Repairing my old Bachmann HO scale Diesel

[@GarreTTTurncoaT]

I have been looking for someone else to show this problem for over a year lol THANK YOU!

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

Thank you. I don't really know what I'm doing but am glad you liked it! 🙂

[@mobahartenholm9289]

Hy John. I just find your chanel. I do realy enjoying what I see. Im realy curious of all videos. I'm 62 years old and collecting model railroad for nearly 50 years. But I had also a break, so I can emagine whats going on in your case. Congratulations to find back to this hobby. I live in Germany nearby the baltic see. So excuse my bumpy writing. I restart my layout in dcc, so I have to convert all of my lokos from dc to dcc. That will take a time. And Im realy interesting in maintanace and reparingmethods all over the workd. I've learnd a lot on youtube. And even from your videos. Thank you for getting this chance. Regards from northern germany, Rainer.

[@michaelmorgan7893]

Newer Bachmann stuff is a lot better since around 2010 or so. They have eight wheel drive, die cast chassis, worm drive and flywheels. After the "Bachmann plus" stuff, they've corrected the cracked gear issues.

[@WWIIREBEL]

When using a loco of this type and running them on a layout with hills/inclines, make sure there is no oil or grease on the traction tires. That tends to contribute to "wheel slip" issues when going uphill. If worse comes to worse and you cannot find any gears, you could potentially replace the motorized truck with one from a company called Northwest Shortline. They make a motorized drive called a "Stanton Drive Truck". The motor is inside the truck itself and does not take up space in the locomotives body. However, you'd have to make a section of flooring to mount it in place and that's not hard to do. To add more weight, you can use those small, 1/4", flat wheel weights that have an adhesive backing on them. Just stick those inside the loco shells walls and or on the lower frame close to where the wheels are.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

@WWIIREBEL Yes, I've read about those NWSL drives. I bought these so long ago that they're nostalgic for me. And I dont really want to put much money into them. Thanks for watching.

[@carlgauntletttrains3026]

Hi John, I had the same problem with a British loco. A Bachmann class 45 diesel. There are a number of guys selling 3D printed gears off Ebay. Problem solved, it always seems to be the same gear. All the best. Carl.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

That's a good idea, to find3d printed gears. You're right that it seems to be the same gear that goes bad.

[@dagny241]

I can't seem to find the gear anywhere online. Can you send me the link to one?

[@chasesrailwaylinesrr6447]

These older Bachman engines are very similar to lifelike though The gears on bachmann tend to crack I have fixed two diesels with 3d printed gears

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

@chasesrailwaylinesrr6447 Nice! I don't know anything about 3d printing, but it sounds like the way of the future for fixing this stuff.

[@chasesrailwaylinesrr6447]

I use it because it's better than the gluing tactic We always try it but it never works I only had once when it actually did work, It was on a damaged bachmann 0-6-0 and it is still working up to now

[@christopherdelgaudio9484]

Nice basic fun vid buddy thanks

[@MosriteCharlie]

A clicking sound indicates split gears. An old Bachmann is like fishing for carp. You filet the fish, throw it away, and eat the board. Dump the Bachmann chassis and install one made by Athearn.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

Thanks for commenting. I had heard about the clicking and split gears so that's why I borrowed the gears from another loco. But I would just buy a whole Athearn engine and throw the Bachmann out, or use the shell for a wreck scene or something like that.

[@autoharpmeditations944]

I remember the Swift reefer!

[@crsrdash-840b5]

Wait...I'm confused? Is this O-gauge or HO Scale?

[@xxxx-hw5we]

In this video, you are looking at his HO scale models. The O gauge is larger by 1/2 in size and because of it, HO (Half 'O') gets it's name which is the abbreviated form of it's description .

[@crsrdash-840b5]

@@xxxx-hw5we OKay. It's just confusing between your name and title - John's O Gauge & HO Trains. SMT is great for a young man. I love his layout. What are your curves? Do you run code 83 or code 100 rails?

[@xxxx-hw5we]

@@crsrdash-840b5 My screen name should be seen as 'xx xx' although I do not know why. At any rate, I run on a club layout with over 5000 feet of hand laid code 100 track and turnouts are as great as 45 degrees in some areas. So this is not a concern for me. While I do watch and appreciate SMT, he doesn't really do in depth diagnosis and repairs as elite does. I have watched enough SMT's videos that he is now predictable. Every repair must include cleaning of the motor armature with the fiberglass pencil and a little lightweight oil in the end bearings. This is OK, but he neglects other aspects that need attention. He will clean his wheels but I rarely see him gauge them. I'm not ridiculing him, I just wish he would go farther to explain and display the correct method for the benefit of his audience. Ever see him strike both ends of live wire together to determine if he has power? While he is doing it with no ill effects, no one should be doing this as there are correct methods of determining if your wires have power that are safe for everyone to use. Attaching both wires to a multimeter is one.

[@crsrdash-840b5]

@@xxxx-hw5we I agree in terms of SMT youth and inexperience. however, the fact that he can repair and maintain models from pre-1980's is amazing! I grew up in that era and the 70's and never learn how to clean and repair such things. I give him credit to SMT in the modern age of electronics and software model railroading. He has a talent that is being shared, even if he does not realize the FULL Potential of his efforts! Give him another 35 years and he will be supreme!

[@xxxx-hw5we]

@@crsrdash-840b5 35 years? I do not have the time or the patience. This is why I took the the time to learn myself how to tune, maintain and repair my own power and rolling stock years ago. But I digress.

[@autoharpmeditations944]

Old traction tires tend to get hard & brittle with age, with less traction.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

Under good magnification they look OK with no cracking, but I think you're right. I'm going to try a liquid plastic traction tire product I've seen.

[@yodoglover400]

For one thing, the hill is too steep inmo, and another is you might need new traction tires. Also check your track. Maybe has some oil or dirt that's making it slip so bad.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

That Athearn blue box model doesn't have traction tires. But, yes, the grade is too steep, and on top of that the curves are less than 18" radius, which also robs power. The track plan is from Lin Wescott's old book "101 Track Plans."

[@ЛЬВИНИ]

Very nice, like!!!

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

Thank you for watching. I'm glad you liked it.

[@MosriteCharlie]

Substitute an Athearn Blue Box F-7 chassis and you will be happier.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

Thank you for watching. Athearn is certainly better but I don't want to put any more $ into those old trains. They're just nostalgic for me the way they are.

[@caedmon2behrens186]

I have a Bachmann F9 my grandpa gave me for my birthday. Some idiot painted one of the screw heads on the wiring part on the motor.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

@caedmon2behrens186 Is the paint on the screw head something they did at the time of manufacture, to show if it's been opened up previously, in case of warranty claim?

[@caedmon2behrens186]

@@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains I never knew that was something they did. Guess I should've researched it. The paint is like a rust brown.

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

@@caedmon2behrens186 Sounds like it might be that. But I'm no expert.

[@FrankTedesco]

RUNNING ON CARPET...