Sorry for yet another topic on this engine, but its a totally different question now. I received my replacement engine today, which runs fine, except the engine doesnt seem to totally appreciate my EZ 22" curves. I can see it actually lift up the front truck when it goes into some curves, and an EZ #4 switch.
1) Has anyone ever done any adjusting to the lead truck(seems like if it had a spring in it, it would help)
2) Has anyone ever noted that a Bachmann 2-10-2 has similar problems on Atlas Code 100 22"r curves and Atlas #4 switches?

All my diesels, including a Bach SD40 run fine on the track and the #4 EZ switches.

Thanks - Tim

There is a post on an Atlas forum - apparently these are Walthers-ROCO units. If its an older unit, it may not take to DCC real easy.

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=64986

Tim

M.B.Klein (modeltrainstuff.com) is an authorized dealer - they allready replaced my first purchase - the wobbly 2-10-2 themselves (w/free postage to & from) but the 'replaced' one, which I spent $70 more on to up it to sound, is this one, with the bad connections.
Since it was also a 'last one in stock' and I wanted to have it - I went to Bachmann with the problem, and its a pleasure dealing with them, and is in progress as I write this.
Tim

Someone has different info - this below is a quote from an email from Bachmann yesterday
"To return your loco ( tender) in for repair send to Bachmann Inds. 1400 E. Erie Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19124. If your loco is under 1yr. please send a copy of your receipt. if you do not have your receipt, if it is older than a year, or misused or abused, please send the following service fee:

$15.00 all standard non DCC locos with the exception of large scale

$25.00 standard DCC and Spectrum N and HO

$30.00 Williams, ON30 and Standard Large Scale

$50.00 Spectrum Large Scale

Please include complete address and phone number. Parts and accessories are only covered for 90 days. Additional cost may apply."

So Its still $25 - maybe the 40 was from the UK?   Tim

Hey Chris,
Forgot to ask - did they send you replacement first, or did you have to send yours in to them?

Tim

Hello Chris, Just saw this post in my search - I had just bought the last 2-10-2 that my mailorder place had (after sending them back a 2-10-2 dcc only that wobbled) I upgraded the replacement to sound, and undec - the sound was great, but the engine stopped every time the front tender truck hit a dead switch frog - no pickup coming from the engine apparently. After trying to unplug/plug the engine, now I have the 11 flashes of the headlamp, and off/on forward motion. Man I like this engine - i hope bachmann takes care of it, cause the store had no more. The sound on this thing is totally awesome! i emailed them yesterday!

Thanks - i ran it for quite a while - still same, worse when slow running. Decided to RMA it, shipped out today, also will upgrade it to a sound unit, since the hobby shop is now 'out of stock' on the regular replacement 2-10-2.

I have used homasote by itself many times. Mounted on 1x4 framework, crossmembers every 16". Other than the imperfections that seem to be more and more these days, with small depressions in the 'sote, I never had a problem.
I now am using 2" pink foam, 24 x 96 sheets. Of course they are not without pains these days either, as the manufacturers are making the joint seams crooked at times, as well as a dumb depressed area at the joint edges. Guess the way to avoid that is to double up on 4'x8' 1" blue sheets. The nice part of foam, is you can push holes thru for wires. Trees - just stick em in.
Tim

If you take your finger and softly pluck the movable points away from the rail, they should snap back. Move the manual switch toggle slide to move the points to the other side and do the same thing - if the movable parts stay in the middle, thats the problem. The engine moves them, and then the next cars derail. Bachmann will replace these, if they were purchsed new. I think the newer switches are in better shape than the older ones. The new #4 are also better.
Now on my bad switch(they didnt want it back) I got to monkey with it, and the problem is a movable piece under the cover(removeable w/screws) that has a way too thin piece of steel 'piano wire' and it has no available stress produced to hold my points over in the 'diverge route' position. I see no way to repair it, however i can see that total removal of all the underneath parts, that it could be easily adapted to a tortoise machine, if one has some experience in that area of things.
18" radius track and standard RH/LH switches (also 18"r on the curve) stay away from passenger cars longer than 60' or thereabouts - ConCor/Rivarossi has very nice equipment out in the shorty size, but are pricey.
Tim

Hello,

So here is my question. My new Bachmann 2-10-2 seems to have a slight 'click' sound going forward mostly. The old thump thump thump sound, along with a very slight wobble. I am trying to figure out how much is normal, or do these run smoothly? I may do an RMA with the mail-order. Thanks - Tim

The Rivarossi 'Shorty' Coaches are really great - can be pricey tho - up to $109 for 2. I was luck, I found a previous set, 3 PRR coaches for $95.

I agree - good night nurse - we all make purchases of what we like to see, and some of us are not privy to having tons of space available. At this point my post was just to add to those that said it worked. I am putting in a 22"r shortly.
Also there are so few low priced DCC steamers out there right now - a lot of hobby stores have run out of several loco's. The 2-8-0 are mostly OOS right now.
I am also shocked at the stinking jump in cost from 18"r ($2) to 22"r ($4), let alone what it cost for the larger radii.

Well - mine just arove in the mail today (79.99 DCC from MB Klein) and it is rather nice. I just tried it out, and she does make it round my current 18"r loop. Slows down a little, and makes a little grunting on the 18"r but successful at running.
Tim

Going back, I remember Aristo-Craft had many steam HO locos, they were the cheapies of the time period. Maybe they had one?

Well hello again - so I am going to ask the naughty question, the one I have yet to see, or maybe I missed it.
Some background first - What I have seen, over a few years, is a large amount of discussions on the HO EZ switches, (I think there is at least 4 different titled ones in progress right now)particularly the #5, #6, and crossovers. I agree with the previous writer, and many others who have said, that the movable rails are way too loose at the rivets. When the engine hits the loose rail, it moves sort of sideways, pulling the point away from the rail, and you get derails.

So here is the big question - It seems to me, that in all of these threads, past and present that I have seen, I have yet to ever see any comments from Bachamnn why this has been so, and why hasnt it been taken up by a quality control issue team, especially when these switches are getting expensive? Or have I missed seeing such a comment? Maybe they have addressed it, but the old switches are still flooded in the market?

I like EZ track a lot, but its very difficult to have this issue with a very critical piece of track equipment. I mean most of us would like to have sidings and passing tracks. Just sayin'