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Posted - January 03 2021 : 08:47:32 AM
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My LOTW offering is this LifeLike Burlingtion Northern GP38-2 "High-Hood" diesel.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - January 03 2021 : 10:03:49 AM
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My LOTW will be my new Bachmann HO 4-8-4 Northern I recieved in a trade from RP. This is one of the nicest Bachmanns I've ever seen truthfully. This locomotive runs flawlessly, and actually features a functioning smoke unit. Thank you RP, as this is a fantastic addition to my roster.
Aaron Anderson
Edited by - A-A-RON on January 03 2021 3:30:05 PM
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Posted - January 03 2021 : 11:44:21 AM
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watch out for cracked gears!
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Posted - January 03 2021 : 12:13:47 PM
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Posted - January 03 2021 : 12:15:48 PM
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one of the connecting rod bolts worked itself out and broke
Edited by - Erik The Train Nerd on January 03 2021 12:17:46 PM
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Posted - January 03 2021 : 3:35:39 PM
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I opened the bottom up and checked it. I have a cracked axle, so down the road I'm going to either have to repair or replace it. I can probably figure it out though. I just won't run it too hard. I'm guessing I can fix it though.
Aaron Anderson
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Posted - January 03 2021 : 5:04:05 PM
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Fresh from the Anderson Paint Shops, a C430 blows into town. Armadillo Central, dontcha know.
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Posted - January 04 2021 : 3:16:26 PM
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quote:I opened the bottom up and checked it. I have a cracked axle, so down the road I'm going to either have to repair or replace it. I can probably figure it out though. I just won't run it too hard. I'm guessing I can fix it though.
Originally posted by A-A-RON - January 03 2021 : 3:35:39 PM
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A strong glue can usually fix the problem, RP repaired his consolidation by gluing them back together. There are also replacement axle centers on shapeways
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Posted - January 04 2021 : 9:00:37 PM
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quote: quote:I opened the bottom up and checked it. I have a cracked axle, so down the road I'm going to either have to repair or replace it. I can probably figure it out though. I just won't run it too hard. I'm guessing I can fix it though.
Originally posted by A-A-RON - January 03 2021 : 3:35:39 PM
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A strong glue can usually fix the problem, RP repaired his consolidation by gluing them back together. There are also replacement axle centers on shapeways
Originally posted by BlaxlandAlex3-January 04 2021: 3:16:26 PM
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Yes, Testor's Liquid Cement (which I basically use for everything) worked perfectly on my Bachmann Consolidation -- all you have to do is put a little drop of glue on the crack, and then spread it over the entire crack with a brush, and allow to dry. "Capillary Action" will draw the glue into the crack and fill it best, thru brushing it.
All you have to do afterwards to make sure the wheels are "quartered" properly.....before putting the bottom plate back on.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Edited by - RP model railroads on January 04 2021 9:01:58 PM
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Posted - January 04 2021 : 9:38:31 PM
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Yeah. I have a tiny Crescent adjustable wrench to remove the bolts on the driver with. I just have to find time and place to store a dismantled engine for a day.
Aaron Anderson
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 11:13:08 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by A-A-RON - January 03 2021 : 10:03:49 AM
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anyone want mine?
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 11:16:04 AM
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quote: quote:
Originally posted by A-A-RON - January 03 2021 : 10:03:49 AM
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anyone want mine?
Originally posted by microbusss - January 05 2021 : 11:13:08 AM
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is it a gs-4?
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 12:25:01 PM
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quote: quote:
Originally posted by A-A-RON - January 03 2021 : 10:03:49 AM
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anyone want mine?
Originally posted by microbusss - January 05 2021 : 11:13:08 AM
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If you don't want it I'll take it for a new driver.
Aaron Anderson
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 1:02:05 PM
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all the drivers crack inevitably. Buying spares for that purpose is pointless.
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 4:01:35 PM
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I'd been biting my tongue, but uh I hate seeing model rail friends getting burned. Bachmann has produced some beautiful, and even unique, HO lokes in both American and British range. I won't touch any of them, ever, and never. I've had two friends in EP who have had nothing but trouble with DCC and analog lokes ranging from side rods falling off, motors failing, and DCC failure, not once, but repeatedly again and again even after sending the stuff back, at their expense to Philadelphia.
Sam's Trains, an independent Briitish model train reviewer, is very thorough, and very fair as he unboxes and tests trains from Bachmann, some of them American, and if they are junk, which they very often are, he will rip them to shreds. People at Bachmann must want this guy dead. He spares no criticisms of design and assembly flaws.
So, especially for you younger guys, who don't have a ton of cash to blow out the window, check out his website and search for a specific type- he has reviewed many hundreds, and you will know exactly what to expect.
The problem, to my best guess, is that the stuff is designed in the UK, or US, and then sent to China by email where the injection molding and assembling takes place. Problem is that in my recent memory, a lot of stuff got around in China by ox cart. China was a very, very backwards country having been decimated in WWII, smashed in Korea, and then appeared on the scene as our happy Asian neighbors, open for business. Bottom line, the quality control in China is all over the map and much of it is reliably poor. The customers, Bachmann, Atas, pretty much everybody but Kadee (made in America), has very little recourse with quality. problems. I took a chance on a Bachmann retooled Jupiter, crossing my fingers, so far, so good.
