New Anniversary Chassis Issue

[RkyGriz]

Hi,all. I'm not the type to complain(much!) but I feel I must. I recently bought another Version 5 Anniversary chassis on the parts website. My main problem is that it didn't come with the two wires that are necessary in order to hook up the headlight and smoke unit. When I called to complain, I was stonewalled by the parts department representatives who claimed that this is the way this chassis comes from the factory! One guy even claimed that it didn't have the hook-up for the rear tender light,which it most certainly does! Well, that's not true. I have previously bought 2 of the EXACT same chassis's (81097) and one Standard chassis, all of which had the required 2 bare wires ready for hook-up.  I fixed the issue, as I had the required parts available for the repair, but I feel that this new chassis should have come with those 2 wires already installed and ready to go(just like the previous other 3 chassis!). The connections for the contacts that provide  power are flimsy at best, and are easily broken and I feel that Bachmann is doing a disservice to their loyal customers by no longer providing these required wires in the new chassis that they sell.
Has anybody else had this issue?
Later!
Andrew

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hey Andrew,

Some were made with the leads and some were not depending on which chassis you buy. So if you bought a chassis it might have been from a different run and it may not have the same wiring as the first one you bought.  The rep was not completely wrong about a chassis not having a rear hookup for the tender light, some do and some don't.  The Annie chassis for the woodburners which do not have a rear tender light do NOT have the hookups for the non-exixtant rear headlight.

Remember, at least you can get a chassis from Bachmann.  Not only that, it is cheap at $55.00.   Try finding a motor block from the other manufacturers for under $60 bucks, and that is just for the motor block with no chassis. (if you can find one at all)  No other manufacturer even sells a replacement complete chassis with a pilot, motor, gear box and chassis with complete valve gear ready to to run .   I don't even know how Bachmann can sell them so cheap !! It is a simple matter to use the wires from your old unit, or just cut in new wires, it is not that tough as you already know, having done it.

Bachmann may not be perfect, but they do a heck of a lot more for us than a lot of  manufacturers do and still have the great warranty.

Sometimes it is best to be thankful for what we do have! 

Have a great Christmas with your trains.

Loco Bill

[A Trainman]

Well said Bill !!!

Adam

[RkyGriz]

Hi Bill. While I agree with you on most of your points, I still  think that having to crack the new chassis open just to install a set of wires that by rights should have been included with it is a little ridiculous. Like I tried to tell the Bachmann rep,the power contacts on the bottom of the chassis are exceedingly flimsy and weak. You risk breaking them every time you have to remove the bottom from the chassis. Which has to be done in order to access the interior of the loco where the motor contact cluster is. There are usually 8 wires running from this cluster. My new chassis only had 6. Fortunately for me, I have a lot of experience with working on these Bachmann 4-6-0 locos, plus I had the original factory wires with connections, so I was able to get it running perfectly. And I didn't break one of the contact connections,which is very good.  
I now have 5 Anniversary chassis equipped locos: 2 are factory made Anniversary 4-6-0's , 1 was a factory dummy Anniversary loco to which I added a powered Anniversary chassis, and the other 2 are factory standard locomotives ,each of which I added an Anniversary chassis to. My newest one is the #51 Santa Fe ( a standard  4-6-0) ,which I bought on Ebay for $10.00,excluding shipping. The new chassis was for the Anniversary #25 V&T while the #25's chassis went to the #51 Santa Fe and since the #51 Santa Fe is made from a standard 4-6-0, I removed the 2 needed wires from it and donated them to the #25 V&T as they weren't needed for the #51 Santa Fe. So it worked out.
I just found the wiring thing a bit frustrating and wanted to vent a little.
As always, I thank you for your thoughtful reply Bill .
Wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving!
Andrew

[petertoot]

I see you are not happy about 2 wires,try buying aristocraft products,parts,haha,joke city,as bill said,most parts are on this site,stick with bachmann, any more k27 on the way,cheers from aussie,enjoy trains are great😀😀😀😀😀

[Bucksco]

Andrew - give the service department a call and ask for Ash. He knows more than most about what parts go with which chassis.