Bachmann GP 7 comment & question

RGW1 Mar 25, 2015

  1. RGW1

    RGW1 TrainBoard Member

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    Picked up a N scale Bachmann GP7 from a guy because it would not run,figured it probably had a bad decoder board. It ended up being the the contacts (DCC board ) were not touching and it had too much lube and it was on all the contact surfaces on the frame. Something to check if you have problems.

    None my question. I am stripping the paint and repainting on the shell and need to paint the hand rails black. I have checked past info,but does anybody have any new ideas for this? I have heard RC car paint. Also black markers .
     
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  2. Eagle2

    Eagle2 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I've heard good things about using the R/C car paint asa a primer for handrails, because it's formulated to flex without chipping/flaking.
     
  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    A while back, someone suggested using: Dupli-Color Clear Adhesion Promoter. I have as yet to get some and try it. Available from auto parts stores in a spray can, the part number I scribbled down was #CCP-199.
     
  4. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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  5. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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  6. bman

    bman TrainBoard Member

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    I would use black R/C car paint for the handrails. Modeling Conrail I have a bottle of this paint in white for handrails and it works well. For other colors I use Microprep from Microscale. Unfortunately it seems to be discontinued at this time. It allows the use of acrylics on handrails as well as using CA to repair them. It could be the same as the stuff from the auto parts store I will have to find out. I have some junk handrails I keep around so I have test fodder to try the adhesion promoter from Dupli Color. I guess I could decant it into a spare paint jar from the airbrush stash to then brush on. Who here has tried it??
     
  7. JBrown

    JBrown TrainBoard Member

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    I use it...It works fine.
     
  8. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the review! Seems like a decent loco. Guess the loco wasn't materially changed from article date in 2010 to 2017? Do you have one?
     
  9. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    I don't. My early days in N Scale pretty much poisoned the water hole for me and Bachmann with their poor quality. I also had a Bachmann diesel with cracked gears, a common problem a decade (?) ago in their history. Some folks have good luck with Bachmann; I'm not one.

    When I think about it, I think the only brand that I've had perfect results with is Kato. I can't recall though if they've ever done anything CNJ, aside from NS's Heritage Unit.
     
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  10. brokemoto

    brokemoto TrainBoard Member

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    I have only one; an early issue. It is pretty good. I run it frequently. I use DC. I have yet to fry the decoder on this one. I have fried more than a few
    B-mann decoders on DC. What is funny is that they run better when you take out the decoder. They do not have flywheels, but they creep as well as anything that does.
     
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  11. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    The cracked gears heard from a Hobby shop person too. How did you guess I was looking for CNJ? :) Yeah, saw those Katos but don't think really fit era and may be a bit long??? I don't have high hopes on positive outcome of the SD35 so thinking maybe trying one of these Bachmanns. Can't find any other CNJ locos.
     
  12. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the input. Hopefully under DCC, it runs better.
     
  13. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    I have two ( both Bachmann 62452) and they run fine but haven't run them much, just on the test track. After seeing this thread actually went out and ran them a little while ago. I picked up one new for $79 and a used one off the bay for $65.

    The used one didn't run when I got it. This thread prompted me to see why today. I pulled the shell and the decoder pops off the top of the frame pretty easy and the contacts under it weren't hitting the frame for power pickup. Bent them down and put the loco on the track (running DCC++EX) and it ran fine, as good as the other one. They both creeped at about 5 seconds between two ties. Didn't pull anything so no thoughts there. I'd agree with Spookshow's assessment of them.

    I do have maybe one problem with them. I've also picked up 4 UP Atlas GP7's that I'll have to convert to DCC and wanted two more so picked up the Bachmann's since the UP Atlas GP7's have seemed to have dried up on the bay as of late. I'm getting two 'identical' coal trains together for a project I'm working on ( HERE ). I want/need a consist of 3 loco's on each train that have identical road numbers so that the two trains look to be identical.

    After looking at the Bachmann's today with decoder pro I don't see as much motor control as I do with the decoders I'll put in the Atlas GP7's so I might have a hard time speed matching two Atlas locos and one Bachmann in each consist. I also have two identical Atlas GP9's so might put them in the consists if I can't find any more Atlas GP7's.

