Large Scale Central

Bachmann 4-6-0?

Modeling Motive Power
#1

So years ago I ended up with a Bachmann 4-6-0 in my stash. I’ve never tried running it, never opened it up etc. But it was pretty much brand new when I got it.

Long story short, I’ve got a 6 yld kid that’s interested in Dad’s trains, and wants one of his own. I’ve got a spare RCS system laying around, Sierra sound interfaces, etc to convert to battery. I was just missing a steam board. Well voila, today I saw someone selling a sierra steam board on Facebook. A few messages later, we are swapping boards for one of my diesel boards that I don’t need.

So I’ve got until next April to convert this thing over to give to,him as a birthday present.

Should I plan on replacing the assumed plastic gear with a metal gear?

What do I need to make the cuff sensors work with the Sierra board? I’m assuming a reed switch and a magnet?

This will have to be an evening project after the kids go to bed so expect slow progress…

#2

Craig - Is this an Anniversary Edition? The easiest way to tell is Annies have metal side rods / and detailed valve gear. If an Annie, I think you will be OK with gears unless you plan to run the wheels off it (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

I don’t know what Sierra requires for a trigger as I use Phoenix. I assume, like Phoenix, it’s just a switch closure. Annies have a chuff trigger that utilizes a drum and wiper combo on one of the axles. It only gives 2 chuffs/revolution. It’s not hard to add 2 more bars on the drum to get 4 per revolution. That being said, you may find the reed/magnet combo works better. On a Porter that had poor triggers, I removed the strips and glued 4 tiny magnets to the drum and used a reed. Much more reliable. I thought I had documented that here, but a search of my web photos doesn’t turn them up.

#3

Its got plastic side rods…

I don’t foresee my kid running it that much so hopefully it will last a while. I’m going to let him use my LGB stuff with it so I’m not too concerned about 4 vs 2 revolutions. I doubt he can tell the difference, but if it’s just as easy to make it right than wrong, I will make it correct.

I just pulled the bottom cover off quick, and yep plastic gears.

Should I just plan on replacing them now? Or wait? I’m not really going to spend tons of money on it at this point because my only cost right now is a new set of batteries (which I need for my other locomotives as well). At the rate I’m going maybe. I find a cheap Barry’s drive train! Lol

#4

Craig,

On the bottom of the chassis, is there a small dime sized plug that you can remove to see and lube the gears?

If so then the chassis is a version 5 or above and considered the best available for a Bachmann 4-6-0. These version 5 chassis came on both the latest Big Haulers and the Annie 4-6-0s. Version 5 chassis had all plastic gears and the version 6 had plastic and metal gears. The Big Haulers had plastic side rods and the Annie had metal.

Check out George Schreyer’s web page: http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/big_hauler_tips.html I think you’ll find your answers there.

Adam

#5

I would just run it until it dies. A replacement chassis is $50-$90 on the Bachmann parts store, or you can buy a complete loco on eBay (maybe) for less than that.

What do I need to make the cuff sensors work with the Sierra board?

The loco already has chuff triggers/switches built in. The cable from the tender plugs in to a PC board at the back with has wires to a drum drum on the axle. I am pretty sure it will work with a Sierra sound card. (George Shreyer recommends putting a more flexible wire on the chuff connection. I concur.)

Besides George’s pages, Greg has some good info (the last photo shows the chuff drum):

https://elmassian.com/index.php/large-scale-train-main-page/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/bachmann-motive-power/big-hauler

#6

Thanks for the links. I think I just have him run it until it dies. And in the meanwhile keep an eye out for gears, etc.

This isn’t a highest priority on the workbench, but I think I’ll slowly plug along as I have time. I’m guessing that it will be easier to strip all the factory boards out while I’m inside the tender, etc. Batteries in boiler, rest of the stuff in the tender

#7

It depends on how your kid runs the locomotive. I have an older Big Hauler locomotive that is all plastic gears inside. I run it quite a bit. But since I don’t run too many cars behind it, and I keep it lubed properly its been running fine since I bought it back in 04.

#8

Batteries in boiler, rest of the stuff in the tender

That’s how I did my first conversion. Take out the big iron weight though!

#9

David,

Considering that he currently runs my GP9 with ease and slow, I don’t see jack rabbit starts and stops. Right now I let him run my locomotives with my Protothrottle… He also has ran them with the RCS elite throttles with ease.

He likes my diesels, but wants a steam engine of his own.

#10

Craig,

I am going to throw in my two cents regarding the chassis. Replace it. Our own B’mann 10-wheeler was someone’s Christmas train. Given its seasonal décor, I assume it was rarely used. A month or so in regular weekend service on our flat railroad, the thing ate its gears. Worse, my own son’s first train, the B’mann railtruck Pete T. just helped to fix, failed almost right out of the box, souring him on trains and costing me my “train buddy.” I don’t have the experience of others on this forum with either of these models, so I won’t say it is typical for either, but the $55 up front for a real gear train may save him and you heartache. My boy’s disappointment at the time when his model broke was hard enough for me to take. The sustained disinterest in the hobby that model’s failure began has been worse.

Eric

#11

I don’t think you’re going to find a Version 6 (metal gears) new from Bachmann, the only ones I’ve seen for quite a while are Version 5 (plastic gears). If the description says “using old pilot” then it’s a 5. The older chassis have a reputation for splitting the gears even just sitting around, I think Greg E has mentioned that someplace on his web site. Personally I’d go ahead and get a new chassis, even with the plastic gears the V5 are a lot more reliable than the earlier ones.

#12

Thanks Eric and Sophie,

It might be worth grabbing a new chassis to install. Humm. That’s still not that big of an investment to worry about if it gets him interested in the hobby.

#13

Glad to help, Craig!

#14

If you get a chance to get the LGB forney at a good price you will like it much better than any Bachmann big hauler. It is a heavier engine, uses 2 geared axles and mine will pull 10 of my 4 axle cars (all have metal wheels) with no problem. I did find one with sound for $200.00 at a show.

#15

Dan,

A Forney would be nice but what I have is for my son. If I was going to spend the money on a new locomotive it wouldn’t be a steamer…

So far the only cost to me is a set of batteries and time, and $8 shipping… I’m hesitant to spend a lot of money as I don’t know how long my oldest will stay interested in the trains. My middle son has zero interest in trains (he’s all about trucks and cars).