You really have to read up on any given loke you buy these days. It could be great, it could be bust. Since we in the particular run a lot of old stuff, we tend to expect problems, But right out of the box??? Thank China for that.
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 5:52:47 PM
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I have read that when a plastic gear is molded, the molten plastic comes into the mold already cooling just a bit on the leading edge. It goes around the core of the mold where the axle hole will be and the two cooled surfaces meet making for a weak spot. Then when the plastic shrinks a little with age, that's where the crack will form. Some places like Northwest Short Line machine gears out of a solid blank of plastic and those are likely stronger. In all the ages old Mantua gears I've seen, I've never seen a broken one. I don't know if they machined their gears or if they molded them hot enough for the plastic to be truly liquid, or if the holes are just big enough that shrinkage doesn't crack them. It may be, too, that they're a more fibrous plastic like Nylon rather than Delrin.
I've also read that, even when the locomotive is some sort of $500 wonder, the manufacturer still sees it as a toy choo-choo to be broken by noon on Christmas morning, so no shortcut is passed up in the interest of making something that's really expensive a few cents cheaper to make.
Oh, for the days when those who owned the brand made the product!
Carpe Manana!
Edited by - scsshaggy on January 05 2021 5:54:10 PM
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 9:44:45 PM
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Mike
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 10:03:18 PM
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So, I've got to put in my 2 cents. :)
Aaron - Alex is right there - my Bachmann "Consolidation" had the same issue as the 4-8-4 now has, and replacing the plastic-center axles will not work, as ultimately the replacements will crack. A strong plastic glue will work, and the process is really easy. Take it from me - I knew absolutely nothing about steam locos, and Alex's tips helped me to get my Reading 2-8-0 running again.
Frankly speaking, not all vintage Bachmann HO-Scale trains are bad. Some models (especially certain steam models with plastic center-axles) had their design flaws, and gear issues, but other models are made very well. The same applies to almost every other manufacturer of the day, including Tyco (PowerTorques), AHM (plastic gear trouble/coupler replacement,) among others.
Now, every model railroader's experience and preferences are different, but many times I see that Bachmann and Tyco get criticized, which in many respects, yes, the manufacturing locations certainly didn't lend anything to quality. Nevertheless, both produced great trains, and going back to Bachmann, the GP40 and U36B are highly detailed locomotives that run very well - I really look forward to finding more of them.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - January 05 2021 : 10:18:29 PM
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quote:So, I've got to put in my 2 cents. :)
Aaron - Alex is right there - my Bachmann "Consolidation" had the same issue as the 4-8-4 now has, and replacing the plastic-center axles will not work, as ultimately the replacements will crack. A strong plastic glue will work, and the process is really easy. Take it from me - I knew absolutely nothing about steam locos, and Alex's tips helped me to get my Reading 2-8-0 running again.
Frankly speaking, not all vintage Bachmann HO-Scale trains are bad. Some models (especially certain steam models with plastic center-axles) had their design flaws, and gear issues, but other models are made very well. The same applies to almost every other manufacturer of the day, including Tyco (PowerTorques), AHM (plastic gear trouble/coupler replacement,) among others.
Now, every model railroader's experience and preferences are different, but many times I see that Bachmann and Tyco get criticized, which in many respects, yes, the manufacturing locations certainly didn't lend anything to quality. Nevertheless, both produced great trains, and going back to Bachmann, the GP40 and U36B are highly detailed locomotives that run very well - I really look forward to finding more of them.
Originally posted by RP model railroads - January 05 2021 : 10:03:18 PM
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I'm quite happy with both engines you sent me. The U36-B I got from you is my favorite vintage bachmanns ever. I got a caboose and F7 to match it, and I hope to have the GP40 eventually too. I bought a bachman Seaboard SD40 to give a try last weekend. I kinda have all the tyco engines I wanted, so I'm trying something new within reason. I'm gonna be doing a big cleanup later on again.
The steam engine runs for now, and it is currently back in storage as I changed my display shelf. (Which I do like one or twice a week.) I have a big project going this weekend, which will greatly improve my room. Eventually I'll dismantle it and repair the faulty driver. I'm not too worried about it. Static or running, I still love that thing. Anyway 3 a.m. is coming fast so night all!
Aaron Anderson
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 07:20:47 AM
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I must say, after bachmann inroduced spectrum, they seriously stepped up their game. I see so many people who chastise bachmann for their experiences with their locomotives that came before spectrum. There is reason for this, 100%, the older stuff is junk, but people still think that the new bachmanns are garbage because they haven't actually had one since their "trainset garbage" all those years ago. It pains me to see a company who has greatly improved get ignored because of a poor reputation they set up for themselves many years ago. all new bachmanns have solid, reliable mechanisms with adequate detail. I havent heard of any problems with their new locomotives, performance or detail wise. I own the new tooling jupiter, two new geeps, three new USRA's, and they all perform beautifully, crawling slow enough for me without stalling, and they look great.
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 09:54:03 AM
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quote:I must say, after bachmann inroduced spectrum, they seriously stepped up their game. I see so many people who chastise bachmann for their experiences with their locomotives that came before spectrum. There is reason for this, 100%, the older stuff is junk, but people still think that the new bachmanns are garbage because they haven't actually had one since their "trainset garbage" all those years ago. It pains me to see a company who has greatly improved get ignored because of a poor reputation they set up for themselves many years ago. all new bachmanns have solid, reliable mechanisms with adequate detail. I havent heard of any problems with their new locomotives, performance or detail wise. I own the new tooling jupiter, two new geeps, three new USRA's, and they all perform beautifully, crawling slow enough for me without stalling, and they look great.
Originally posted by BlaxlandAlex3 - January 06 2021 : 07:20:47 AM
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For the most part Bachmann is pretty good. I have had the DCC controller unit fizzle out on me while running my DCC sound locos, but that is the only "new" Bachmann issue i've had. I have four DCC Bachmanns and they all run great. The DC units have similar drives and are pretty good too. To be fair, the old stuff was pretty bad, heck I've even go as far as to say I've had better experiences with PT motors and LL drives than old Bachmanns
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 10:17:24 AM
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perfectly put although I haven't had any experience with DCC so I wouldn't know.
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 12:05:11 PM
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Glad to hear someone is having luck with it. Having been bit, and my friends bit repeatedly, I'm just saying that I'd not purchase another piece, Brit or American, and I run two layouts with both, unless I see it on Sam's Trains first. I hate to see the new guys get burned, much less anyone else, buying stuff that is really badly put together. I can do that myself. No help required.
I have a friend who got into it, nice looking little steamer, but it wouldn't steam. So he sends it back. Works for a few minutes, done. Third time same problem. Fourth time, he gave up. The cost of shipping exceeded the retail price.
Friend with another analog steamer. Motor just siezed after ten minutes of light breaking in. Beautiful piece. Sent it back. It choked shortly after going on the rails. Third time in the side rods came off. Back again.
Got two of the older doodle bugs. One runs. Got two old Timers, they wore out their universal shaft within hours. The retooled Jupe, cross my fingers and knock on wood and rub my rabbit foot. So far, sweet piece.
Just saying, a lot of stuff out of China has been horrendous. Not to mention the trains.
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 1:13:17 PM
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Wow that's tough luck Jeff. I think you'll have much better luck with your new jupiter, the new tooling is miles better than the old. When you get your loco, make sure to service and lube it before running it, remember these locos have been sitting for months on end in storage and have barely been run if ever, that should keep you out of trouble.
Gone are the days of the rock solid American made mantua motors of the 50s and 60s, which will run pretty much forever. All the new stuff is made overseas and cheaply produced, hence leading to the decline in quality. But proper maintenance normally keeps them going, and they look nice and run quiet too. Just don't drop them off the kitchen table.
Edited by - RealBnsfIA on January 06 2021 1:14:11 PM
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 1:45:49 PM
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very true. I'm in the midst of giving some cosmetic upgrades to jupiter, I might start making some mechanical ones. Better tender wipers and the like. pickup is already good, but I can make it better. I should set up a circle for Jupe to stretch his wheels for a bit, although the sounds are nice for when I film my series, they get a bit annoying to me after awhile.
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Posted - January 06 2021 : 2:15:50 PM
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Alex, you said you have the retooled jupiter correct? Is it DC?
My Jupe is from the "transcontinental" anniversary set from last year, with DCC and sound. Both that and the UP 119 are beautiful pieces, very nicely done by Bachmann.
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Posted - January 07 2021 : 08:16:40 AM
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Yep! My only DCC and sound locomotive. Got it for 93 bucks on the bay.
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Posted - January 07 2021 : 10:57:09 AM
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well I want the original Jupiter & 119
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Posted - January 07 2021 : 11:41:44 AM
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the old tooling versions?
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Posted - January 07 2021 : 1:09:42 PM
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Here's an AHM RS2 and S2 we painted and decaled for Erie RR. Enjoy.
https://youtu.be/L_BwpJ88CgE
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Posted - January 07 2021 : 1:46:18 PM
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quote:Here's an AHM RS2 and S2 we painted and decaled for Erie RR. Enjoy. Originally posted by time warp - January 07 2021 : 1:09:42 PM
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Very nice! I also enjoyed the BL2s.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - January 07 2021 : 2:16:46 PM
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quote:the old tooling versions?
Originally posted by BlaxlandAlex3 - January 07 2021 : 11:41:44 AM
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yes
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Posted - January 08 2021 : 12:01:14 AM
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What a cool layout with so much going on. Thanks for Posting. 👏
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Posted - January 08 2021 : 08:36:17 AM
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Thank you. We are constantly adding or changing things on this pike. It also has working signals and automatic power routing
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