Well, I called and left a message on Friday... I called and left a message this morning...
No reply 

Quote from: Joe323 on October 22, 2010, 10:19:19 PM
I'm wondering did you send the receipt from Hobbytown with it.  I would think that it would be covered under the warranty

I mailed in the warranty card when I bought it.

The only thing I've added to this loc is a few drops (2-3 max) of smoke oil (per the instructions).  The original smoke oil tube was sent back in the box with the engine, so you can see how little has been used.

If this is really how this is going to go down, I am going to be very disapointed.

It motivated me to set up my 25+ year old Z scale Marklin set.  All 9 engines still run great
Even my first set (Chessie System with 4 box cars and caboose)!

Quote from: jbsmith on October 13, 2010, 10:00:25 PM
Anyways,,Bachmann does an excellent job honoring their warranty and standing behind their products.
Once you get yours fixed or a new one whichever the case may be, i think that you find the 2-6-2 is actually a decent little locomotive.

So I sent it in and got a message from Laura at X304 today.  She says "the gears are covered with some sort of black oil" and they have to "replace the entire mechanism" for $15.

Where is the Bach-Man?
I've owned this loco for a few months and in that time have run it MAYBE an hour total due to the poor running.  I have certainly never attempted to 'service' it in any way.

Now I get a voicemail accusing me!?!?!?!?!

I don't care if this loco cost $50 or $500.... that's BS!!!
I am fairly certain that no "black oil" in the world would cause the drivers to lift off the tracks.

Quote from: Stephen D. Richards on October 12, 2010, 09:27:22 AM
If you paid "nearly $100" for it you may have paid too much for it. 

I paid less, but that's what Bachmann lists:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=499

Hey All,
Thanks for the feedback.  I appreciate the input.  I'm well aware of the hazards of smoke, and I don't usually run it, but I like to know that it will work on special occasions.  And I do clean the track (probably more than I need to) anyway.

Still hope to get a word from the Bach-Man.  I guess I'll end up sending it in, but am somewhat sad knowing that this is a "bad" product and even if they fix/replace it, it will still be marginal.  I'm all about getting what you pay for, but in this case we're talking about a small, no frills loco that retails for nearly $100.  I bought my son an Athearn blue box set for $130 and that included a GP38-2, four cars, bachmann e-z track and a power pack.  That set has over a hundred hours on it without a hickup, so...

I bought a Bachmann 2-6-2 Prairie and it runs very poorly.  Basically, anything above a very slow roll causes it to wobble to the point where the drivers lose contact with the track.  This results in a rapid stop'n'go action.
It looks like one or two of the axles may be bent because as the wheels go around, they alternatly come up off the track slightly.  You have to look really close to see it.
I brought it back to HobbyTown USA and they told me I have to send it in for repair!?
Smoke unit only works in reverse, too

This is my first Bachmann locomotive.  Not impressed so far.

Does anyone have any advice or ideas?  I don't want to give up and put this thing in my "static display" closet or the trash.

Thanks