    If I was running the Bachmann's alone or in a consist together I think I'd be more than happy with them and will keep them for that situation,

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2021
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  14. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for sharing your GP7 experiences. There were a few Bachmann GP7 62459 CNJ locos on eBay last month but due to other loco issues decided to wait. :-( Guess should have posted and bought then... The Bachmann 62452 was advertised on the same page as the CNJ 62459 so presumably only the shell decoration should be different. Do your 62452s have plastic gears? Since there are not too many CNJ locos to begin with, probably will seek one of these Bachmann GP7s out and hopefully find a good one.

    The coal trains project looks awesome!!
     
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  15. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    I buy mostly older used locos. I use Spookshow along with Trovestar to research them. Here is my loco on Trovestar...

    https://www.trovestar.com/generic/zoom.php?id=120741

    Now here is the one you are interested in....

    https://www.trovestar.com/generic/zoom.php?id=120744

    Notice on mine they have the release date of 2016 (same loco's as in the Spookshow review noted further above). With yours it isn't noted but everything else is pretty much the same so I'd feel they are the same generation. Trovestar doesn't have every loco but lots and a lot of times by the manufacture's part number you can pretty much tell if they are from the same run as is also evident from mine and yours.

    Armed with that info I'll visit Spookshow and see if the same model is reviewed there. Most of the time it is along with the different production runs if it has been produced over a longer time period with changes. You can see his reviews of the changes and see which period the loco you are looking at falls into and make a decision if it might be a good loco for you.

    Great sites and well worthy of a donation to support them.

    Probably but I wouldn't worry about the gears with the newer Bachmann locos. The white gear problems are a thing of the past as far as I know. Look the model up on Spookshow and if there is a gear problem it is usually noted. Great site and has done a lot for the hobby,

    Sumner
     
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  16. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the info. Stumbled upon trovestar looking for CNJ rolling stock some months back. Definitely excellent site.

    Hardcoaler posted spookshow GP7 link earlier in thread, never heard of the site before. Their review of GP7 seems positive.
    http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bachgp7.html

    A new one at about $85 or $105 (incl Tax and Ship). Guess its worth it?
     
  17. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    After looking at the project, and browsing your site, came across the milling with the WEN tool. Have no milling experience and have held back considering getting one of these. A couple of questions...
    -Is there an attachment-tool included or some attachment one could get to cut KATO metal rails and plastic roadbed? The cut piece would be at the end of a spur so no connection or rail joiners on the cut side of the track. Roadbed edge cut ends will be covered with ballast.

    -Is there an attachment-tool included or some attachment one could get to plunge cut thin, say .04" styrene? Another wards, want to take a square or rectangle piece of styrene which a structure's exterior walls will sit on but want to cutout inside to leave just 1/2" - 1" around the bottom perimeter of the walls? Like foundation + sidewalk look. Since the inside cut is covered up by the structure, it does not need to be perfect.

    Thank you
     
  18. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Mark you can basically use any tool that goes in a standard Dremel tool. I'm not experienced at working with styrene so hopefully someone else will step up in answering questions about it and the Kato track which I also don't have experience with. I did do a quick search "how to cut center section out of styrene" and came up with this....

    https://www.therpf.com/forums/threads/best-way-of-cutting-a-square-hole-in-styrene.154859/

    I have a regular Dremel and the flex shaft Wen and if I need to use one it is usually the flex shaft I go to, especially if at the work bench or some place where I can lay the main body. If that is a problem I resort to the 'normal' Dremel.

    For others the 'No Mill, No Problem' that shows using the Wen is ( HERE ).

    Sumner
     
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  19. Mark Ricci

    Mark Ricci TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the link. Read the 'No Mill, No Problem' and thought maybe it could work. Info very helpful as maybe someday I'll get past the issues and do a little decoder install work.
     
  20. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    I think one of the carbide bits in the tool would work but maybe more work than other methods. The problem would be holding the styrene sheet firmly flat while making the cut. I could see having a long straight trough under the sheet along the cut line. Have the sheet clamped down close to the cut on both sides. Make a plunge cut and then follow your interior line for one straight side. Turn the sheet 90 degrees, clamp it and do the same. If the sheet wasn't clamped down well close to the cut it would probably pop up and down and end up being unpredictable cutting it.

    Another option might be to use one of the circular saw blades in the tool and cut along the line with it. Not sure how the styrene would react to that though.

    Sumner
     
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