanaka]

Just wanted to close the loop. Bachmann sent the new locomotive and our busted railtruck. The 2-4-2 runs just fine on our tight curves, and her bright red roof looks right at home out here in the tropics. I was advised against tinkering with the railtruck while it is still under warranty in the event the new loco has issues, but I am already scheming on how to bring "Charlie" back to life next spring. Thanks again to all for their help and guidance! - Eric

[PVT Kanaka]

OK, Bachmann wrote back. they said they "do not have the parts to repair it." They did offer to replace it with one of their 2-4-2 locomotives (I need to confirm the Model Number). Seems fair, but I am not sure how I can explain Charlie's transformation! Will this work OK on our 4 foot diameter curves (LGB R1 Part #11000) as advertised?

 

More generally, were these railtrucks lemons from the get go? Or did I just get an older model from the bottom of a warehouse? I feel like a bit of a dupe.

Thanks! Eric

[PVT Kanaka]

Came up blank in the Bachmann forums, and my note to Bachmann got a reply two suggestions:

1. Order the parts I think I need.
2. Send Charlie in for a repair.

Since I don't know what the fault is, I am going with #2.  Looks like this month's RR budget will go to shipping... Very disappointed by this, but at least there is a one year warranty on the product.

- Eric

[PVT Kanaka]

Greg,

I opened up the gear box and swapped the screws, thinking there might be some binding.  Nope.  Right now, if I touch contacts to any pair of wheels, the lights come on and the motor turns.  If I put Charlie on the test track, he just sits there.  I can still pick him up, turn, and twist him, and he might start turning his gears, but he will not run.  Do you have any other suggestions?

I am going to write BACHMANN in the off chance they may offer a solution, but I am beginning to suspect a loose or misaligned contact somewhere. 

 

Thanks again,

Eric

[PVT Kanaka]

Greg,

I put Charlie on the Triple O again this evening.  Now it sounds like something is binding.  I will have to open up the gearbox.  Thanks again for the link to your blog.  I will report back in as progress occurs.

Have a great week!

Eric

[PVT Kanaka]

Quick update...I just put Charlie on the test track and test stand.  Lights on...no motor.  I think the motor fried.  I'll try again in the evening.  Naturally, it is beyond the warranty.

[PVT Kanaka]

Greg,

Thanks.  I went to the power pick-up section.  After investigating the rear wheels, which I never knew were wired, I noted that they were not, in fact, picking up electricity. I saw the soldering was OK. After screwing the bearing holder back down, I touched leads wired to a spare throttle to the bearings and verified that power was flowing from the bearings into the 'truck.  It was OK, so maybe those screws were loose?

On the the forward truck, I touched the leads to the circuit board where it comes in contact with those plungers coming up from the truck itself.  Wheels spun, si it is working.

The power interruption is thus somewhere between the weels and the vehicle.  I did hit the backside of the flanges with Scoth-Brite and put everything back together.  Charlie ran better, for a while, only hanging up here and there on 4' radius curves, something a bit of Scotch-brite fixed.  After about 20 minutes, though, I was back at square one. I'll try again in the evening when things cool down, as Charlie's hood was hot to the touch, and I could smell a hot motor.

With pick-ups spreat at least as far as my 0-4-0Ts, I am still disinclined to think this is a track issue.

 

Thanks again,

Eric

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Start here:

 

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips8/bachmann_railtruck_tips.html

 

Greg

[PVT Kanaka]

Hi,

We recenlty added a Bachmann Railtruck ("Charlie") to the Triple O's lineup.  Charlie started acting erratically, running fine then stopping.  I do not believe it is the track, as my LGB 0-4-0Ts all run fine as do our two larger engines.  If I pick up Charlie from the rear, leaving the forward truck on the tracks, his rear wheels start to spin, further indicating the track is not the issue.

I did investigate the truck itself.  If I rock it port-to-starboard and forward-to-aft, the spring loaded contacts maintain their connection to the circuit board through nearly a full range of motion.  An air gap will appear if I push the truck hard to port or starboard, but not even the Triple O's civil engineering is that poor!  I have also tried to orient the truck to face different directions based upon an arrow embossed on its undersides.  This might get Charlie going for a while, but, utlimately, he loses power and gets stuck.

I can loosely time the beginning of the issue to when some undersupervised child visitors took Charlie off the track before I could intervene and the truck fell off; however, I cannot definitively say that their rough handling is the cause of the problem.

At this time, I have considered sanding down the plastic lug that the forward truck mounts on to make a securer connection.  I have also considered weighting down Charlie's nose a bit.

Charlie always draws interest and is one of the kids' favorites, but his reliability is becoming an issue, so I'd like to get him squared away as soon as possible

Thanks in advance for any trouble shooting tips.

Aloha,
Eric