Farish 3MT 2-6-2T

[Roy L S]

Had a discussion with my supplier having returned a badly picking up and slightly off quartering one and was told "you will struggle to find one that's any better" so I shall be waiting until there is another batch it seems, or I can actually see one run in a real shop.

 

Alan

 

Hi Alan

 

Bad pickup seems to be an issue on a number of these models. I suspect it may make assembly easier if the pickups are only lightly sprung against the wheel-backs but it does little for reliable performance which is a shame because I think the design itself is pretty good and my own is a very sweet runner indeed.

 

It shouldn't be a lottery whether you get a "good un" or not but think your supplier is being a little unfair on Bachmann to suggest they are all like the one you describe. Plenty of people who have commented do seem to be more than happy with theirs, as probably I suspect are the silent majority too.

 

Regards

 

Roy

[Butler Henderson]

Um... mine ran perfectly round a circle, then became hesitant on the straights of an oval and when turned round would not budge at all. As it was largely funded from paypal accurred funds I decided to tweak the pick ups. Not as straight forward as it might seem as the front screw holding the chassis plastic underplate in place also acts as a fixing for the electric contacts to the wires leading to the dcc socket. Also their is very little play if any on the wires from the motor to the socket as they are all trapped into the metal casting inside the body.

 

Wonder if this near rubix cube arrangement is one reason for the high number of reported problematic models

 

Such wiring that causes body and chassis to be not parted quickly is one thing I depise of, the other is clip fits which it also features if the boiler only is to taken off. I decided to remove both of these issues by ripping out the dcc socket and wiring the pick up contacts directly to the motor - it will only run on dc at present and if it does get dcc'ed tehn I think a hard wired decoder will be a neater arrangement. What I have got is a neatly running chassis that now simply drops into the body which can remain as one piece.

[TomE]

BREAKING NEWS

Snow reported in Hell. Devil says "it's a bit chilly in ere"

 

Yes, I could resist no longer. This modern image man has purchased a kettle, and not the kind used to make a brew.

 

The 3MT is stunning. The level of detail is amazing, even without taking into account the multitude of parts included for the user to fit. My example was a little hesitant to start with but after a few hours running in is now happily chugging around my small oval of uni-track pulling a few of the new Farish Mk.1s.

 

Perhaps I got a good one but certainly non of the problems others have reported here are present which in a way is a shame because I was hoping it would be a poor runner and stop me buying any more steamers, but now that B1 is looking mighty tempting!

 

In fact, a small layout is already in the planning to house this little masterpiece..........and maybe a few more......

 

Tom.

[Nile]

Welcome to the dark side.

[Dr Al]

I've just got a second one of these (as they are just so pretty!) but this one too had the central wheel quartering out. It was an easy fix, but I do wonder if many of the reports of indifferent performance are due to this as well as pickups.

 

Suffice to say it now runs perfect with this (and a slightly bent coupling rod) sorted.

 

I've also looked at all the little detail bits in the bag, and almost all of them can be successfully added while still allowing the loco to run round 9" curves, albeit with slight modification to the bits (in the case of the rear steps making them more accurate). The only ones that defeated me were the front steps (even modified - there just isn't enough clearance) and some of the bufferbeam detail which obviously clashes with the couplers.

 

Looks even better with all those bits fitted!

 

Cheers,

Alan

[Karhedron]

I've just got a second one of these (as they are just so pretty!) but this one too had the central wheel quartering out. It was an easy fix, but I do wonder if many of the reports of indifferent performance are due to this as well as pickups.

I have frequently heard quartering mentioned as a source of poor running but I have no idea how to check quartering and how to fix it.

 

Please can you briefly explain how to determine if a loco is badly quartered and how to fix it if it is? Particularly how do you make make sure that you adjust the quartering in the right direction and stop in the right place.

[Kris]

I have frequently heard quartering mentioned as a source of poor running but I have no idea how to check quartering and how to fix it.

 

Please can you briefly explain how to determine if a loco is badly quartered and how to fix it if it is? Particularly how do you make make sure that you adjust the quartering in the right direction and stop in the right place.

 

Loco is likely to lock up, you might be able to reverse the direction of travel to get out of this but again is is likely to stick in the other direction as well. In cases of mild quartering issues the loco might run in a jerky fashion in worse cases the loco may not run at all. If the quartering slips during use you might bend the motion.

[Dr Al]

Loco is likely to lock up, you might be able to reverse the direction of travel to get out of this but again is is likely to stick in the other direction as well. In cases of mild quartering issues the loco might run in a jerky fashion in worse cases the loco may not run at all. If the quartering slips during use you might bend the motion.

 

Hmm.

 

Only in the most extreme of cases where the quartering is well well out. Generally, a loco with a the quartering not quite right but close won't run as you describe though - it'll run, maybe even reasonably. But there will be tell tale signs that it could be better:

 

1. each rotation of the wheels may show a slight slowing - a slightly tight spot.

2. there will almost certainly be a notable wobble, mainly laterally, perhaps slightly vertically. This will be particularly noticable on constant radius curves - the smokebox will either sway from side to side, or the cab at the rear will sway side to side. This is a tell tale indicator. To fully test you want to run on the same curve forward and back and turn the loco round so you can see any indications of wobble from any direction.

 

The additional problem comes in that these symptoms can also occur if the coupling rods aren't straight, so generally I check these first (and it's surprising how many aren't quite straight).

 

The 3MT I described was exaclty as above - it ran ok straight from the box, relatively smooth, and most would likely have accepted it as it was, but had a tell tale wobble traversing curves. Adjusting first the slightly non-straight coupling rod on one side, and then the quartering eliminated the wobbles and did also enhance the smoothness of the running.

 

As to locos whose quartering "slips during use" - this is rare. All pre-2000 Poole Farish locos could not have this happen as the wheels were heat treated onto the axles so these should be immune (unless a previous owner has been....tinkering ), everything post 2000 from Farish has had splined axle ends meaning that again the wheels generally cannot slip. As to Dapol, their recent releases look to be ok (Brit with squared axle ends, B17s with thick wheel hubs which should preven movement, Ixion Manor the same); though earlier models could have this happen - Ivatt, 14xx, 45xx (seems common on this model), M7, Terrier. These don't have splined axle ends or squared axles, so the wheels can move more easily. Generally I would never move a wheel on an axle of these, even if I suspected the quartering wasn't right - once loosened they'll never be tight again and you're then heading for bent motion, lockups and ultimately, scrap.

 

Cheers,

Alan

[no1kato]

Well, my 3MT is faulty--it will only run forwards (and that badly) and is causing the controller to cut out. It's going back. It's my third faulty Farish loco (the others being a Crab and a Class 31); up to now I haven't had any problems in this regard with Dapol--although my Ivatt 2-6-2T is a poor runner. As yet my best running small tank locomotive is an old Minitrix Ivatt 2-6-2T -- it's just a pity that it doesn't look like an Ivatt.

 

I am also getting a bit fed up with poor Farish products - have had to send 4 back as have been faulty runners - I think I have been spoilt as have previously been running Kato products - both steam and diesel - all perfect straight out of the box.