Bachmann 70 Tonner, Noisy?

[Mike Madonna]

Greetings all,
I just picked up two of the above. Test ran both, and they ran pretty well. That said, they seem a bit noisy IMHO. I am comparing them to the B-Mann S-4 and the Atlas S-2 (Gold Version w/sound off). Is this inherit of these models? Are there any "fixes" or remedies out there? I checked these on Spookshow's site and they received high praise; "Performance is outstanding in every way - absolutely smooth and whisper quiet. Slow-speed creep is exceptional, and the top-end speed is very realistic".
I plan to use them as Santa Maria Valley units that interchanged with the SP at Guadalupe, CA. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Mark5]

I test ran two of these today - they were kinda noisy in my opinion.

I was not impressed with the method of electrical pickup either.

Hopefully some folks that own these and operate them will chime in.

Mark

[peteski]

I don't own one of those, but if its design is similar to the 44 tonner, I improved the electric pickup on one of those and documented it in this thread.

[randgust]

I got one of the early 44-tonners and was surprised how much quieter it got when I removed that miserable analog/DCC board and went straight DC.    That being said... I also suspect that like most things Bachmann, the quality is all over the map.   Mine is really quiet and has excellent pickup, but that is of no value when you're sure yours is neither.

Remember the motor is a double-shafted 8x10mm design with worms on both ends - no universals - so ANY misalignment of that motor in the frames is immediately translated to a variance is the worm/worm gear tolerance and will translate into noise.   There's almost nothing to it, so you can tinker with putting in paper strips on one end or the other of the motor mounts to change that worm alignment ever so slightly.

The pickup is like the pre-wiper Katos, split truck frame onto split frame, direct contact without wipers.   As soon as I saw it I went 'uh-oh', but mine works well enough I left it alone.  But by design you're still subject to the 4-legged stool problem here where one leg is always not touching somewhere.

Given the design, it wouldn't take much for any variance in the frame castings due to wear, heat, or metallurgy to come up with a turkey.

[brokemoto]

I went upstairs and ran my pair at creep, twenty-five and thirty-five SMPH.  The last was probably faster than the prototype could do.  I did not notice that they were particullarly noisy, so there must be something amiss with yours.

As B-mann tends to overgrease at the factory, I would doubt that to be the problem, although sometimes the grease gun does not squirt it onto the gears, so you must take a pin, scrape it from wherever it is not supporsed to be, put a little onto the gears and dry the excess off the pin.

I would expect that something is out of alignment.

The decoders are still in mine.  I do not use DCC.  I ran them on a MRC Tech-7.

[Mike Madonna]

Quick update:
Electrical pick up is NOT an issue. As for the "noise"; I have a B-Mann S-4. There is a little "electrical" noise at speed step 1. I believe this is the electronics on the board (I read this somewhere else as well). Once moving (past SS1), the S-4 is almost silent. I took the liberty of pulling the shell off the 70 Tonner. I ran the chassis alone. Same "electrical" noise, however the other noise was gone. I'm starting to think that what ever noise or vibration in the chassis is being "amplified" by the shell. Could the shell act as an "enclosure" for whatever sound that's being made by the chassis? Do these locos need an extensive "break in" period?
Thanks again....

[Joetrain59]

Forgot to say earlier, I ran the one 70T I have, last night. From initial release. Smooth and very quiet. One of the best running locos I've got. No hum, no buzz, nothing.
 Joe D

[brokemoto]

I took the liberty of pulling the shell off the 70 Tonner. I ran the chassis alone. Same "electrical" noise, however the other noise was gone. I'm starting to think that what ever noise or vibration in the chassis is being "amplified" by the shell. Could the shell act as an "enclosure" for whatever sound that's being made by the chassis?

Do these locos need an extensive "break in" period?

The shell or even the general construction of the thing could do that.  The B-mann doodlebug is as noisy as it is due to the shell and how it goes onto the chassis.  This applies to the old one, the new one with DCC and the new one if you take out the decoder.  Everyone already knows that the old one is noisy.  I fried the decoder on one, so I had to rewire.  It is noisy, but not as  noisy as the old one.  I have two that still have the decoder (I have not fried it Y-E-T).  They are the least noisy of the three categories.  I did notice that the one that I had to re-wire made more racket without the decoder.  I do not use DCC.

Neither my 44 nor 70 tonners required extensive break in.