Continental Express

[Phedra]

Hi everyone, I have a few questions and hope someone can help. I bought a used train on eBay last year. It is a Bachman HO Electric Continental Express. Does anyone have any idea when this train was made? I know it's not current because it even came with a little comic book showing how to set it up.

Is there a secret for keeping it on the tracks?  When it goes, it goes!  It flies right off the track and the track falls apart. I put it away after I got it as I didn't have time to play with it but now, it's on my dining room table.

I noticed that it has some of the rail joiners missing so I just ordered a package of 36. Do I need a special tool to install them?  Can the existing ones be made tighter?  I tried using my tiny needle nose pliers on one but managed to squish it beyond repair.

It has 12 pieces of track, including the re-railer and forms a 36" round circle. I would really like it to be an oval shape for a better fit on the table. Can I add some straight pieces to the curved ones? 

This is my first train ever and I'm anxious to see it running around the track. I may start liking it so much that the table will no longer be used for food!  There is a sticker on the box that says G2.  Does that mean anything?

I know the train itself works because, as I said above, it started going around the track at a high rate of speed (that surprised me) and off the track it went.

Would I be better off replacing the track with the EZ Track?  I even tried wiring my pieces of track together but that didn't work.  The track wasn't even where it went together.

Any help and/or advice would certainly be appreciated!

[jward]

if you're going to use it on a tabletop, you'd be better off with ez track or another roadbed type track. the older sectional track was designed to be permanently fastened down, you should see nail holes in the ties at intervals.

should you desire extra pieces of track of the type you have, atlas makes it and it is widely available in any decent hobby shop.

rail joiners slip on and off the rails. you can usually do this by hand, if they are stubborn, use a pair of pliers to pull on the tab on the end. with a pack of 36 joiners, you should have enough to replace all the loose ones and still have a few left over.

most of us don't run our trains top speed, try a lower setting and they will stay on the rails better. some of those train set locomotives had top speeds of 300 scale mph or more.

[richg]

I know the train itself works because, as I said above, it started going around the track at a high rate of speed (that surprised me) and off the track it went.

Had to chuckle over this one.

Calculating loco speed is really quite easy to do.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~trains/rroperat.htm

Rich

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

it started going around the track at a high rate of speed (that surprised me) and off the track it went.

If your throttle was high smile! If it was set off/low and it took off, check again to make sure you are not powering the track with the Accessory Terminals! You could burn things out quick! Other issues may be present too but start there. 

[Phedra]

Thanks to everyone for the responses.  They are all helpful.   When it went off the track, I really wasn't paying any attention to where I was moving the little speed dial - mostly because  I didn't think it was going to run!  I am not sure if I have it connected properly though.  The transformer has 4 little terminals (not sure what they're actually called).  It says AC on one side and DC on the other.  It seemed to run on either side.  I have it connected on the AC side.

I just looked and see there is a very tiny hole in each piece of track.  This must be where the nails go and I am guessing I could get them in a hobby shop.  I have it on my dining room table but need to be able to remove it should I ever want to have dinner there so I am thinking maybe if I nail the track down to a piece of plywood, I could easily remove that.

Does anyone have any idea how old this train might be?  I'll definitely check out the link on calculating the speed. As  said, I've never had a train before or even been around anyone who has.  This is all new to me.

Again, your help is appreciated!

[Hunt]

Connect track to the power pack terminals labeled DC. Powering with AC will ruin the motor.

The locomotive has a DC motor.  The power pack knob varies the DC voltage sent to the motor which controls how fast the motor turns thus how fast the locomotive runs.

The AC terminals voltage output is fixed.

[Phedra]

Connect track to the power pack terminals labeled DC. Powering with AC will ruin the motor.

The locomotive has a DC motor.  The power pack knob varies the DC voltage sent to the motor which controls how fast the motor turns thus how fast the locomotive runs.

The AC terminals voltage output is fixed.

OH!  So, I need to change the connecters to the DC side!  No wonder it ran like a little demon!  Thank you!

[Phedra]

I replaced all of the rail joiners with new ones so they have a tight fit.  Now, my problem is, the train won't "go".  The light goes on in the engine when I move the "dial" up to around 40 but it won't budge.  I pushed the train around the track manually and the light stayed on the entire time which makes me think that it is getting power.  My question now is, why won't it move?

Another problem, on the caboose, there are a set of wheels on each end.  Each set has four wheels.  On one set, two of the wheels are missing.  They look sort of like a little barbell. Can one purchase this set of wheels?

Since my train won't move, could it be the transformer (I think that's what the black box is called).

