Please help a desperate mommy set up the train?

[Igloochic]

DH is out of town...Unfortunately DS found the new train (large scale circus train) in the Christmas stuff and he's out of his mind with excitement so this goofy mom decided....sure I can set it up.  I'm into this little project 3 hours now and ready to start drinking excessively.  No biggie....oh at least it shouldn't be but there are no instructions in the new train box (purchased last year)

I can't find any on line either (if they are here, please direct me) so I guessed.  Apparently wrong.

I have the track together and figured out how to make the pieces tight with the little track connectors. 

The train has a little plug which I stuck in the back (from the coal car to the engine).  The other cars seem to just butt up next to each other?  Power is attached to the track, (slid under a track connection area and held on with a track connector).  I turn it on and get noise, and it sounds like it's trying to make the wheels turn.....but nothing in the way of movement.  It also says something about smoke on the box, but I haven't a clue how to make that happen (I did put in the 9v battery). 

I have a few extra parts...some things that look like coupelers for the cars and a few black plastic things with wavey sides (no idea) as well as some silver metal pieces that look to go with the tracks.  Are these necessary for movement?   HELP HELP HELP?  Or I'll just take up early drinking...

[calenelson]

open the front door under the smoke stack, there are some switches (door should be hled locked by oversized "bolt", flip those around and see what happens?  (sorry I can't give specifics on switches, I removed mine for battery power)...the 9 v battery goes into "Coal car=tender behind the locomotive) at rear on top behind coal, under little flip open door, it's for the sound!

this site may or not help you!

http://www.trainweb.org/girr/tips/tips1/big_hauler_tips.html

http://www.btcomm.com/trains/ed_letters/ed_letters.htm

or some of these forums:

http://www.largescalecentral.com/

www.mylargescale.com/


sorry not much help

cale

[calenelson]

should have mentioned those above forums are free to read and participate, and are "monitored" 24/7 by many of us train nuts...a "good" answer should be found there much quicker than here on the Bmann fora over the weekend!

[Igloochic]

cale thank you so much.  I'll surf those forums during nap time if I haven't killed him firs...umm nevermind LOL 

We bought this train and plan on adding to it extensively so I guess I need to learn it as well.  We're building a shelf in his room that the trains will run around his rooms whenever he wants

Grandpa was a train nut.  I have his trains (from when he was a boy) and want to make my son a nut as well before he takes possession of them.  (He's 4...it will be years before he's allowed to touch them have no fear).

[calenelson]

ur welcome!  I've got 4 (6, 4, 2, 1)!!! it's why I do trains!

the fora will be a God-send for you if you're looking to getting started-it was for me 5 yrs ago!

Merry Christmas!

[Jon D. Miller]

Igloochic
Maybe some of us here on this site can help you.

Could you give us the train set number.  The set number will be on the carton.  It will be a number something like Item No. 90049.  At least the number will have that many digits.

You may have purchased the train a year ago but it could be an older version of a Bachmann Circus train.  Once we have the item number then someone like Loco Bill or Joe Satnik should be able to answer your questions and get the train running.

One of the "Enthusiastic Children"

JD

[Joe Satnik]

Dear IC,

I believe the power clip slides and locks on to the middle of a track section.

Is there a number on the side of the locomotive, or tender?

How many wheels does the loco have?  (# of smaller wheels, # of larger wheels)

Is there a hump on the loco's bottom plate between the back 2 wheels?  If so, is the hump centered or off to one side?

Does the headlight light up as you turn on power?

Thanks. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[NarrowMinded]

You say it makes noise like it is trying to move, Does the head light come on?

You ran it last year, Check to see if there is any hair/tinsel/anything wrapped around the axles of the wheels between the back of the wheels and the frame of the loco, also check the side rods if its a steam loco.

check to see the the side rods are not binding where they connect on the wheels they should be clocked the same, imagine all the wheels on one side as being clocks the connecting points should all be at 1:00 for instance, the wheels on the otherside may/should be at the near opposite  position/time but still should be clocked the same on that side. Note I use 1:00 as example only but the wheels could be stopped at any point/time.

If all of the above is true and the light is on and the loco is humming or buzzing, push down on it slightly and move it back and forth on the track and see if it starts moving.

NM

[tac]

check to see the the side rods are not binding where they connect on the wheels they should be clocked the same, imagine all the wheels on one side as being clocks the connecting points should all be at 1:00 for instance, the wheels on the otherside may/should be at the near opposite  position/time but still should be clocked the same on that side. Note I use 1:00 as example only but the wheels could be stopped at any point/time. NM

Sir - I'm afraid that you giving erroneous information here with your 'opposite' clock analogy.

If it is a 'Big Hauler' or an 'Annie' then if you are looking at the right-hand side of the locomotive, and the screws holding the rods on are at 12 o'clock, then looking at the left-hand side, the screws should be positioned at 9 o'clock.  This is why the position of the rods is called quartering, not halving.

As with most steam locomotives, the right-hand side 'leads' the left-hand side.

Respectfully,

tac
www.ovgrs.org

[NarrowMinded]

Tac, you are right they are a quarter turn.
  Both My 4-6-0 Big hauler and My 2-6-0 Spectrum were stopped with the wheels just past the 1:00 position on the right side, there is a optical illusion that happens, at least in my eye, and that is that when you flip them around they appear to be opposite each other, but then I ran them to straight up 12:00 and then flipped them around and then they appear as you noted.  that said she can still make sure the rods are clocked correctly for a particular side. meaning all rod connections should be at the same position on each wheel on the side she is looking at.

NM