One more for you guys - Bachmann Steam question

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I have an old 80's era 0-6-0 in my junk box. The engine is intact but features the infamous Bachmann split gear disease. The gears in question are the ones attached to the drivers. They appear to be the standard Bachmann gear size but the teeth are offset to one side.

Looking through Bachmann parts, I found this from their Plymouth MDT:
http://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_70_110&products_id=280

The plastic gear parts appear to be the same. Anyone know for sure if the MDT and 0-6-0 wheel gears are interchangeable?

If I can get this engine up and running, I'll have my B&M 1911 switcher.

[mmagliaro]

In all honesty, that engine would be best left alone and replaced by the current-era Bachmann 0-6-0.   The new one is
so much better than those old "white box" versions that it is just not worth trying to resurrect that other one.

[narrowminded]

Your timing is amazing!   I am in the process of reviewing just this to resurrect a few old 0-4-0's that I inherited.  This is what I've learned (aside from them being a POS).  The 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 have basically the same running guts and use the same axle gears and maybe the Northern.  That was per NWSL (but they don't currently make replacements).  I hadn't thought to check the Plymouth but because of your question and my happening to own one I just checked them against the 0-4-0's I have and they ARE the same.  So that's good news to me.

Now, to add to what Max said, in my own limited running of the new 0-6-0's, they do run very reliably although a bit fast.  They also have tender pickups on one truck only (not like the Spectrum) as well as a drawbar that transmits that to the engine, AND one axle has traction tires.  And one of the popular web sites has some unlettered on clearance sale right now for $44.95.  And further, they also have Spectrum slope back tenders with all wheel pickups in a few roads on clearance for $14.99.  They are slightly different and could be argued, better detailed than the single truck slope back that comes with the 0-6-0.  They will not couple up directly to the 0-6-0 without some work due to a different size pin but my experience this far says it won't be needed.  The single truck pick ups that the new 0-6-0 seem to work just fine.  What I DID do is picked up a few of those tenders and will be making a split conducting pin to replace the 0-4-0's plastic pin and figure that will take care of the reliability issues with the 0-4-0's.  They should run as reliably as the 0-6-0 based on their similarities.  Hope that helps.

[mmagliaro]

Mark Peterson's n scale on-line loco encyclopedia has a great write-up on all the incarnations of this Bachmann 0-6-0,
including a short guide and a few photos on how to upgrade the tender to an all-wheels-live Spectrum model, as narrowminded suggests.
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bach262.html

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I really wish I knew if that engine MBK was selling was the current release with the hidden can motor and improved shell.

I have a 80's era and an 04 run of the 0-6-0. The newer one is being painted in MEC with a Spectrum USRA short tender. It does run NICE.

But that 80's era engine is just sitting there looking at me. And I really don't want to buy a new one unless it is a huge improvement over the old one. I have extra Spectrum tenders, so pickup is not an issue. I even have a Mashima motor that would fit inside the cab, do the only thing that would get me to buy the new engine is the improved shell, and MBK is using a stock photo.

BTW, I have a few Kadee 1045 kits squirreled away, and these make a huge improvement   over the stock pilot.

[narrowminded]

I really wish I knew if that engine MBK was selling was the current release with the hidden can motor and improved shell.

It's the latest chassis and with automatic knuckle couplers front and rear.  I'm guessing from Spookshow's write-up that that means the shell, too.  I don't have anything to compare it to but it does look like current quality (nice), not what I've seen on older stuff.  The motor isn't completely within the shell.  It is visible in the cab but the back is black plastic.  I wouldn't call it totally hidden but also not too obtrusive.  You won't be detailing the back of the boiler with this.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

It's the latest chassis and with automatic knuckle couplers front and rear.  I'm guessing from Spookshow's write-up that that means the shell, too.  I don't have anything to compare it to but it does look like current quality (nice), not what I've seen on older stuff.  The motor isn't completely within the shell.  It is visible in the cab but the back is black plastic.  I wouldn't call it totally hidden but also not too obtrusive.  You won't be detailing the back of the boiler with this.

That would be this model?
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachmann-N-0-6-0-Switcher-Tender-p/bac-50598.htm
The photo shows the older model with the motor out the back and rapidos.

I think the CNJ was a new scheme for this latest run. Can anyone confirm?
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachmann-N-0-6-0-Switcher-Tender-CNJ-p/bac-50565.htm

[wm3798]

I found a good use for mine.

No point in scrapping it if you can put a scrap yard scene on the layout!

Lee

[narrowminded]

That would be this model?
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Bachmann-N-0-6-0-Switcher-Tender-p/bac-50598.htm
The photo shows the older model with the motor out the back and rapidos.

