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Quality of loco build poor


faa77

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I have bought many locos (99% brand new) over the last year and I can honestly say I have now reached the stage where I expect them to not fully-function. The most typical problem seems to be lights not working at one end. Just had another class 37 with this problem today, luckily under warranty so I'll return it back to Bachmann.

 

Does anybody else encounter such common problems, or is it a case you guys just open the lid and fix it yourselves? Considering how much these models cost, I can't see how they can be so poorly made.

 

 

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My local model shop as all good model shops test any loco on request to ensure it all works as should do.

 

Never had any problems

 

Terry

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My local model shop as all good model shops test any loco on request to ensure it all works as should do.

 

Never had any problems

 

Terry

 

The problem is people (ebay etc) take advantage of this to sell locos which "look" unused/brand new as being new, when in fact they aren't.

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As its a Cl.37 have you checked that the switches under the loco are in the correct position? One of my recent purchases arrived with the switches in the "off" position .....

 

Keith

 

Its Bachmann 32-780, I couldn't see any switches underneath the chassis. Cab lights were working I think.

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I have had issues with a Bachmann 37 but it was down to the decoder I was using I changed it and it was fine most of my fleet are Bachmann and touch wood have had no problems with them wish I could say the same with another well known brand .

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I've never really encountered any issues with Bachmann locos or units, in fact probably only ever had a couple of faults in over 100 locos. One was just a drive shaft had come loose/fly wheel which was glued back solid and one unit had gears which hadn't been assembled right and was also fixed after a really helpful phone call with Bachmann service dept.

 

The light issues on 37's suggest to me that the loco body has been taken off at some point as the brass tabs to the contacts are quite fine and bend easily when a body is removed. When put back on they no longer contact the tabs and the lights don't work as a result. I know this from experience from sound fittings I've done on them and usually just check the little brass tabs on the nose are bent down before assembly and also check the nose screws are tight/ not overtight as otherwise the chassis will sag and loose contact.

 

Hopefully that will help get your lights working again.

 

All the best

Mark

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Actually about 5- 10 years ago had nothing but problems. Virtually everything I bought had issues and had to be returned, So I resorted to only buying from local shop where they were tested first. However in the last 5 years I thought the position had got better and the last models either sourced direct from Hornby or through Hattons have all been fine . I don't buy from Bachmann since their prices became exhorbitant. I just refuse to pander to their quest for increased margins. Fortunately they are not making anything I really need for the moment. But it has to be said I never really had a problem with their quality other than a 4MT that's a bit lethargic and should possibly have been returned. I don't think locos are individually tested any more , instead we rely on testing the systems that manufacture them, with perhaps the odd sample being fully tested. It's the modern way .... Alas!

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I've never really encountered any issues with Bachmann locos or units, in fact probably only ever had a couple of faults in over 100 locos. One was just a drive shaft had come loose/fly wheel which was glued back solid and one unit had gears which hadn't been assembled right and was also fixed after a really helpful phone call with Bachmann service dept.

 

The light issues on 37's suggest to me that the loco body has been taken off at some point as the brass tabs to the contacts are quite fine and bend easily when a body is removed. When put back on they no longer contact the tabs and the lights don't work as a result. I know this from experience from sound fittings I've done on them and usually just check the little brass tabs on the nose are bent down before assembly and also check the nose screws are tight/ not overtight as otherwise the chassis will sag and loose contact.

 

Hopefully that will help get your lights working again.

 

All the best

Mark

 

Do all the 37s have brass contacts (as opposed to wire connections)? Class 66s use wires for the lights.

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The problem is people (ebay etc) take advantage of this to sell locos which "look" unused/brand new as being new, when in fact they aren't.

Hold on , so your blaming Bachmann for eBay tat ?

 

Class 37s always depends how tight the end screws under the buffers are - they have to be quite tight to get a decent connection for lights

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Do all the 37s have brass contacts (as opposed to wire connections)? Class 66s use wires for the lights.

