# Improving Bachmann J&S long coaches



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a set of three Bachmann J&S long coaches that my wife and I have detailed to match our fictitious locla line. They work well except for the 
power pickup--they ave copper tabs that rub on the wheel flanges. They make noise and add drag

So I'd like to get rid of them. How to do it?

I could convert the cars to battery but I'd rather not do that. Or I could try replacing the trucks

Aristocraft makes a ball bearing truck or its Sierra coaches. The sell for @ $20-25 a set. Would they work? They are presumably 1:29 scale (or are they?), while the Bachmann coaches are what? 1:24?  Does anyone know if I could swap in the Aristo trucks and be rid of the power tabs? Would the coupler tang now be too short, would the cars ride lower. etc etc. 

I could also get a set of Aristo roller bearing trucks without wheels and maybe use the metal wheels from the bacjmann coaches, although that sounds like trouble


Any ideas?


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## Rookwood Central (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Improving Bachmann J&S long coaches*

Unless you are a constant night runner of trains, why not just disconnect the pick ups altogether, = no lights.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

we like the lights--my wife especially likes to run the tran at tighlight


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Personally, I'd go with the LGB ball bearing w/power pick-up wheels. The diameter is nearly identical to Bachmann and the rolling resistance is (of course) nil! One thing though - I have been told that these ball bearing sets can rust solid!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blink.gif I don't leave them out in all kinds of weather so I have never had problems with them! I have converted ALL of my 1:22.5 passenger rolling stock to them (well, except the ones that are battery! I have decided to leave them as is.) I even have a number of sets that I have never opened if you are interested.


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## jebouck (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary Raymond bb wheelsets with elec pick-up.
Heckuva lot cheaper that LGB!

jb


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

The garry raymond wheels, unless I read it wrong, are $31 for two axles--is that right? That's a lot--it'd be over 60 bucks per car. Aristo sierra trucks are under $30 for 4 axles with trucks. Althugh i agree the Gary Raymond wheels look better


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## jaycosnett (Jan 4, 2008)

LGB BB wheels have been going for $60 and up on eBay for 2 axles, so personally I'm liking Gary's prices about now!



Also, I've usually only seen one axle per truck w/power pick up, so 2 BB axels per car should get you, er, lit. 'Course, you'd negate 1/2 of the smooth rolling benefit of the BBs, but you might be able to get BB wheels without power pickup for even less.

Something else that people have done to Bachmann coaches is to splice them together to get a car that's closer to prototypical length. I'm hoping to do that and there are a number of threads in the archives on this.

Cheers!

Jay


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

I have two sets of three of the Bachmann J&S (1:22.5 Big Hauler series) cars.  (2 cars plus combine in both cases).

One set, purchased new, has the metal sprung tabs which make contact with the axles and consequently cause drag and make noise.  As I only run in the dark infrequently I have put  rubber bands around the tabs to make them inoperative until needed for darkness operations.

The other set was purchased second-hand and the lighting is battery operated (9V as used also in Annie tenders.)

This has given a great degree of flexibilty in passenger operations although my line is mainly a freight line. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/satisfied.gif


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## david bunn (Jan 4, 2008)

I have changed the stock contacts on my coaches for thin phosphorbronze strips which bear on the wheel treads,almost no noise or drag and good contact,doesn't take long to do and a very cheap fix.
regards
Bunny


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Well I finally got fed up with the scraping noise and the drag and decided to install ball bearing wheels. AML makes a set in 1:29: I tried to order that but they were not yet available from any of my regular suppliers. Gary Raymond wheels were more expensive but available and sized to match Bachmann better, so I went with those 

As people here said, a really nice wheelset--well made, no rolling resistance. I added one ball bearing axle per truck, to keep the cost down. Thanks for the advice 


While I was at it I changed the incandescent bulbs to LEDs--I don't want to have to open these things up very often--and added, per Dave Bodnar's suggestion, a 1000 uf capacitor to the circuit to eliminate flicker. I would have used a larger capacitor but radio shack didn't have any with radial leads. The capacitor and a bridge rectifier are in the "toilet" of each coach. So far so good--I'll try to get some pictures posted


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