I have just acquired a B-Mann 2-6-6-2 and have taken a quick look at it . First the detail. It is a beautiful locomotive I am impressed with the detail. Second the gauge of the drivers. The drivers are a little under gauge so I ran it over the layout to see how well it would do. I am happy to report that it had no trouble at all on my track or turnouts. Third the runing quality. It ran very smooth and seems to have a fairly low top sped. I want to break it in a little more before I test the pulling power. At this point I am very happy with the loco and glad I bought it.
It runs super on my test loop. The drivers are considerably undergauge--yes, that's different from an earlier post. I got a better gauge. I have to install a decoder and try it on my layout. I'm not that hopeful.
Pete: The decoder installation for the 2-6-6-2 ie easy. Everything you need sits in front of the cab. Stay cool and run steam.....
I assume it's just like the Bachmann Connie and Mountain? If so, that is easy. What I'm not hopeful about is the performance on Atlas C55 rail. It is a sweet runner on my Uni-track test loop.
Pete: I forgot about your Code 55 rail. Some folks on the other board haven't had any problems with the 2-6-6-2 running on Code 55. The space for the decoder is in the rear of the loco in front of the cab. It's very similar to the LL 2-8-8-2 position wise. BTW, how did the decoders work on the MP loco's? Stay cool and run steam....
Two of the three MP locos ran fine--wonderfully, in fact. The third--well--I've got a problem. It ran for about a quarter turn of the drivers, and then the crosshead on one side slipped off, and jammed underneath the slidebars. This jammed the whole mechanism, and either stripped or dislocated something inside. Relocating the crosshead was no big problem--but now the engine just sits there and whines--the motor is obviously responding to the throttle. I did not mishandle the engine in any way. I think the worm gear got loose from the motor's shaft. I contacted MP via email last week--no response. I'm a bit disappointed in the no response. I was about to post a few hints about this installation, and how well it went. But with MP's non-response, I'm ready to rip them a new one. Anyone have Jon Tager's direct line?
Bob, I'll have to see about the 2-6-6-2 on Atlas C55. I'm hopeful that it will run OK, as all but one switch on the mainline are No. 7s, and most are set to run straight. I do have a few "adjustments" to make, as I have a few kinks now that the track has settled in. Mostly that means it expanded, so I do have some slight kinks--horizontally and vertically--but they will take only a few minutes to fix. (OK, the track gods just frowned upon me--so they will never be fixed permanently.) Now that I know that it was my NCE power pack that was having problems rather than my decoder installs, things will go a whole lot faster!
I have mostly Peco 55 so no problem there and a little ME 55 and no problem with that . Can't say what Atlas 55 would be like since I don't have any.
Pete: The decoder installation on the MP loco's is easy . Just match the wire colors and solder. Did you add some weight to the tender? !/4 ounce should do nicely. Stay cool and run steam....
I moved the 2-6-6-2 drivers out--that is, into gauge--without any problems whatsover. It takes a little bit of "feel"--but I just used a small screwdriver to move one side of the drivers out on the axles. No interference with the frame whatsoever--it's running just as well as ever after an hour on the test track. I just wedged a screwdriver between the trucks and the wheels, and turned it very slowly. They "pop" out a little. Now I've been doing this for more than 30 years, so I can feel that little pop, and whether each wheel needs a little more adjustment. I decided to work on one side only--after the first wheel popped, I could see that trying to equalize the expansion between both sides would be beyond my "feel." There seems to be plenty of lateral play--it still runs beautifully.
