New 4-4-0 with a problem...

[Ten Wheeler]

I just received a new Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 "Richmond" that I purchased from MicroMark. The locomotive makes a terrible humming noise when I turn on power on my Digitrax Zephyr. The unit is item 83401, with DCC On Board. The noise occurs both in forward & reverse, and starts at a "crawl speed" thru faster speeds.

Can anyone please offer a suggestion? 

Bob   

[rikc9]

I have no solution but you might consider searching the Yahoo Digitrax group if you do not get an answer here.  This group has over 7000 members.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digitrax/
You have to join to ask a question. You can search the messages without joining.

rikc9

[Jim Banner]

... makes a terrible humming noise when I turn on power on my Digitrax Zephyr... The noise ... starts at a "crawl speed" thru faster speeds.

I am confused about when the humming noise starts.  Does it
(a) start when you power up your Zephyr or
(b) start when you turn on track power on your Zephyr or
(c) start at a crawl speed or
(d) start at faster speeds

If you would tell us what Zephyr power you are turning on and at what speeds the humming starts, I think we would have a better chance of figuring out what is happening.

[Hunt]

Does the humming noise level decrease as the locomotive speed increases?

If yes and if Bachmann is still installing their entry level decoder, that decoder operates the motor at a frequency heard by people with normal hearing as a hum.

[Ten Wheeler]

Thanks Hunt & Jim... the hum (and it is LOUD...) does not start when I turn on power, or when I select Forward or Reverse, but it starts the second that I increase the throttle handle. It occurs at crawl speed thru fast speed with no change in volume or pitch.

The only thing I can compare it to, is I had a 0-4-0 that was DC, and before I installed a DCC decoder in it, I ran it once as a DC engine on my DCC layout, and it really howled (bad hum)... so I didn't do that any more.

This one has me stumped, as it sounds like a bad ballast in a florescent light fixture...  any advice would sure be appreciated.

Bob

[Jim Banner]

I suspect Hunt is correct about the decoder being a non-silent one.  Most decoders today pulse the locomotive's motor at a rate too high for humans to hear.  These are generally referred to as silent or ultrasonic decoders.  However,  Bachmann's decoders use a lower pulse frequency, one that can be heard by most human ears.  I suspect this is to maintain compatiblity with their radio frequency interference rejection filters that cause problems with silent decoders but meet international regulations for RFI.  Whatever the reason, I suspect this is the root cause of your problem.  If so, switching to a silent decoder should solve the problem.

There can, however, be other sources of the problem.  I think we can eliminate any problems with your Zephyr as you do not mention this happening with any other locomotives.  And we can eliminate gear problems as the pitch of the hum does not change with speed.  But your comment about sounding like a bad ballast in a fluorescent light fixture suggests that something may be vibrating mechanically in sympathy with the motor pulses.  This could be anything from the shell of the locomotive to a scrap of iron held on or in the motor by the motors magnets and being vibrated by the pulses that operatre the motor.  If it is sympathic vibrations in the shell, these will usually stop when you touch the shell with a finger.  Internal problems may require disassembly of the locomotive.  In that case, you may prefer to return it to Bachmann for servicing.

[Hunt]

Bob,
Still have the hum when you run the 4-4-0 locomotive using DC instead of DCC?

[Ten Wheeler]

That is one I can't answer any more, as I no longer have a DC controller... I gave it to my grandson along with a bunch of DC stuff.

All I can tell you, Hunt... is that the hum is loud and steady, no matter what speed... the minute the throttle moves to "stop" the hum is gone.

I have sent a e-mail describing the problem to Bachmann Service, but no replay as of yet. (24 hours ago)

Thanks,  Bob

[Ten Wheeler]

Received a reply from Bachmann Service Dept., and they said send it in to them, and they will repair it under the warranty.

Thank you, one and all, for taking time to respond to my thread...   Bob

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Hearing of all the problems associated with the Specturm line I would for one would be interested in seeing a poll as to how many of those buying these engines are having problem's and having to send them back to Bachmann for repair/replacement.....

[Jim Banner]

Hearing of all the problems associated with the Specturm line I would for one would be interested in seeing a poll as to how many of those buying these engines are having problem's and having to send them back to Bachmann for repair/replacement.....

A modeller buys a brand X locomotive and has problems with it.  He is likely to complain to the manufacturer and/or post on the manufacturer's forum.

Another modeller buys 20 brand X locomotives.  They are all fine.  He is very unlikely to complain to the manufacturer or post on the manufacturer's forum.  For example, over the years, I have bought about 3 dozen Bachmann Spectrum locomotives.  One suffered from a manufacturing defect.  It was easily repaired without returning it to Bachmann.  This is the first time I have ever mentioned this on any forum.

That just means this formum is very biased in terms of faulty locomotives vs. good locomotives.

The number of people who have problems and have to send a locomotive back for repair/replacement means nothing by itself.  You also have to know how many people are not having problems and do not have to send a locomotive back if you want the survey to mean anything.  I am sure Bachmann Industries knows what percentage of their locomotives are returned for repair/replacement, but don't hold your breath waiting for them to tell you.

[Stephen Warrington]

I have 5 Spec Locomotives and only my 4-8-2 heavy mountain had to be sent in for repair because Itate the contact strips for the power pickups behind the drivers. I know others that have Spec locomotives and never had a single problem out of any of them.

Stephen

for the money Bachmann Spec is one of best deals on the market.

Stephen

[Ten Wheeler]

As I mentioned earlier, I have 5 Spectrum's, and until this one I have never had a problem. As with any production item, glitches do happen... but I think Bachmann Spectrum has very good quality control, and an excellent service department. This will not stop me from buying Spectrum
equipment...

Bob

[caboose101]

I have four Spectra:  two consolidations, a ten wheeler and a Richmond 4-4-0.  The first two consolidations were fine out of the box.  The ten wheeler had a bad wire connection inside the tender.  I repaired it myself.  The 4-4-0 pilot truck kept riding up on the rails.  I noticed the ten wheeler had the same pilot truck and a load spring to hold it down.  The 4-4-0 was missing the load spring, and it did not appear on the assembly drawing.  I fabricated one and installed it with no further problems.

Since model railroading is largely a hands-on fabrication hobby, I would have to say a fair percentage of problems never reach the manufacturer.  Many of us take the process one large step further by significantly modifying our new purchases.  Fifty years ago, a large percentage of locomotive models were kits.  Ya’ gotta’ wonder how many kits never turned a lap on the layout, and how many of these the manufacturer ever heard about.  I don’t mind handling problems within my capability, but pity the person who depends on trouble-free, out-of-the-box operation.

Today the marvel is not how the manufacturers do it so well, it’s how they manage to do it at all.

Regards,

Bob

[Jim Banner]

After commenting on Ten Wheeler's 4-4-0, I investigated one of my own locomotives which was noisy.  For details see:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,1268.0.html