Franz,

I'm told that Bachmann does not fix locos, but that they're happy to replace them.  Problem is, of course, that Tony's Trains already installed DCC/Sound decoder in the loco.  If they are unwilling to fix it, I'd have to have Tony remove and reinstall the decoder.

I suppose my only option in this case is to persevere and try to repair the loco myself, or have someone at Tony's look at it.

Brakemoto,

Looks like it's going back to Bachmann.  The little square blocks, while seated in their housings, do wiggle a bit.  However, I don't see how that would have changed; the housings wouldn't suddenly have grown larger overnight.  She still wobbles although the wheels are aligned as I described. 

I want to thank you for all your help with this. I did learn something, though I don't feel I accomplished much.  BTW, I was following the thread on the N-scale Atlas forum regarding "Steam For a Reasonable Price" and am encouraged that I made the right choice in engines for my first layout.  I will keep the Kato Mikado in mind for future additions.

At the same time, I am dishearted to learn that one simply cannot expect these engines to run well out of the box.  I came away with the impression that only the mechanically inclined can run steam successfully.  The rest of us should stick to diesels.  What are the "standard" adjustments one must make to a steam engine like a Bachmann when one takes it out of the box?
Someone like yourself ought to consider teaching a clinic on this at a regional event. 

Yes, I had a feeling the counterweights must be aligned somehow, but I had no clue just how they have to be oriented.  With the loco upright, I just aligned the starboard weights to three o'clock (on the leading quarter of the wheel).  Since right and left wheels are interlocked, that put the weights at six o'clock on the port side.  She still wobbles terribly.   

Are there other standard orientations?

From my perspective as a novice model RR mechanic, I have two choices:

1) send both engines to Bachmann for inspection and repair (and be without any motive power to test my track as I finish laying it) or
2) take advantage of this forum and perhaps, with coaching from the masters out there, learn to fix the problems myself.  I'd prefer the latter. 

So, I'll open up the Consilidation again.  Is there anything particular I should look for under that belly plate that would reveal the problem?  Should the drive rods on the side of the wheels be in any particular postition?  The pair of drivers second from the front have a hole in their side as though something should be connected to the wheels but nothing is obviously disconnected. 

Alas, when I removed the belly plate of the Consolidation and manipulated the drivers to determine whether something was out of alignment, I only made the situation much worse.  Now, the engine wobbles like a drunk, doesn't stay on the curves at all, and loses connectivity more than ever.  Clearly, I need professional help.   

Meanwhile, I'll return to the Light Mountain and follow brakemoto's advice.  However, I am not going anywhere near that belly plate! 

I was gauging the wheels on my Bachmann Consolidation when I noticed that the two screws holding the flat plate on the belly of the Consolidation which seems to put pressure on the drivers were loose.  I am not sufficiently skilled to operate on these engines but when I tightened the screws I observed that just a slight tweeking of the screws resulted in a significant difference in the engine's performance.  Turns out, that when fully tightened, the engine wobbles considerably, so much so that the forward driver lifts off the rails and derails the engine on one of my curves.  I subsequently spent 45 minutes adjusting the tension on these screws until the wobble went away again and the engine remained on the tracks. 

Seems like a flimsy solution, however.   
What if the screws vibrate into a new postion and the performance of the engine declines? 

Can anyone offer a more secure solution?

James,

Thanks very much for trying to help me out with this perplexing problem.  Yes, what I meant to say was that the NMRA guage showed that all drivers and contact wheels were spaced correctly, yet the problem persists. 

Meanwhile, when I was gauging the wheels on both the Light Mountain and the Consolidation, I noticed that the two screws holding the flat plate on the belly of the Consolidation which seems to put pressure on the drivers were loose.  I am not sufficiently skilled to operate on these engines but when I tightened the screws I observed that just a slight tweeking of the screws resulted in a significant difference in the engine's performance.  Turns out, that when fully tightened, the engine wobbles considerably, so much so that the forward driver lifts off the rails and derails the engine on one of my curves.  I subsequently spent 45 minutes adjusting the tension on these screws until the wobble went away again and the engine remained on the tracks.  Seems like a flimsy solution, however.   The screws on the Light Mountain were tight and after noticing the great affect messing with these screws has on the operation of the engine, I decided to leave them alone on the Light Mountain. 

Likely, this has nothing to do with the stalling problems, but I mention it only because it struck me how little tolerance there is in the mechanics of the engines.  What if the screws vibrate into a new postion and the performance of the engine declines?  Or, perhaps there is something inherently amiss about the way the plate is seated on the Consolidation, a separate issue altogether, I'm sure.  Perhaps I should post a separate mention of this on the forum to see if there's a more secure fix for this. 

Just gauged the spacing of the drivers and all other contact wheels including the tender's.  All are fine. 

Gustav

G'day James,

Hmmm....by "gauging" the wheels, you mean using an NMRA guage to confirm spacing between the wheels or the vertical alignment? 

Gustav

I am having a connectivity issue with my Bachmann Light Mountain in that it often, but not always, stalls at certain spots along the track. Two of these locations are on a turnout, the other is on a straight stretch of solid track with no seams.

Lacking a meter, I simply, slowly, and carefully dragged the wires of an incandescent bulb along the rails at the trouble spots. The bulb never flickered indicating that the track has power throughout.

Meanwhile, the Bachmann Consolidation runs through these areas without a problem.

If, say, the drivers of the longer Light Mountain were, for some reason, lifting off the track at these locations, wouldn't the tender, which has pickup, prevent the engine from losing connection with the track?

Should I suspect the engine instead of the track?