0-6-0 Saddle Tank Switcher

[rbryce1]

I purchased this small locomotive because it was DCC and it was from the Bachmann Spectrum Series, assuming it would do a reasonable job.  

I know it is very small, and I did not really expect it to pull a dozen cars, but it is only pulling about 1-2 cars maximum on flat track before spinning the wheels.

Is this normal, or do I have a problem with this engine?

(Bachmann does not refer to this as a 0-6-0T, just an 0-6-0 Saddle Tank Switcher).

[richg]

How free do the cars roll?
Is the loco pulling on a straight and level track when the drivers are slipping?

Look at a couple of these on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQTTsaweBus

Rich

[rbryce1]

Boy, I wish mine could do half of that!

All the cars I tried to pull are brand new, metal wheel ore cars, and they all roll extremely free.  A slight nudge will roll them about 3 feet.  They are all being pulled on flat track.

One ore car and it moves like a snail, two ore cars and it starts slipping.  My Bachmann 2-6-0 Pennsylvania RR loco can pull up to 14 of these on the same track.

Thinking I may have an engine problem.  I will try again tonight, looking for any possibilities, now that I have seen them work well on You Tube.

[JRG1951]

Are the wheels slipping, or is the motor running and the wheels not moving. Some time a gear may be cracked or spinning in the drive system. A binding drive train may also drain power and keep the engine from pulling well
Good luck
John

***********************************************************************************
I have never been lost, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.  >> Daniel Boone

[Tom M.]

Mine will pull 6-7 free rolling cars on straight and level track.  The cars all have metal wheels and a minimum weight of 3.5 oz.  It will pull 2 cars up a 1% grade.  It will only pull 1 car up a 2% grade.

You might try to install some A-Line lead sheet weight to the cab roof to add a little more pulling power.  Don't over do it.  You run the risk of making the unit out of balance over the drivers if you add to much.  I can't tell you how much weight to install because I installed sound in mine and mounted the speaker to the inside of the cab roof).

Tom

[rbryce1]

John,

The wheels are definitely slipping, as you can see the wheels and mechanisms turning (steam engine).

Tom,

Think I'll pass on that approach.  If there is a problem, I'll most likely contact Bachmann instead of fooling around with the engine.  I can see on You Tube that others are performing far better than this one.

Thanks for the input though.

[Doneldon]

rb-

What you are describing sounds to me more like problems with your cars or rails than your loco. I don't know what would
make your loco's wheels slip with such a light load unless the internal gearing is stripped but that should just give you a
spinning motor with nothing happening at the wheels. There is one more unlikely possibility. Let's do a little more diagnosis.

Try running your loco light (no cars) up a grade of 2-3% and see if it slips. If it does, it suggests a problem with your
loco or the rails (contamination like with a lubricant). If it doesn't, it suggests a problem with the cars you are trying to
pull. Try different cars or combinations of cars on the level. Try carefully wiping your track with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth
or paper towel. (Inspect for evidence of something on the rails.) Also try putting a little weight, an ounce or so, on top of
your loco. Sometimes erasers will sit on top of a loco because of their high coefficient of friction or maybe you can balance
a couple of quarters some place like behind the railings. If the loco stalls with the motor running but the wheels stationary
you have a problem with your gears. If it's pulling power increases you may have a loco that arrived without its internal
weight. Frankly, that's the most likely scenario for the problem as you describe it, in my opinion, unlikely though it may
be. Weigh the loco on a postal scale and tell us the results. My Bachmann 0-6-0Ts are packed right now so I can't tell you
the correct weight but someone on here will be able to do so.

There could also be some exotic issue like the loco's coupler pulling the first car sideways and putting a lot of resistence
into your train but that is even more unlikely. If it's not a missing weight I would guess the problem is in your cars or
perhaps your track.

                                         --D

[81F]

It might be worth checking to make sure theres no oil on the wheels or rail. Since it doesn't take much to make wheels spin, it's possible that it will hardly be noticeable. Consequently it might be worth giving everything a quick clean.

Another thought (I am not familiar with this model) is it supposed to have traction tyres? If yes are this missing?

Hope this helps

Steve

[rbryce1]

I did check that, and all the cars are free wheeling and can roll for feet using a gentle push.  The engine is new and does not come with traction tires.

