Allegheny2-6-6-6As far as the bad decoders, those are in Bachman standard or DCC on board engines and they are old Lenz decoders that they doesn't even sell. They seems to run ok but for some reason are very noisy.
I have a bunch of Spectrum steam locomotives of all different wheel arraignments etc. and have yet to have one run as it should right out of the box. I don't know if it's the lubricant that they use in China or maybe the tolerances are just really tight but a good break in run is critical. I run them no less then two hours and make sure you run it in both directions. I had a 2-10-0 Decapod that would not run forward out of the box. Ran just fine in reverse but no forward. Before sending it back to Bachmann I took the advice of one of the train store groupies and" let it run for a while" Well for once I got some good advice. If I were you I would give it a couple of housrs of running forward and backward at different speeds and then see how it runs.
As far as the bad decoders, those are in Bachman standard or DCC on board engines and they are old Lenz decoders that they doesn't even sell. They seems to run ok but for some reason are very noisy. We replaced all of the ones in my son's Diesels with TCS decoders.
As far as traction many of these big articulated don't pull nearly as well as they should or as the prototypes did. Most of them are no where near as heavy as they should be nor is their weight distributed correctly. I use Bull Frog Snot on all of my steam loco's It's a real kick in the tail when My BLI T-1 will out pull any of the Proto Y3's before I used that stuff. Now I woud say the Y3's will hold their own but too often we expect the models to work like the real thing and it's a great disappointment when they don't.
If it reaches some speed at half throttle and won't go any faster for the top half of the throttle, that's the decoder adn speed curve. Are you using the 28 step speed table, or just CV2 and CV5? I would definitely do a full reset, and try runnign it on address 3, or else reprogram JUST the address and leave the speed curve until you know it's working OK.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
CSX Robert..Top speed is a scale 29.5 MPH reached at about half throttle..
RobertThe top speed is 29.5 and it reaches this at half throttle, any further increase in throttle gets no further increase in speed. I use Decoder Pro and set the speed chart to a straight line with top CV set at 255. Today I will try a reboot of the decoder and see if that will help along with some more run time.
Have fun.
Lee
The standard break-in time for a Bachmann is usually about an hour. I've only had 3 and they all took about a half hour forward and another half in reverse to break them in. It's almost strange how they quiet down and smooth out as they run.
Springfield PA
yankee flyer...On my Power Cab it draws about a quarter amp...
yankee flyer...Top speed is a scale 29.5 MPH reached at about half throttle...
Sheldon
On the grades thing, I did have all less than 4% grades but I stretched the layout and I believe every thing is less than 2.2% now. The grade that I was watching was I believe the 1.8%. It's one of the long grades.I'm going to run the loco as much as I can and see what happens.
Thanks and I will report back in a day or two.
Crandel
I use decoder pro and I did tell the loco to use the straight line speed chart with 255 for the max CV. but you may have something there. It won't hurt to try a reboot. My engineering son says when your' having a problem "reboot"
Thanks for reminding me.
This may sound like an odd suggestion, but I wonder if the decoder could stand a full reset. It is entirely possible that a bit got scrambled, or input specifically and not purged later by a technician. A full factory default restoration may result in the slow speed disappearing because the factory default speed table would be restored.
Look at it this way...I couldn't hurt.
-Crandell
Lee, I was not sure if you had the sound version or the DCC only version. I don't know of any problems with the sound versions, but again, I don't use DCC personally and I don't use sound either. The DCC only decoder is known to be very "basic" without the full range of programing features. I have not heard anything about the sound versions that come in the Spectrum locos.
But again, common sense says if they run good on DC, than they should run good on DCC - with a good decoder that is.
I don't buy sound equiped Bachmann locos. And when I do buy DCC versions the decoder is the first thing to go, along with the RF filter capacitors on the lighting board, so they will be compatible with my Aristo Train Engineer throttles.
What puzzles me the most is your complaint about slowing down on grades? Are you sure about the grade percentage being 1.8%? I have a grade of 2% and none of my locos slow noticably under too much load, they just start slipping - there is a difference between those two things. And the surging thing, only ever saw that down very steep grades (more than 3%) with any kind of model loco.
No, it´s Bachmanns "standard" decoders that stinks .
Swedish Custom painter and model maker. My Website:
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It does have the Bachmann Tsunami decoder. I have the decoder in other steam and they seem to work very well. Are there problems?
Lee,
In addition to the gear grease being stiff and the cool temperature making that worse, and based on how well mine run on DC, I would be very inclined to replace the Bachmann decoder with something better before passing anymore judgement about the locos performance. I can't help but think some of the problems you discribe are the bare minimum decoder, not the mechanical aspects of the loco.
