Well this has been a fun thread. THE ENGINE IS BACK TOGETHER AND RUNNING FINE.

1) The electrical problem was the board. The left pickup from the engine was "toast". So I wired a jumper around the bad section of the board. Pick up is fine now.

2) The front drivers were suddenly grinding. This wa odd as it was perfect when I palced it in the box and sent it off. I pulled the engine apart... Glad I did. Many of the wires were "frayed." I had to replace and fix many of the wires I encountered. The screw holding the front drive wheels on was loose causing the drive shaft to bind. That was the easy fix...

3) due to the binding, the "slide for the piston" became bent. While trying to fix IT BROKE OFF. Terrifying! My only recourse was to try and attach it with CA. I have some really strong stuff, and it is holding just fine. In the future I will get some parts and replace it the correct way.

4) This has been a great learning experience. I ahve a 2-10-2 that is not working. I think instead of sending it in I might try to fix this myself.

Anyway that is my update... Oh, my next work on this engine will be to turn it into a Souther Pacific MM-2 or 5.

Now that I know how to take this thing apart, that will be a fun project.

Jim Lowery

Well I have the board rewired and the sound is responding. I placed the tender back onto the engine and it is working now. And yes I do have module plugged in correctly now. That was a problem before.

BUT NOW THE GEARS ARE BINDING IN THE DRIVE SYSTEM. MAN IT IS ONE THING AFETER ANOTHER.

FUNNY!

I will go to the exploded view of the set up tomorrow. Why is it a simple fix always turns into the third level of hell with me?

Thanks

Jim Lowery

Also there is only one way to plug this module into the afore mentioned board.

The problem...

Where the 2 wires come into the tender from the engine the wire that is labed "L" is attatched to the board faollow under neath the entire length of the board that feads power to the next section has detathced from the board. While I can try to jump this section to the location of the "L" coming from the tender, I cannot be sure that other sections of the board are not damaged.

Prior to removal, the engine still worked, and the sound still worked. At this point the engine is dead. The sound module seems to be fine, but this board seems bad.

Not a tough fix if I can get the board. Otherwise I will have to buy a new decoder. But it what it is.

I bought it from an online store.

It was new when I bought it.

But it is about three years old.

There are two borads in this engines tender. There is the plug in sound module, and the board the module plugs into.

I did contact parts, but they refered me to a non vanderbuilt tender, and did not respond to me e mail when I tried to point this out.

I think I will ahve to just swallow the $100 and by a new sound traxx decoder and install it. I am not happy about, but I may just have to do it.

But we will see.

Hello Mr. Bachmann.
I have an H-4 2-6-6-2 with a Vanderbuit tender. I was having power pick up problems with it so I took it apart to see if there was a loose wire. It turns out it is a bad board. That is the easy part...

1) The has DCC and sound. It has a sound module that plugs in to this board. The sound is fine. It is the board that it plugs into that needs to be replaced.

2) Here is the odd part. I ahve worked with 4 Bachmann engines that have had these plug in sound modules, but they all had 8 pin plugs. This thing has a plu g with 21 pins.

3) I talked to the guy from Bachman at the big train show this weekend in Ontario California. He said that board is only used in engines that are from Europe. I don't know if this is true, but it does have 21 pins and I have never seen it before. Also, it is an undecorated version with a Vanderbuilt tender. This might be why. But I did buy it on line from an America hobby shop. Ofcourse, I am assuming that it was. It was on line.

4) The board has these numbers on it H826Y # PCB02. Also, while I am not sure this matters, I also found LEDXX # 10136.

5) If I can get the correct board this will be an easy fix. Or if I can get a new board with an 8 pin board and module and trade what I have with you guys that would be great too.

I really do not want to pull all of this out and place a new $120 system into this engine if I can help it.

Thanks. Love this little engine, and I want to get it back up and running.

Jim Lowery

Oh! Did not know that, so I will call. I have to get this engine back into service.

Thanks

Jim Lowery

I have a Spectrum 2-6-6-2. Unfortunately I need to send it in. I sent an e-mail to service explaning the situation a couple of days ago. I have not heard anything yet. I know they are probably busy. how long should i wait before I send another e-mail?

thanks for your time.

Jim Lowery

Yeah it has been a while since i have had to send anything in. In fact i have only had to send one engine off for repair. Back then it was only $15. But $25 is fine. I will call them in the morning. Thanks for the reply people. I miss these forums.

Keep em on the rails...

Jim

I have 2 spectrum 2-8-0 consolidations that need repair beyond my skills. Do I box them up with a check for the $25 each for repair? These are some of the best running in my fleet and I would like to get them back into service.

Jim Lowery

Thanks for the reply. I do have a DCC (NCE), and I did try to turn the light on. It still does not work. So I will look and see if it is the light itself. If it is too much of a project I will take it to my local hobby shop.

Thanks again.

Jim

I bought a Spectrum 2-8-4 (or 2-8-2 it is down stairs) with DCC and sound. The head light does not work. The reverse is working, but not the front. Are these hard to work on? Or should I pack it up and get it into a shop? Or am I doing something wrong?

Just askin' Thanks for your time.

Jim Lowery

PS. They did a great job on these engines. I looked for a long time to find one. I got it at a show for $175. Light or no light it is a great buy.

Thanks for the link to the excursion cars. Those are pretty neat.

I was just wondering if anyone new where I could get the Chinese cars that is all.

My wife purchased an engine from Bachmann that is a nodel of a Chinese engine. I model American, but it is a gift from my Mrs's and I don't give back gifts. So I have decided to use it as a modeling of an "excursion" on the layout. Fun!

1) Does Bachmann make the passenger cars for this engine?

2) Where can I get them?

Thanks

Chesticus

I have a Bachmann "Chinese RailRoad" engine. When I run it on the track, even at full throttle, it seems to run very slow. I know there is a break in period, but it seems to be very slow in an unusual way. Have you heard of any probelms with this engine. It has a DCC decoer, but no sound.

Thanks

Chesticus