[Hunt]

It is possible you,
   1) ruined the DC motor in the locomotive when you connected AC  to the track
   2) broke something in the gears pushing the locomotive around the track by hand

That control black box is "power pack" not a transformer.
            Power Pack input AC - output DC
            Transformer input AC - output AC

The two wheels on axle are referred to as 'wheelset or wheel set" likely your caboose uses scale 33" wheels. Measure the diameter of the wheel using the wheel's tread (not flange) should be close to 0.379"  (33/87.1 = 0.379)

[Phedra]

The train was reacting the same way before I manually pushed it around the track - I thought maybe it wouldn't move because the track wasn't fully "connected" which is why I gently pushed it around. 

Can one replace the DC motor and if so, where would one get such a thing? 

Could the problem be in the power pack (thanks for the proper name)?

I don't think my tape measure can measure that - or rather, I can't.  Maybe I can find a caboose like it and take the little wheels from that.

Thanks again.. Appreciate all help and advise.

[Hunt]

Time to find a local source to help you (model train store, model train club or individual) evaluate what you have. I am concerned you are going to waste money on what you have.

[Doneldon]

Phe-

You can tell if you damaged your drive system by gently testing whether your drive wheels free wheel. They should not do so. If they do turn with gentle force you probably either broke a gear or made one loose from its axle. A loose gear can be fairly easy to repair; often you can clean the gear and axle and then glue the gear tight. Plastic steel or super glue are possible adhesives. You can't glue broken gears but you can drill small holes near each end of the pieces and then use some fine wire to hold them together. It's usually easier, and always better, to replace the broken components although a repair will work while you are waiting for the parts.
                                                                                                                                                                                             -- D

[Phedra]

Hunt, I'm being cautious with money because I don't have a lot to spend.  I just found a caboose on eBay that is the same model as mine for $1.95.  It has a broken part but good wheels so that will fix one little problem.  I really don't want to join any groups, I am disabled which is why I want this train - it's something to do.  Thanks for your concern though.

Doneldon, if the drive wheels are the ones in the back, one set with rubber around the hub, they are rock solid.  I doubt I could move them if I tried.  I was wondering if they were supposed to be that way, you just confirmed that.

I was reading in the paperwork that came with that the power pack will make a humming sound.  Mine does not.  It seems like it might have when I first got it last year.  I bought it, then put it away and sort of forgot about it until recently and decided to play around with it.  Could the power pack be the problem?  If so, how does the light turn on?  It is real dim to start with but as I turn the nob up, the light gets brighter and brigher and when I turn the nob back down, the light gets dim.

Could the rail joiners I bought be the wrong kind?  I bought what Bachman support suggested. They gave me the part number.

I really don't want to give up on this train. All the parts are in excellent condition. The box is a little damaged but not bad.  It doesn't look like anyone ever played with it.

[Doneldon]

Phe-

The sound from the power pack isn't very noticeable unless there is a short. Then there'll be a distinctly electrical hum/buzz followed in short order by blowing the circuit breaker. That will reset within a minute as the breaker cools down.

The fact that your light lights proves that your power pack is putting some electricity on the rails. That the light gets brighter as you turn up the power shows that you are connected to the DC side of the power pack and that it is working to at least some degree. In fact, it's probably working just fine. So ... if you have variable power to the rails and a variable light, but your train isn't moving, the problem is somewhere between the pick-ups on the wheels and the wheels which aren't turning. Possible reasons are a wrecked motor from the AC exposure, a broken wire, jammed or broken gears or a wire disconnected from the terminal pads on the motor. A jammed drive system will generally make some noise and lurch a little, but not always. Wires don't typically break or become disconnected on locos which haven't been opened and fooled with. That leaves a burned out motor as the most likely, but not certain, problem.

The next thing I would do is attempt to verify your findings so far. Put the terminals of a good 9v battery on the rails near your loco. You should get results similar to what you've seen so far except that the light won't vary in intensity. If your previous findings are confirmed I'd next open the loco, inspect for obvious problems and then put power directly on the motor terminals. It's easiest to use wires from your power pack. Use about half power and be alert for any movement, signs of electrical problems like arcing or an ozone smell, and sounds indicating either the motor trying to go or buzzing.

Try those things and get back to us. Good luck.
                                                                           -- D

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

The headlight getting dim/bright as you turn the knob is usually correct, and good news. The bad news is I fear you may have done some damage to the loco motor, or motor board, by using the ac terminals. Do not repeat this despite the fact it may move under ac power, it is a hazard. You will probably need to apply dc power directly to the motor to determine if it responds, if so, you may have just cooked a circuit board. If direct dc fails to activate the motor, motor is likely the issue. IE the condition of a motor board can best be checked with a known good motor (you check your motor first). Try turning the motor shaft to check gearing too.
A new motor is sometimes available, depending on year/style, check with Bachmann.  A multi-meter, and soldering iron could help here too. I think every model RR owner should have a cheap one at least. I think the cheapies cost $8-$15 for a meter now. Irons even less. Remember, Bachmann has good service, and a good lifetime warranty(look up the details), should you decide its repair, even with our help, is beyond you.  

This was being written just as Don posted also. He has similar/good advice too.(Hi Don)