Problem with Bachmann Annie

Hello !

Bad beginning for this sunday ! My Bachmann Annie - only 6 months service - just stopped running and kept blocked, humming in an unpleasant way. I tried to move the wheels manually and managed to have the loco start again, but only for a short time. Now, when I apply voltage, the wheels make a quarter revolution. I was thinking of a gear problem. Any idea would be welcome before I try to open it.
Thanks.

Jean-Pierre

It may be that the quartering of the wheels/connecting rods has gone out of adjustment. Could you remove the rods and see if the wheels rotate properly?

Doesn't seem to be the problem. I don't have time to open it now, we'll see next week-end…

I bought a Bachmann Annie only two weeks ago. It has ran for a total of less than 15 minutes radius testing after I reduced the coupling gap between loco and tender. On one test, tried to run it backwards but it jerked and started to give off a burning smell. Tried it forwards and it was okay - re-tried it backwards and it seemed to have righted itself. But, for £80, for a 4-6-0 with smoke, sound and metal fittings ... what can we expect.

Opened the Annie today. Nothing obviously wrong. Made a few experiments applying voltage with and without rods and trying to adjust everything. I found the motor is running all right, but the big gear and the small one tend to disconnect themselves. I reassembled all and managed to make the loco run on tracks, not very smootly though, and with a strong tendency to block itself. I'll give it another try next week end, but I'm not very happy about this purchase…

Hello Jean- Pierre.
Do you happen to know which version it is? If it is an early version then it is probably only fit for the bin. These were notoriously un reliable. Later versions are better, I have three and have had no problems with them, well no more than a loose wire on one of them.
But apparantly, some of even these later ones have problems. Is the motor secured properly? is it the motion locking the loco or the gears?

It could be the quartering? The centre drivers are fixed. The outer drivers are screwed onto their axles. Sometimes these screws work loose and this will make the loco bind. Again I have not had any problems but I have never "thrashed" them either. The website below has all sorts of information on it and may be of use to you. The gentleman who wrote it does go over the top a bit with all the modifications but it may help. If you were a bit nearer Id be pleased to have a look!

www.girr.org

John, thanks very much for your help. My Annie is the last generation model. The engine is well secured but there was a loose screw on one the rods. Unfortunately, I lost it in the grass… hopeless ! I'll try to get a new one. Anyway, it's either this or a problem with the plastic gear.
Thanks again.

Jean-Pierre

Montblanc wrote:

John, thanks very much for your help. My Annie is the last generation model. The engine is well secured but there was a loose screw on one the rods. Unfortunately, I lost it in the grass… hopeless ! I'll try to get a new one. Anyway, it's either this or a problem with the plastic gear.
Thanks again.

Jean-Pierre

No worries.

You know what? I might have one of those screws off a Bachmann Porter.
Give me a day or so and I'll check to see if they are the same as the Annies.
If so, its yours.