Questions, Answers & Tips -
derailments. The newer FT models have a truck [3] similar to the
RS truck. The trucks, due to the mounting tower, can be fragile.
It is a good idea to inspect for damage or misalignment of the
tower assembly and truck.
In addition to doing the above tune-ups, said Nelson Beaudry,
“what I did to allow the wheels to follow the track contours
better and provide for more consistent electrical power pick
up is to very carefully file the openings the axles snap into. All
you want to do is remove the small bump that holds the axles
in. This will allow the axles to move up and down independent
of the truck assembly.”
While this conversation was unwinding on the forum, Eric was
doing his own checking. “Moving the trucks, they seemed to
both be pretty free,” he said, “but the lead truck did seem
slightly tighter than the other one. And watching it on the
curves, it did seem a little stubborn to move with the curves, so
that may definitely help. Since this is my first Bachmann, I am
unfamiliar with this truck assembly, so this really helps.”
“And the winner is ... the lead truck is too tight,” Eric said. He
measured the wheels and they were in gauge. “With the shell
off, I inspected the trucks better to see how they are connected
to the frame. The lead truck was definitely tighter than the other
truck. I completely unscrewed the truck assembly from the
frame to see how it works and how it fits in, then screwed the
truck back in until it just barely kept it from falling out. I tested it
around the layout and no derailments! I could see the lead truck
bouncing up and down a little through curves and turnouts but
it kept inside the track every time. Thanks again for everyone’s
help.” (Bachmann RS3:
)
– MRH
MRH-Jun 2014