The first two batches (37/4 and 37/5)used two pin plugs/sockets and wires. The third batch (37/0s) had no lights! All since have used the brass contacts. hth, Kev.

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Its Bachmann 32-780, I couldn't see any switches underneath the chassis. Cab lights were working I think.

Urmm 32-780, do you mean coal sector class 37 "The coal merchants association"?

 

If so, this is not a new loco. This was released 10 years back.

It is possible it sat in a official Bachmann supplier model shop for that long, in which case, assuming such a 37 came with both head and cab lights back then (I am not sure it had both then), you can take it back to the shop for repair of refund.

 

If it is not from a Bachmann supplier, it will be out warranty by now.

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Fed up with Bachmann locos wobbling.  The last four I purchased have been affected in this way.  At £140.00 for a long-in-the-tooth Class 66 you would think that they would manage to at least get the wheels/axles right...

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Fed up with Bachmann locos wobbling. The last four I purchased have been affected in this way. At £140.00 for a long-in-the-tooth Class 66 you would think that they would manage to at least get the wheels/axles right...

 

Agreed. Wobbly diesel's is the normal not exception

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Agreed. Wobbly diesel's is the normal not exception

In my experience, the opposite is true. Over the past 18 months I've bought about half a dozen and none have exhibited any wobble.

 

One possible factor is that in the majority of cases, I've bought from my local model shop and we've tested each loco before purchase. Whilst this approach will not be practicable for everyone, it does help weed out the duff ones that have slipped through quality control.

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If it doesn't work properly send it back and make them find you one that does. That's my philosophy and good retailers understand.

 

Basically manufacturers have now outsorced quality testing to purchasers - all made worse by using factories on the other size of the world that means serious problems are not picked up until the stuff hits the shops. Bachmann are not the only offenders - just look at the laughable Dapol 73s in that little known livery of BR bluey/purple/turqoise.

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On the whole. My experiences with Bachmann models has been positive overall. I have only ever had one bad locomotive which was a Class 37 in BR Blue Large Logo livery in 2010 which ran like it was on jelly or something. I have had issues with just a couple of TEA tanker wagons where the metal weights have worked loose inside the model. Whilst it can be annoying when they are in transit to a friends layout in the car on a bumpy road. It doesn't have any negative effects when running on the layout. But that said, I would still continue buying Bachmann trains as long as they produce the models that I like :).

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The only issue I've had with a Bachmann diesel was RfD-liveried 37671, when that batch first came out (about 2003?) - the body didn't sit on the chassis properly, and slipped down over one bogie. Reported to be a widespread issue with that batch. I've had no major issues since.

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All my locos have been exemplary straight from the box. 

 

 

However I do have the flush front railfreight model 37 which no longer has any working lights, they did work and had for a couple of years, just recently though nothing. Other than that I cannot complain. I have actually had more issues with Hornby. 

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All my locos have been exemplary straight from the box. 

 

 

However I do have the flush front railfreight model 37 which no longer has any working lights, they did work and had for a couple of years, just recently though nothing. Other than that I cannot complain. I have actually had more issues with Hornby. 

 

It is possible that they unplugged from the PCB, or the switch underneath is set to off or some other loose contact. The chances of them actually burning out is remote unless - say - 24 volts was loaded briefly onto the track.

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My dishwasher has packed in and my Samsung TV has got an annoying black shadow across half the picture. Now my ceramic bladed cooking knives don't seem as sharp as they once were.

 

This is the thread for moaning about product, isn't it?

 

Luckily I can't find fault with my model trains.

 

G.

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It is possible that they unplugged from the PCB, or the switch underneath is set to off or some other loose contact. The chances of them actually burning out is remote unless - say - 24 volts was loaded briefly onto the track.

Not likely as the loco is very rarely used and stay on the track (as do all my locos) I have not had the loco body off since it was chipped. I will check the switched underneath though as that is a possibility. Thanks 

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