BACHMAN SPECTRA 83605

[orangetrainman]

Hello i have a bachman #83605 loco  that i bought from a dealer on E-BAy and i would like to know  how many cars whill this engine pull safley withouthaving to add weight[pleasecontact me at [email protected]
thank you
george.

[PRRThomas11]

It depends on the condition of the engine.

Try it out and see.

-PRRThomas11

[Yampa Bob]

There are too many variables to give a simple answer. For about $70 plus shipping, you can do your own testing for drawbar pull. 

http://www.hmcelectronics.com/cgi-bin/scripts/product/4640-0004/

Pulling force required for easy rolling cars is reported to range from .07 ounce to .2 ounce, depending on who you ask.  I have no idea, so I just tune my cars so they will coast down a 1% to 2% grade. Ream the truck journals and use metal wheelsets.  Keep the cars light as possible yet still maintain good tracking without derails. Perfect trackwork allows use of lighter cars.

If the tester shows a drawbar force of 3 ounces at drive wheel spin, then 3/.15  (average) =  20 cars, which seems reasonable for a Connie. Other's mileage may vary.

To pull more cars, add weight to the loco, but the wheels must slip/spin at maximum drawbar pull to avoid motor burnout or drive train damage.

I hope this helps.