# Trouble with my Bachmann open Streetcar



## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Hello everyone. This is my first post so go easy on me...lol. 

I'm from Australia and have recently bought a second hand Bachmann open street car on ebay (am I allowed to say that on here?). Anyway, I've laid my own tram track from aluminium and am using an Aristocrat auto reversing unit. 


I seem to be having a few problems with the above but the main problem (and perhaps the root of all my problems) is that one of the wheels of the streetcar is quite loose to the point where it just falls off if I remove the skirt (or whatever its called). 


Now, I believe the fact the car is wobbling everywhere and the wheel is not making the correct contact with the..um contact is my main problem. I've tried to stick it back on with bluetac and it seems to work better for a while but it then keeps coming loose. I haven't tried using glue because I'm worried the glue might go inside the motor block or I might not put the wheel back on straight.


Does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do. There is nowhere around here to go to and I haven't seen any spare wheels on ebay. Thanks in advance for any help.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Best thing is to replace the Bachman motor block with a USA block. USA has one the same size, but it is quieter and better made. You could try epoxying the wheel back on, should not be getting anything in the motor using the epoxy on the axle. Just clean it all off good. A wheel gauge could help keep it fairly straight, a bit of wobble could be all right. Or just measure carefully to match the space between the other wheels.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Jerry Barnes on 19 Oct 2009 09:04 AM 
Best thing is to replace the Bachman motor block with a USA block. USA has one the same size, but it is quieter and better made.



I'll second that...


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

you can also use an Aristo block. Use whatever you can find. 

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips9/trolly_tips.html


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## Ted_Roy (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, 

Which USA block is the right match? 

Ted.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry have you made the swap in the trolley with the USA block? And which one did you use? Later RJD


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Ted/RJ..... I've used the 44 Tonner block. It's a bit smaller than the GP blocks...... 

Yes, the Aristo Craft U25 and F units trucks work as will the Center Cab.


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

The wheelbase of the Aristo Alco brick is just a little too long, but it really doesn't show. The CC brick would be too short, but it probably wouldn't show either. 

The Aristo Alco brick has one advantage, it has a rocking axle providing true 3 point support. This keeps all four wheels on less than perfect track and helps the reliability of power pickup quite a bit. That rocking axle is the main reason that I changed the brick out in the first place and it worked.


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

you could also try some loctite to hold the wheel on. Loctite 222 should do the trick, I don't think you will need a stronger number


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Thanks guys for all your replies. I'll try some glue or loctite first of all and see how it goes. Hopefully it may work (fingers crossed). If not then I'll have to swap the block over but that looks a bit complicated (particularly if the screws don't go back in the existing screw holes - which I can't see them doing, and the wiring, etc







).


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Sooner or later the Bachmann block will strip the gears. 

Cost wise the USA is a great deal. 

You can get a direct replacement NWSL motor block.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Sizes of blocks are at this web site, quite handy. I think it was the 44 tonner USA.
http://gold.mylargescale.com/scotty...guide.html


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Only problem Jerry the site did not show the size for the 44 tonner USA brick. Later RJD


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, the blocks I used were 3.25" for the distance between the two axles, center to center.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry: That's good info but was not listed on the site you posted. Later RJD


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Sedda, 

I have an Bachmann open streetcar I bought new in 1988. The first streetcar fell apart mechanically in the first month. Took it back to my dealer and he replaced it no questions asked. It ran OK for about six months and became noisier and noisier. I finally put it on a shelf and it has remained there ever since. The blocks used in the streetcars was junk. If you like the model that well, then it will pay you to replace it with a USA block. You will NOT be satisfied with the constant repair. Just take this from one who has been there.


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

The streetcar brick has been updated since the really early ones. I had one dating from the early 90's and it truly was junk. When I just got tired of it, I sent it back to Bachmann and they replaced it with a new brick of a different design. This one ran MUCH better and I used it for something like 15 years. 

Being much better merely elevated it from total junk to a marginally usable runner. 

The Aristo brick that went in there was a very significant upgrade. Now I can say that it runs very well. It is smooth, quiet and has much more reliable power pickup. I've probably got more hours in on the Aristo brick in a year than I had before in the whole life of the Bachmann bricks.


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Well, I've bitten the bullet and have ordered a USA motor block from the US. It'll probably take a few weeks to get here. My question now is; How do you mount the block to the trolley? On George's Bachmann trolley tips page he shows styrene mounts but how do you attach that to the trolley? With glue? I don't know where to get styrene from. Will timber work (either balsa wood or some other reasonably light weight timber)? Thanks in advance for everyone's help so far. The response has been amazing.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Sedda. 
Whereabouts in Australia are you? 
If you are in Melbourne, Steve Atchison at Branchline usually keeps a fair selection of styrene sheet and shapes in stock.


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Thanks Tony. 

