Given a 4-6-0 Engine & Cars

[will.west2]

Good Evening All,

I have been given a set of Bachman Large trains, used condition by one of my fellow workers.  The engine is a 4-6-0 and the road name is Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe.  The engine is burgundy with gold lettering.  I was told that they were 20 plus years old.  Not sure of their age.  I know very little about G gauge trains.  I have remounted one of the coal car trucks last night and was working on the engine today.  I need the large part under the smoke stack at the bottom of the engine where the wheel rods slide back and forth on go into these forward pistons.  I removed the four screws on the bottom of the engine and the longest fastener holds the piece I need.  Can one obtain parts?  I have no track, no clips to electrify the track and no transformer.  What voltage do these trains run on?

Thanks for your help,

Bill West

[the Bach-man]

Dear Bill,
Your set is about twenty years old, and, as such, is one of our earliest ten wheelers. The service department will be able to help you repair and update it. Give them a call.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Bill,

I have Bachmann G track, clips and power-packs available.

Contact me off-board for details: 

joebarb"AT"wwt"DOT"net

Thanks. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

[Loco Bill]

If you have an old HO Scale Transformer laying around it should be OK for a small laout without steep grades.  The newer versions of your loco draw less than 1 Amp at 18 volts.   It will run way to fast at 18 volts though, unless you are  ;Dage 3 to 16   like my grand kids! .  Keep your loco well lubed and don't overload it and it should give you some fair service. 

[will.west2]

Thanks for all your replies.  Living in Philadelphia, I was able to take the engine to Irv, who works in the Repair Department for Bachmann.  He was very cordial and replaced the part on the spot.  A good friend sold me a circle of track and a transformer and all is working fine.  This engine looks exactly like the Pioneer Engine currently offered by Bachmann.   I have two questions: What type of white grease do you lube the gears with and is the engine supposed to smoke?

Thanks for your help,

Bill West

[Loco Bill]

Glad you are enjoying your train!   Any Plastic Compatible white grease will work fine.  You can usually get it from a hobby shop!

To make it smoke you will need some "smoke fluid" also available at hobby shops.  Behind the smoke box door you will find a switch for the smoke unit.  You will need to put about 10 drops of smoke fluid in the smoke stack and turn on the switch.  Then run the train for a while to heat the fluid and make the smoke.  Sometimes you have to go pretty fast to get the smoke going.   If you run the smoke unit out of fluid and don't turn it off you will probably burn out the unit.

Good luck!