4-8-2 pilot truck

[TJ]

 All,

  I have a BACHMANN SPECTRUM 4-8-2 when I run it at a moderate speeds the pilot truck tends to derail, anyone happen to have any ideas to curb this issue?

TJ

[kmcsjr]

Hi
Light or Heavy. The newer Heavies should do 9.75, with no issues. Light Mountains can't do less than 11 slowly and have pilot truck derailments, even then.
So, if it's a heavy, I recommend watching it, with LED lit magnifying specs and see it'd it's trackwork, or wiggling something. If it's a Light Mountain, I haven't seen a solution, sorry.
Edit - Spookshow has a write up on these. While there is no solution offered, he does show a completely disassembled Heavy. Since the heavy doesn't have an inherent derailing issue, maybe you will note a mod you can make?

[TJ]

Hi
Light or Heavy. The newer Heavies should do 9.75, with no issues. Light Mountains can't do less than 11 slowly and have pilot truck derailments, even then.
So, if it's a heavy, I recommend watching it, with LED lit magnifying specs and see it'd it's trackwork, or wiggling something. If it's a Light Mountain, I haven't seen a solution, sorry.
Edit - Spookshow has a write up on these. While there is no solution offered, he does show a completely disassembled Heavy. Since the heavy doesn't have an inherent derailing issue, maybe you will note a mod you can make?

it's the Light 4-8-2 .

TJ

[spookshow]

I never did figure out why the pilot truck always derailed on my light 4-8-2. I eventually just punted on it in favor of a heavy 4-8-2.

-Mark

[Mike C]

Hmm, that's odd , I have both and never had any problems with the light mtn . My last layout had 11" curves in places , but my newest layout has 15 1/2 " min curves .

[spookshow]

It also depends on which Light 4-8-2 you're talking about. The original 2003 version was the one that I had all the problems with (mainly on 11" or sharper curves). The revised 2012 version (with the DCC-Ready tender) has never given me a lick of trouble.

-Mark

[kmcsjr]

So
As the "if Bachmann makes steam, I buy it, guy". Is there a way to tell which model it is 2012 vs earlier release. (since almost all buying is online)

[spookshow]

The newer version has a bunch of wires running between the locomotive and the tender. The older version does not.

-Mark

[Maletrain]

I bought one of the later version Light Mountains, and had the same problem with the pilot truck derailing on 15" radius curves.

When I took a close look at it and the "exploded" drawing supplied by Bachmann, it looked to me like it was attached up-side-down.  So, I turned it over and it has not derailed, since.

Because it was a second-hand purchase, I don't know if that was an original Bachmann assembly goof or a previous owner goof.

[spookshow]

I haven't heard of that particular problem with the revised 4-8-2, but it wouldn't surprise me if it came from the factory that way. I know a lot of Bachmann 4-6-0's had the same issue.

-Mark