Dave onces again I will post the fact that the turns radius is not the problem! Look silly I will go along with but #4009 had no problems!!!!!!!!!!! PLUS IT IS DERAILING ON A 24 TO 26" TURN!!!!!! 18" TURN IT IS ROCK SOLID!!!!!!!!!
Guess no one reads posting just throw in there 2 cents worth! Soory to sound harsh but it is not the %&*! turns!
OK, I played with it for say 2 hours. First I added a .015 athearn washer uuder the front spring and it helped a but still derailed. Then I added a second and it made it around the bench and lead truck did not derail! But the rear drive wheels of front drivers derailed, Hum. Added a 3rd washer but did not help the rear drive wheel of front drive truck (is that right)??
Now I will say this, it pulled much better than the 4009 did, tender did not tip and a 25 car drag was not a problem! OK we are getting some where, I think. Backed the front spring/ truck srew out 1 turn, it now has 3 .015 washer under it then I threw on .5 oz's on the front walk way. Gave it another pass, rear wheels derailed again!
Remember haters of 18" TURNS it does fine on them!!!! So I ran it on the main B-line that has 28" turns that go left. Started it up and was looking good made the first left and was running just fine! Was pulling my Class J BLI train and that has 35 cars and doing it with no effort! Way better than the 4009 that I returned for this Big Boy.
Then it stopped moving but keept making chuffing sounds? Unhooked the train and shut down the DCC power supply. Started it up again and just sat there sounding great! Just would not @#%& move!
More than likely this posting will be pulled! But unless Athearn learns what problems we owners are having they will have no idea what to fix. I am soory to say it is going back into the box and back to the LHS it goes. With the refund I will get a PCM I am sorry to say. I trust the name Athearn and MRC and love my Blue Boxes engine's and MRC 9500. (I have DC and DCC lines) but the Big Boys have beat me.
Sad to give up, first engine that has beatten me Ken
I hate Rust
Flipping it up side down and will let you know what I fine.
Ken
Ken, flip it upside down and see what is different when turning one way versus the other. Obviously something is catching. Not unusual with articulated steam by the way, to have an issue turning one way versus the other. I had a brass Class A and one steam pipe joint was sticking a bit, and she would NOT turn left about 60% of the time.
I would not fool with springs or weights on the front truck. It should be free to follow the rails side to side and up and down (a little).
Ok, why does it only do left turns? Is it because the spring is one that slides from side to side instead of built on center?
Try a stronger spring or more weight or a combination of both.
Safety Valve , again I have to post that the radius it self is not the problem! 4009 did the same rails with no derailling problems! Class J and M1a BLI are draging freight on the on the same lines as I miss spell. Yes, thay are smaller but it is not the turns. Be sides Safety, why only on Left turns and not a right?
Genesis may have problem, but 4020 has it's own speical problems. Decoders sound great and it seems to pull less power than my old 4009. It just does not like Left turns?
Right Hand Ken Confussed again.
selector wrote: Ken, with every post and with every return of an Athearn sound-equipped steamer that you report, I renew my vow to never, but ever, purchase an Athearn.Anyway, your front truck is not mounted properly or else it is experiencing a retardation of its desire/need to slide and or turn to the left. Disassemble (why you should have to do this on two successive locos is beyond me, but..) the truck and feel around and look for flashing, a burr, missing fasteners...whatever. The spring apparently isn't doing much good, or it is overwhelmed by the fault, whatever it is.
Ken, with every post and with every return of an Athearn sound-equipped steamer that you report, I renew my vow to never, but ever, purchase an Athearn.
Anyway, your front truck is not mounted properly or else it is experiencing a retardation of its desire/need to slide and or turn to the left. Disassemble (why you should have to do this on two successive locos is beyond me, but..) the truck and feel around and look for flashing, a burr, missing fasteners...whatever. The spring apparently isn't doing much good, or it is overwhelmed by the fault, whatever it is.
Hear hear.
I gotta say stop trying to run such a big engine on short radius, the first two axles of that first driving set are really off the rails and contribute nothing. never mind the crappy spring on that truck.
Im sorry ive seen these photos, it only affirms my hardening determination to run big steam on big radius.. like 30"
Crandell 4009 did not have this problem, it had driffrent ones but staying on the rails was not one of them.
You have a PM as well.
Wonder why my BLI and Bachmann don't do tricks?
First the Good New, Pairs is back in Jail!
Now to the subject. As many of you know I have been have a lot of problems with my Genesis Big Boy 4009. Ever thing from Decoder problems , tender tipping (not like cow tipping when they are a sleep) to lack of pulling power. Dave in the Teck deparment asked me to see if the LHS would take it back and give me a driffrent one. Asked Ken at K-10 Trains (best LHS in Maryville IL) and he said he would. Ken hears all the complaints I have in person so he knows it has been a battle for some time.
Today I got my New Big Boy 4020 and it is TALENTED AND DOES TRICKS!
OK, it only does it tricks on left hand turns. The PIC shows an APX 23" turn on the B line passing track. Then I ran it on the B main line that has 26" turns and it did the same tricks. On a 18" right turn it is rock solid?
How do I fix this? More weight on the lead truck? It is spring loaded, tighten the screw or use a spacer under the spring?
I have checked the rails and they are in gauge. Funny thing with old 4009 having all it's problems staying on the track was not one of them It ran the same rails for hours with no problems.
Oh, I dont think it is the problem but there is a spot for a screw (I can see the brass threads) on the rear divers in the center of the pistons.
Cuda Ken