2 8 0 problems

[pjf]

I have nothing to compare it with so I would like to know if it is normal and if I  have a problem or not.

Issue #1 - the pilot on my engine is very sloppy it flips side to side (90º) very freely when I pick it up, when it is on the rail the little spring on the top is not touching the frame. The only pressure on the wheels is from its, own weight, consequently it derails most time going through the switches, both directions.
My layout is on the basement floor now and it is not perfectly flat, however, I have two 2 6 0s and they fly through without any problems. Standard turnouts and 18" radius tracks.

[pjf]

There got to be someone out there with a 2-8-0 who would tell me about the pilot wheels.
The light issue have been resolved.

[Tim]

PJF

Check the clearance of the spring hanger to the bottom of the pilot deck.
It is very close, you may have to trim the link a little.  Are you using outside
bearing truck?  The outside bearing truck is more prone to catch than the
inside bearing truck, especially on uneven track.

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

[pjf]

Hello Tim, thank you for responding.
I think it is the inside bearing. What concerns me is the pilot attachment to the frame is very loose, the screw is tight but the unit moves too freely side to side, up and down and also tilt to all direction.  When I pick up the loco the pilot just flops around it moves as freely as a pendulum.

Since I don't have another 2-8-0 to compare it I was hoping that you could look at your loco and see if yours have a similar condition to what I described. For example looking at a 2-6-0 the pilot is attached  the same way but it moves side to side freely but does not flop around.

I tried the local hobby shop, no stock for 2-8-0, I called Bachmann service they would look at it if I ship it back.

All this efforts and probably there is nothing wrong with it. But I need to know.

[az2rail]

Peter. I have three of these, and the front pilot swings freely an all of them. It is suppose to.

Bruce

[Tim]

Peter

I have two of them and the pilot truck's are floppy as you describe.

As I stated before the clearance between the bottom of the pilot
deck and the truck is minimal and will cause problems on uneven track

Another point to check is do the pilot truck wheels rotate freely?

My layout has tight radius curves and many grade changes, some on
curves and I have never had the pilot truck's derail.

I think you need to go over your track.  Are you using sectional track and
is it fastened down?

The 2-8-0 need's good solid track work.

Tim Anders
Souderton, PA

[pjf]

Thank you gentlemen that put my mind at ease. I  guess the 2-8-0 is a bit too sophisticated for my layout and I should try to improve it. The 2-6-0s are more of a toy trains and they fair better on EZ tracks laid down on the basement floor. I always had a simple track around the tree during Christmas but now I am a new grandfather and my enthusiasm got me over my head. A properly laid track is what I need. Thanks.

[railtwister]

Hello pjf,

Sorry to have not replied sooner, but my 2-8-0 is presently packed away in storage in the loft, so I would not have been able to honestly answer the original question you posed. My loco has never given me reason to inspect the front truck, because it has operated flawlessly, even on my layout's snap track (though not EZ-track) 18" radius curves. I consider the O.F. 2-8-0 to be my best runner, and probably the nicest model Bachmann has made in On30 so far (even though my favorite is actually the Forney, purely for aesthetic reasons). If your loco is suffering from derailing problems, the first thing I would suggest is to check both the wheels AND track with an NMRA gauge to make sure everything is within tolerance. I have no experience with Bachmann EZ-track switches, but if the problem occurs frequently at a switch, or mostly at the same place somewhere on your layout, I would suspect that the track may be the cause of the problem.

Good luck,
Bill 

[SideTracked]

My 2-8-0 came with a little tag suggesting 22-inch min. curves.

[rayport]

I experimented and found that you can cause the front truck to derail more easily if the spring tension is too high. Either flatten the spring to reduce the tension or leave it off altogether. I could not make my front truck derail when the spring was removed.

[jestor]

It is normal for the lead truck to flop all around during handling. The first thing I would check is the wheel gauge. Compare it to the one that has no problem. Chances are you will see a difference.