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Bachmann 3-car DMU


Robert Stokes
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I was tempted to buy a Bachmann 32-911 DMU 3-car in green that I saw advertised on Ebay. I decided to check the price against what a new one would cost if still available to buy new. A quick search only found one retailer advertising it, and it mentioned that the model had two faults which they could put right (at a price of course!). The first was poor internal lighting which doesn't bother me at all. The other fault was poor pick-ups which they said would particularly affect its running when a DCC decoder was fitted. This did bother me as I would fit a sound decoder into it.

 

Can anyone confirm or deny the pick-ups comment, particularly if you run it on DCC. Thank you for any help.

 

P.S. When does this model date from and has it been replaced by anything significantly better.

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How is anyone to know what is wrong with the pickups without inspecting it?

 

Edit-

I have seen the one you mean and if you want to spend that sort of money when the same/similar models are available for half the cost then feel free.

 

The lighting is on the model is quite prototypical, ie not super bright and the pick ups just need an occasional clean, nothing drastic, in my opinion they are simply trying to upsell their extras.

Edited by royaloak
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15 minutes ago, royaloak said:

How is anyone to know what is wrong with the pickups without inspecting it?

 

Edit-

I have seen the one you mean and if you want to spend that sort of money when the same/similar models are available for half the cost then feel free.

 

The lighting is on the model is quite prototypical, ie not super bright and the pick ups just need an occasional clean, nothing drastic, in my opinion they are simply trying to upsell their extras.

I recently visited said seller and can honestly say i won't be going back !!

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Just now, sulzer71 said:

I recently visited said seller and can honestly say i won't be going back !!

Can we please not do that one again, it has been done to death, we all have our opinions and its probably best if we keep them to ourselves rather than inflict them on this thread.

 

Thank you.

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Royaloak. I don't understand your first comment in the edit. Are you implying that the price of the Ebay one is too high or the price of the one the retailer is advertising? I thought the Ebay one was at a good price as, although listed as used, it appears to be new because the box still has its wrapping around it. I wouldn't think of buying the one from the shop.

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2 hours ago, Robert Stokes said:

I was tempted to buy a Bachmann 32-911 DMU 3-car in green that I saw advertised on Ebay. I decided to check the price against what a new one would cost if still available to buy new. A quick search only found one retailer advertising it, and it mentioned that the model had two faults which they could put right (at a price of course!). The first was poor internal lighting which doesn't bother me at all. The other fault was poor pick-ups which they said would particularly affect its running when a DCC decoder was fitted. This did bother me as I would fit a sound decoder into it.

 

Can anyone confirm or deny the pick-ups comment, particularly if you run it on DCC. Thank you for any help.

 

P.S. When does this model date from and has it been replaced by anything significantly better.

Hi Robert

 

I have quite a few Bachmann class 108s on my layout and all run very well. The poor lighting could be due to the poor pick-ups, therefore you need to consider the pick up problem to start with.  Without seeing the model I can only guess at what is wrong. Are the pick-ups making continuous contact with the wheels? Are the wheels clean and any pick -up contact surfaces dirty. They will need a clean and if need be tweaked back in position. The pick up system is fairly complicated.

 

The power bogie picks up from axles, and then rubs on two contact plates on the motor mounting.

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All trailer bogies pick up as well the power bogie. The do so through the axle pin points. Again there are two contact plates above each bogie which are then connected by slightly sprung contacts on the lighting PCB screwed in the roof.

 

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As I say I have quite a few, 3 two car sets,  3 three car units, a four car train and a mixed 108 and 104 and I have not had running problems with any of them. Most have been in constant use for two years and they have never needed their wheels cleaning. I am not a DCC modeller

 

 

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Hi Robert

 

I have quiet a few of these DMUs and there is no pick up issue.  Clive has provided great detail and they are easy to maintain.

I agree with Royaloak they are just trying so sell extras. The extra lighting is not prototypical and unnecessary.

I would not pay it.

 

Bachmann has brought out many similar subsequent models and there has been no upgrade or major change. Some other types of DMU have an electrical connection between the coaches. This can be an advantage on DCC as only one chip is required for the entire train but Bachmann have not done this with the 108.

 

Regards Eamon

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I haven't tried to find the buyer on Thief Bay, but a couple of points strike me:

2 hours ago, sulzer71 said:

I recently visited said seller and can honestly say i won't be going back !!

Assuming you know it's the same seller, it would be more helpful if you explained why.

2 hours ago, royaloak said:

Can we please not do that one again, it has been done to death, we all have our opinions and its probably best if we keep them to ourselves rather than inflict them on this thread.

If it's a genuine experience, and could help the OP (see above), what's the problem?

