If you want to know how crappy your trackwork really is...buy a steamer !! I was (un)fortunate enough to acquire a backmann 4-8-4. Now understand...I am a hardcore diesel guy. I have had a few track problems wth my diesels. Fixed em and have been running my diesel fleet pretty much trouble free for years. Then I get this steamer...O M G talk about a rude awakening !! Every itsy bitsy little thump...bump...dip...bad switch...out of gauge...crooked piece of track will soon be made quite clear ! This was running the locomotive WITHOUT that big 52' tender ! I couldnt run 10 feet without it derailing with the tender on it. There is so much slop...side to side movement...in the wheels/axles under this thing...just sneeze in its general direction....DERAIL !! :tb-wacky: ( You just dont have wheel slop with diesels :tb-tongue: ) I spent an hour just now finding and fixing some problems that should have been obvious from the get-go. I still have a long way to go to get my trackwork at least passible. Now...I read a lot....especially here on TB. I know Backmann isnt the best...I get that. But I figure if I can get this backmann steamer to make it around the layout once without derailing...there aint nothing out there that wont run on it...LOL. Buy a Steamer...your trackwork will thank you !!! :thumbs_up: :tb-biggrin: .
Yep, that'll do it. But... I hope that you FIRST make sure that the steamer is in correct gauge.. before going off and adjusting your track accordingly. :tb-wacky: Good luck with the maintenance!
Correct gauge on the wheels? You mean to tell me they dont come that way from the factory ?? !!!:tb-wacky::tb-biggrin::tb-biggrin::tb-wink: .
The Bachmann 4-8-4 of all time......... mtn, I never looked at it that way but you have a point!!!! But it reminds me of a story from 1998. I had a large 14x8 layout fully tracked, wired and scenicked and only needing minute detailing to finish, and it was a demonstration layout at NMRA conventions, meetings held down here by Sunshine Region, and such. I also had a regular Tuesday night work session with a group of guys who were together for 10 years. One night in late Feb 98, a fellow workshop modeler brought in a Bachmann 4-8-4, which we all scoffed at and joked about, considering that none of us would run a lowly Bachmann on our beloved layouts (note this was before Spectrum and improved trains), and he nevertheless put it on the track. It ran gorgeous!!!! Smooth, quiet, coasted to a stop, crawled at ultra slow speeds -- all the properties of our best steamers. We ran it for an hour all of us slack-jawed, and I nicknamed the train "Jawdropper". I bought it on the spot for $100 (this is 1998 dollars) and only took it out for choice friends, and on special occasions, like Jim Kelly of Model Railroader, Pete Nolan, Warren Lindner and a few others. It had a Sagami Can Motor with a flywheel, tender pickup from both sides, gauged wheels and on and on. It ran like a jewel for 10 years and I decided to sell it on the bay and got more than I bought it for. The buyer later emailed me and told me how great it was. I have seen some Bachmann Northerns run OK to well, and even have one, but compared to anything new it stands pale. I would suggest even the most modern stuff to take the above suggestions and perhaps you can turn this duckling into a swan. It is do-able. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
May I inquire as to which version /release of the 4-8-4 you have ? Is it the latest one ? Comes in a clear plastic box witrh a Gold sticker on the box end ? If so, you have probably the best variation of this model, and the quality is better than the previous releases. Can you post a picture of it with its box ? If it is an older issue, you are most likely goint to encounter problems. The drive wheels slip on the axles and result in everything being out of gauge, hence your witnessing the locomotive doing all sorts of odd movement. Lets see what you have..... And... as the boys say above, you can really improve on these if you so desire. But, the newest ones are not horrible. fatalxsunrider43
Ken... I hear that. This one is brand new...from Bachmann...a warranty job. I have to admit...it runs pretty quiet...for being new. My only real complaint is that front truck ! I mean...WTH up with that thing ? !! Its too light. It floats on the screw. Up...down...side to side. And the wheels and axles...almost 1/4' side to side movement in the truck...huh ?! Its the only thing really derailing...and thats just looking at it sitting on the rails...LOL !!! That front truck...hmmmmmm. :tb-nerd: The tender seems a little light. I opened it up. 2 small metal plates over the screw pegs. Then I LMAO...there is a 1/2' x 1/2' x 1/4' piece of styrofoam block jammed up in the tender...:tb-wacky:. I added a 'little' weight over the trucks...we will see if it helps the tender stay on track. .
fatalxsunrider43.... Clear platic box Yellow cardboard insert that wraps end to end...not on the sides Item No. 58152 "N" Steam Locomotive Northern 4-8-4 & 52' Tender Santa Fe #3783 .
I still have my first N scale engine, the Life-Like 0-6-0 'Little Joe'. It doesn't run anymore. But I still own it.
Mark's right. Even my spectrum 2-8-0's are out of gauge on the drivers, though the tender wheels and pilot wheels were OK. ...But don't base your opinions of N scale steam on the bachmann 4-8-4. It's based on a 1970's mechanism design. Trust me, if you get a Kato 4-8-4 or 2-8-2, or an Athearn or Spectrum 2-8-0, you will be most pleased with steam.:tb-smile:
I was going to edit out some of the above remarks for my reply, but I just wanted to provide some good old jury rigging which works for me in your situations. First, regarding the front pilot truck, I never had any luck with adding weight to the truck because the amount of weight required to keep it down generally interferes with its movement. So, I use soft spongy foam a real small piece and use a dab of Walthers Goo under the boiler just above the track and jam that little spongy foam piece in and let it dry. It follows the truck but its nature keeps the truck in the down position. Second, regarding tender weights, I found a landmark source in weights. If you look in another section of your hobby shop, there is a rack for youths who carve their race cars for some sort of model derby. They have every type of weight in zamac which are trimmable, and can be easily broken off to size it wherever you want it to fit. I have found these invaluable on IM reefers which in my book are way too light, most older tenders (Rivarossi and Bachmanns and Arnolds) and even a Kato tank car which could use weight just to stay on the track and on the consist. Good luck Ken "FloridaBoy" and chief Jury Rigger Willaman
Both great ideas Ken...thnxs. I will check at the LHS tomorrow for the soap box derby weights. Yea...we finally got a LHS...its mostly RC stuff. What little train stuff they have is HO. All their stuff is marked at MSRP .....grrrrrrrr .
Sounds like your trip to the LHS tomorrow will be a great time to meet the owner and inform him of your interests in N Scale. That's the best way I know of to get your LHS to carry the stuff you want. (Without having to special order it in advanced) Maybe suggest he make a survey to hand out, or simply ask whenever entering a conversation with a customer "What sort of items would you be most interested in?"
My most recent steamer is the Bachman Norfolk and Western streamlined J3, 4-8-4. She runs wonderfully but it is Unitrak. I don't know if that is a factor.
Another great source of weight material: Lead Tape! All you need do is head over to your friendly Golf and Tennis store. Don't get the precut sections, they charge you an arm and a leg for those, but ask and most stores also have 25 / 50 / 75 foot rolls of lead tape, very reasonably priced. Just trim to the size you want, and stack what you need together.
Even better, get a steam loco with a sound decoder. That will find not just all your track problems but all your DCC electrical problems and all dirty track, too.
I just bought my first steam loco in years, a Kato JNR C62 4-6-4. I have a small layout on a HCD and Kato UniTrack. While I have no issues with the trackage and derailments, what my C62 DOES show is where the dirty track is. My luck with steam isn't very good, but I think this new loco will change things. It runs so very slow and smooth!
I agree, everyone should own a steamer.... so you can switch over to diesels. (just yankin' some steamhead chains..) :tb-wink:
