Can These Engines Be Fixed? | Faulty Model Trains | + Bachmann Fail! 

“Oh no! I picked up the lubricant tube instead of the glue tube....Oh well, no one will ever know...” (said the Bachmann assembler on the line that day).

I love your point in the beginning about manufacturers taking notice of your videos. You're like our voice to the manufacturers. I base a lot of my purchase decisions on your reviews.

Sam’s Bachmann LMS 10000 be like: “My doctor has forbidden me to pull.”

"Ah a piece which works by friction" "Why don't we oil them, definitely helps" - leaked conversation from Bachmann HQ

When I have mechanisms on the work bench, I use a 9v battery if I want to check if it works. The contacts on the 9v are the right distance for OO wheels - I find it a very useful tool.

This is called “A normal day for Bachman”.

Looking forward to this! Love your repair videos. I’ve been watching your restoration lives from last year

I would have thought that the best way to secure those driveshafts would have been by a grub screw through the side of the brass flywheel. Simple, secure, and idiot-proof.

I really enjoy these fault finding videos. Mainly because model locomotive design, especially in terms of the mechanisms is very similar the world over, so even though the models themselves are different, the running gear is almost identical. Really glad you got your Bachmann loco fixed. I’ve actually been following your ring field motor servicing guide, and I’ve managed to get two of my old Lima locomotives running again after more than 15 years on the sideline. One I thought was a total loss, but it now runs really well. Thanks again for sharing.

Sam, the similarities between your narrative of this "autopsy" and that of a pathologist "doing his thing" are hilariously uncanny!! Well done you, brilliant and honestly informative, thankyou.

Sam, wonderful video! Congrats for repairing the Bachmann loco. I love problem solving and fixing things, so this really hit the spot for me. Thank you and stay healthy!

Sam, I have a theory that if it's not the wheels and running gear, motor or excessive grease, maybe the oscillating speed in a model could be down to an individual gear being manufactured nonconcentric which causes it to make an eccentric motion and bind in the tightest spot? In that case the only option is getting a replacement for said gear. Might be worth investingating!

Lost a customer Bachmann has How embarrassing, how embarrassing *in Yoda's voice*

Very satisfying to watch! At least for those of us who haven't spent £150 on the 10000...

I really enjoyed this one Sam, very informative and interesting once again.. Great video, stay safe and take care :)

It’s is very satisfying seeing the inside of the loco. Thanks for this Sam I need a tutorial to see faults in locos. 🙂🙂

The blue flying scotsman is just how my mallard is acting

As soon as I saw the title, I knew you'd make it do Bachmann come out worse.

Love your videos you go into so much detail on how to repair locos I would feel quite confident following your videos to do any repairs or servicing thank you

these videos are great for teaching people how to service and improve the performance of locomotives. Keep up the good work!

It acctually is really fun to fix my trains! I had a märklin percy, that when he drives and i block his way, instead of making a wheelslip, he acctually just stopped, so i had to give him a lil' push. I ended up taking it appart.

Great video Sam. Can you do a new pulling test (with the newton meter) on the Bachmann 10000 now it is fixed? Would be very interesting to see how much more pulling power it has.

Thank you Sam. This is the sort of problem we have when we purchase locomotive from retailers in Britain with the added problem that we live in Australia. I could count on both hands how many I have had to do the same repair on the fly wheels for members of the Club I belong to and all of them were Bachmann locos. The problem with sending anything back for repair takes forever with the added cost of postage that luckily in my own case was paid for by Hatton’s but that has not been the same for all retailers. So we have had to take things into our own hands and repair them ourselves which is a shame because I always considered Bachmann the No 1 manufacturer. Thank you so much for your time and patience on showing us in the colonies how to get around the Tyranny Of distance in my case it was the same problem as your own Regards Bill W/Australia.

Sam you are a model train wizard!!!!!!!! you manged to improve one lemon and fix another lemon bloody hell lad! you proved in one video why subbing to you for the last 3 years was worth while!

Well done Sam that was very clever of you! I can’t believe that you have to pay all that money and you receive a disfunctional loco. Either way you are very talented at working with the mechanism! I learnt a lot today! Thank you!

