Jerry,
As I recall the Bachmann 2-4-2 T has always been a very poor performer and was never in the Spectrum class of quality. I had purchased the tender version off ebay and all it's turned out to be is a small supply of parts for some other projects. I think adding more weight to it may help but you have to be careful in the amounts since frim what I've seen of the drive system it's very weak and to much weight could cause it to destroy itself. I'M sure some others with more hands on experience with this loco will also reply.
Jack
The 2-4-2T has been long out of production.
ZERO parts interchange with the 2-4-2 tender version.
Any weight and it's gears, then motor.
Just be careful.
TOC
I had the same problem with the 2-4-2 Columbia version, so this is what I did to mine...
Heres more on it:
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/873917/ShowPost.aspx
Have fun with your trains
The Bachmann Southern 2-4-2T was an early loco designed over in England. It was part of the Spectrum line, but not Spectrum quality. I heard somewhere that it was Silver line quality (if that ever even existed). A very poor hauler. The best it will probably do is to pull itself and one very light car up 1% grade. 2% just itself. 3% stall.
The Bachmann Coal Creek 2-4-2T was a redesign here in America. It is a little bit better, but not much, than the Southern 2-4-2T.
The Bachmann 2-4-2 with tender was a spin off from the Coal Creek version. It is not any better than the other two.
While were here. The Bachmann 2-6-0 Indy Mogel is just a 2-4-2 boiler/cab with new running gear. It can't haul much either.
If you want a small Bachmann loco that can haul, a 0-4-0 Porter or 0-4-0 Tank would be your best choice.
You could use it to:
Model a wash track next to an eninge house.
Hold papers from flying around on your workbench.
Model a train wreck at the base of a tall trestle.
Lots of ideas can be thought of.
In the old days, some folks re-powered with an ex-lgb Stainz drive.
Another idea is a powered boxcar and yank the motor out of the engine (like a TYCO Chattanooga Choo-Choo).
Curmudgeon wrote: In the old days, some folks re-powered with an ex-lgb Stainz drive.
Someone HERE did this, its in the Scratchbuilding forum somewhere, Bob Grosh I think did it
Stainz/Lyn conversion, here it is...
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/425185/ShowPost.aspx
jerryl wrote: . If anyone would like pictures of my metal scratch built cars & detailed locos contact me with your email adddess. I've not figured out how to post pictures yet. Jerry
Jerry, Check the top of the forum - rene locked a post of mine on how to post pictures it is easy and you can even COPY AND PASTE some
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
Can't see why your 2-4-2T won't pull a half decent load. I have one here in NZ and it will quite easily pull 4 box cars and a Caboose up a 3% grade. Does it have the weights in the Water Tanks?
Here is a better picture: "ANY Bachmann 2-4-2 (tank or tender) is crap as a hauler". There are some factory Bach 2-4-2s out there that are actually good. But a lot of them have been modified by previous owners to actually pull some cars.
Thanks fellers. It looks kinda crappy, too. What about this little jewel? Are they any good?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Spectrum-G-1-20-3-Undecorated-0-4-0-Steam-Loco_W0QQitemZ270050414330QQcmdZViewItem
Depends on which version of the 040 your talking about, I cant open the link here, but in general, if the 040 is a sidetanker and has plastic drive rods, its , if its a side tanker with metal drive rods then its one of the best small engines out there, it has an equalized front axle that makes it one of the best tracking engines out there.
Bachmann wasnt happy with a well designed engine, so they made the 040 saddletanker, which was while well made, is marginal performance wise. They took away the equalized front axle to make room for electronic junk and as a result the little beasties stalled on almost every switch point on the market by jambing itself into the frog. I found that the engine nose was heavy as hell from the electronic crap and that adding weights to the inside of the firebox (or just behind the rear axle) equalized the weight and allowed it to pass over switches with only an audible "clunk" but at least it doesnt stall anymore. the new 1/20.3 sidetanker carries over this front axle but so far I havent read any complaints about the same stalling problems.
As for the 242Ts, any of the early "Lyn" versions are poop! However the later Coal Creek version is apparently very reliable from what I've read. Its kinda a crap shoot with these engines though.
This one:
GearDrivenSteam wrote: This one:
"...Bachmann wasnt happy with a well designed engine, so they made the 040 saddletanker, which was while well made, is marginal performance wise. They took away the equalized front axle to make room for electronic junk and as a result the little beasties stalled on almost every switch point on the market by jambing itself into the frog. I found that the engine nose was heavy as hell from the electronic crap and that adding weights to the inside of the firebox (or just behind the rear axle) equalized the weight and allowed it to pass over switches with only an audible "clunk" but at least it doesnt stall anymore. .."
With a little effort its a good little engine, but unless you have no switches, you'll need to add weight to the backend of it.
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