33 minutes ago, Robert Stokes said:

I thought the Ebay one was at a good price as, although listed as used, it appears to be new because the box still has its wrapping around it.

If it's unused and wrapped, how does the seller know about the pick-up and lighting 'problems'?

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I seem to have misled people.

 

The comment about the pick-ups problem is written on the website of the retailer advertising new ones. They seem to be suggesting that ALL models of this type have this fault as manufactured.

 

There is no suggestion that there is anything wrong with the one listed on Ebay. Anyway, apart from its apparently new condition, it is advertised by a shop that I have dealt with several times both via Ebay and face-to-face.

 

P.S. Why do you call it "thiefbay". It's not theft if you don't have to deal with them and their fees are substantially lower than charged by auction houses. Also I have sold things recently under a special offer scheme when they have charged me much less than their usual fee.

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I've had erratic running on one of several car class 105 Bachmann DMUs that I have and the loss of power is between the pick up contacts and the rubbing plates. This will usually show itself on certain curves in a particular direction. Wobbling the body will usually restore power and confirm this as the source of the problem. Apart from tweaking the track or the pick up contacts and cleaning the rubbing plates a more permanent solution might involve making soldered wire connections to bypass them.

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54 minutes ago, Robert Stokes said:

P.S. Why do you call it "thiefbay". It's not theft if you don't have to deal with them and their fees are substantially lower than charged by auction houses. Also I have sold things recently under a special offer scheme when they have charged me much less than their usual fee.

I'm not referring to the company that offers the service, but some of the sellers who gouge on the mark-up. YMMV.

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3 hours ago, Broadway Clive said:

I've had erratic running on one of several car class 105 Bachmann DMUs that I have and the loss of power is between the pick up contacts and the rubbing plates. This will usually show itself on certain curves in a particular direction. Wobbling the body will usually restore power and confirm this as the source of the problem. Apart from tweaking the track or the pick up contacts and cleaning the rubbing plates a more permanent solution might involve making soldered wire connections to bypass them.

The above applies to all the Bachmann BR pilot scheme DMU's as they all have the same arrangements.

 

The pick up from the pinpoints of the unpowered bogies is excellent, and as suggested soldering on fine wire connections and linking the cars pick ups provides rock solid power supply. Providing more through wiring brings the further benefit for DCC users that only one decoder is required for a 2 or 3 car set. Would have been good had Bachmann integrated all this, but then again they were spectacularly cheap on first release, and I never thought to see such fine models of the Cravens rattling bogcarts (class 105) available RTR.

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The pickup method of transferring the power from the bogies to the PCB on the floor of the model is standard on many of Bachmann's DMUs and EMUs. If there is a problem with intermittent power, this is the most common location to investigate, in my experience. Only one model has given me cause to do something about this; a class 150 unit I fitted with sound. I ended up soldering some decoder wire between the vertical 'pins' on the bogies and the contacts on the PCB. That fixed the stuttering and intermittent losses of power for that model. I don't know why that particular unit suffered the problems more than any other with exactly the same mechanisms and power arrangements, it just did. It works perfectly now, though.

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12 hours ago, SRman said:

... I ended up soldering some decoder wire between the vertical 'pins' on the bogies and the contacts on the PCB. That fixed the stuttering and intermittent losses of power for that model. I don't know why that particular units suffered the problems more than any other with exactly the same mechanisms and power arrangements, it just did. It works perfectly now, though.

Belt and braces man, me. One shows a problem, the whole lot get the fix!

 

The why of it, probably small variations in the metal processing leaving some with a surface more prone to oxidation. These effects can be very subtle, I have had experience in driving them out of manufacturing processes; often by the simplest means of let's not analyse, understand and fix it, just slice off the areas where it happens and recycle immediately. 'Quick, cheap and dirty'.

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My own experience of Bachmann DMU's has been good and I consider them to be excellent models. There are some real bargains to be had on ebay compared to the price of new releases, and I've acquired a fair number of 105's and 108's plus a Derby Lightweight.

 

One thing I would say is that some of them are over-greased in the drive trains - a problem affecting other products as well and by other manufacturers. This can lead to erratic running, particularly out of the box when the goo has permeated the pick-up contacts between axles and rubbing plates. However this is simple to deal with - a good clean - and regular use of the model thereafter should keep it running well.

 

John.

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I recently bought a 108 from a reseller that offers a lighting upgrade. They were very helpful. They got all 3 cars out of the box and ran it on their test track to ensure it was in good running order. I would happily go back there again. I agree with the comments about the original lighting. It accurately reflects the rather dim lighting that I remember from the time so I wouldn't get the upgrade. I run on DC and the unit is a very smooth and reliable runner .

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