Non-Bachmann bridges

[jward]

I will agree that pulling power seems extremely weak for a locomotive that size. For comparison, I have an Alco 2-6-0 that will pull 5 cars up a 4% grade. It's a much smaller engine than you have. I also have a couple of diesels, Atlas GP38-2 and Bachmann GP7, that will pull 20+ cars on that same 4% grade. I have no way to determine how many exactly each will pull, because a 20 car train is longer than my grade.

I suspect you have a bind in the running gear but I am by no means an expert in steam locomotive repair. I do know that they have to be put back together the right way, with drivers quartered, or you have problems. For this reason, any time I have to remove the drivers from the chassis I have a friend who has done extensive work on steam do this for me. He knows what he's doing, I don't. Diesels are much easier to work on.

[crosswire]

I have a 2-6-0, a 2-6-2, and a 2-10-2 that all pull better than the 4-8-4. The F7s and a GP16 do not seem to mind the grade at all; although, they do slow down a bit.

Maybe I am calculating the grade incorrectly; 3/4" rise in 36".

I have not found other modellers nearby, so I am strictly OJT on these problems.

Cheers

[jward]

Your calculations are right. You are close enough to call it 2%. I muse a 24" level when setting f=grades, and figure 1/4" rise in that length for each percent of grade. It's slightly off, but close enough not to affect things.

[Len]

This thread seems to have gotten far afield from "Non-Bachmann Bridges". Any chance a mod could rename it?

Len

[jward]

Any chance that rather than complaining about the thread you could give this guy some advice on his locomotive?

[Len]

Except for some "Thomas" stuff I keep around for the grandkids, none of my steamers are Bachmann locos and I've never had the type of problem he's having. So, without being able to see and test it to see what's going on, I don't have a clue.

Len

[crosswire]

Jeffery,

Thank you for all the help and suggestions. I removed the traction tires to let the wheels spin instead of stalling the motor. The loco sort of works, but it is odd to see a 4-8-4 with an 8 axle tender sliding up a 2% grade pulling 4 cars with clean track, clean wheels and a fresh lube job. It does not seem to matter if the cars are weighted or not and 4 or 6 axles; the 5th car stops the train, but now the drivers keep spinning.

If anyone has more ideas or suggestions, let us move this thread to another thread I started concerning "4-8-4 rebuild". I started that thread when I  was having track fault issues with this same loco. After rewiring the loco, front to rear and changing decoders, most of those problems are gone: except, every now and then, the loco just stops and will not respond to commands.

See you on the other thread.