older HO scale 2-8-0

[quark51]

I was given a bunch of HO scale trains and one of them was a older Bachmann 2-8-0 and the wheels on the last axle keep sliding off the axle when I run it, what is a good way to keep them in place?

[Doneldon]

quark-

First, ask yourself if your loco worth rehabbing. Does it run smoothly and without excessive noise? Does it make a reasonably good appearance? That is, are the cast on details still present, is the paint good and do any accessories like lights operate? If the loco passes the general function and appearance tests you can think about proceeding with a fix-up. Loose drive wheels can be fixed but they are better off replaced.The repair isn't difficult; it just can't be guaranteed long term. You must do a bit more diagnosis before continuing.

Turn your loco over and pull the loose wheels completely off. Check closely to see if they are intact but loose from the axle or actually split so that the hub opens a little. Either condition can be repaired but the methods are different. If the wheels are just loose, carefully and thoroughly clean both the axle(s) and the insides of the wheel where the axle fits. You want to remove every tiny bit of dirt, oil or grease which might be on the axles and hubs. Then, use AC glue (superglue) to attach the wheels to the hub. This won't work if there is any contamination on the axle or inside the wheel so you can see why the cleaning is critical to a successful repair. Also, you need to have the wheels in the exactly right place on the axle where they were before they loosened. That means both how far onto the axle they were mounted as well as the rotational point that allows the drive rod socket to precisely line up with the place where the rod connects to the wheel. This can be difficult with a loco where things are already broken but the loco won't work right if the alignment isn't perfect. There is a tool called a quartering jig which can help with this but your post leads me to believe that you are a comparatively new model rail and probably don't have the tool. (Don't bother purchasing one, either, unless you plan to do heavy repairs or assemble your own steam engines.)

If the wheel hub is split you must repair that before fixing the wheel to the axle. Use liquid styrene glue. Touch the inside surface of the hub with a fine brush or other small applicator which will allow you to put a tiny drop on the crack so it can be drawn into the break by capillary action. Let that harden for a few minutes before proceeding as above. Don't rely on any tack between the wheel's glue and the axle. If the wheel seems to be stuck to the axle, gently break it loose and proceed with the rest of the work as in the previous paragraph.

As an alternative, send the loco back to the B'man for repair. There's a good chance that they won't fix it but will offer a new one of comparable value. I think you'll like getting your loco repaired or replaced and not having to do the work yourself.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck. Do tell us about your repair if you go that route.
                                                                                                                                    -- D

[quark51]

Thank you for the info and I did get the locomotive running. It was a freebie.

[electrical whiz kid]

I picked up one of Bachmann's earlier 2-8-0; the one with the rather chunky "wotten-esque" firebox.  I got it cheap, but this winter, plan to do mootch-o work on both thqt locomotive and the other SY I have had collecting dust.  I will be changing the garbage motor in the 2-8-0 for a decent Buhler ,or from NWSL; probably the latter.  Also dressing the superstructure up a bit.  I saw one of the late Jack Parker's 2-8-0s once and wanted one like that.  Soooo.....
Rich C.

[wiley209]

Is it this one?

Available in Reading, Great Northern and Santa Fe roadnames. It was pretty nicely detailed, but it did have that crummy old-style pancake motor...

In 1992, they upgraded it with a better-quality can motor with a worm gear flywheel, and a metal chassis and all-wheel drive, and released it in the Bachmann Plus line. Even the tender had a metal wheelset installed! I have one of those...

Pretty nice runner, but it does have that loose axle as mentioned (I've seen a couple other older Bachmann steam engines like that too.) I'm keeping it as a DC-only locomotive that I'll run from time to time on my layout. I also removed the smoke unit, as I learned that the smoke would be bad for the tracks on a DCC system...

[rogertra]

I found an old Bachmann 2-8-0 on the junk table at a local show.  Just what I was looking for as I wanted to model a scrap line as they were typically found in the roundhouse area of the late 1950s.

I have no idea if this model even ran as I wasn't interested in ever using a model of this "quality" on my GER.

As you can see, I removed the bottom of the Wootton firebox and added ash pan doors, the connecting rods were removed and placed on the running board, canvas weather curtains were added, the bell was removed and the locomotive heavily weathered and finally the stack, headlight and cab windows covered with "canvas" to protect them in the unlikely event the loco would be returned to service, typical of the late 1950s.  The motor was discarded so the engine would free wheels so that every once in a while it could be switched into a Montreal bound way freight and towed away for scrapping.  This was the best use I could think of for this locomotive and in fact I was keeping a eye open for one to use for this very purpose.  When I go to train shows, I always check out the junk tables looking for other lower quality models of suitable steam to add to the scrap line.

I still need to remove the coal load and model the coal bunker only partially full of coal but that's for later.  Much higher priority tasks to cover yet.




Cheers

Roger T.

[quark51]

Yes it the locomotive pictured above, Reading railroad. I am looking for the cow catcher for the front of it though.