That's the one I recently bought and after running it, just bought another.  I took the shell off and it's the new chassis per Spookshow's write-up.  It came with Bachmann's automatic coupler front and rear, not Rapidos nor is the front a dummy as is often done on steam.  The motor comes about flush with the back of the cab opening.  It is a silver can with a black plastic end (brush end) at the rear face, the visible part.  The flat of the end cap is almost exactly flush with the cab opening viewed directly from the side with the bearing hub portion of that cap extending just past the opening.  If you're looking for the motor end, it's right there but again, I don't find it terribly obtrusive.  The more I look at this, it appears that the original motor DID stick out PAST the cab opening and was bright metal on one of the issues.  That isn't unlike the 0-4-0's that I'm resurrecting and no surprise as they supposedly shared the same mechanism with one axle added.  Spookshow's photos should help with this visual.  Reading his write-up further and looking more closely at this, I'm sure it's the new shell.  Hope that helps.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Yeah, these things had at least half a dozen chassis changes over the years. Only the latest release head the mirror abit flush with the cab. My sample from 04/05 had a big honking silver chunk of motor sucking about 2 scale feet out the back of the cab. It runs nice but pretty it is not.

I took your advice and rolled the dice. I also picked up another slope tender, which is actually correct for some 1911/1916 G10 series switchers. These are very close to the USRA design, with only the pump and air tanks being obviously in the wrong place. I did leave a comment that I was looking specifically for the latest release with the can motor.

While I was at it, I also picked up that Baldwin ten wheeler for $60 bucks.

[narrowminded]

I hope it works for you!  And I ordered two sets of the three Plymouth axles and gears getting me the three gear pairs I need for those 0-4-0's.  It's been fruitful.

I would be interested in seeing what you do for detailing.  A few pics I gave the most cursory peek at looked like there might be an air tank mounted under the left side cab on at least one of them and who knows what else.  Right now I'm quite busy on other projects but it will surface one of these days.

[nscaleSPF2]

Thanks to all of you for bringing the new version of the Bachmann 0-6-0 to my attention.  I have been wanting to add an 0-6-0 switcher to my list of PRR steam locomotives for some time, but was put off by the performance of the older version.  I also have a Minitrix 0-6-0, but that also ran poorly, if at all.  An extra bonus is that the Bachmann model may pass for an example of [ Guests cannot view attachments ] the PRR B28s class.  Adding a few Keystone Details' parts to the boiler shell, together with the air compressor lines, should produce a fine model.  Below is an early photo of #7055.

This project is going to have wait, though.  Verne is off on another binge, and I'm not sure when he'll be back.

[SkipGear]

The Bachmann 0-6-0 / 2-6-2 is based on a USRA 0-6-0. To get a proper USRA 0-6-0 you need to buy the 2-6-2 and remove the pilot and trailing trucks. The tender that comes with the 2-6-2 is appropriate for the 0-6-0. Many lost their USRA tenders when put into yard service but the slope back tender was never behind a USRA 0-6-0 that I have been able to find. Either tenders with narrowed coal bunkers or lowered bunkers were often used.

It makes a nice B&O D-30, one of the few USRA loco's that the B&O actually operated.



One of these days I am going to spring for a newly retooled 0-6-0 to make another one of these. The motor is not quite so objectionably long.

[mmagliaro]

The Trix 0-6-0, being a Pennsy B6 prototype already, is really a nice starting point for a PRR steam switcher.
It needs big help in the tender pickups, and the flanges are huge and need to be turned down.  It also needs a much better motor.   Those are big hurdles, I know.  But the boiler itself is a good place to start for a PRR engine.

[nscaleSPF2]

With apologies to all non-SPF's for hijacking this thread:

The Bachmann 0-6-0 / 2-6-2 is based on a USRA 0-6-0. To get a proper USRA 0-6-0 you need to buy the 2-6-2 and remove the pilot and trailing trucks. The tender that comes with the 2-6-2 is appropriate for the 0-6-0.

Thanks for the input, Tony.  Really nice looking tender, too.  At least one of the PRR switchers used a straight-sided tender from about 1950, so my current plan is to use the short Bachmann Spectrum tender, to save some work.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The Trix 0-6-0, being a Pennsy B6 prototype already, is really a nice starting point for a PRR steam switcher.
It needs big help in the tender pickups, and the flanges are huge and need to be turned down.  It also needs a much better motor.   Those are big hurdles, I know.  But the boiler itself is a good place to start for a PRR engine.

Max, you forgot to add that the valve gear needs work, too.  That's just too much effort, for too little in return.  The layout scenery division has been demanding more attention.