Hi OK, I'm in the process of running the little beast for break in. I sure hope it works.It doesn't lunge going down grade as bad but I'm thinking the gears might be so stiff that it can't roll when the decoder backs off a little.Here is a picture of the miscreant. I guess I'll put a road number on it now because I don't want to ship it back an forth anymore.
Are we having fun yet?
David is likely on the right track about the gear lube.
This is not the easiest loco to disassemble, but, since the gear grease issue is likely in the worm gears, not the gear towers in the trucks, you would only have to take it about half way apart.
Do not try to take the covers off the drive trucks with the loco assembled, you will break the pickup wires.
Carefully remove the dome in the center, remove the screw. the boiler will then lift off with a little wiggling/unsnapping of the cab.
To get to the worm gears you must then unwire it and remove the upper weight.
The worm gear tower covers then unsnap like most models.
So that should get you into it if you choose to, but you might want to just run it in good first.
BUT, 65 degrees is a little on the cold side for these models. My layout is above my garage, and in the winter I only heat it when I'm out there. EVERYTHING runs sluggish and poorly until the room warms up and the locos warm up.
I can't say I remember clocking a top speed for my three 2-6-6-2's, but 29 smph seems slow for a top speed. That aspect may be a DCC issue in combination with the cold gear grease issue. Since all of mine are DC (no dual mode decoders) I cannot comment on how DCC problems or Bachmann's bargin basement decoders may be effecting the loco. I do know that the Bachmann decoders do not run well on my Aristo Craft Train Engineer throttles with DC.
As for pulling power, its not the strongest puller, but not bad either. From the measurements I have taken, it pulls nearly as well as my Spectrum Heavy Mountains. But the gear grease/cold weather thing will effect that too.
I know you have had problems with the first one of these you had, did you run this one right away when it came?
Does this one run smooth? I have three of these, one had problems from day one - sent it back replacement was fine.
One developed a problem later, that's how I know about disassembly. Fixed now Bachmann made that one good too. I know other with these who have had no problems.
David and others like to pick on Bachmann, and I will agree that the "failure" rate out of the box may well be higher than other brands. BUT, if they are right, they seem to run and last as well as any other brand - AND, none of those other brands are making hardly any of the prototypes that Bachmann has made.
It is easy to pick on Bachmann Spectrum Steam if you model 1985 and don't need or want a fleet of affordable well detailed everyday type locos like the 2-8-0, 4-8-2, 2-10-2, 4-6-0, etc, etc.
The nice people at some of the other brands have come right out and said they will not make small/medium/ordinary locos because they don't think they can make as much money on them.
All my Spectrum/Bachmann steam runs fine, dispite all the critics on here. I have:
9 - USRA Heavy 4-8-2's
3 - 2-6-6-2's
2 - 4-6-0's
8 - 2-8-0's (one kit bashed into an 0-8-0 just like the B&O did with some)
4 - 4-8-2's (being converted into freelanced heavy 2-8-2"s)
Many of these are kit bashed with different tenders and changed details.
I have found a number of very minor ajustments that greatly enhance each of these locos, and am very happy with their appearance and performance, especially for their modest prices.
And I see several more in my future.
David B.
I went down to my basement to run the 2-6-6-2 and it ran even slower this morning.
The basement is cool probably 65%. I am wondering if I should take it apart and lube the gears. Question: how do I get it apart? If the screws are under the sand domes and the steam dome can I just pry them off?
davidmbedardit has gunk in the gears...nothing to do with Cv values.David B
it has gunk in the gears...nothing to do with Cv values.
David B
Thanks for the help
If this locomotive is DCC equipted you may need to read your CVs and look at the speed tables ,check your Vstart Vmid And Vmax and adjust the last two to a higher value.
I have this same engine with a Tsunami decoder that runs very well and has good top speed. It is a little
light in the britches but pulls 10 hoppers up my steep grades. Any more cars and it will slip.
Gale
Hey Guys
I just got back to working with my MR. I spent a couple weeks removing wallpaper and painting. YUCK! Bachmann sent me a new 2-6-6-2 after I complained about it jerking while descending a grade and lack of speed.Now to my concern. On my Power Cab it draws about a quarter amp. Top speed is a scale 29.5 MPH reached at about half throttle. With five walthers short heavy weight cars it slows to a crawl on a grade. 1.8% I tried it with 2.5 oz. of weight lain on top of the engine, no help, so it's probably not slipping. With the engine running by it's self the speeds are about the same except for the low speed, which is slightly faster (maybe).it's as slow as a snail and won't pull anything. Does this sound normal?My 4-8-2 heavy mountain runs the same track at good speed and no apparent effort.
I appreciate any insight.