I posted a video on You Tube showing the engine running in comparison with my 2-6-0 Bachmann.  The 2-6-0 is hauling a string of cars, about 1/3 of what it can pull.  The 0-6-0 is hauling no cars.  Both engines are still set at decoder #3, so they both receive the same signals.  Tracks are all clean and connections are good.  You will see the 2-6-0 start right up at speed setting 10 while the 0-6-0 doesn't even move yet.  After the first lap, I raise the speed to setting 20.  The 0-6-0 finally moves but starts out sluggish at best, then moves steadily, but far slower than expected.  At the first bend in the track, I then I open them up to max speed setting 28.  Both engines run, but at a world of difference.  If I put cars behind the 0-6-0, forget it.  Please excuse the layout, it is still under construction for Christmas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIZssg4oWzQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndOqX1_Eslo


I also ran some more tests this evening.  Something I notice about the engine.  If I turn it over, each of the 3 axles have 1/8" side to side movement, or slop.  The movement on one axle is totally independent of the other two axles.  If I push to the left on the front axle and to the right on the center axle, the left front wheel and the right center wheel are 1/4" apart, far more than the gauge of the tracks.  There are actually times when all the wheels are not even in contact with the rails.  If I place the engine on the track, and pivot the engine in the center, both the front and the rear of the engine can sway back and forth by over 3/8", and this is only a 4.1/2" long locomotive.

I tried to show this on another video, please excuse the amateur presentation of these, it was my first attempt with my cell phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg41Bn-8NkA

Maybe the engine needs this much slop to make turns, but the issue still remains, it can't pull hardly anything.  I thought I was maybe expecting too much, but after seeing other videos, I'm just not sure.

[jonathan]

rbryce,

I watched your videos.  It seems your 0-6-0T is operating normally compared to my 0-6-0T. 

I've opened up the loco to have a look.  The motor is super tiny.  The locomotive is light.  Mine can pull about 6 cars, perhaps 7, on a good day. These are shorty ore cars similar to the ones in your videos. That's probably all it was designed to pull.

The locomotive itself ran slow and rough at first.  I ran it for a number of hours, forward and reverse, as a break in period.  This smoothed out the loco quite a bit, and even pulled better after breaking it in. 

Don't expect any real speed as the gearing is set up for high motor revolutions compared to track speed.  The prototype was pretty slow, too.

Regards,

Jonathan

The side-to-side movement of the axles is normal as well.

[rbryce1]

Thanks Johnathan,

If that is what it is, I feel a little better.  Like I said, I didn't know if mine had a problem or if what I was seeing was the norm for this locomotive.  Seems like it is the norm. 

I will run it in for several hours this evening while me and the rest of the country watches the election results!  If it only pulls that amount of stock, I will find a way to make a small work train of it.

Again, thanks for the help.

Bob

[CNE Runner]

Bob - Your video presentations of the problem are the best I have ever seen; I wouldn't have thought to use video in the first place. Well done! We all could see exactly what you were experiencing.

Having said that, I am amazed that the Bachmann 0-6-0T will only pull so few cars. On the Monks Island Railway (my layout) my Bachmann GE 45-Ton easily pulls 6-8 cars on a level surface. Might I suggest you obtain one of these jewels? I know, I know...that doesn't solve your immediate problem (this from the guy that has a $100+ non-operable Mantua 0-6-0T sitting on the shelf due to out of quarter drivers). "Sometimes you eat the lion...and sometimes the lion eats you." [FYI: the original quote is written in Swahili.]

In any event, best of luck,
Ray

[jward]

some thoughts regarding your 0-6-0t:

first, have you adjusted cv2 at all? this cv controls the start voltage, and you should be able to adjust it so that ANY locomotive will start on speed step 1.

second, the max vol is cv5.  not all bachmann decoders support this cv, so adjustment of top speed may mean replacing the decoder.

those ore cars: what make are they? if they are model power metal train cars, they are much heavier than normal cars. thus, you can't expect to pull as many of them as you would other types. especially with a smaller engine like the 0-6-0t.

[Tom M.]

After looking at the videos I am also inclined to think that it is a decoder issue.  Have you done a factory reset?

Tom

[Doneldon]

rb-

From your videos I'm inclined to think you have a good loco but perhaps a problem with your decoder or at least its settings.
Others have already left advice about resetting CVs for improved performance. Beyond that, I did notice one other very
serious problem: The beer bottle. It's no wonder your trains don'trun right; you're operating a scale motor vehicle while under
the influence of 12-inches-to-the-foot brewski. That explains everything including, especially including, the way your loco
wiggles around on the track.

So ...
          1. Sober up.
          2. Repeat tests.
          3. Report results.
          4. Resume drinking.

                                                -- D