2-6-6-2 Problem

[max (uk)]

Hello all,

When I came home from school today (or collage as you may call it) I found my Bachmann On30 2-6-6-2 with sound today as expected. Christmas had come early!

I took it out of the box, connected the tender to the loco, and started running it on my layout. It was exactly what I expected of a Bachmann On30 product.

I started changing the CVs to make it run how I wanted. I was very pleased with it.
Then I disconnected the tender, and looked at some of the tender load and stack options, seeing which ones I wanted for my loco.

Once again I connected the tender, put it on my track, to find it moved slightly and then gave up. 

I have checked the loco-tender plugs and sockets; Factory reset the sound decoder, and even hooked it up to my 2-8-0 to find there is definitely nothing wrong with the decoder.

When under power, the Mallets motor makes a quiet noise like its trying to move, and nothing more. The front headlight works on the loco. Everything is in working order except the motion.

I know its asking alot, but can anyone help me? 

Max

[#94]

Could it be just a freak bind up? If you try reverse and then forward does it try to move?

[jestor]

The first thing I would check would be the side rods/linkages to see if there is a screw sticking out causing a bind in the linkage.  If the motor is trying to run, something is binding.

[Heave]

I agree with the side rod bolts. I myself have not yet run the engine.

Now in the spirit of this thread, I mention something else I discovered.


I installed the wood load into the tender and the grill around it. All is well.

I go to store the tender back into it's clear plastic storage and discovered that the clear molded coal top is crushing the top of the tender at the light. So I took my xacto knife and scissors to cut away the offending plastic top above the tender.

I then folded the coal bag and stuck it behind the tender so to slow it down from rolling back and forth in storage.


Mr Bachmann, if you plan to make O scale Donkeys in steam, please stack resin painted wood... maybe a cord or so in front of the boiler's firebox for the O scale people to throw in.  Just like you did the tender wood load.

[BKJ]

Could this be the infamous gear issue that keeps rearing it's ugly head?

I don't know but it sounds like what others have described with the shays and climaxs when the gear goes out?

I don't know!

[max (uk)]

Thanks for the comments guys. It really helped me see the problem differently.

It turned out that the valve rod on the left side on the rear power bogie had shot up by a few mm. No idea how it did it but it just needed some careful guiding to get it back in its place.

I feel stupid for not seeing the before, I guess that it was on the side of the loco that faces the wall on my layout.

I hope it doesn't happen again.

Right, back to programing!

Cheers,

Max

[BKJ]

Max,

Keep us posted on whether or not it occurs again.

Thanks,

Bruce