Very,very interesting Sam, there seems to be a lot of sloppiness in the Chinese factories. I have had a few similar experiences with Hornby as well.

Brilliant video Sam, enjoyed it from begining to the end, your a man after my own heart.

Wow! Grear, sam!! This gives me the idea of dearing revise two of my locos of faulty running. You are an inspiration. Thank you.

Please contact Bachmann for a comment - explain the situation (who you are - perhaps a link to the video). Everyone can make mistakes (though as you say this is totally unacceptable) but the way they respond and the steps to they take to address your complaint makes all the difference! Great video as always ☺️

I am flabbergasted how someone didn't pick up on this issue - like QC, or when the model is reviewed before being put into mass production. There are literally no words for how stupid the assembly / design is, and even less words than no words for how someone didn't notice it! Nice video again, I love seeing the action "as it happens!"

Hi Sam! Love the videos, I always enjoy watching them. You should do more repair/maintenance videos!

Brilliant and very informative vid Sam. Well done and thank you for showing us 👍

“This is my Bachmann, This is my Hornby. Most trains are for running, But mine are just faulty”

Ive fixed locos for years, and watching that scotsman i reckon it has a slight wheel quartering issue. Thats why its sticking in a certain part of the wheel rotation.

Sam, you are a true inspiration too us all. Thanks for all the cracking videos.

Hey Sam, watched this on my TV really good quality! Loved this video, so much of what I do. Excellent work on fixing the diesel, I find it incredible that they would use such a system, undoubtedly a push fit but oiled by someone who has no clue or care about what they are doing. This service video will be invaluable for anyone in the future. The Flying Scotsman, I'd suggest this is one of the gears you removed, probably the 2nd one, might have a blocked tooth or something fouling the spindles it runs on, I've seen this myself. Well done mate

I thought this video was brilliant, thank you. :)

Woah im early Im getting my 1st hornby set in the nrar future Im getting the christmas express for 90$ from hattons

I love this kind of video. I have a load of locos mostly Fleischmann and Roco with a few Trix and Lilliput that haven't run in over 10 years and I need to service before use which I've never done. So watching this is a great help. 👍👍👍

A very interesting and factual video as always Sam and thanks to you I now know the problem my bachman 108 DMU has, thank you Sam.

hmm yes, i was hoping that this vid will be uploaded. this has been interesting so far! lol i run out of things to say sometimes XD

Interesting video, I couldn’t take a loco apart without breaking it-Ben

Sam great video as usual. That is why I like your videos I always learn something. You show what to do and not do to enjoy this hobby. You advise is usually spot on. Thank you for making this hobby so enjoyable.

Thanks for bringing these problems to light. Most of my model train collection is recycled junk I acquired from various sources. I have repaired a variety of Bachmann locomotives, a favourite if their design team is to put a plastic reciver on the end of a metal shaft which tends to crack and slip, or just slip. If your glue method breaks loose, there is another more dramatic fix I use a bit more often than I like to admit. I take the shaft or motor out and put it under the Dremel drill press, drilling a hole, or if I miss, even a notch out of the shaft and through the plastic. Then I simply pin that in place with broken pieces of drill bit or the right size wire. I turned a whimpy DD40AX model that could not pull itself around into a real "stump puller" With your steam loco, I would recomend very tiny amounts of oil on the connecting rods and especially the cross head and guides. After its applied, run the loco on the bench so as to not throw excess lubricant all over your tracks and then try it for creeping around. A good run in after proper lub also might improve performance over time

Keep in mind they are made and asembled out in China. Do the chineese always know what they are doing?

1st

Very interesting sam, im glad you uploaded this as I have a Bachmann 46 I need to get inside and have dreaded it as they are so hard to access probably give it try now 👍

I have an affinity for those one-off experimental locos such as GT3, Lion, Kestrel, 10000, W1, Turbomotive etc so it was good to see this one fixed. Maybe in one of your future running sessions you could use whichever one-offs you have to give us all a taste?

