Bachmann Consolidation

[bhewitt452]

I am just wondering what experience anyone has had with the Bachmann Consolidation? Does it require as much maintenance as the Shay or Climax?
I have 90% , (45+) LGB Locos and though I know it won't be as good as the LGB I was hoping it might be worth taking the chance on it. Its a nice looking engine.
Bill Hewitt
Southpark & Dogbark GRR

[Anonymous]

Is that the new one with all the metal valve gear on the side?
Someone had one at my running day on Sunday. They are very big (and heavy) and there are lots of oiling points on all that valve gear. It was the first time he had run it. I imagine with all those metal moving parts you would want to check the oil each time you ran it.

Glen Anthony.

[kstrong]

You'll find them to run very smoothly. I know lots of folks who have them, and love them to death. Mine runs extremely smoothly, and has been nothing but reliable. They're not maintenance free locos. You'll want to make sure the screws that hold the motor onto the gearbox are secure, as are the screws attaching the counterweights to the axles. A dab of loc-tite will secure them in place so they don't go anywhere. That's a one time thing. The occasional greasing of the gears, per Bachmann's reccommendation is likewise advised. The gearbox isn't a sealed affair as LGB's are, so there's always the chance that grease may leave the case. As for lubing the valve gear, there's really not that big of a deal to do that. Once in a great while--the same as any loco.

It is big. Much larger than anything LGB makes, so you may find clearances to be an issue. Beyond that, it's a great locomotive. You'll enjoy it.

Later,

K

[grandpopswalt]

This is kind of related, does anyone know if the Bachmann 10th Anniversary 4-6-0 (Annie) has metal running gear?? and is it considered one of the "spectrum" series locomotives?

Walt

[wa1lbk]

Yes, the 10th Anniversary 4-6-0 has metal running gear. Night & day in appearance & quality between it & the original battery / RC 4-6-0. I recently picked up the EBT version & it looks & runs beautifully! [:D] It's currently awating a DCC decoder to go into regular service on my indoor layout. The box still says "Big Hauler" but it's closer to Spectrum quality. [^] The "Connie" 2-8-0 is one of the next engines on my "want" list - it's too big for the indoor layout, but the under-construction outdoor layout is being built with much broader curves, so it should run fine out there. Tom

[Curmudgeon]

Check your 2-8-0 for early or late, early needs the motor screws locktited. I have the procedure, and can tell you how to distiguish early and late versions.
If early, do NOT run it until you've done the screws or you'll be sending it back for a gearbox.
TOC

[Anonymous]

Curmudgeon, first I've heard of the motor screw issue. Mine must be a late one, about 18 month old, because I've run it with no problems. It's lubed as per the instructions though I did have a problem finding the gear box lube point - I think I got the right hole!
I would appreciate you going through the procedure for this because I don't want to be caught out with a useless loco.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[DannyS]

wa1LBK, My Bachmann Connie will negiotate four foot radius (8' diameter) easily, but probably not much tighter curve, my main line is eight foot radius (16' diameter), it fairly flies around them with 18 cars in tow, I did replace the original Bachmann smoke unit with a fan driven unit from Aristocraft (Art # 29311) from St Aubin Station. Excellent Loco.
Regards, Danny Sheehan, downunder in Oz.

[devils]

the screws holding the counterbalances on the main crank axle are the only weak point on the 280 make sure you loctite them and don't alter the quartering while you do it. I've got two of them and they both run smoothly. Move the headlight onto the top of the smokebox and they look even better.
Does anyone know if a digitrax decoder will work in these with a LGB mts system?

[Anonymous]

[#welcome] Hi devils,

Four Brits on the forum, that must be almost 0.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of the population!!
Enjoy mate.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Welcome to another British person.

[Curmudgeon]

Well, it ain't just the main crankpin screws. It's EVERY screw.
To tell early and late, turn tender over. See the sockets for the pigtails from loco?
Early ones the socket rattled in and out, later ones have 2 ribs cast in floor to hold the assembly tightly against the cover.
Here's the original fix:

While doing some conversion work on one of the new Bachmann 1:20 scale 2-8-0's, I found the motor to be loose on the gearbox.
This is a new design gearbox mount from Bachmann, and bugs may have inadvertently crept in to the assembly process.
The following is the procedure I used to adjust this and subsequent units. First is the boiler removal, which is about the easiest Bachmann Large-Scale to disassemble to date.

Disassembly procedure:

1) Roll engine over on fireman's side, locate forward end of reverse
actuating rod under running board where it attaches to the valve gear.
Remove slot-head screw. NOT MAGNETIC! Don't lose it!
2) Roll engine onto its wheels. Remove all 4 screws and both smokebox
supports (if you try to flex them out of the way, it will scratch the
paint).
3) Roll engine over on it's back.
4) Remove ashpan (4 small screws).
5) Remove 4 screws about in the corners of inside of firebox under ashpan.
6) Remove one screw between cylinders under front truck.
7) Separate boiler from chassis. Pull motor wires down from boiler to reveal
in-line plug. You may unplug for complete separation of boiler from chassis.

Check motor for tightness to gearbox as outlined below:

Pull the lower gear cover, 4 screws, and front support bracket on top of frame to gearbox, 2 screws, lift the motor/gearbox off, removed 4 screws on one side and 2 on the other of the gearbox, separate the gearbox halves. The motor screws are located inside the gearbox. I removed the screws, locktited (222) and lubed before re-assembly.

When re-assembling, make sure the sander pipes from the sandbox on top of boiler fit into holes provided in frame just forward of valve gear support bracket. They may spring backwards and rub on lead driver.

TOC

[cacole]

I have one that was dead on arrival because some of the wiring hadn't even been soldered to the main circuit board at the factory in China. I ripped everything out and installed an AirWire 900 DCC Decoder/Receiver, and am running it on battery power, so I wasn't worried about the poor wiring. If I was running track power, I would have had to send it back for replacement.

After an initial oiling in accordance with the instruction booklet and video tape provided by Bachmann, and checking the gear box for loose screws and putting Locktite on them as mentioned above, I have been running it since July 2004 with no problems at all. I use a trailing boxcar with a 5 AmpHour rechargeable battery, which is a heavy load. I have been able to run up a 15-foot long 2% grade with six pieces of rolling stock plus a caboose with no wheel slippage at all.

After correcting the manufacturing problems, the Bachmann 2-8-0 is a very reliable, smooth-running engine. It has a metal frame and a large weight inside the boiler, so tractive effort is very good.

[Curmudgeon]

Plus, remove the circuit board on the top of the motor.
Every time.
It does NOT like any PW control, and back-emf decoders, it will blow them up.
TOC