NEW HO 2-6-2 disassembly?

[docdern]

would like info on boiler removal on the new HO 2-6-2. I want to install a sound decoder if possible? Can anyone help me ?

Thank you,

Dan d

[ACY]

Rich, Amazon occasionally has the ALCO 2-6-0 Sound Value locomotive available in the ballpark of $100 with free shipping. The price of items occasionally go down based on supply and demand for just one or two models in particular and not all road names.

[TimreturnMRR]

The original question asked how to remove the boiler from the Bachmann 2-6-2 to install a sound decoder.  Perhaps the person already bought one as I did.  Also I've heard that the manufacturer sound decoder may not be as good or versatile as those available for after market installation.

I recently bought mine and its my best running loco.  I have the exploded view drawing the same as on the website.  But it only shows the boiler/cab assemble or shell  sitting alone at the top. There are no screws shown to connect the boiler.  I have removed the pilot and trailing wheels.  I removed the screw at the rear of the engine attaching the wheels cover plate to the engine.  I also removed two tiny phillips screws on  either side of the boiler near the front. They aren't even shown in the Bachmann exploded view diagram. I tried one of the large screw screws at the front that is shown even though it appears its use is to hold the 2 halves of the frame together, but it had no effect. 

Once I removed the rear screw, I found I could pull down the rear of the drive mechanism from the cab/boiler enough to perhaps pull it back over a metal piece at the rear.  However it only moves a little bit and wiggle as hard as I could, I can't get anything else to move.

Any body know how to proceed.  Is there anyone to contact at Bachmann.  Whats the point of providing an exploded view drawing and parts list if you can't even get the boiler of the drive mechanism.

[jonathan]

OK folks,

If we're talking about the 2-6-2 that is really a USRA 0-6-0 with extra wheels...

The boiler is hard to remove.  Once you've removed the rear screw and the two tiny screws just behind the cylinders... you'll find metal tabs around the same area as the two tiny screws.  These tabs hold the shell on really, really well.  Theoretically you can pull up hard on the shell, and it will come off.  I spread the tab catches with a toothpick or tiny screwdriver to assist in pulling off the shell.

However... there is absolutely no room for a sound decoder and speaker... of any size... to place in the locomotive area.  Everything has to go in the tender, AND you'll have to add metal wheels and current pick up for those wheels.  Somewhere on this forum, I have placed procedures for the process you are seeking.  Search 'jonathan' and 0-6-0.

I never added sound, but certainly did everything else... 
That should help.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Len]

Which is why I wish Bachmann would to a Spectrum quality 2-6-2 with DCC & sound. All those giant locos that seem to be the rage these days, articulated or not, just don't look right on the smaller layouts many of us model.

Yeah, I know there are the Moguls and Connies, but there's just something about the Prairie that just looks right.

Len

[TimreturnMRR]

Thanks Jonathan.  Looked at all of your posts and your photo bucket.  Great work although I didn't see anything on exaactly how to remove the boiler that augmented your post to this discussion

I found the metal tabs and started by pushing on them from the side without any progress.  When I can get light enough to see the break between the metal of the drive unit and the boiler  with the engine upside down.  I've been able to insert a screwdriver between the crack and get a little movement but haven't figure out how to spread both sides of the boiler away from the mechanism at the same time.  I'll keep working on it and post any thing I find that helps

Although have picked this engine for my first DCC decoder installation and haven't done any yet, I don't understand why I need to pickup power from the tender if I can attach a wire to each side of the frame.  I saw in another MRR forum that someone took out the phosphor bronze(?) tabs bringing power from the wheels to the frame and then ran wires back.  I am assuming I can use Kapton tape to insulate the motor from the frame but since I haven't got it apart yet I don't know if I'll run into metal screws which hold the motor and can't be replaced by plastic ones.

[Len]

When you get the body spread away from the frame on one side, slide a toothpick in to hold it. Then use the screwdriver on the other side. You'll go nuts trying to do it with just a screw driver. Don't ask how I know.

Len

[TimreturnMRR]

Hi Len,
   Just saw your reply after I got the boiler off.  Is there a way to add photos to a reply?  I think folks seeing what the drive/motor mechanism looks like without the locomotive shell would really help in figuring how to attack the removal.  After several frustrating tries of getting one side loose and then it snapping back as I got the other side loose, I think what worked is that I wiggled front and back a lot as far apart as possible and then tried to hold the open side down while using screwdriver on the closed side.  Toothpick sounds like good idea to hold the first side slipped out of the tab.

  From the sides Jonathan pointed out that there are tabs to be seen just behind the little screws (not shown on drawing).  I assumed they were little spring tabs and if I pushed them from the side they would release.  But they are sort of wedges cast into the frame that allow the boiler to slip easily on and drive the rest of crazy trying to remove.  I finally realized that I could tell the difference between the plastic of the boiler and the metal of the frame as I had scraped a bit of paint off the metal while poking around with the screwdriver.

   I had already loosed the back and raised it as much as I could and worked to keep it up. 

  Anyway what really blew my mind is that there is a small circuit board on top of the frame.just behind the smoke generator.  There is no hint of a circuit board in the exploded view drawing that Bachmann included with the engine.  The date on the circuit board is09/03/10 and next  to the drawing number  is Rev A for I'm sure the first revision.  What may be great about this is that the board shows 4 soldered spots in a row labeled F-, B+, M- and M+.  Its a two sided board so I'll have to remove the two screws holding it down and look at the underside to trace the connections .  It appears that the screws attaching it to frame have one to the right and one to the left.  Plus there are red and black wires from the motor to this board (on the underside but I bet they are M- and M+ )   Maybe this is some form of DCC ready which Bachmann decided to do without informing anyone. 

