Knuckle couplers are similar to what you'd find in the real world. Round and looks like a closed "C" coupler. The rapido couplers are more square and similar to an L shape.

Rapido couplers won't couple to knuckle couplers.

Is this a brand new set that was unopened?

Are the couplers rapido couplers or knuckle couplers?

Another fix: Turn the three screws to the plastic bottom plate a quarter of a turn. That should loosen up the binding.

Quote from: ACY on December 18, 2014, 09:58:49 PM

Quote from: gatrhumpy on December 18, 2014, 05:34:26 PM
Wrong. Actually, MOST of Bachmann's steam locomotives are very easy to convert to DCC sound. Just need two extra wires for the speaker. All of my steam engines have sound, including the Bachmann 4-8-2 Heavy, 2-10-2, and EM-1 2-8-8-4.

The 4-8-2 is not even in production or available right now. Are Bachmann's new N scale locomotives with DCC now equipped with an 8 pin socket? The Bachmann N scale locomotives I have with DCC all have DCC built into the board rather than a decoder that can easily be removed with an 8 pin plug. Plus like you detailed, often times the tenders in N scale do not have adequate room for sound or require modification or a different tender for sound installation.

For what it is worth, I would not consider any instance where soldering wires to a board to be "very easy" as you put it. Most beginners would not be able to do it and likely give up, fry the decoder or encounter some major barrier along the way. However this is obviously not applicable if the new Bachmann DCC locomotives now have 8 pin sockets.

Soldering six wires is not all that hard. About as easy as you can do besides a drop-in decoder. The Bachmann steam engines don't have the 8-pin plug. It's very easy to remove and replace (and solder) the new decoders to the old PCB.

You're going to have to pull of the bottom plate and see if there is any gunk in the gears or anything like that.

Wrong. Actually, MOST of Bachmann's steam locomotives are very easy to convert to DCC sound. Just need two extra wires for the speaker. All of my steam engines have sound, including the Bachmann 4-8-2 Heavy, 2-10-2, and EM-1 2-8-8-4.

With the 2-6-0, the tender is very small for a sound decoder, but it possibly can be done. You'd have to remove the stock decoder and board to create more room. You'd need a smaller DCC sound decoder like the ESU LokSound Select Micro. The wires would need to be significantly shortened and the speaker correctly placed. On all the steam locomotives I have that came with a medium tender, I added a USRA long tender to replace the original tender so that I would have more room for the speaker and capacitor.

Check your wheel gauging and your trackwork. It's one of those two. Use the N scale tool to check the wheel spacing and the track spacing, especially around turnouts.

CV 2 is starting voltage.
CV 3 is momentum for acceleration.
CV 4 is momentum for deceleration.
CV29 lists several factors, like if the engine runs forward or backward, compatibility with DC layouts, etc.

There are one or two others, but I forgot them off the top of my head.

Keep in mind that when you fix this problem, you may be introducing another. I had a Heavy Mountain with the same problem. I shimmed it using a couple pieces of cut Scotch tape. Thought I fixed it. Then I discovered that I took out the freeplay in the drivers to negotiate tight-radius turns, and that killed it for me. I sent the thing back to Bachmann and they gave me a useless 2-10-2. Oh well.

I took off the stock decoder and hooked up a 9V battery to the motor leads, and the thing ran MUCH quieter (as quiet as an Atlas at 9V) without the stock decoder. I will be replacing the stock decoder very soon with a TCS DCC decoder.

Jerry, you should be able to get them from the parts department. If not, I would try Microtrains.

Would the shell fit an Atlas GP-7 chassis?

It ran quiet as a mouse at the train store I bought it from, but it was a bit loud when I brought it home and ran in on my DCC layout. I know I have to cut the capacitors on the board, which I still have to do (I see two of them on the board). Not sure what else I can do, maybe lube the gears and drivetrain a little.

Someone recently told me it was going to be after the holidays into the New Year when they first start appearing.

Makes me wonder when they'll be available!