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Bachmann 2-10-0: How open it up?

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  • Member since
    January 2009
  • 44 posts
Posted by sverk on Saturday, January 29, 2011 4:18 PM

Here's how it has worked out for me:
With the superstructure and the motor and gear taken off I could turn the drivers by hand and look for the bind in the mechanism.

It wasn't easy!   The bind was coming and going, strangely.
The first thing I found was that the crankpin screwhead on the second driver axle could touch the crosshead hanger.  Happened if that axle was slid fully to the right -- they can slide quite a bit.
I filed away a little on the hanger (plastic), and that tool care of that.

But there was still a bind.  It could vary from a full stop to almost nothing.  Tooke me while to figure out why.
The stop happened if the cylinder block, which I had unscrewed,  was twisted counter-clockwise (seen from underneath), while it disappeared if twisted a bit the other way.  When fastened in the neutral position it was bad enough.
Proved the piston rod was hitting something inside the cylinder, or simply that the piston was too long.
Yes that was it!  I considered taking the front of the cylinder block off, but it seemd to be cemented in place, could make a mess if I tried to pry it apart.  Instead, without taking all the running gear apart, I just pulled the piston out of the cylinder, gripped it with a flat nose pliers with my left hand and filing with the other.  I managed to file the piston rod shorter by about 1/2 mm.  
And that did it!  The bind was gone!

So now it runs quite smoothly, will probably improve further with some running in.

BUT, another problem has loomed large:  the bunch of DCC cables from the tender to the loco are rather stiff and the way they run they often interfere with the drawbar, lifiting the tender up and causing derailments.
I'll post about that separately.

Rgegards and Thanks,
Sverk

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • 44 posts
Posted by sverk on Friday, January 21, 2011 5:02 PM

Hold it!

Right after my post I tried again and, voila, the ladders are in fact loose at the top under the running boards, not glued, and the struts could be be pulled out sideways from the smokebox.
Then there was just one thing, the pipe from the compressor to the smokebox -- I just cut it off.

So now I can go for the bind in the mechanism ....

Thanks again for your disassembly instructions,
Sverk

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • 44 posts
Posted by sverk on Friday, January 21, 2011 4:45 PM

Hi, I'm underway, disassembling the 2-10-0 according to Method 1, as you described.

But I am stuck on step 6.
The boiler subassembly is coming loose all the way from the back, but not at the front.
It is the two ladders from the running boards down to the pilot deck and along with them the two smoke box support struts that stop it. 
As it seems to me, the pilot deck is not part of the boiler subassembly (don't see how it could slide out from underneath the cylinder block).  Is that right?
Problem is, the ladders and struts seem to be glued quite frimly at both ends.
Do they have to be cut?
If so, at the top or at their lower ends?

Advice appreciated,
Sverk

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Shawnigan Lake, BC
  • 406 posts
Posted by rogertra on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 12:00 PM
Glad to have helped. Sorry it didn't format but for some reason my posts on this forum don't format. This post for instance, should have three paragraphs but it won't.

Cheers

Roger T.

Home of the late Great Eastern Railway see: - http://www.greateasternrailway.com

For more photos of the late GER see: - http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/rogertra/Great_Eastern/

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • 44 posts
Posted by sverk on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 2:44 AM

Thanks very much!
Exactly what I needed.
Glad I asked first!
I suspect I may come up with some more questions later on .....

Sverk

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Shawnigan Lake, BC
  • 406 posts
Posted by rogertra on Monday, January 17, 2011 11:40 PM
Bachmann “Russian” 2-10-0 Disassembly Method 1. 1. Unscrew pony truck assembly being careful not to lose the spring. 2. Gently pull the grate shakers free from the frame under both sides of the cab. 3. Remove the drawbar and the screw up through the cylinder saddle freeing the boiler assembly. 4. Use a very thin screwdriver or knife blade to gently pry the cab free while jiggling it back and forth. Look for the little tabs at the front corners of the cab that will release with a little pressure. 5. Now remove any of the piping detail from the boiler that looks as though it will interfere with the boiler removal. Can’t be more helpful as this varies by model. 6. It should now be possible to very gently lift the boiler from the chassis. Look carefully for any boiler details that may get hung up. The boiler subassembly includes the motor, drive screw, upper plastic shell, metal boiler bottom and running boards. 7. To free the shell from the weighted base, carefully lift off the running boards and separate the shell from the motor housing and weight. The front firebox wall, under the boiler, needs to be pulled forward and removed to fully release the motor housing. Method 2. Bachmann 2-10-0 disassembly It disassembles much like the 2-8-0. Necessity is the mother of invention. What you think is two bottom plastic pieces are really the two halves of the boiler weight painted black. To get it out I had to remove the two side board assemblies: Fireman's side needs a pipe removed from front of air pump. Engineers side needs a small ladder removed. Then the weight assembly will slide out of the shell except that the front of the firebox appears to be glued to the sides. Pry apart with choice of implement AND one pipe from the back of the air pump is routed up under the handrail to the steam dome. I removed the end from the dome and fiddled it under the handrail as I pulled the interior piece back to the rear and down. Once you get the motor/weight assembly out you will discover why some models have a lot of starting noise. The motor is loosely held in place and can rotate/vibrate in its holders. A bit of glue or RT. will fix that. Reassembly is of course a simple matter of doing the above in reverse. Shouldn't take more than a few days.

Cheers

Roger T.

Home of the late Great Eastern Railway see: - http://www.greateasternrailway.com

For more photos of the late GER see: - http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/rogertra/Great_Eastern/

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • 44 posts
Bachmann 2-10-0: How open it up?
Posted by sverk on Monday, January 17, 2011 6:28 PM

Hi!
I have a new Bachmann Spectrum Russian Decapod 2-10-0 with DCC.
A very very nice model, but It doesn't run smoothly.  More or less stalls at low speeds, runs a bit in little spurts.  Ok at higher speeds.  Have been running it back and forth a lot at high speeds on an 8 meters long track hoping to break it in.  It has improved a good bit but not enough to become a normal runner, much less the good runner it should be.
Seems to be a bind in the mechanism.
I'd want to take off the superstructure to uncouple the motor and turn the wheels by hand to see and feel where the bind happens.
Since I have an NWSL quarterer, the all metal one, I will then want to check the quartering.

But it is not obvious how to take the top off on this loco.  It seems a bit unortodox through its belt drive. The parts list figures aren't too helpful.
So, rather than trying any screw I see there, and perhaps create a greater mess than necessary,
What are the right screws?  Are there any snap-unsnap connections?  Does the cab go off first?
I'm sure there are many of you on the forum who know the right procedure, so please help if you can.
 I'll appreciate all hints and guidelines.

Sverk

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