A bit of guidance with a Big Hauler please

[voodoopenguin]

I'm steadily doing a cull of the excess G scale I have accumulated over the years. I wasn't going to keep the Big Hauler but thought I should at least test that it works. Freshly charged NiMH inserted and the wheels go round. Fine except the remote wasn't on and when I put the remote on and try to control it doesn't make a difference. At the back of the cab are two switches, one for power and one for sound. With the power switch on the loco goes forward with no control. I am missing something here but not having instructions I turn to the forum.

Paul

 

[JimmyB]

Paul which big hauler, e.g. the 10-wheeler, and is it the battery powered from the manufacturer, with OEM equipment or has it after-mart R/C and batteries, in which case we need more information. My 10-wheeler with a new Annie chassis only has 1 switch at the back of the cab, and that is for "cuff" sensor to the sound card.

 

[voodoopenguin]

Sorry about the lack of details. Photos hopefully will help. The loco can be powered by 6 batteries or there is a socket into which a short cable can be attached that connects to a single rechargeable NiMH as shown. Two switches, one is Sound and the other is Power and to the left of them is the socket that is for the short cable from the tender where the speaker is.











Paul

 

[JimmyB]

Paul, this the same model i have done my conversion on, all the electronics are at the front of the smokebox. My instructions say, switch the remote on first, then switch on the loco power, my assumption is the remote batteries are in good order.

 

[dunnyrail]

I reviewed one of those Big Haulers back in the days if Tom Coopers Magazine of whatever name the flavor of the month was. That would have been late 80’s so that RC will be 30 years old now a miracle if it still works though I expect some will. Mine was converted to a handrolic electrical regulator and still works just. It is in my Irish Tralee and Dingle 2-6-0 a locomotive that could not look more different to the Tweetsie 4-6-0 even if it tried harder.

 

[voodoopenguin]

Paul, this the same model i have done my conversion on, all the electronics are at the front of the smokebox. My instructions say, switch the remote on first, then switch on the loco power, my assumption is the remote batteries are in good order.

Simple when you know how to do it! Yes it is the order of switching on that does it so thank you. Also I note that the power on the loco has to be switched off before the remote otherwise the loco hurtles off uncontrollably!

Annoyingly I'm starting to think I might keep it now being a battery r/c model to give me more options outside. I have an open car, a log car and a caboose for it to haul but these are the only models I have with knuckle couplings.

Thank you for the help.

Paul

 

[-bbbb]

Do you know the precise frequency/color of the quartz for this train? I have the same loco, but missing the controller. I'm able to get it to move slowly with a different controller but it's soo slow and strange in it's movement that I wonder if the quartz is slightly the wrong frequency.

 

[voodoopenguin]

Do you know the precise frequency/color of the quartz for this train? I have the same loco, but missing the controller. I'm able to get it to move slowly with a different controller but it's soo slow and strange in it's movement that I wonder if the quartz is slightly the wrong frequency.

I'm not an R/C genius but memory tells me that these came in two frequencies, 27MHz and 49MHz. Which one is correct for the loco depends on the loco number. That is my limited knowledge, after that it's just magic to me!

Paul

 

[-bbbb]

I know it's 27 MHz. The question is 'which' 27 MHz, as there are several frequencies of quartz within 27 MHz.

Edit in response to Greg's disagreement:
I'm not sure what there was for Greg to disagree with in this post... I know that my train is certainly a 27 MHz variety, and there are certainly several frequencies which are considered 27MHz frequencies; A #9(UK04) 27.045 MHz Red crystal won't really work with a #19(UK08) 27.145 MHz Yellow crystal, but I can sometimes get a measure of control between a #7(03UK) 27.025 MHz Red/Brown and a #9 Red crystal since they have close enough frequencies. And they are all considered 27 MHz crystals. Greg, what did you disagree with?

My question is what the precise frequency of the crystal in the Bachmann Big Hauler pertaining to this thread is. The best RC control I can get with the crystals I have on hand is with a #19 27.145 MHz yellow crystal, but I wonder if Bachmann is using something more like a #18 27.135 or #20 27.155 27 MHz crystal.

 

[PhilP]

I know it's 27 MHz. The question is 'which' 27 MHz, as there are several frequencies of quartz within 27 MHz.

Unless 'someone' has fitted after-market crystals in one, or the other.. The channels *should* be far enough apart that they should not interact.

Does the loco run OK if you just switch the loco on (NOT the controller)? - From memory these would trundle round the track, with the controller switched off, if you just switched the loco on??

PhilP.

 

[voodoopenguin]

Does the loco run OK if you just switch the loco on (NOT the controller)? - From memory these would trundle round the track, with the controller switched off, if you just switched the loco on??

Which is what I didn't realise and that started this thread!

Paul

 

[-bbbb]

Unless 'someone' has fitted after-market crystals in one, or the other.. The channels *should* be far enough apart that they should not interact.

Does the loco run OK if you just switch the loco on (NOT the controller)? - From memory these would trundle round the track, with the controller switched off, if you just switched the loco on??

PhilP.

I'm not using a Bachmann controller, I'm using a playmobil RC car controller with the Bachmann loco.
If I switch the loco on with no controller it drives forward, but without much power/speed. When I use the Playmobil controller it drives well in reverse, but not so great forward.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

That is a 1st gen Big Hauler... there is only one wheel configuration for a Big Hauler.

