Hi,
I just thought I would add a little to the Connie debate about the gearing.
A couple of years ago a prized Spectrum 2-6-0 cracked the main drive gear, after much aggro and some very helpful assistance from other users of this page ( thanks Peter)
I obtained and with great care fitted a new Gear, and all was well with the world.

UNTIL I got my Connie out ready for a run prior to open day 3 days ago and what happens???
you guessed it a whirring from the gearbox and no movement.
I did the obvious and checked but not looking for a another split did not find one but upon sitting on the track same happened again.

I am Totally disgusted! words fail to describe the anger and frustration I feel that I have to go through the same rigmorole all over again because of penny pinching OR worse poor design and quality control.

I am the original owner and the loco has clocked up all of 6hrs runtime from new, BUT I live in the UK and do not have the luxury of sending it back to Bachmann. and If I did I certainly would not want another cheap solution fitted.

I will be sending off for another gear and like as not will end up doing it myself, the sad thing is I have a Spectrum 4-4-0 which no doubt will do the same thing to me.

I would demand that this is put right for I really feel that this should never have happened, but the waiting time and cost of posting is really not worth it, I blooming well hope that this has been dealt with otherwise I for one will not be buying anymore Bachmann loco's if this is what I have to do in order to run them.

Oh I failed to mention the tender truck problems of which one was broken from new. But thats another story.

Kind but angry regards
Casey.

Hi, I have just purchased a new Thomas the tank green Southern coach thinking it would look nice behind the Spectrum L&B LYN loco. Having tried this I am disappointed to find the following:-  1) the coach with flangeless centre wheels does not like R3 track and pointwork. 2) has no interior detail.  3) Is not to the same scale as the LYN.
As it turns out I will have to sell the coach as this is not acceptable to me. The question is:- Do Bachmann intend to produce a nice coach to go with the LYN?

It is a shame that such a nice looking coach as the Green one is not to the same scale as the two complement each other very nicely.
Could I also venture a suggestion? If the centre axle and one end axle were mounted on a clemenson truck principle then taking tighter curves would not be a problem.
I think there could be a market for this type of coach as there are many narrow gauge modelers out there that could also use the coach for kitbashing if it was the same standard that we have come to know and love from Bachmann trains. 

Hi,
Loco Bill hit the nail on the head, you cant go wrong with an extra set of jumper leads feeding the far end of the track, with all of the joints not bonded you will get that loss of power, I have had my railroad running in the garden for the last 8 years and the only bonding I have is copperslip paste in the joints and an extra feed to the far end.
I don't have any problems.
regards

Hi,
    That is a good idea, Yes, Yes and I don't mind.
It would save a lot of hassle in scraping off the number and trying to find lettering that is approximately the right size in white.
Since Letraset stopped turning out the rub down lettering this is very hard to obtain now in different sizes.
Casey

Hi,
Having recently replaced the plastice drive gear on my Spectrum 2-6-0 I thought that this last weekend I would take advantage of the good weather ( here in southern UK) and run it and the 4-4-0, A great time was had and this also highlighted another fault, namely the pony truck on the 4-4-0.
I pride myself on the fact that on open days we don't get derailments due to poor track as I find it tiresome and the extra effort in track laying is always worth it.
However the 4-4-0 always seems to find the tiniest flaw and pop off the pony truck.
Last night I turned the loco upside down and tried to figure out the problem, as after watching it going along I felt that if the truck was lower It might help, anyway I ended up removing the plate which holds the spigot for the pony truck and added 3 2BA washers (originally I was going to lengthen the screw which holds the truck but did not have the same size thread) anyway I tested this tonight and can report that this simple fix had a 100% improvement.
Now this is my question and please don't take offence as this is an attempt to try add some constructive criticism.
Before these loco's are put into production what kind of road testing is done? it is evident from the experience I have gained that some of these faults are so elementary that they should have been picked up VERY early on.
I don't know if it is practicle but is it not possible to send out a couple of pre production loco's to be tested on various model garden railroads and get the feedback, I realise that this could add a further 6-8 months to the project but there would not be the constant niggles , complaints and returns that occur as these obvious faults would in general be found.
This is something that won't be found on a rolling road testbed or an indoor track.
This is not a pop at Bachmann, all the other manufacturers tend to suffer the same (though I can't comment on Accucraft as I don't have a loco of theirs) Bachmann are certainly market leaders in general quality but it is a shame to have "the ship spoiled for a ha'peth of tar"
Regards Casey.   

