Will it Run? - eBay Purchase Bachmann N Scale GP40 - Trains with Shane Ep3

[@robertbailey4454]

I used to have an N scale setup. Really enjoyed it.

[@lesforan7695]

I have had quite a bit of experience with N scale Bachmann F units. I have worked with N scale since 1978. Over the years, I have seen a lot of improvement in the Bachmann locos. Originally, the F units had brass gears. They were quite noisey. We called them "coffee grinders". They did run fairlly well for their time. Apparently in an attempt to quiet them, the brass gears were replaced with white nylon gears. These were quiet, but the nylon gears would split. Finally, they started using black plastic gears and I think these solved the problem, Back in the days of "coffee grinders" I had a pair of F9's I named "Cheech and Chong". In an attempt to quiet them, I overlubricated them. One day while attempting to start a train, they went "up in smoke" in front of my passenger station.

[@GreatBowlsAfire]

❤😂😂😂👍💯💨

[@michaelmorgan7893]

A lot of the older N Bachmann locomotives sound like coffee grinders when they run. Even the early SD40-2 with flywheels do.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Yeah most of the ones I have are pretty growly.

[@michaelmorgan7893]

@@Trains-With-Shane I once knew a salesman at Visalia Hobbies who would say to run toothpaste in the gears to "wear down" the gears to quiet them. I tend to think he wanted to sell me new locomotives.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@michaelmorgan7893 quite possibly. Because logically it doesn't make sense. I think it's usually lose tolerances that cause noise.

[@Wizzard033]

@@michaelmorgan7893 Actually some toothpaste will polish some plastics. You can buff acrylic headlights lenses with Crest. I have 7 of these 2006ish Bachmann and they all sound like a bad gear mesh to me. I might even try Crest in one that's NIB and sounds awful and just see

[@michaelmorgan7893]

@@Wizzard033 let us know how well it works, if it does. That engineering plastic those gears are made of, is kind of difficult to work with. I wouldn't want to do something that might chip the teeth.

[@johnwallace4797]

I'm a former N Scaler who watches SMT. I've been hoping someone would come along and do a similar series in this scale...THX...

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Harrison's work in HO scale was the inspiration for me doing the whole "will it run" N scale series. 🙂 Glad to have you here, John.

[@michaeljohnson7493]

My very first N scale locomotive was a Bachmann F9 Union Pacific that looked much like this one inside. It wasn’t running well after a relatively short period of use, so I went in to troubleshoot. Turns out, the wheels were dirty. I felt dumb; I never considered the possibility because it hadn’t run that much. I found out later that my aunt and young cousin had visited the family one night after I had gone to bed early and my cousin ran the train. A lot. That was the only locomotive I had at the time, so it logged some miles that evening. Happy ending: it ran great when reassembled and I learned about this type of locomotive. These are by far the easiest ones I’ve worked on, but I did run into the same issues you did.

[@armandoperez7967]

I still have a similar N scale GP40 but it’s painted for Southern Pacific. I do have a red and silver warbonnet Minitrix Santa Fe U28C.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I've just recently started adding some more Southern Pacific stuff to my roster. All in the Bloody Nose scheme.

[@robertkindermann96]

Great vid. As an n scaler since treble o days, I enjoy this. Keep these coming.

[@NJP76]

Over the years (since 1987) I have acquired probably no less than ten of this generation Bachmann locomotives. Some purchased, and some "inherited". Every one of them (at least the ones that run) has that Bachmann growl. Naturally, I have taken them all apart at one time or another. I find that these are actually pretty simple to work on. I have actually taken trucks apart for cleaning, etc. But then I have a lot of parts for these units, so replacement/repair is a little more forgiving. One thing I have noticed about the motors is that (in my experience anyway) the three pole skew wound motors are very smooth on the low speed end. Much better than the straight wound motors. In fact, I have some three pole skew wound that will rival some five pole skew wound motors out there. I even had one that I thought was stopped, only to come back an hour later and see that it had moved about a foot on its own. Not sure we could ever repeat that, but we all got a good laugh from it. Makes me wonder is one could possibly do a Can motor conversion on one of these. I actually still use a couple of old Bachmann units today (late 2023). They are definitely showing their age, and of course still growl like a snarling cat, LOL. But the fact that they are still running is kind of a testament to their overall durability....or maybe my own tenacity in keeping them running? 🤔 Anyways, just my contribution to the conversation here. I have seen a few of your other videos, and really like what you are doing. So thanks for what you do here.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thanks! The newer videos have a much higher recording quality. These Bachmann with the black axle gears are far more forgiving and less likely to be cracked than the white gears. I actually replaced the trucks on a GP50 high hood so that I could have the black gears on it. I don't have much of a vintage bachmann parts stash anymore. I used up pretty much everything to get a small handful of units running.

