Bachmann ho dcc 4-8-4 and 2-10-4

[quark51]

I just bought a dcc equipped ho scale 4-8-4 and 2-10-4 and how the wires from the tender attach to the locomotive are a pain to connect and on the tender the wires cause the front truck of the tender to come off the track, I liked the 4-8-4's before Bachmann added dcc to the locos that came in the blue and white box that did not have the wires. Bachmann should have made the plug like Athearn did on their steam locomotives that plug in to the tender without having to turn the loco upside down. That way is much easier and I do not have to worry about breaking off the little detail parts on the locomotive.

[Bucksco]

Can't please all the people all the time....

[quark51]

They could have placed the plugs in a different place, I'm sure that others who have these locomotives think the same thing. I don't mind the dcc but the wires are a p.i.t.a. to plug in and unplug when I am done running them. Who ever designed the way the wires plug in must thought it was funny to do them that way.   

[MilwaukeeRoadfan261]

For removing the wires I just use a flathead screwdriver or a set of needlenose pliers. And as far as the wires causeing the front tender truck to derail, I found that the trick to fixing that is to take the shell of the tender off while the tender wires are still connected to the engine and pulling the wires back into the tender until there is only enough slack in the wires to allow the engine to negotiate turns and taping the wires down using electrical tape. The wires are as long as they are so those who have to run the engine with the tender coupled using the second hole on the drawbar can still run the engine comfortably around tighter curves. I myself have the Santa Fe 4-8-4 and had that same issue with the tender truck.

[rogertra]

I just bought a dcc equipped ho scale 4-8-4 and 2-10-4 and how the wires from the tender attach to the locomotive are a pain to connect and on the tender the wires cause the front truck of the tender to come off the track, I liked the 4-8-4's before Bachmann added dcc to the locos that came in the blue and white box that did not have the wires. Bachmann should have made the plug like Athearn did on their steam locomotives that plug in to the tender without having to turn the loco upside down. That way is much easier and I do not have to worry about breaking off the little detail parts on the locomotive.

The cause pf the front truck lifting on the teders is caused by the wire that Bachmann use, both the length of the wire and its lack of flexibility.  The fix iis to tuck as much wire as possible back into the tender or into the locomotive (Depends on the tender type) and to use self adhesive lead weights under the coal load at the front of the tender or up inside the water space either side of the coal load.  Again, depends on what type of tender.  I have 30 Bachmann steam and have had to do that on every single one of them.  Sorry, I've run out of lead weights so can't tell you the brand name but Google may help.

Roger T.

[Len]

The self-adhesive lead weights I'm familiar with are made by A-Line. I think the people that make kits for Pinewood Derby cars also make them. Or you could scrounge some old tire balancing weights from a local tire dealer, flatten them out, cut them up, and attach with some low temp hot glue.

Len

[Terry Toenges]

If you are gluing them, split shot weights for fishing come in a variety of sizes. They can be flattened, too.

[rogertra]

The self-adhesive lead weights I'm familiar with are made by A-Line. I think the people that make kits for Pinewood Derby cars also make them. Or you could scrounge some old tire balancing weights from a local tire dealer, flatten them out, cut them up, and attach with some low temp hot glue.

Len

As the self adhesive weights I use have a large "A" on the front, I'm guessing they are 'A-Line'.

Cheers.

Roger T>