   I'm not enough of an electrical engineer to figure out what the 3 brown and one black components are.  There isn't a connector to plug anything in to but I'll have to see if soldering to the 4 labeled posts is feasible.

   I dont know anything about smoke units.  I saw a youtube where he fellow said the voltage had to be up (I'm sure the get enough voltage) for it to smoke.  I wonder what the current draw is and whether the smoke can be controlled by one of the spare DCC connections .

   I'll report on the circuit board when I unscrew it but just wanted to thank Jonathan and Len for their help in getting the shell off.  Hopefully my details may help the next person.
    Tim

[DAVE2744]

Dan d - just read your post on removing boiler.  If B'mann designed it like the 2-6-0 Mogul, the top of the sand dome comes off, use a dull xacto blade to pry it up.  This will expose a very small screw down deep in the dome.  It holds the boiler to the cast weight.  Hope yours is like this, as I had a devil of a time trying to figure out how to release the boiler.  The suggestion of just buying a DCC w Sound is a good one.  You can always mount a trailing truck to it, which is what I think B'mann did anyway.  Good luck - Dave

[TimreturnMRR]

Hi Dan,
   thanks for the thoughts but I can definitely say this 2-6-2 is different.  There is no screw from the top.  If there had been, I would not have been able to remove the shell or I'd have some broken plastic.  I see that I can attach files which I assume includes low res pictures, so I'll take some tomorrow and post them.

  My understanding is that Bachmann had redesigned the 2-6-2 in recent times with a can motor which this definitely has.  I bought mine from Star Hobby in Annapolis, MD and they seem to have a large stock but only Southern and Pennsylvania.  Being a northerner, I opted for the later especially since I like black on my steam locomotives rather than green.   I have no way of knowing when the change was made or when Star Hobby receive them.  But its a terrific runner and I'm excited about putting DCC on it.  It has no problem with my 18" curves and #4 code 83 Atlas remote snap switches whereas a most of my others do. 

   Yes I know I should have bought better switches but I was cheap.  I've ordered a Central Valley switch kit no 5 and hope with it being curvable I can replace my no4 snap.  In my early adult life (a long time ago) I actually built code 70 switches from scratch but they were ones with only a single pivot and the frog closed to the opposite side from the switch.  I don't know if a prototype has ever existed but it seems to me having a closing frog and all the moving rail a solid piece is not only easier to make but less likely to cause trouble.

Tim

[Len]

Instructins for posting pictures are here:

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,30172.msg222403.html#msg222403

Len

[jward]

tim,

perhaps you should consider dcc without sound for your 2-6-2. if this is the engine I think it is, there should be a smoke unit in the front. removing this unit will give you enough space for a z scale decoder, that can be hard wired to the locomotive. the tender has a pin that slides in a slot underneath the cab, rather than the drawbar most steamers have. in my opinion, this makes putting a decoder in the tender and running wires to the locomotive a problem, as they will interfere with the free movement of this pin.

for an example of a non sound decoder in the usra 0-6-0 which has the same chassis as your locomotive, try this page and scroll down until you see the 0-6-0.

http://www.girr.org/girr/girr_ho/girr_ho.html#dcc

[TimreturnMRR]

Hi Jeff,
   If I was wanted to have no wires going from the engine to the tender, I'd  follow your suggestion.  However, I decided to go to DCC because of sound and I already expected to have wires going to the tender.  I have a Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation DCC ready I bought many years ago with a removable 8 pin plug which already has some wires.

   Its interesting that the miniature connectors are so expensive.  I ended buying one from crusader rail services at the last Timonium show which is a TCS JST7 in line. (7 pins) It was cheaper than connectors with fewer pins.  I'm not sure where I'm going to put the connector.  right now probably sitting in the cab, but I love other ideas.

I also may want to get some smoke some day.  My old Lionel engine had it.  I know its kind of stupid and I'll probably try it once and never fill it again.  I certainly don't want to run the engine at high speed to get smoke on my little 4 x 6 layout.

Tim

[jward]

if you noticed in the link I provided, the author did eventually put sound in his 0-6-0, using a separate sound decoder in the tender, and tender trucks modified to pickup from the rails. even then, it doesn't appear he ran wires from the tender to the locomotive.

good luck with your install. remember, there is not a lot of room to work in this locomotive. be meticulous in your work, checque it step by step with an ohmmeter, and please post some photos of how you did it.

[richardl]

Hi Jeff,
   If I was wanted to have no wires going from the engine to the tender, I'd  follow your suggestion.  However, I decided to go to DCC because of sound and I already expected to have wires going to the tender.  I have a Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation DCC ready I bought many years ago with a removable 8 pin plug which already has some wires.

   Its interesting that the miniature connectors are so expensive.  I ended buying one from crusader rail services at the last Timonium show which is a TCS JST7 in line. (7 pins) It was cheaper than connectors with fewer pins.  I'm not sure where I'm going to put the connector.  right now probably sitting in the cab, but I love other ideas.

I also may want to get some smoke some day.  My old Lionel engine had it.  I know its kind of stupid and I'll probably try it once and never fill it again.  I certainly don't want to run the engine at high speed to get smoke on my little 4 x 6 layout.

Tim

How to hook up a smoke unit so you don't have to run at high speed.

http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals/Tech_note%2014.pdf

Rich