You make the Video so clear how to fix the trains, great video 👍

Hi Sam. Another enjoyable video. I think that Bachmanns standards are slipping even further. A few years ago, I had a similar issue with a Hornby steam loco. After some checking (and some swearing) I found the teeth on a plastic cogwheel had not been cut properly and as a result it wasn't meching properly. I had to use a scalpel to carefully scrape away the plastic to effectively cut some new teeth into the cog. I ended up with a successful repair in the end. Some of the manufacturers obviously don't believe in quality control, which is bad considering the prices that they charge for their products. Keep up the good work and stay safe. Cheers Chris.

Good job, Sam. You can never let a loco get the upper hand! Cheers, Dan.

Very very very enjoyable sam a lot of fun to watch the master!

I just wonder how many of your Video's, help out very Disappointed Model train collector's. Who have Forked out £150 plus and get home excited to find these kinda issues..!! Dashing any Joy ( that this Hobby is all about Fun & Joy.) I wouldn't be capable or confident enough to tackle what you just did. (65 yr old Wobbles make things Difficult.) But some People out there would be..! So well Done Sam, you will have helped someone. And even if it Just One Person you're Clip is Worth every second of watching and Producing..!! Cheers kim in Oz..!😎

hi sam m8. love the video, i love to see the tecnhnical side of rail modelling. good job :)

Excellent. I'm glad that you are in a position to do this, and that you have the patience for the task. If every faulty or underperforming model was exchanged or refunded, nothing would change, and if someone's model develops a fault further into ownership, then you will have given them hope that it might be fixable. I liked to think of these episodes as washing the manufacturers dirty grunners in public... well actually, maybe not, not a pretty thought. I've been collecting 2nd hand models over the last 3 years or so. I've managed to fix, repair, and correct most problems. Some will never be 100%, because of age, design, wear, but I'm chill. One though, which was bought as an excellent condition, good runner, has driven me to the stamping on stage. Hornby R2224 LMS Fowler 2-6-4T Class 4P '2311'. Did Hornby go through a phase of fitting square axles and gears, or deliberately unbalancing them? Should of returned it right away, but was one of two models I first bought, and I accepted then, what I don't accept now. Have you ever done an autopsy on one of these?

Excellent and informative video. Well done on the problem solving especially with the Bachmann model 10000 . Definitely a mix up at the factory with oil and glue ! . Love the Borman shirt , think he must have inspired you to find the source of the problems

Thanks for this Sam, it kind of gives me confidence to take apart my Bachmann class 37's when needed. Hopefully they're of a similar design. Up to now 100% reliability, regardless how much they're used. Shame the 10000 had issues, I swear by the 37s. Take care Sam.

That was very good Sam .Glad you voiced my sentiments regarding bad workmanship you how feel about that nice one Sam.

Nice work, Sam! It's satisfying to have a positive result from all of that dis- and reassembly. I've fixed several Atlas N scale diesels from the mid-Aughties which have a similar issue as the LMS 10000. The universals, friction-fit on the motor shaft & nestled within the flywheels, would crack with age and cause the same free spinning problem. Some CA glue or more durable replacements from Atlas fixed the problem. Atlas doesn't use that design anymore. I'm surprised (well, not THAT surprised) to see Bachmann scale it up! Pity because the LMS 10000 is so pretty & pretty expensive.

Watching these kinds of repair videos is like therapy, please do more, always great to learn a bit more about how to take things apart! Have you thought of ever taking a model completely apart, bit like Todd McLellan?

Love these videos you do as well as the servicing really helps and helped me in fixing a couple of troublesome trains some running better than i can remember afterwards! Do you offer repair/servicing not sure but did you do it years ago?

I have the old green version of10000 and it was a good runner until regularly one of the cardan shafts kept slipping from its motor dog. Eventually, the thing didn’t move, though the motor turned. Frustrated, because I couldn’t see why, I placed it in my “loco hospital” awaiting treatment. I didn’t think of the little bushing and after watching your analysis must examine that. I recently bought 10001, though haven’t fitted decoder yet, and have the Locomotion DP1, which has given no problems so far. I think they’re all the same drive platform so I’ll be alert for similar problems in the future. Thanks Sam.

Impressive to see your skills in action. The problem on the Bachmann is a shame for the brand. Glad to see you have solved it !