I'm in Rowville so I'm not too far away from Branchline in Croydon. So I take it the mounting blocks are glued on? What sort of glue? Sorry for all the questions but I try not to fiddle around with things. I just want to sit back and watch them run!


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I just glued mine on with super glue. Hot glue would work good also. Auto trim cement is another.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Sedda. After awhile with those real purty Bachmann trams you will ceratianly be able to sit and watch them. Without even moving your head. 
Those early tram mechs are junk. Much like the mech the "Lyn" they inflicted on the UK market.


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

I just received my USA trains replacement motor truck (G NW-2 & 20 Tonner). The motor didn't come with any instructions and I can't even see how it can be fixed in place (aside from one screw to the front and back of the block). 

I put the motor block on the track and nothing happens. Does something need to be connected up so it works or have I just bloody bought the wrong thing?


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

Sedda, the USA blocks come with separate motor and track power leads so that power can be switched within the loco body. I have not seen the 44 tonner block, but there might be 4 wires or pins on the block somewhere. Two will be power pickups, two will be motor wires. You'll need to use an ohmmeter to figure out which are which. Look for a few ohms between the motor leads and continuity from each power pickup lead to the wheels on one side or the other.


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Thanks George but, as I'm a beginner, I have no idea what you just said...lol. I don't have an ohmmeter. There are 4 pins as you say but even if I figured out what they do how do I connect them up. (I knew this wouldn't be simple







).


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Usa motor blocks have a wiring configuration as follows: 

Motor-track-track-motor. 

If you tie first and second pins together and 3rd and 4th pins together, the motor will run backwards. 

You have 2 choices here, take the block and flip the mtor 180 degreesa, or tie pins 1 to 3 ans 2 to 4. 

It does not matter which end you start counting from for the pins as this is just for getting the block to run on the track. 

I flip the motor 180 degrees to make it compatible with my LGB motor blocks for direction. I bend the pins together and solder them. 
This is easier than cross tying the pins!!


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Thanks Dan. I'll be running it on a separate tram track so I don't think it will matter if it runs backwards or not so I'll just connect the 1st and 2nd pins and the 3rd and 4th pins together. 

One other thing, how do you mount it on to the trolley? There are no areas where I can fix a mounting screw (only 2 protruding screws out of the ends).


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

You'll have to fabricate something from bits of wood or plastic that will match to whatever mounting features that your brick has. 

This is what I did allthough I did it with a different brick 

http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips9/trolly_tips.html


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

All I did was dremel out the injection molding knob and then I used quikgrip from Joanne's Fabrics to install the motor block. 

Quikgrip holds very well, but can be peeled off if needed much like a sticky note(but more work!!) 

I found tis easier than making anything and my Towmater has been running for 2 years with no problems. 

Hot glue does not work for me as the motor heat tends to loosen the bond.


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## Sedda (Oct 19, 2009)

Thanks for everyone's help. 

The USA replacement motor block did not have any areas where the block could be mounted onto anything so I don't know how they fix it in place on a USA Train. 


Anyway, after a bit of ummming and arrring I decided I needed something as thin as possible (as the block sits quite high) to mount to the top of the block (using the same screws that the top of the block is fixed to the body of the block). I have used solid plastic (because even plywood was too thick) from a dish drainer (I have used the checkered part of the drainer to make a ladder for my water tower) and have used the existing bachmann block screws to connect the new block to the existing trolley mounts. 


As I said, the block does sit pretty high and so maybe one day I may change the plastic with metal that I can bend in a U shape (with top bits - if you know what I mean) so the trolley can sit lower.


The 4 pins (2 sets of 2) which need to be connected together were connected with electrical connectors (the ones you can slide on and off) which I just had to bend slightly so they would fit into the opening in the block. I then just connected the directional light wires (one on to each connector) without touching any of the wiring (I haven't got a small soldering iron).


And now it works a treat. 


So thanks to everyone for all your help.


Sedda.


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

glad you got it to work ..... 

the usa block is supported by the ends of the axle in the side frame


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I used super glue on mine, just got some outdoor carpet tape that would have been a better choice. I remembered reading about a guy using it in a GR article a few years back. I've used the inside carpet tape on things, this should be better, just a bit thicker is all.


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## Tony Volante (22 d ago)

Hi All, I have just bought a second hard Bachmann 1623 tram but the rail contacts are missing so it cannot run on my layout. I know that the motor runs okay as I haver tested it with a battery across the motor itself. I just need the contacts to fit between motor and rails. Anyone know wherK.e I can get them please. Best wishes for Christmas and the new year. Tony Volante. Devon UK.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Tony Volante said:


> I just need the contacts to fit between motor and rails


Tony, that's a 13 yr old thread.

The Bachmann trams pickup through the wheels and the sliders. Either will make your tram work, but both are recommended. However, the whole power truck is not very robust and is likely to fail for one of many reasons.


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