Finicky engines...

[DrNickRiviera995]

I currently have five engines, all pretty new, not much run time on any of them.  Thomas, Toby and Gordon all worked fine right out of the box, but I have trouble with James and Henry.

James can't go up any sort of incline and Henry seems to rattle/shake alot from side to side.  I've heard some mentions about some engines being finicky when they were new.  So I wasn't sure if I should just try to let them break in and hope they get better, or contact Bachmann for repair/replacement.

[mclarenman4ever]

ya, im having trouble with my percy. i got him about a month  ago, and havent ran him much.  the other day i was running all my trains because theyve been sitting in the yards for so long. and whn i ran percy, he was sort of making a grinding noise. and when i backed him up, his rear end was angeled off the rails, like in the air. any advice? i paid $40.00 for him, and dont want it to go to waist.

[PerfectPercy]

Do you mean the grinding as in his motor working?  Percy tends to make a sound like that. Mine runs fine.

As for James, I have been though a lot with him. He plain sucks on hills...  I would add weight to his boiler and cab. I'm currently trying to figure out how to mold weight so I can fit as much as possible inside him. I added some without molding it and it seemed to help. I need answers as well. I've never had a problem with Henry. He was the only engine I bought off of eBay. He runs great in my opinion. Is this one you are talking of the Deluxe Henry or the old one? I would think he should run fine.

[DrNickRiviera995]

Deluxe Henry, I wasn't aware there was a difference though between the 2 versions.  Some of the rolling stock I've gotten off ebay says Deluxe and some doen't.  I just thought they updated the package art at some point.

[PerfectPercy]

I don't know if it is a difference either. I have the original. Maybe it will just stop after he gets broken in. They say for the first 500 miles on a car you shouldn't go over 50 mph. 

[DrNickRiviera995]

Thanks Percy,

James seems to be my biggest issue at this point.  I just got Mavis and Salty and both are running great out of the package.  Is this a problem with everyone's James?  Mine can't even make it up a slight grade difference, like if there's a spot that dips in the table.  Are you guys just talking about going up a pier set?  I do have an elevated section on the layout and the others seem to do just fine.

I wonder if adding weights will help or if I should just contact customer servie.  Not even sure how the warranty would work/or not work since I bought him off ebay like all the others I have, also came in the "James' Freight Set", not sure if that matters or not.

[PerfectPercy]

I got Gordon in a set and he runs fine. James is a bad engine in terms of pulling and traction. I would add weight though I did it myself and little result. My previous layout was made of doors and going from one door to another made a slight grade/dip. He couldn't go through with 3 coaches.

I have 2 grades on my current layout and he will not go up the hill with 3 coaches (maybe he could with 2 coaches, maybe not). Even his wheels won't spin in places with 3 coaches. I wonder if this proves I added enough weight. I could only add it to the inner part of the cab. The boiler was almost completely filled with the motor. Alone he runs great, but what engine doesn't. I need an answer as well with James. It is angering me. 

[DrNickRiviera995]

My James won't make any incline and I'm not talking with cars either, just him (and tender).

[PerfectPercy]

Wow, did you add any weight? Do the wheels even spin? How steep is the grade? Sorry for the many questions, but it all can affect him.

[thomasfreak5]

my gordon gives me problems and thomas does sometimes