Hi, Clowns you say, you should come over here to the UK my company is full of them, place is run like a circus.
regards Casey.

ps. A company that starts with A and ends with craft do a nice range though smaller,
if you use perspective and don't put them next to larger figures that would work.
have fun.

Ola,
      What is this ? yet another rendition of the 4-6-0? I think this must be version no5 is it not? each so far being better than the one before.
I think I have one of each LOL even the 1st one the R/C version of mine is still in operation with the original drive mech ( a different R/C package though) bring it on!
Casey.

Hi All,
         I must admit to being a bit tardy as I only got around to fitting the gear (bought in Jan- Feb) about 6 weeks ago, I was putting it off as I have had experiences in the past to know that often a loco does not go back together and work as well as it did before being taken apart.
Imagine my elation when after only about 1.5 hrs work it ran a treat! it has since done about 3.5 hrs running.
Thanks for the tips and thank Bachmann for a truly great loco. BUUUT Please use a better class of gear in the future.
Casey.

"Tender trucks breaking after a fews years use" I wish, one of mine was broken in transit on the Connie, kindly mr Bachmann sent me a new FOC. I have tried to repair the old one but the plastic does not take kindly to epoxy resin and the repair was not as good as hoped.

That's brave Chris, Surely you have better things to do, Whilst I am sure they will go at some point I think I would wait till they do, The info Kevin has given is good and with care comes apart quite easily as it is well engineered.  I have yet to put it back together and past experience has told me that it is not always that easy and unfortunately patience is not my strongest attribute Good luck with it, I have a 4-4-0 as well maybe I should get 2 hhhmmmmmm.

Had a go at removing gear and gearbox Thanks to Kevin! result 1 gear which is in two halves ( have'nt figured out how to post pic yet) and have been in touch with NWSL re new gear, question is as this appears to be a weak link why is this not corrected during manufacture? I am a bit brassed off by this as the Loco has only done about 4hrs running from new.
Close inspection of the gear shows that instead of being solid the gear has a recess cut into both sides in effect the meat driving the loco is only about 1/32" thick no wonder it fractures.
I have elected not to send it back as I reside in the UK and this would not be cost effective. this spoils what is otherwise a very well engineered model.

Many thanks Kevin I will give it a shot and see how it goes.
thanks.

Thanks for the reply but I have run into a problem, upon turning the loco upside down and removing 10no screws I have found that this loco (spectrum 2-6-0) has slip eccentrics attached to the axle which have to be removed to gain access to the gear box/gearing. How is this removed? are there any pics etc to aid me?
thanks Mike. 

Hi
   Whilst hauling 3 cars up a gradient my 2-6-0 suddenly gave up but I could hear the motor whirring I am gathering that this is a stripped  or loose gear, I noted that "Scrappy" had the same fault last March and fixed it with JB weld, I am hoping that Mine is as easy to fix, question is are there any exploded diagrams to download to assist in this? the one that came with the loco does'nt really cut it.
Thanks.

Hi,
Update! Kevin was spot on, thank you, I patiently wiggled ( technical term no35) the wheels and finally freed the mechanism and behold after re alinging the rods etc she now moves again, it seems it was the age old problem of the weights moving.
I seem to recall that someone suggested using Loctite, could anyone advise as to which one?
Casey .