[@NJP76]

@@Trains-With-Shane Thanks for the reply. I just took a look through some of my "salvage yard". There is still a lot of old Bachmann stuff in there. Not sure what condition it is all in, but I did notice that most of the trucks do have the (dreaded) white gears. Fortunately, they seem to be all right. Got a couple of motors, frame halves, and bodies, as well as some other random stuff lying around as well. Looks like I have just found another project: Sorting out all of this Bachmann stuff. Will be interesting to see what I come up with.

[@williamsantangelo]

Thank You Shane nice little service!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

You're Welcome! These old Bachmann mechanisms are not the greatest but they aren't incredibly difficult to repair or service.

[@Wizzard033]

that black pvc tape lays flat on the chassis on the flat spot where the cab would be I think it's to shield between the cabin/lighting and the actual drive train

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Good call! I didn’t think of that!

[@thetruetoastie3014]

The comutator can be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol i clean my comutators all the time

[@garyziegler1099]

I'm glad to have run across you servicing an N scale locomotive. Hope to see more N scale locomotive repairs. Great job, thanks

[@msnow22000]

I bought 4 new Bachmann N GP40’s off EBay. Brand new. The new line has been retooled! Bachmann did a very good job on the new locos. Very smooth runners and so far after a little more than a year, no problems. They speed match very well (DC) with my Kato locos. They are a vast improvement over what they used to be.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I've got two new-ish GP40's. Think I have videos of them both on the channel. one is MKT which is DC only and the other is BNSF with is DCC/Sound. They are quite good runners. bought them both brand new as well

[@msnow22000]

@@Trains-With-Shane Cool! I’ll look for those videos. I bought two MKT, one NS operation lifesaver, and a Boston and Maine. The two MKT run really well coupled to my Intermountain MKT SD40-2.

[@christopherorourke6543]

My very first N scale train set I got for Christmas 1968 when I was 15. It was a Bachmann Union Pacific GP20 diesel locomotive, A Southern gondola car, Atlantic Coast Line stock car, a DuPont tank car & a Union Pacific caboose. All of the locomotives, freight cars, cabooses & passenger cars only had the Rapido couplers. The GP20 motor burned out, it became a dummy for my Atlas Union Pacific Alco PA diesel locomotive which worked better-this was in 1970. I model only N scale, I have 5 Kato diesel locomotives, the Southern Pacific GS4 4-8-4 Daylight steam locomotive that pulls the Morning Daylight 10 car set which is my excursion train, all 6 Kato locomotives work great. My oldest son set me from Italy where he works at the U.S.Air Force side of Aviano AFB set me a Bachmann N scale train set-Union Pacific 2 FT diesel locomotives,1 Union Pacific, 1 Alaska a Union Pacific Fairbanks-Morse Diesel locomotive made by Atlas that doesn’t work, the Bachmann FT Diesels need some work, 2 freight cars & a Union Pacific caboose-all have the Rapido couplers that I plan to change over to Micro Train knuckle couplers. The Bachmann Union Pacific diesel locomotive will become a display locomotive.

[@tommurphy4307]

proto motors are crap. the first thing i do is avoid buying them. if i have to work on them i use kato brushes and carefully resurface the sectors of the commutators. we have not had any failures of reworked protos, as yet.

[@NJP76]

That growling sound is very common in Bachmann units of this vintage. Been into N Scale since 1987 and every Bachmann I have ever had makes that same sound. I call it the "Bachmann Growl", LOL. I tried for literally years to find and eliminate that sound, replaced parts, light oil, grease (Never try that!) and just about anything I could think of. I finally gave up and just ran them and put up with the noise. They are decent runners...just a little noisy.

[@tommurphy4307]

that's easy- enjoy some music while you run trains. i do and i have no desire for sound-equipped trains.

[@Death_From_Below]

Nice breakdown video. I have many Kato and Atlas from the 80's with Rapido couplers. Need to do something with them.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thanks Bob!. Check this video out. I've got at least a partial solution to the Rapido coupler problem kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXjYlpSfi9ekaqc

[@harryedmunds6652]

A Bachmann GP40 ATSF was the first N Scale locomotive I ever owned. That was back in 1980 when my first wife, now ex, introduced me to N Scale, as I had just sold all my Lionel O Gauge trains to a Lionel collector. By today's standards, it was junk and ran like crap, but was OK then. I moved up to Trix, Atlas, then KATO and now won't purchase anything new but KATO. I now have around 40 KATO locomotives, 15 Atlas locomotives, 6 Athearn locomotives, 4 Intermountain locomotives, 4 life-like locomotives and a couple of Trix units. All are diesel as I'm not into steam. I tried a Walthers unit but it ran like crap so I put the shell on an Atlas frame and it runs great now. The problem I have with Atlas is they won't put ditch lights on their contemporary locomotives. Also, all are DC as I have many older KATO units that don't have space for DCC. I really would like to find an infrared or RF remote throttle set up, but haven't had any luck!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I don't think i've seen anything that would work. I know some of Bachmann's new HO scale stuff has bluetooth but i'm not sure if that's based on DC or DCC. Hardest part about trying to do a remote throttle is setting up blocks if you want to try to run multiple trains at a time. Now that being said there is probably somebody who has at least attempted to do so with a combination of Arduino boards, motor shields, power supplies, and likely using WiFi to control it all. Most of my new rolling stock is Kato, Atlas, and Broadway Limited (found a BLI unit I just couldn't live without despite their poor track record with decoders blowing up). But I also have two new Bachmann GP40's. One is DC and one is DCC/Sound. And honestly they're both REALLY good runners. Bachmann's new stuff is pretty darn good. And still cheaper than anything else. Although it's not MUCH cheaper than a new Atlas or Kato. I've only got a small handful of DCC locomotives. I'd like to convert the whole fleet but that's expensive and the older split frames aren't easy to convert as you have to electrically isolate the motors, etc.

[@tommurphy4307]

@@Trains-With-Shane usually its tougher to find room for the decoder than it is to remove the gm-5 motor contacts and solder leads to it.

[@tommurphy4307]

the older atlas/kato flywheel hood units are fantastic runners. i see lots of those on our club's layout and they are great to shop.

[@zz7007]

New to your channel and model railroading- N Scale. I enjoyed the video and now the channel.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Glad to have you here! I've got a few videos that are "Watch this before buying a used Bachmann, Atlas, etc." that may be useful if you buy a bunch of stuff used on eBay or Facebook marketplace like I do. Help ya avoid some of the less desirable mechanisms.

[@jamesburba1995]

Buy a can of "CRC QD Electronic Cleaner", It's safe on plastic, and it will clean ALL the grease and oil off of every and any thing. I use it all the time for cleaning and tuning up my fleet of n-scale locomotives. You'll love it.

[@tommythomason6187]

Bachmann's N-scale trainset locomotives were the best of that type - especially the 70s models with the noisy metal gears. They really ran well. Life-Like and Model Power's offerings then were mainly not dual drive and so, not as good. Best era was in the late 80s, when these trainset manufacturers started producing good quality locomotives in N scale, that looked good, ran well and were affordable. Most of them also came with strong, torquey, 5-pole motors. Also, the Katos came along with locomotives like the GP50. I had two of them.

[@tommurphy4307]

a lot of N scalers still run the hong kong drives. the worn ones are actually fairly quiet for all-metal.

[@tommythomason6187]

@@tommurphy4307 A neat hobby store near me had shoe boxes full of those metal Hong Kong drive for only $15.00 each. I bought scores of them - F9s, GP40s, U36Bs, etc.. That was way back in the early 1990s.

[@Santaanacanyon]

Bachmanns new gp40 uses a small can motor. It’s quieter, but runs hot. I think it’s an N20 6v motor.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I have a few of the newer GP40's and have noticed the same. They run a little warm but run VERY well.

[@toms.3977]

You really need a small magnetic bowl for the hardware. Since it's been 3 years I would assume you already have one. :)

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I definitely do own one lol but I usually don't bother with it for these small projects. It stays out in the shed for when im doing work on my project vehicles.

[@robriberte]

I also cleaned with the point of a needle the space between both semi-cylinders of the engine rotor, removing the accumulated carbonization. This must be done with great care

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Yeah cleaning the spaces between the copper plates of the commutator is tedious and risky. I've done it on quite a few Bachmanns at this point.

[@tommurphy4307]

if you use a good conducting lube, you can forget about doing that. it's very easy to reject a motor that way.

[@Docnty]

My Bachmann GP40 must be older than this one, the chassis is completely different from this one, going to be a pil tricky I think working on it, haven't quite figured out how to get the trucks out so I can clean them with everything else.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I've got a video on older Bachmanns as well. Probably has something similar to what you have, The stuff that were older than the one I have here NEVER ran very well unless its one of the very first with metal gears. Then they're noisy but run pretty well for their age.

[@Docnty]

Hi Shane, this is the 1969 model, yes, with the metal gears, I figured the trucks out after messing with them for literally at least 6 hours of messing with the one truck. There are a couple of other people who use toothpicks, now, something I realized that I have, and with try, I have plastic Dental Floss Picks,I bought to use to take the shells off the chassis's, but are too thin, I'll have to give one of them a try on the commutator. What is the video of the older Bachmann 's that you mentioned above? I'll look for it and watch it.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@Docnty kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4q8Y62VZdqrl7s

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@Docnty Also here is one where i tore apart one like you have. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5CUgGRtq5KoeNU

[@Docnty]

@@Trains-With-Shane thank you Shane for these 2 videos, I'm very grateful 🙏.

[@sams2960]

I picked up a GP50 off ebay that "sorta ran" with a lot of power like yours .... Then it started smoking and I discovered the top motor brush was arcing badly .... it was more carbon dust than metal ... so I'm hoping a new motor I found will get this locomotive running again.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Unfortunately the motors on these things are VERY susceptible to burning out. The brushes are tiny and there just isn't a proper amount of torque. Let us know how you get on with the replacement motor!

[@sams2960]

@@Trains-With-Shane Well this used motor from ebay runs but something else is wrong now too as it won't make a 9.75 turn and it shucked off a traction tire. I'm over this Bachmann stuff. I will stick with my vintage Atlas RS-3's that run great. The Bachmann GP-50 NS shell is in great condition. My fault for buying used on eBay to begin with, I usually stick with "new" or "mint" condition bids. The trucks and dogbones that came with the motor off ebay are from a different model of locomotive as the dogbones are shorter and the 4 wheel trucks are silver. After $60 for an engine that ran for about a week and $18 for another motor, I'm done with used Bachmann stuff. I have 3 Atlas RS-3's that purr like kittens. This is now my 2nd Bachmann engine that is a paperweight, the other being my original 0-4-0 switcher from 50 years ago that has some sort of gear binding issue. Atlas 3 Bachmann 0 Final Score and game over. LOL

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@sams2960 LOL I certainly can't blame you. I have done some musical chairs with parts from later Bahcmann models to make my earlier ones run or run better. Mostly the trucks to get ones with the better black plastic gears rather than the famously horrible white nylon gears. The new Bachmann stuff made in the past 10 years or so is actually pretty good. The problem is that the value isn't really there on their new stuff when you compare it to what you can get an Atlas or Kato unit for. I'll still buy one from time to time but usually only when they have a specific road i'm looking for that nobody else offers. And even at that I've even resorted to having Kato units custom panted instead recently. Either way Sam I hope you stick around and continue to comment, ask questions, etc. The conversations are one of my favorite parts of my channel.

[@sams2960]

@@Trains-With-Shane Yup on the white plastic gear, both the locomotive and the trucks i got with the 2nd motor have that big white worm gear but the have black ones on the underside. I just found a "new unused in original box" Atlas GP-7 that will do the job I had planned for the Bachmann GP50. I bought it at the asking price of $60 before a bidding war started. LOL I don't model any particular railroad so the colors are secondary compared to "new" vs "used". I also run old rapido couplers as I don't see any problem with them and I can get rolling stock for a fraction of what microtrains coupler cars cost. So obviously I am not into "photo realistic" modelling where one has to look closely to see the "it's just a model" clues in the picture. LOL If you think you could use any of these Bachmann parts or the NS GP-50 shell, let me know and we'll figure out how to get them to you.

[@sams2960]

UPDATE: After taking a break from the tiny pieces, I looked at it again today and discovered I had pinched one of the truck pickups. I got that straightened and got the traction tire back on after a LOT of trial and error and now the GP50 is running again thanks to the replacement motor. The only casualty is the rear light which bounced to the hard floor and I found by stepping on - crunch. Sigh. Other than that and the "Bachmann Growl", it seems to be running just fine now so my offer to send you the parts is hereby withdrawn 🤨😂

[@AegisPupus]

If you are going to use a Q-Tip to clean electronics, wrap a piece of Scott Towel around the cotton ball.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I usually don't use them much anymore.

[@AegisPupus]

@@Trains-With-Shane I learned that when cleaning mouse wheels in the days when mice still had balls. Prevents the fibres from shedding.

[@davidsheriff8989]

Painstaking work....patience as they say is a virtue....

[@Trains-With-Shane]

It is. N scale even more so than H.O. scale.

[@robertcooney8831]

You have amazing patience...

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I appreciate it, Robert. Although it is not always the case, lol.

[@robertbailey4454]

Maybe the shims of plastic you pulled out were installed as dampers to reduce noise?

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Looking back I believe that they were actually meant to block excess light from the lightbulbs going up and illuminating the plastic. Although without them in their light bleed is not bad at all.

[@epe1238]

They're factory. I assumed the tape was to stop lube from flying up into the cab and staining the windows. I recall it only being in the short hood by the glass.

[@tommurphy4307]

@@epe1238 they use a plastic-friendly grease so that can't happen

[@lgzildjian]

eraser app! Awesome!! First time watcher and that was PERFECT!

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Glad you enjoyed it. Welcome to the channel! Plenty more of these videos done since then.

[@mgamga9476]

Here is a trick for all. Last night was first time ever working with N scale. Same chassis. The screw pins kept pushing through the back as I put it together. So I used a piece of foam board put 2 Brad nails in with the heads sticking up about 1/8 inch, properly spaced for the pins. Lay the chassis down so the nails hold the pins in place. (This also stops the chassis from moving on you) then put everything together. It was much easier. I now have 2 pieces of foam board set up like this for the 2 different size bachmann chassis.

[@tommurphy4307]

i have no idea what youre talking about and i'm a motor man at my club.....

[@mgamga9476]

@@tommurphy4307 wish I can explain better. When you were putting your chassis together the chassis screws stood in place. When I put mine together the two chassis screws ( the ones with the square heads) kept pushing through and out the back.

[@leoptellier2085]

Check the brushes I have two and one of the brushes was worn down to about a 64th of an inch the other brush was almost brand new. Look closely and don't loose the small springs behind the brushes. Good luck

[@AlKaseltzer87]

I had mine apart one day doing some cleaning. Somehow, a thread from my shirt sleeve caught the brush retainer and bent it open, the spring came flying out. I ended up making a new spring. I used three strands of wire twisted around a nail just slightly smaller than the hole to make it. New spring works great when the motor is attached directly to a battery. Getting it running in the chassis reliably is a different story.

[@tommurphy4307]

the thin brush may have been contaminated with something. this can happen with only one brush- like in your case.

[@rossdark713]

Why put the shell back on before testing? Makes it easier to pull apart if you have to go bak in and fix things. Less chance of breaking the shell, as you don't have to remove it again.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

🤷‍♂ just the way i did it on that video. Typically I go straight from the overview to the test track without removing the shell. I've done quite a few more since then.

[@Docnty]

I'm not sure if you're still using your knife to clean the commutators, but SMT, and a few others using toothpicks, alot safer than a knife on the commutator. I used a knife as well at first as well, now I use a toothpick, but I actually disassemble the motor, that style motor is easy to take apart, and much easier to clean. Thank you for your videos, they have been quite helpful. I have an SD40-2 like the 2 in eps 4 n 5, your videos were very helpful. Keep up the great work.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I haven't cleaned many commutators lately. Toothpicks aren't sharp enough to get into the ones on most N scale. But definitely suited for most of the stuff that Harrison works on which is mostly H.O. scale.

[@hessxpress3016]

Came here from smt mainline, keep it up your views will sky rocket

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thanks! I'm trying 🙂

[@mikeysfishingfuntime5070]

I've got the same exact model. I've had it for 6 years, and it's having issues now. I turn the power on and the lights come on, but it won't budge. Cleaned the track and the wheels really good...still nothing. Can you help me out?

[@Trains-With-Shane]

My only advise would be to tear it all down, inspect, and clean, something may be jammed. see if the motor runs without the trucks installed. If there is a cracked axle gear then it could cause a jam.

[@mikeysfishingfuntime5070]

Thanks. @@Trains-With-Shane

[@mikeysfishingfuntime5070]

axles all look good, cleaned everything top to bottom like you did in your video. Lights come on but still no movement. It's frustrating, because it ran so good, had to go to hobby shop, pay 40$ for a silver/red sante fe diesel Bachmann model from 60's/70's...and it sure struggles to run around the bends and curved track. damn

[@mikeysfishingfuntime5070]

and what do you use to clean your track???

[@alabama3226]

Not all oil are equal Whale oil is preferred for lubricating clocks white Lithium grease is good for plastic gears not Sewing machine oil use Triflow Oil Firstly, mineral oils are a great choice because they do not attack plastic and offer good operational .

[@tommurphy4307]

use vaseline it works fine

[@alabama3226]

@@tommurphy4307 Hey thanks good old Vaseline I totally forgot that stuff.

[@darkmoor7063]

shane did you go to libery model n scale trains club in kansas city mo

[@Trains-With-Shane]

No. I've never been up to Missouri. I'm in Texas.

[@3nglehart]

just curious if the motors can be upgraded to a flywheel equipped (5pole)?

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I'm sure it's technically possible but it would be a LOT of work. At that point i'd just switch to a newer Atlas or Kato and save the massive amount of trouble. You can get a new-ish Atlas or Kato for under $100 if you look around. And that's only about $40-$50 more than a decent used Bachmann. Also you can get a new-ish Bachmann GP40 (DC only) for ~$80 or so if you look around. I've got a few and they run great.

[@tommurphy4307]

absolutely. you can get the 5-pole motors from bachmann. the same motor used in the early spectrum dash-8's. they are about $15 and are compatible in anything with the china frame-type 3-polers. i use them to repower trix f-units. good question!

[@tommurphy4307]

i should tell you that you'll have to pull the flywheels and trim the shafts, but its still a cheap and worthwhile motor-swap. you'll like the upgrade....

[@3nglehart]

@@tommurphy4307 thanks for the tip :)

[@tommurphy4307]

the older hong kong bachmann GP40's (with the smaller motors) were actually better runners than the china plastic drives. i have a little 'junkyard' of these because a couple of our club members have them and occasionally they need parts. i'm doing motor duties for the club because our old motor man moved away on us. on our layout, the china plastic units are usually just siding queens (thankfully...).

[@mrk1075]

You’ve convinced me, I’m sticking with HO. 😂

[@Trains-With-Shane]

LOL definitely a LOT easier to service and repair than N scale. First locomotive I ever brought back from the dead was a good old H.O. scale Athearn blue box SD45.

[@HCely-qq1oh]

Althought its risky to try add a little more tension on the motors commutators springs. just a little should make the engine pull much better, and run a pennsil eraser on the commutator to help with the caebon build up.. Or just leave a bad engine alone. DONE! ☺

[@Trains-With-Shane]

"Don't get it right, just get it running." - David Freiburger

[@mandrillfoden]

Is there a C130 taxiing? 😄

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Yes. I've got it on loan from the local national guard unit because Texas summers suck and I need that much air movement.

[@mandrillfoden]

@Trains-With-Shane excellent 👍. Really enjoying the videos.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@mandrillfoden I appreciate that very much! sometimes the positive comments are the only reason I bother putting together a video.

[@thetruetoastie3014]

I just bought a Gp 30 40 and 50 40 and 50 are by bachmann 30 is by arnold

[@maxheadroom7687]

Great video, learnt a lot as new to n gauge but Why do you keep using grease laden ear buds to wipe over the other surfaces early in the video? Made me cringe and found myself saying “use a clean ear bud, bud”!!🤣

[@thetruetoastie3014]

The old motors in these are known to prefer one direction and the pickups are weird

[@Trains-With-Shane]

They're also way too small and run hot as a result often smoking commutators.

[@thetruetoastie3014]

@@Trains-With-Shane yes i know i now own three are from the generation before the one in this vid the whitebox gen and one is from this gen ironically the same loco and livery

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@thetruetoastie3014 Bachmann loved using that yellow/blue Santa Fe Freight Bonnet livery and loco number 3500. It ended up on a bunch of GP's. lol.

[@sonnyrosener7890]

You realløn have a lot to learn, but keep it going.

[@thetruetoastie3014]

The more you take it apart the easier it gets to work on 32:54

[@Trains-With-Shane]

I've taken apart plenty of them since then. Interestingly the early Kato units are a little bit more fiddly because of the little brass bearing blocks. But not too bad.

[@Wizzard033]

Just now finished doing maintenance on the first if these i have from 2005'ish. they all run poorly after being stored so long. The first one sounds better than factory and slow speed is much better. these are very fiddley :/

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Yeah even the models with the newer black gears were till using the same weak motors and crummy drive setup. But they were getting somewhere. At least fixing some of the problems that plagued them for a while. The newer stuff with the closed can motors are better. Now that being said as long as the motor wasn't smoked the black geared Bachmann's are worth investing a little time into with a little maintenance. Let me know how it turns out.

[@Wizzard033]

@@Trains-With-Shane i have one of the "Santa Fe 3500" GP40s running smoother than when new. It had some grease in the ends of the dog bones and the boogies from the factory. gonna dive into the second to night. I have two Bachmann "Amtrak 951s with cars on the bench one is a Hong Kong model and the white gears all moselty split. I'm using some ABS glue to reweld them together to see if it will help. None ran when i got them now zI just need gears. Might see if I can resin 3D print them too.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

@@Wizzard033 I've got a first run Hong Kong Bachmann set with the metal gears in storage. It's a GP40 as well but I can't remember which road. I think it may be Santa Fe. It's never been ran.

[@thetruetoastie3014]

46:40 these old timer locos are power hungry the low end isnt wanted they run better with older controllers

[@adamwilson2325]

Hi hello I'm Adam V Wilson I think you did great thank you Sir.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thanks Adam!

[@michaelmorgan7893]

Gotta love that chicken fat grease all over the place. Stuff gets gummed up and becomes like plastic itself. I had to completely disassemble a couple of MRC Alco locomotives in HO scale, and clean every drive gear, as the whole drive gear assembly was encrusted solid with that.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Yep. I've had some pretty well crusted solid with it. And now I want some chicken.

[@oasismike2]

Not Bob Ross -- more like Mr Carlson's Lab: youtube.com/@mrcarlsonslab -just a different subject matter. My step-dad wants trains. I know N-scale's too small for him, but it's also the only way he can have mountain scenery along a river on a 2' by 4' layout (so, I'll help with fiddly bits).

[@Trains-With-Shane]

set him up with a nice reliable layout and good quality rolling stock and he'll manage just fine. Might just set a speed limit, lol.

[@oasismike2]

@@Trains-With-Shane Makes more sense than bargain hunting -- thanks! Picked up a Bachmann trim-a-train for $5 - he hasn't tested it yet, but just from ur vids I know something with both driven trrucks, fly wheels and... the other caveats you went through...something reliable, thanks,

[@rwheatley0206]

Great video. Just subbed your channel.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Thank you! Glad to have you here!

[@dabendy5683]

remember me?

[@Trains-With-Shane]

How could I forget? lol. Hope you've brought tens of thousands of viewers with ya ;)

[@roady1710]

Shane I was dying laughing when you made the comment if you don't hold your tongue right these things can go in a bit difficult however you worded it it does crack me up when I watch people work in that tongue comes out and goes from one side over to the other Guess I've been lucky there I've never done it but to watch people I sit back and I don't say anything but boy I'm laughing inside My father-in-law who passed away to watch him work my God I thought he was going to bite it off a couple different times but that was just an a+ remark

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Glad I could churn up some smiles and fond memories. 🙂 For a lot of us proper tongue geometry is very important in certain hobby situations.

[@roady1710]

@@Trains-With-Shane not always hobby with my father-in-law home improvement like watching Tim Allen with his tongue hanging on every swing of the hammer on a nail head

[@sonnyrosener7890]

You realløn have a lot to learn, but keep going

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Care to elaborate or have any tips? I've done about 25 of these since then. Go give them a watch and let me know.

[@bobkohl6779]

Turn your fan off! 😉

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Let me see if i can borrow my friend's Delorean and head back in time 2 years to make that happen, lol. When it's summer time in Texas you need a fan, at all times.

[@troyb1733]

Eraser app....haha

[@Trains-With-Shane]

;)

[@sammiemagi6564]

Plastic on top

[@sammiemagi6564]

Plastic on top