Bachmann Thomas and Percy

[choens]

Hello!

I'm new to this forum and appreciate the ability to ask some questions of wiser souls than me!

I purchased the Bachmann G-Scale Thomas and Percey sets. I have constructed an elevated layout at my daycare/preschool and Thomas was to be the big hit. The wiring and track was all first run, LGB, first class. When I got Thomas and Percy, I didn't use the Bachmann wiring and track and just put Thomas on the track. Within days of operation, I was getting a loud squealing and a definite slowing down in the turns. I called Bachmann and they said to return the Thomas I had as they thought it was an "older" model. I did that and I am still waiting for the replacement. However, in the meantime, I put Percy to work. Now within three days, he too, is slowing down in the corners and several times has stopped altogether! I have had to crack the power up to a point where he is going fairly fast around the track.
Today, I took Percy down and replaced him with my LGB original loco. Everything was fine. The loco ran perfectly, did not stall or slow down.
Is this s case of German engineering vs. American? Do I need to replace the guts of Percy to get them up to LGB standards? Is this a desgin flaw of some kind?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Charlie

 

[Tim Brien]

Charlie,
I refer to your situation as an 'industrial' application. Bachmann are NOT intended to run non-stop every day. Even LGB will wear out in a few months. That aside, did you clean the rails and try again? Four foot diameter curves are very hard on a loco that is run constantly. The LGB ran as it has power pickup sliders which cut through any dirt on the rails, within reason. Overhead 'industrial' railroads require ongoing maintenance. Years ago, the local hypermart put up an overhead Christmas display using Aristo-Craft. Locomotives. The display only lasted a week or so as the track needed cleaning every night and the locomotives were spluttering after only a few days. Needless to say, the display was not put up the following year.

I recently had a customer wanting to purchase two Bachmann locomotives to run on an overhead railroad in a restaurant. I told him that morally I would and could not sell them to him, as in a week or so they would fail. I told him to source LGB models for his application.

 

[jimmielx]

The fact that the locos are squealing and slowing would certainly seem to suggest that they could do with some lubrication. All locos will need lubrication from time to time. Who knows how much lubrication is done on these in the factory... My Bachmann Lyn came with detailed instructions on how to get inside, hopefully they will have provided similar instructions for Thomas and Percy. I would use LGB gear lubricant grease on the gears and something like the Marklin Narrow Point Olier on every moving joint. Both can be found here http://www.dragon-gscale.co.uk/lgb-... will need a little maintenance! Good luck!

 

[jimmielx]

Oh, and the axels on the carriages will need oiling too - it's amazing how much difference a few drops of oil will make to the running of rolling stock. That too should help in going round the corners.

 

[stockers]

I would think Tim (post above) has hit the nail on the head. These locos are basically toys, presumably with basic motors and gears. Regular oiling sounds like a very good idea, but ultimately they are designed for kids to run until they get boared - which as we know is often not very long.

 

[dudley]

it was not mentioned either if you oiled the engine before use?, all engines whatever brands need oiling and grease before use, and contact oil on the pickups, either wheels or scates etc. locos should have come with a booklet telling you to do this.

 

[stockers]

Good point Dudley. but in this modern day and age, is it reasonable to expect a buyer to not use a toy straight from the box. You and I can see the logic in checking the factory have put some grease on the gears, but is Joe Public really expected to do this.

 

[vasim]

[style="color: #ffffff;"]..............................

 

[mike]

i never relised im a industrial user

 

[choens]

Thanks for all the replies. I certainly didn't expect all of this on my first post.
The reason I purchased Thomas and Percy was that only Bachmann is allowed to make them and they are very popular with preschool kids. So at my wife's daycare, which we both own, I thought this would be a great attraction. The kids don't know LGB from a baloney sandwich. So I built an elevated track oval of 15' x 20'. I know a local Wegmann's supermarket in Princeton, NJ that puts up these trains in every one of their supermarkets. They run with very little maintenance. But they use LGB exclusively. So I bought LGB brass track as it is the best for this kind of use. My thinking is/was that this track should run very well inside, if people are using it outdoors with little trouble.
So what I would like to know is that now that I have the "shells" could I replace the innards with upgraded hardware? And, if so what is the best way to do this? Has anyone done this with a Thomas?
Thanks for any other ideas!
Charlie

 

[Tony]

To be honest Charlie i dont know your best option
I do know that LGB are bullit proof for reliabilaty compared to Bachmann or Aristo
Maybe fitting a Lgb motor block to a Bachmann Thomas might be to much work to get it to fit and look right having deal with rods etc
But one option would be to (and this saves having to do both Thomas and percy) remove the motors from both locos so they are free rolling and then buy a secondhand LGB Stainz remove the motor block and fit it to a wagon or coach,
That way Thomas or percy get pushed by an LGB powered wagon simular to what Mike (Beavercreek) has built
http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=158556&high =

Yours need not be a large cattle wagon a Stainz motor block would fit into a hole cut in the floor of a Thomas Truck

Below is my homemade "helper" at work !!! (its the yellow Bannana van) and is just a motor block fitted in a hole cut to the floor of the van the van is then filled with extra weight for traction, On the flat it will pull 10 box cars on its own but as seen i use it to help pull upto 18 box cars around and up and down my hills with the LGB loco shown (both loco and tender are powered) so 3 lgb motors working together

Just had a thought while writing this maybe easy option is just to find the lgb powered tender (as shown above) as long as you dont mind Thomas having a tender (they are available seperatly)

Tony

 

[Gizzy]

Talking of LGB Stainz displays in Model Shops, my local one also has one which has been running for as long as I can remember. (I've lived here for close on to 30 years now!)

Once, a group of yobs smashed the window, stole the Stainz, and played football with it in the street, before abandoning it.

It was recovered, repaired, and reinstated in its rightful place in the shop window. It continues to sallie back and forth daily (using an LGB Shuttle), although now when the shop closes, it is now switched off and is 'stabled' out of sight....

 

[jimmielx]

Hi Charlie

I can't help thinking that trying the lubrication suggested is worth a shot before cannibalising the models. Irrelevant of whether or not the factory should have done it better, applying some oil and grease must be simpler and cheaper than adding new motor blocks!

Cheers

 

[hagen]

Also, wide curves are easier on the drive.