Very interesting video Sam, glad you managed to fix the bachmann diesel,but what a faff about !! Well done

Excellent, well done, you make it easy. Easy it is not. Kudos.

Thanks Sam. I think I now know what is wrong with my Bachmann Class 221. I was bought it for Christmas 20 years ago, and it's sat in its box for 15 of those years. The motor turns, but the wheels don't when any torque is required.

Another great blog Sam I enjoyed it very much

Really enjoy watching these repair and also your servicing videos. Have you any more planned Sam?

Got my 10001 before yo did your review. Mine had no issues and can easily pull a full rake of coaches. However your findings are useful for identifying a potential future problem that could present itself. And your video gives owners a good idea how to fix the issue when and if the locomotives start to suffer over time. Perhaps other Bachmann diesel locomotives have the same design and could suffer. It remains me of the Mainline split chassis wheel and gears that split over time and need replacing and quartering. Thanks Sam.

Really"open it up" enjoyed this.I have a Hornby J15 that dies after running about 4 feet.I think you gave me confidence to open it up and have a look.

Hey Sam! One of the things I loved about going to model shops to buy my trains in Hong Kong and Japan (pre-covid, that is 😵) was that the staff always tested equipment with me before I paid and left the shop! Also, the quality control for Japanese manufacturers tends to be pretty high anyway! The only factory defect I’ve come across has been an EMU cab car with a failed white headlight LED. I could get a replacement direct from Kato showroom in Tōkyō, but I haven’t done anything about it yet because the cab car will always be running coupled to another train, so I don’t need the lights! However, talking about Bachmann’s lubrication issues reminds me of one of my American Bachmann locos I bought in about 2001.... A Spectrum Union Pacific GE Dash 8-40CW massive 6 axle American monster loco. Mine was from an entire batch that had been so over-lubricated that it was constantly suffering from a slow grease leak for years.... You could see the oil on the bogies & under frame, and the loco always seemed to be oily to the touch.... It was like Bachmann was aiming for maintenance free by simply bathing the mechanisms in an oil bath! 🤣🤣🤣

No Sam you are correct in telling ppl to send faulty models back. But since some manufactures is not lisetning on what customers are saying. But when one see how mutch work and hours that are spent on the model in r and d. The ones that is hurting from this is the manufacture of the model . 👍👍👍👍🇸🇪

I now take back what I said before about getting that diesel, at least until it is re-tooled. And I appreciate the sort of step-by-step tutorial on how to clean old lubricant from the gears. I still need to do a super-thorough cleaning on all of the engines I got from eBay, but I was unsure of how until this video. Many thanks from America!

Hello Sam, I had a similar problem with a Bachmann GE DASH 8, except here the plastic couplings on the worm gears on the gear towers were slipping. I roughened up the shafts and used super glue gel. The problem was solved.

you are literally the english accent version of SMT mainline hahah also very cool seeing this being fixed up!

Good video. The public need to be made aware of these issues.. Your flying Scotsman is probably feeling blue. Glad you fixed the bachmann.

That was interesting to watch you work on the drive shaft issue. I've had one loco with the exact same slippage problem, also from Bachmann-- go figure. I got it from a train fair, though, so it was definitely not under warranty, but a drop of glue did the job.

This is such a soothing video to watch

Hi Sam, The Dapol Railtrack 121 that you reviewed sometime ago can be fixed by removing one of the cardan shafts. This will remove the tension that causes it to run slowly.

hi sam. very interesting . how that got through the bachman quality control is beyond me. but well sorted out.as for the scotsman i think thats as good as it gets. cheers tom

Good video ,and glad you got both locos repaired 😊

great video Sam. Wondering did you check back-to-backs and tender wheels?

Exactly right!! If there’s a problem with the new model, I ALWAYS take it back to the dealer. But there again, I’m not able to do it myself!!

Excellent video. The fact you want to dig into a new motor shows your curiosity.

Hey Sam, over a period of time quite a number of my Bachmann Diesel shaft driven Loco have failed at the motor end or the Bogey end. I have fixed the problem myself by applying super glue to stop the slip. I think Bachmann initially use "tightness" to avoid slipping but over time , plastic fittings must expand slightly. I am very surprised this is your first time to fix this problem. ;-] PS: I have since sold off all my Bachmann stock as I no longer purchase rubbish!!!

