New Bachmann Empire Builder set in N gauge

[jerrymcc]

I am an old HO scale fan and have been inactive for many years...Recently I bought a Bachmann N gauge Empire Builder train set to run under the Christmas tree...Big problem...The cars will not stay coupled...The train runs fine in reverse, but if run forward, any one of the cars will uncoule at random...I cannot get one lap out of the set without uncoupling...Any suggestions?...New couplers?...

Jerry

[mf5117]

Funny you posted this . I bought an N scale Bachmann High Baller UP set at HobbyLobby yesterday 60% off regular price . Don't ask me why . But I also had problems coupling up the cars as well . I was getting ready to take it back and get my money . Then I found I had to drop the cars into the coupler then set wheels to the track .Maybe I don't know something but it worked and it ran all day just fine .I didn't see anything wrong with the couplers, springs were in them everything worked .Just don't know anything about N scale other than its very small and I just got this set just to have one . I do wish I would have bought the Sante Fa set with the 2 F units  and 6 or so cars and the oval . But I have my G and HO trains .I can't see myself doing N  . I admire the people that do ....Merry Christman   MF5117

[the Bach-man]

Dear Jerry,
Does the uncoupling occur at one spot or anywhere in the oval?
If the former, check the rail joiners at the problem spot. If the latter, make sure your track is level.
Merry Christmas!
the Bach-man

[jerrymcc]

The uncoupling is ramdom, happens anywhere on the loop and with any car...It might be the caboose, might be in the middle of the train, might be at the tender...Very frustrating...The loop is level all the way around, but I will have to remove it from under the xmas tree and try it on a hard surface instead of on the cotton snow...Still, it does not seem right, that should not happen...

Jerry

[Kris Everett]

did you put it on a hard surface like a piece of plywood under the snow then the train on top? Is your rug a high pile rug or a low pile rug? all of these can be factors of why this is happening.

let us know thank you

[DoubleDAZ]

I have the same set and I have to manually push my cars together until I hear a little click that says they are coupled.  Even after doing that, the caboose pulls the car in front of it off the track almost every time it hits the curved terminal/rerailer track.  It's the only car with body-mounted couplers and I've quit using it.

I also have a lot of problem with the locomotive's front wheels over those same tracks.  The truck is only mounted by a screw at the rear and it seems very loose and it appears to bounce a lot.

So far, the layout is just a 3x6 oval on a 4x8 table.  I also have an old diesel loco and some cars I got from Kay Bee Toys over 30 yrs ago and it's been stored since 1978.  It still runs and I swapped trucks on 2 boxcars so I could couple both sets of cars, 13 total.  I can get both locos to pull (separately of course) the consist continuously for several laps, but sooner or later the 4-8-4's front wheels will derail.

So far, I'm pretty disappointed in the set.  The curved terminal/rerailer seems to be a problem, so I ordered a straight one and will see if that helps.  I also have to turn the controller to about 40 or so before the train will even start and then I only notice speed changes to about 85.  The power feed doesn't seem to be very good either.  At speeds less than 65, the train is pretty herky-jerky.  Even at 65-70, I notice the lapse of power in several locations.  I'm not new to N scale, but it has been 30 yrs and this is my first experience with EZ Tracks.  I had planned to upgrade to DCC at some point, but I'm having 2nd thoughts about the whole thing.

[Kris Everett]

i would get a volt meter and test the voltage going to the track you might have gotten a bad power pack it happens it's not bachmann's fault

[DoubleDAZ]

I'll give that a try and also try the connector on the other side of the terminal track until my straight terminal track arrives.

[Kris Everett]

that might help also

let us know what happens.

[jerrymcc]

Dear Jerry,
Does the uncoupling occur at one spot or anywhere in the oval?
If the former, check the rail joiners at the problem spot. If the latter, make sure your track is level.
Merry Christmas!
the Bach-man

As I said, I am an old (80 yrs) HO guy and I don't buy into the theories and reasons why I am getting uncoupling...I have used the old Mantua HO "hook and loop" automatic couplers, Athearn and Kadee, as well as non-working scale couplers that had to be coupled by hand by lowering one into the other...None of them ever decoupled by themselves... If absolutely level track on a very hard surface is required, then random uncoupling at turnouts, crossovers, and grade crossings are going to be a problem...

My track is on a coffee table on top of a thin layer of cotton "snow", but it is absolutely flat...In my opinion, it should not be happening...The stock couplers do not have enough meat at the knuckle, making for a very loose fit...If it is normal, it is going to discourage a lot of folks, especially youngsters from getting into the hobby...I am sure that Bachmann does not want that...

Are there better after market couplers available?...

[bobwrgt]

I'm an old guy also but not quite 80. Sometimes i have to get out my 10x magnifier to see what is going on. The N gauge couplers can drive you nuts but after some adjustments can and will stay together. Best to start with all the couplers at the same heights. You may have to bend the coupler box on the trucks up or down to get them to line up. Gently. Get out your hobby knife and/or file and remove any flashing left from the mold process on the couplers. Check each coupler to see if they hold when pulling each car. If they ride up or down under pressure they will not hold. Things are very small but once adjusted they will work On some you may find that the spring inside the coupler box ,pressing against the coupler, is in the wrong position. They can be fixed and will come out but work on a clean white sheet so when they fly thru the air you can find them.
Welcome to the world of n gauge and yes there are replacement couplers available but they are also very small and will probably take the same amount of adjusting at first to get them to work better. Once you get what you have sorted out they  will work fine.
I have both HO and N gauge and the n gauge uncouples less than my HO when running eratic or with short stops.
My n gauge train is 30 cars long and once setup i don't change the position of the cars in the train.

Bob

[213spades]

I also have to turn the controller to about 40 or so before the train will even start and then I only notice speed changes to about 85.  The power feed doesn't seem to be very good either.  At speeds less than 65, the train is pretty herky-jerky.  Even at 65-70, I notice the lapse of power in several locations.  I'm not new to N scale, but it has been 30 yrs and this is my first experience with EZ Tracks.  I had planned to upgrade to DCC at some point, but I'm having 2nd thoughts about the whole thing.

I had that same problem after setting it up. My son and I were running it yesterday and after about 10-15 minutes of running, the surging issue seemed to go away. I was then able to run it as low as 25 smoothly. I was going to call the company and ask but I guess it needed a little break-in. I'm going to try again today and see if the herky-jerky issue is resolved.

[jerrymcc]

More on this uncoupling...In a sense, it has been resolved...The manual says to put the cars on the track and "gently" push them together and they will automatically couple...While they look like they are coupled, they are, in fact, not...As DoubleDAZ pointed out, they have to be pushed together until a "click" is heard...That means holding both cars still and pushing them together, not just putting a car on the track and pushing it up against the other one, which, if not held, moves...

Now there is another problem and it concerns the curved terminal/rerailer...The pilot truck on the loco derails if the train is run any faster than a crawl...I will be buying a straight terminal/rerailer to see if that can be remedied...In the meantime a tiny slip of soft plastic foam inserted between the loco frame and the top of the truck keeps it on the track by putting light downward pressure on the truck...

Jerry