Check this page under 1st generation, it will clarify the 27 and 49 MHz question.

The loco posted there is a 49 MHz one...

4-6-0 Bachmann Big Hauler

Greg Elmassian web site on large scale trains and garden railroads, cigars, and computers

elmassian.com

 

[trammayo]

I'm not using a Bachmann controller, I'm using a playmobil RC car controller with the Bachmann loco.
If I switch the loco on with no controller it drives forward, but without much power/speed. When I use the Playmobil controller it drives well in reverse, but not so great forward.

Maybe of no use to you, but two controllers are on UK eBay;-

BACHMANN BIG HAULER G SCALE SPARES 2 PKTS HIGHWAY SIGNS & 2 EARLY RADIO CONTROLS | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BACHMANN BIG HAULER G SCALE SPARES 2 PKTS HIGHWAY SIGNS & 2 EARLY RADIO CONTROLS at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

The seller doesn't indicate 27 or 49 either

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I know it's 27 MHz. The question is 'which' 27 MHz, as there are several frequencies of quartz within 27 MHz.

Edit in response to Greg's disagreement:
I'm not sure what there was for Greg to disagree with in this post... I know that my train is certainly a 27 MHz variety, and there are certainly several frequencies which are considered 27MHz frequencies; A #9(UK04) 27.045 MHz Red crystal won't really work with a #19(UK08) 27.145 MHz Yellow crystal, but I can sometimes get a measure of control between a #7(03UK) 27.025 MHz Red/Brown and a #9 Red crystal since they have close enough frequencies. And they are all considered 27 MHz crystals. Greg, what did you disagree with?

My question is what the precise frequency of the crystal in the Bachmann Big Hauler pertaining to this thread is. The best RC control I can get with the crystals I have on hand is with a #19 27.145 MHz yellow crystal, but I wonder if Bachmann is using something more like a #18 27.135 or #20 27.155 27 MHz crystal.

Dear bbbb:

Greg's disagreement?

1. I did not disagree with anyone.
2. the loco pictured (post #3) is a 29 MHz...

I typically respond to the Original Poster, not someone else jumping in on an existing thread.

If you had read my link presented you would know that the 7 or 9 on the loco cab indicates 27 or 49 MHz respectively.

So to be clear the locomotive FIRST presented by the OP is a 29 MHz. Not seeing the cab number on your loco, no one could tell here without more information.

Per Tony Walsham: (on the 27 MHz units)
"The R/C is very basic 27 MHz SuperHet RF that will respond to just a simple burst of signal energy anywhere in the 27 MHz band. "

A bit more research will yield that others have used a remote from something different and it worked.

Greg

 

[-bbbb]

Dear bbbb:

Greg's disagreement?

1. I did not disagree with anyone.
2. the loco pictured (post #3) is a 29 MHz...

I typically respond to the Original Poster, not someone else jumping in on an existing thread.

If you had read my link presented you would know that the 7 or 9 on the loco cab indicates 27 or 49 MHz respectively.

So to be clear the locomotive FIRST presented by the OP is a 29 MHz. Not seeing the cab number on your loco, no one could tell here without more information.

Per Tony Walsham: (on the 27 MHz units)
"The R/C is very basic 27 MHz SuperHet RF that will respond to just a simple burst of signal energy anywhere in the 27 MHz band. "

A bit more research will yield that others have used a remote from something different and it worked.

Greg

I understand now... You marked my post with 'disagree' because you thought it referred to the original locomotive(in which case you would have been right to disagree):

But the antecedent was actually my own prior question involving my loco, so there was some confusion. No big deal.

I had read the stuff on the link, and it's a good point about the number on the loco. Your mention of the SuperHet is most interesting to me, thanks.

 

[JimmyB]

2. the loco pictured (post #3) is a 29 MHz...

Greg

I know you meant 49 MKz

 

[The Shed]

I know you meant 49 MKz

29MHz or 49MKz.................. any other combination, before some one actually gets it correct?

DAY!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Here's a thread from the Bachmann forum:

Bachmann Forum

read the post from Tony Walsham « Reply #24 on: June 18, 2012, 01:52:33 AM »

Not much more in that thread, still looking for the actual frequencies.

Theoretically, the frequency should be on a sticker on the outside of the transmitter, but if it was, it's probably long gone.

Greg

p.s. never seen MKz in my life.... Kilocycles long ago, but Million Kilocycles would be Terahertz...

 

[-bbbb]

The link to that thread was useful. Someone there said the blue quartz had the best control for them.. Blue is the highest frequency 27 MHz crystal I know of. I would like to know if green works any better than blue... if not, then I wonder if the frequency might be a little higher than standard 27 MHz crystals.

What's weird for me though is that when I turn on the loco with no controller, it drives forward slowly, not at full speed.... I know it's not low batteries keeping it slow, because I can drive about twice as fast backwards with the RC car controller on the same battery. When I try to drive forwards with the RC car controller it's just as slow as without a controller. I wonder what else other than the transmitter and batteries might cause the forward movement to be weak and slow. It's almost as if it starts with no forward power at all, and then builds up a little bit of speed the longer it's told to drive forward. I imagine that if the problem is in the transmitter or the circuitry I should be able to de-solder the wires to the motor and reverse them, so that I could have fast forward movement and slow reverse, which would seem more appropriate.