You might call Trainworld, but my guess is that they will tell you to go directly to Bachmann.  I wouldn't try to fix it yourself.  The knurled fitting should be locked in and not spin.  I think there is more to the problem, such as something locking the axle in the bearing, preventing it from turning, forcing the entire assembly to turn.

Chuck

I found the article.  It is by Joe Crea, his minimum radius is 24".  He has a two truck PCC trolly car and a two truck interurban.  Both are 1:24 and neither are Bachmann.  If these work, the other trams should also work.

Chuck

You are welcome and welcome to the world of Large Scale trains.

Have fun and let us know how the lighting project works out.

As was said earlier metal wheels add significantly to the performance of your cars whether you need them for electrical pickup or not.

They add weight for better tracking and lower the center of gravity for better balance.   They will stay on the track better than plastic wheels.  Most of us immediately replace plastic wheels with metal ones.  This involves the axle, with wheels.  The truck frame is fine no modifications of it is needed.

Chuck

PS  There are ball bearing wheel sets with tabs for electrical pickup.  I don't have any, but I have heard that they are excellent, but they are more expensive.

I'm a little confused.  Are you asking about the Big Hauler (two axle) trams or the Peter Witt (4 axle) trams?  I think that the BH trams are 1:22.5/24 or there about.  The Peter Witt trams are 1:29.

The two axle trams should be able to handle 4' diameter curves (R1).  Because it is a tram, I would think, but don't know for sure, that the 1:29 would also handle R1 curves.  Someone else with have to come up with a definitive answer on that.

I think that I remember an article in the June 2015 GARDEN RAILWAYS MAGAZINE about a tram layout.  That article should have a lot of information in it.  Unfortunately, I can't find mine at the moment.

Chuck

Here are some part numbers for wiring up your caboose:

Bachmann metal wheels #92421 (31mm diameter, 4 axles per package)

Wheel brushes LGB #63120 (8 brushes  per package, you will need four brushes)

Interior lighting kit LGB #68333 (one light per package, you will probably need 2 packages)

Suggested vendors are Train-Li (Upton, MA), Star Hobbies (Annapolis, MD), or Charles Ro (Malden, Ma). There are many others out there, but these are the ones I use.  They take phone orders, and ship promptly.

A word of advice, Bachmann sponsors this site and one of their rules is that discussion should be limited to their products.  If you have questions about other manufacturers products you should start using one of the sites that is open to discussion of all manufacturers; these are <largescalecentral.com>, and <mylargescale.com>.  Both are very helpful, I am active on MLS and like it, but the LSC is also very good and welcoming.  You will need to login and as a beginner, ask your questions in the "Beginners Forum".

Chuck

Thanks for the ID.  First you will need metal wheels.  Bachmann makes suitable wheels for this car.  The trucks have a long tongue that holds the coupler.  About a quarter of the way along each tongue are small tubes that stick out to the side.  These are made to hold plungers that force a graphite plug against the inside of the wheel.  You will need to get two pair of these LGB plungers.  One pair for each truck.  Insert them into each tube and solder a wire to the end of each of them.  One color wire on one side and a different color on the other side.  Insert the metal wheels in the trucks and you will now have trucks that will pick up electricity.  There are light systems that you can connect to the wires from the trucks.

Chuck

Who made the caboose: Bachmann, LGB, Accucraft, USAT, Aristocraft?  What does it look like: four wheels, eight wheels, center coupula, baywindow?

Plastic wheels, would suggest an LGB bobber.  The that is a guess.

Chuck

I do not know of any large scale engine that can't be run outdoors.  I would bring it inside if rain is forecast, or you live in a region with heavy dew.  Most engines have enough electrical components in them now that they should be kept as dry as possible.  Unlike, some of the early LGB engines that could be run in the rain.

Chuck

Does he have a box with a model/style number?  That might help.

I have the original Big Hauler 4-6-0 set.  It had plastic wheels and the batteries were in the boiler.  As I recall, it haven't looked at it in over 20 years, the firebox in the cab opened up and you could put the batteries in there.  It was either 4 D or C cells.


This engine was radio controlled.  I think that they quickly went to track power with metal wheels, as there were problems with the original set.  Bachmann has been continually making improvements on this engine; motor, gears, metal rods, pilot truck, etc.  The current engine I believe is version 5 or 6.  It is reported to be an excellent engine.  I don't have one so that is what I have heard here and on other sites.

If the engine is a more recent version, it is possible that a previous owner converted it from track power to battery power.  That is why a model number would be helpful.

We use rechargable batteries in our engines.  I use 18 v Lithium-ion batteries on my battery radio controlled engines, however most of my engines are track powered.  Some use 14v batteries.

Chuck

PS depending upon your specific engine, Bachmann has upgraded chaises available for a modest price.  If you have the original 4-6-0 I'm not sure if they have a replacement.  If your engine is able to use a rebuilt chassis, do it.  It is motor, gears, wheels.  It is a major upgrade. 

The spring is inside the mechanism.  Once you set it to the direction you want, it will always return after the train passes in the opposite direction.

I do not have any Bachmann switches, so I cannot advise how well they would match up with the LGB mechanism.  Many different manufacturers use the same tie spacing and many switch mechanisms are interchangeable.  

Chuck

A friend of mine, over on the <mylargescale.com> site, has a simple mechanism that he has designed that will do what you want, if you are willing to do a little work, drilling some holes and bending some wire.  Go to their "beginners forum" and ask "Totalwrecker" for help.  He has a simple spring system that fits between the points on the switch.

I do it all the time.  At a Holiday show we have a Thomas loop with  passing sidings.  Thomas goes clockwise and Percy goes counter clockwise.  The switches are set so that each train goes through a spring switch at the end of their siding.  I use LGB manual throws.  They lock the switch in one direction, but permit it to spring open to permit a train to pass through returning to its original position.

Chuck

I have added a twist to the track, so that with a simple change of polarity to the track, it is possible to change the trains that are running.  If Thomas is in his siding and you change the polarity to the track, Percy will start in the opposite direction.  It requires two gap tracks in each siding.  One of the gaps on each siding is connected across with a diode.  This way the track is dead with the polarity in one direction and active in the other.

My books on the Rio Grande Narrow Gauge list the length of the K-27 engine plus tender as a little under 59 feet.  One of my books on West Virginia logging railroads shows a 3-truck Shay as about 50' long.  This length agrees with Joe's value for a Class C shay.

Chuck

The Bachmann on line catalog says that their Meadow River 3-truck Shay is based on No. 7 of the Meadow River Lumber Co.  I have found a picture of it in a book West Virginia Logging Railroads, by William E. Warden, p. 67.  What confuses me is that Meadow River Lumber Co. ran standard gauge logging trains and the caption for the picture says that "--No, 7 escaped the scrapper and is now working for the Cass Scenic Railroad".  The Cass Scenic Railroad is a standard gauge line.

Yup!
Chuck

I have not heard anyone concerned about the scale.  The spectrum series is very accurate as far as I know.

Thanks Stan!  Good to hear.

Chuck

I saw him in March at the Adobe Mt. Swap meet in Phoenix.  At that time he looked and sounded fine.

Chuck