Sam, I enjoyed your video and the journey to try and undo what others should have checked in their rush to release clearly unsatisfactory models. May I suggest that with the A3 that it looks (to me) that the quartering is out so very slightly out and with a gentle touch this should relieve the stiffness. Best wishes for the future, Paul.

*"You're gluing with only one needle. You're missing that one final screw. You're going slightly mad"* 🎶 Lol sorry that just popped into my head when one needle was mentioned :D Very pleased you got that LMS 10000 performing better. Though it just shows how negligent manufacturers can be at times. Beautiful ideas; bad executions. Hopefully there'll be less of that in future.

Bachmann are getting too big to care. Thanks for the info Sam. I have a rather lovely old Fleishman BR green Class 42 loco with an annoying flywheel that keeps dropping off into the body. I had no idea that you could superglue the damn things onto the shaft & so you may just have solved my problem too! Wish me luck! Cheers.

Great video Sam very educational, thanks for videoing. When’s the next Sam’s trains live stream.

Hi Sam, I had the same problem of over lubrification, as you had on the Diesel engine, on an old Re 460 of Roco After cleaning the shaft and it’s location I added a tiny piece of paper (1mm x 1mm) around the axle to have a better tight fit Now it works really well and manages heavy goods trains on my friend’s layout ;-)

Many years ago, I had the American-outline 4-4-0 "JUPITER" or similar and coach for use on my model tramway. The loco had a similar sort of drive shaft to that on 10000/10001, and it performed just as well. In the end, I had the motor out and fitted Tenshodos to the coach, so it pushed the loco . . . Not quite what was wanted, but it worked!

Very interesting regarding the Bachmann as I had something similar happen with my GE 44t (little tiny switcher thing). Had it running around and and I noticed it stopped but I could still heard the motor, very curious I thought and worthy of investigation. Had a look inside and found a similar arrangement to that found in yours, little rubber thing that accepted the drive shafts was not doing what it should - the friction was non existent. I did not go for glue but a minute bit of blu tack which has done the job and it has been fine for a couple of years now. Every bit as fiddly to get together as with your larger engine - possibly more so.

Some people swear they've never had an issue with a Bachmann, ever. I am glad for them. Myself and two model rail friends have not been as fortunate. I would LOVE to see Bachmann be the GOLD STANDARD of model trains. They produce some of the more interesting locomotives out there. But the number of mechanical issues belies a very deep fissure between engineering and production. Without Sam's analysis first, I am not spending a farthing. Sam is the voice of us consumers.

Great locos Sam I also think your good at giving instructions on how to fix locos keep up the good work I believe in you :)

Great work Sam! Shame about the Scotsman but what a improvement on the 10000! 😎🍻 I have issues on a few engines I picked up as “non-runners” which I have still to tackle one day...you have inspired me to do so, though I will have to wait until I can have a dedicated area when we have moved as my missus can’t abide mess in out ‘shared’ areas 😜 Nice one, enjoyed that 👍

What a mission Sam,you are a braver man than i,i have the Dapol version of 1001 in Green livery and i'am very happy with it.i once bought the Heljan Tango,i was not impressed with it,it kept derailing on my layout and i sent it back.cheers for another great video mate

I had a very similar sticking / hesitation problem with West country/ Bob / MN Pacific's in the past. Turned out that it was a cracked gear. I think this was a common issue with models made around 2007 ish, but it might be worth a check. Replacing the gear set fixed the issues. Happened to several of my models. Took me a age to get the gearset as they were never in stock.

It’s better than it was when you did the review!!

A very instructional video, indeed. By the way, it's a very posh touch to use a Braun electric toothbrush head for applying alcohol to gears. I assume it's used, as those heads are expensive! We've had a Braun for several years now, and it was like magic for improving our oral hygiene. Cheers from Wisconsin.

This makes the N-Scale Kato "Dash 9" locomotive that I recently repaired look like child's play. The only thing long about that repair was the wait for the parts that I ordered for it.