Problems with Bachmann wheels
- Thread starter nicebutdim
- Start date
I'll have another go tomorrow!
trammayo
Interested in vintage commercial vehicle, trams, t
GOT IT! - everbody must be fast asleep or that Sats early (Dublin time?).
Like - the principal of trailing and spring loaded points works well! Q.E.D.
In the early days of horse drawn trams, they did try India Rubber balls wedged behind the point tongues. It worked until nature overtook the crude "engineering" principles!
Mick
Like - the principal of trailing and spring loaded points works well! Q.E.D.
In the early days of horse drawn trams, they did try India Rubber balls wedged behind the point tongues. It worked until nature overtook the crude "engineering" principles!
Mick
korm kormsen
Registered
i am missing one information in this thread:
do the derailings occour only with four aixle cars, or with two aixle cars as well?
just thinking... a four aixled car has to have double the weight for the same push.
and frankly i can not believe, that the minimal differences between the different brands can cause the problems without another factor involved.
on my layout i'm running wheels of very different quality without problems.(LGB plastic and metal, playmo, crudely turned wheels from plastic or steel, even wheels from bump 'n run toy locos - but with two aixle wagons)
do the derailings occour only with four aixle cars, or with two aixle cars as well?
just thinking... a four aixled car has to have double the weight for the same push.
and frankly i can not believe, that the minimal differences between the different brands can cause the problems without another factor involved.
on my layout i'm running wheels of very different quality without problems.(LGB plastic and metal, playmo, crudely turned wheels from plastic or steel, even wheels from bump 'n run toy locos - but with two aixle wagons)
nicebutdim
Registered
It's doing it with both 2 axle and 4 axle stock. I changed the operation of the sprung points, so that the train enters the loop with the points set for the curve and exits by pushing the points on the straight, if that makes sense. This has made it so that all my plastic wheeled stock operates very smoothly through the points (even very light stock) but the metal Bachmanns still don't want to know. Whatda pain!! :wits:
nicebutdim
Registered
Yup, tried in different stock, different direction etc. Haven't yet tried in the stock already fitted with metal wheels, will give that a go a little later, although they are heavier anyway as they have loads. It may be my points, they are old(er) second hand units, although very little wear on the frogs and guides. I don't want to weaken the springs, as I rely on the points for my loops.
Gizzy
A gentleman, a scholar, and a railway modeller....
nicebutdim said:
If it's just the odd point Tim, check if it's level, and not twisted.
Also take the top off the point lever, check it's clean, and squirt a bit of silicon spray (SWMBO's furniture polish might do) inside, before reassembly....
nicebutdim
Registered
It's doing it on both sprung points, which when I layed all the points I took extra care of so as not to have any problems like this. I regularly clean out the spring boxes of spiders nests and other accumulations and add a couple of drops of lgb special oil to all the moving parts. I would have thought if there was any problems with the points it would affect all wheels, rather than these few axles that are proving a problem. It could be I just have a batch of wheels that are not quite 'right', as one of the Bachmann box cars runs fine over everything, but the other plays up, as does the 4 axles that came from the same packet.
nicebutdim
Registered
Right, just had a look at the axles off one of the wagons that I've had a while and gives me no trouble. Identical to the Bachmann wheels but without the plastic tube spacers on the axle itself, so comparing to Gizzy's photos they must be the Liliput variation. I've weighed them, the Liliput ones come in at 3g under the Bachmann type, which I guess would be the weight of the plastic tubes. Now I've tried these on the same wagons that would not push the points with the Bachmann's, and they run through fine. There must be difference between them except for the spacers, but I don't have a microscope! 
nicebutdim
Registered
Think I've sorted it. I measured the back to back of the metal wheels that have no problems, then the Bachmann ones. Turns out the Bachmann wheels were about 1.5mm wider. I pushed them right in, so the wheels are squeezed tight onto the plastic spacer tubes, and this matches the dimensions of the Liliput axles. As of yet, no problems, pushing through the points fine and running somewhat smoother. So if any of you do have similar issues, try pushing the wheels right in against the spacers.
Thanks to everyone for your help, especially about the back to back measurement and the pics.
Thanks to everyone for your help, especially about the back to back measurement and the pics.
