Bachmann 4-6-0 - Performance and oiling etc

[davecar]

Hi,

I am new to G scale and to this forum. I am in the process of building a track in my garden and I recently ordered a Bachmann 4-6-0 Baldwin.

I am quite pleased with it but I wanted to ask two questions.

1. Smoke - I havent got much track laid at the moment so I can't get the loco to go very fast. The production of smoke is quite poor. Do you have to run at speed to get a good head of steam? Also where in the UK do you purchase the smoke oil?

2. Maintenance - The loco came with an instruction video (good job I kept my VCR) and it was about oiling and greasing the loco. The video frightened the life out of me. Four different types of lubricant needed and if you dont lubricate regularly the loco will fall apart!!!!! Where do you get the oil and grease from in the UK. Do you need to use specialist oil and grease?

I would be grateful for any help in this matter as I do not have any experience of this scale.

Many thanks,


Dave

 

[stevelewis]

Hi Dave can I suggest you make contact with Jeremy at http://www.dragon-gscale.co.uk/ < Link To www.dragon-gscale.co.uk who stocks all the required lubricants etc. and also gives members a 5% extra discount!

The lubrication is not too difficult to do but be carful not to overdo things,, less is far better than more with most G scale locos!!

He is closed Mondays.

Re smoke production, many locos do require to be run a a higher than expected speed for the type of loco to produce much smoke.

Some locos do have quite good smoke units with fan assistance etc these though are more expensive.

Personally I never use smoke, havent done for years, maybe its just me, but in the late 70s there was a lot of discussion, started by a medical professional, that said that the smoke produced is very much more of a risk if inhaled than cigarette smoke!, it is true that it can be very acrid in an enclosed space, and at that time several exhibitions banned the use of smoke units!!

 

[KeithT]

I can recommend the Hobby Lube pack available from Jeremy, and others, which contains all the lubricants you might need and more.

 

[Rob s]

Hi,

I am new to G scale and to this forum. I am in the process of building a track in my garden and I recently ordered a Bachmann 4-6-0 Baldwin.

I am quite pleased with it but I wanted to ask two questions.

1. Smoke - I havent got much track laid at the moment so I can't get the loco to go very fast. The production of smoke is quite poor. Do you have to run at speed to get a good head of steam? Also where in the UK do you purchase the smoke oil?

2. Maintenance - The loco came with an instruction video (good job I kept my VCR) and it was about oiling and greasing the loco. The video frightened the life out of me. Four different types of lubricant needed and if you dont lubricate regularly the loco will fall apart!!!!! Where do you get the oil and grease from in the UK. Do you need to use specialist oil and grease?

I would be grateful for any help in this matter as I do not have any experience of this scale.

Many thanks,


Dave

Hi Dave
I ran one of these as the first loco i ever bought, the smoke unit got better with use, and prefered the LGB smoke fluid to the bachmann fluid ???
but be very carefull not to over fill the unit, this can cause poor smoke and make a right mess
inside the loco (don't ask how i know this)

I found the most important thing with this loco was to keep the wheels very clean, especially where the power pick ups run, used to clean them after every 1hrs worth of running, and always ran a track cleaner truck round first before it took it's run