Welcome to the club, Ken! Here's hoping that the steam bug has bitten and doesn't let go.
I have two Plus series Bachmanns -- a K4 and a SF 4-8-4, and neither one is much of a puller. Adding weight doesn't do much for traction, and overheats the motor. They couldn't have used a slipperier metal for the wheels. However yours may be from their retooled basic line that use Mabuchi motors, which are more durable. If you try extra weight, do it a little at a time and make sure the engine stays balanced.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
Traction tires may not be availible, but if they are, they help. Adding weight helps but probably not worth the effort. My BLI Mike with Traction tires is my best puller.
As the others have said, you are in big trouble with your desires now.
Ken, your wonderful experience (been there!) is the reason that I make it a point to counsel newbies who post here about track planning, curves, and grades, to think about a year down the road. Most of us learn quickly what will work together, and we get right to building a fairly decent first layout, but we don't realize that our minds are still acquiring knowledge and learning more about what pleases them. Invevitably, that means growth, or certainly change. I urge newcomers to pause and understand that 18" curves may be fine for now, but that they will almost certainly not be sufficient for the ranges of rolling stock and locomotives that we will favour within a few short months.
Anyway, who among us doesn't love the excitement of making that decision to take the plunge into our first clunker, and then falling in love with the whole genre and era?
Want a tip? Keep a sharp eye on Broadway Limited Imports' Outlet Direct (linked at their website) for bargoons. They offer refurbished, factory seconds, or refused items for other reasons, and they have the full warranty...you can't go wrong. Another tip, keep an eye out for their Mikados...they are quite inexpensive through Outlet Direct, have full sound, and of course have the BLI quality.
Now, be a good fellow and hand me my pitchfork while I wipe my horns.
Yeah, me too. I got a little 0-6-0 with sound about a month back. I have to remind myself to bring the diesels out of the roundhouse now and then. We'll see what happens after I get sound into a couple of the diesels, though.
I'm not even finished with the first era (late 1960's,) but I'm also planning to put a Way-Back machine in my train room. I think I caught something from Bob Grech's collection of Jordan vehicles.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
Congradulations Ken! Now Your in Trobble! Your Hooked haha, I did the same about 6 months ago ,Picked up my 1st steam engine 2-6-6-2 Challenger now just picked up a 4-6-6-4 , so im getting hooked as well ,not to menchen, i started with 3 engines ,now ,im looking and need to get a cabinet built for the many im equmeulating.
Carl..
Finaly after I made the jump to steam. Main thing that has held me back was the poor tracking laying skills I had. Ken at K-10 Trains and I talked, he knew I want steam but knew what I was worried about, engine not making it around the poor but way better track I have laied.
I won't go into details about the details Ken at K-10 and I struck but I finaly made the plung to steam.
I could chosse betten two IHC engines but the 90 day warranty bugged me! Or I could go with this.
It is a plain Jane Bachman GS-4 Daylight, but for $80.00 what the heck.
So far I am pretty darn happy with it. Just made it throught break in and no derails so far!
As far as the details, I am fine with them. But I am half blind anyway.
Smoke, well you can hardly see it and does not last long. Light are a little dem at 55% thottlel on the MRC 2500 it is running on. Pulling power, well I did not hope for much. I have yet to tax it but draging only 8 cars up a 2% grade. On the level grade it hauls, on the grade slows way down but keeps draging the train.
Over all I am still pretty happy with it.
Now the question. Would adding weights or traction tires void the warranty?
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust