# New Bachmann Mogul won't move...



## clairm (Aug 6, 2013)

I just got my first large scale locomotive, a Bachmann 1:20.3 Scale 2-6-0 Mogul (not the industrial one). I ordered it from trainworld and got it a few days later. I don't have any track yet so, after carefully unpacking it, I grabbed by trusty MRC Model 501 ThrottlePack. When I touch the wires to the wheels I can hear the motor running, the headlight and firebox light shine, but the wheels don't move at all. I can adjust the throttle and the motor responds up and down, but it seems like there is no connection between the motor and the wheels. I've also found that I can move the wheels by hand with little effort. So what do you recommend? Contact trainworld? Bachmann? Take it apart and see if I can fix it my self???

Thanks!


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

That would be a broken main gear. Common flaw on the 2-6-0, 4-4-0, and outside-frame 2-8-0. (They all use the same gear.) 

You have a few options. First, it's under warranty, so Bachmann will repair it for you. You might contact Trainworld to see if they'd swap it out for you on their end, or if you have to go directly to Bachmann yourself. That'll be the easiest way to get yourself running again. The downside is that it's the design of the gear itself that's suspect, so there's no guarantee that the gear won't fail sometime down the road. The 2-6-0 and 4-4-0 installations aren't nearly as prone to breakage as the 2-8-0 for some unbeknownst reason, but it's always a remote possibility. 

If you're good with mechanical things, you can replace the gear yourself with a replacement gear from Northwest Short Line. They list a 24-tooth gear for the 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 (Part #2223-6), but I've never seen a 24-tooth gear in those gearboxes. All the ones I've seen (and have heard from others seeing) are 25-tooth gears used also in the 2-8-0. (Part #2226-6) These replacement gears are made from Delrin, which has shown to be more durable than the stock gears. But you've got to do the replacement yourself (or find someone who will). It's not difficult, and you can find instructions on line (I forget where exactly), but if you're all thumbs mechanically, it might not be the best option. 

If you do take the gearbox apart, you _may_ get lucky and find that the gear is only broken at the hub, and not all the way to the end. If that's the case, you can repair the gear by cutting thin slices of 3/8" inside-diameter brass tube to make reinforcement collars to go over the hubs of the gears. That and some JB Weld to put the gear back in place, and you should be back in business. I don't recommend that if the gear is cracked all the way to the edge, but if it's not, you can salvage what's there. (I did this on a 4-4-0, and it's run great ever since.) 

Good luck. Know that since those locos have come out, Bachmann has re-engineered how they do gears and drives, so these are really the last of the weak brigade. Still frustrating, most definitely, but--hopefully--easily remedied. 

Later, 

K


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

It's under warantee, send it back. 
Your "Take it apart and see if I can fix it my self???" doesn't inspire that confidence... 
There are known issues with various generations of B'mann locos. Main gears have been known to split on the axle allowing free spinnin'. 
Call trainworld and get a shipping form. 

Welcome to the hobby, I'm sorry you gor a rude intro, it does get better. 

John


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## clairm (Aug 6, 2013)

There's your problem...


Since I plan on converting the locomotive to battery power, I figured that now would be a good time to get familiar with opening it up. 

I found three cracks in the brand-new gear, one of them all the way through. The gear spun easily on the shaft. I bought both the 24 and 25 tooth gear from NWSL, just to make sure I got the right one. As mentioned above, the correct gear is the 25 tooth 2226-6. Neither of the new gears would actually fit on the shaft, so I CAREFULLY worked on the central opening with the Dremel. Man, that Delrin is tough stuff! I have no doubt that it will last a long time without cracking. I finally got it opened up enough that I could tap it onto the shaft with a small hammer and a socket resting on the gear. It's not going anywhere.

My next question is about the eccentric cams that move the valve gear. None of the walk-throughs that I have found on the Internet mention anything other than getting all the parts back on the shaft, but I can see that each side has two different black plastic disks. that are a 90 degrees out of phase. And each disk can be placed in two different locations on the shaft that are 180 degrees out of phase. That makes for a lot of different combinations!!! Is there one correct way to get this back together? Are both sides the same, or are they supposed to be out of phase? Is this just a visual thing, or will the locomotive not run properly if I don't get this back together exacty right?

Thanks again,

Clair


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

You need to take photos and make drawings. What you don't want is any valve rods moving together. 
I had one brand new from the factory that did. Looked..odd. 
I'd have to take one apart to see how they go....but it shouldn't be too hard. There is an inner and an outer...those have to be correct. 
And yes, no matter what others say, one gear for the 4-4-0/2-6-0 and another for the 2-8-0. 
Returning the loco would have done nothing more than gotten you another cast plastic gear that would eventually get you right back where you were. 
TOC


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

This guy does it all with one hand. 
He actually puts the second side the wrong way around at the end of the video. 
There are 4 videos showing the complete procedure. 


Andrew


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

TOC is right. Unless Bachmann has metal replacement gears, you will have the same problem down the road. My suggest is to call Barry at Barry's Big Trains. Do a google search on Barry's Big Trains for his phone number. He has fixes for many B'mann locomotives. His prices are reasonable and his upgrades are excellent. If you like the engine, spend a little more money and get it fixed right. chuck


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## clairm (Aug 6, 2013)

Funny, that's the video I used to get it apart. He throws all four plastic disks together in a pile and says they are all interchangeable, which clearly they are not. At least I kept the two sides separate so I could see that there are two different disks on each side, I just don't know the order or orientation. I chose an orientation and put it back together and it runs, I'll take a video and then maybe some of you rivet counters can tell me if it looks correct or if I should have another go.

Clair


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

And yes, no matter what others say, one gear for the 4-4-0/2-6-0 and another for the 2-8-0. 
Dave, I'd love to agree with you about different gears for the 2-8-0 vs. the 4-4-0/2-6-0, but all the ones I've had apart have the same gear. Dunno if Bachmann changed something at some point or what--I keep looking for a 24-tooth gear whenever I crack open a 4-4-0/2-6-0 to repair it. There has to be a reason NWSL offers different gears, but I've never encountered a 24-tooth gear. Don't know what else to tell ya on that. That's why I tell folks to count the teeth then order the appropriate gear based on the number of teeth. The NWSL 25-tooth gear works very nicely in the 4-4-0s and 2-6-0s I've changed. 

As for removing the valve motion, I use a small C-clamp to hold each side together as I slide it off the axle, so it all goes back on the same way it came off. I've heard others use tape or zip ties or something similar. It sounds daunting at first, but it's actually pretty simple. If you didn't, and things are already apart, use this as a guide: 










The spacers referenced in the photo are on the 2-6-0, and are thin slivers of styrene tubing (I think I actually used slices of a Bic pen barrel) designed to keep the center axle from having too much lateral play once you remove those pins that hang down from the gearbox. (They're designed to keep the blind drivers from falling off the rails if the curves get too sharp.) But more to your question, it shows the orientation of the eccentric disks. 

My suggest is to call Barry at Barry's Big Trains. 
Alas, Barry does not have a replacement gearbox for the 4-4-0/2-6-0. I wish he did. I've toyed with the idea of seeing if his 2-8-0 replacement gearbox would work, but you'd have no room for the valve motion if you did that. I'm pretty sure you can cut away enough of the boiler to make it fit. 

The Delrin NWSL gear should prove reliable. I've had locos with the old NWSL gauge 1 motor blocks running on my dad's railroad for years that use gears cut from the same material. We've actually retired all those locos, but not for lack of working motors and gears. I'm actually now taking those motors and using them as replacement motors for my Bachmann 4-4-0 and 2-6-0s. 

Later, 

K


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Clair, 
Yes, there was missing info between video 3 and 4. He realized he put it together incorrectly then miraculously it was all together in the last video. He said he has done it many times. I wonder how many weeks it was between video 3 and 4. You are obviously not the only one that has this reassembly problem.









Andrew


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## clairm (Aug 6, 2013)

EBT's photo should have all the info I need to get it back exactly right. I was considering leaving off the guide pins and it's nice to know that I should install additional spacers while I'm at it. Thanks for all the help!

Clair


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