# Bachmann Locomotives



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

Does anyone know for sure wether or not Bachmann diesel locomotives have flywheels?

I'm looking at a Bachmann DCC equipped GP38-2 that runs on DC or DCC, but doesn't say whether it has flywheels or not. The picture in the literature doesn't seem to show flywheels.
It comes in a blue window box.

I was able to take it home and test run it on my DC layout. Looks nice , runs nice but am concerned about my past experience with older non flywheel locomotives. They run fine when the track and wheels are clean, but as on or the other get dirty, they run less smooth, sometimes a lot less smooth.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

DavefromMD said:


> Does anyone know for sure wether or not Bachmann diesel locomotives have flywheels?
> 
> I'm looking at a Bachmann DCC equipped GP38-2 that runs on DC or DCC, but doesn't say whether it has flywheels or not. The picture in the literature doesn't seem to show flywheels.
> It comes in a blue window box.
> ...


It seems to depend on when the loco was manufactured. I have the GP38. I got it
used more than a year ago. It has flywheels. I have a 2nd that I have
not had the shell off. Both run equally well. But my brother just bought a new
one that does not have flywheels. He is breaking it in now so a
final report will come later. All are DCC equipped.

I do have to say the Bachmann GPs are very good pullers, well weighted, with all wheel
drive and power pickup.

Don


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

I've wondered about Bachmanns having flywheels, too. I asked my local dealer the difference between the "DCC Equipped' and the "DCC Onboard" locomotives. I have several of each, all run on DC or DCC and are not sound equipped. He wasn't sure and didn't know where the Spectrum series went. He said that he'd look into it. Perhaps a member here knows for sure?


----------



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

I should have added - it is new. It has amber headlights and directional lighting.
The dealer has a 10 day return policy, so I have 10 days to decide if I want to keep it.


----------



## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

According to this diagram from Bachmann's web site, that locomotive does NOT have flywheels.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H611X_IS001.pdf


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

So take the shell off and look.......


----------



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

"So take the shell off and look"

I would except I'm afraid of breaking something since I am not familiar with how it comes off. If I break something, I void the 10 day return.


----------



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

Morrjr - thanks for the verification.

That's the diagram that came in the box. That's what got me wondering. I defininetly didn't see any in the diagram, but wasn't sure if I was missing something. I didn't think locomotives were made without flywheels anymore.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

kix662003 said:


> I've wondered about Bachmanns having flywheels, too. I asked my local dealer the difference between the "DCC Equipped' and the "DCC Onboard" locomotives. I have several of each, all run on DC or DCC and are not sound equipped. He wasn't sure and didn't know where the Spectrum series went. He said that he'd look into it. Perhaps a member here knows for sure?


There is no difference between DCC EQUIPPED and DCC ON BOARD.
They are just 2 ways to say the same thing.

They both indicate that the loco does indeed have a DCC decoder.

DCC ready, however, is different. It indicates that the loco does
not have a DCC decoder but is wired for simple installation if you
buy a decoder for it.

Don


----------



## Northern Route (May 12, 2014)

I don't know much about the new Bachman DCC on board, but if you hit dead or dirty track and it acts like it has flywheels the decoder may have a capacitor setup to control jerky operation rather than flywheels.


----------



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

"I don't know much about the new Bachman DCC on board, but if you hit dead or dirty track and it acts like it has flywheels the decoder may have a capacitor setup to control jerky operation rather than flywheels. "

Is that the case on some other makes of lower end DCC locomotives? I ask because I see some others that don't seem (by the descriptions) to have flywheels.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

It would be logical that flywheels should make a loco
run smoother.

I do have to say, tho, that My Bachmann DCC locos are very
smooth runners. Their slow speed running is very good.
I seldom run mine over and HO 40 MPH. Their all wheel
power pickup lets them run thru any patch of dirty track
without a hiccup.

I haven't heard if other manufacturers have dropped use
of flywheels.

Don


----------



## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks for the input on DCC Equipped vs. Onboard, Don. Mine all run smooth at low speed. The guys at the local RR Club don't care for Bachmann DCC or MRC decoders some use because the club's computer software can't read the engines like other brands. A few have told me that there's no way know what's been done or changed if bought used, and the factory has to reset to default values. Even so, my new Bachmann RS-3 runs better on DC than my new BLI NW-2, and other than sound, run about the same on DCC with or without flywheels. The detail quality is about the same too.


----------



## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

I did see one of Bachmann's more recent DCC releases - GP9s - do have flywheels. I wonder if they are now adding them to their DCC line. I saw where it looks like they are releasing a new set of DCC GP-38s supposedly in late September. Guess we'll see if those have flywheels to know if that is where they are going on their DCC models.


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

The Bachmann DCC DVD manual gives an easy instruction to reset
their decoder to default factory settings. There's not many you can
change in the first place. Just, address, forward or reverse, lights
and maybe one or two others.

Don


----------



## irishthump (Jul 1, 2013)

I have one DCC on-board Bachmann GP35 which is not equipped with flywheels.
Like the guys said it's a very smooth runner and has excellent pulling power.

However; running was terrible with the factory installed decoder. I genuinely thought I had a bought a dud until I switched decoders!


----------



## wiley2012 (Dec 8, 2012)

The current low-end Bachmann locomotives are definitely better performers than the low-end Bachmann locos of the 1970s and 1980s, even without the flywheel. Their assembly and function is very similar to some of the Mehano locomotives of the 1970s to the 1990s (ironically, Bachmann used to use their GP18 in their early '90s "Empire Builder" sets.) Even their shells are rather nicely detailed (sort of at Bachmann Plus levels.) 
I have a Bachmann BNSF GP40 and Santa Fe FTA, both DCC-equipped (the GP40 came with my E-Z Command DCC system.) Very nice runners. I'm also getting a modified DCC Santa Fe GP40 (with the red/silver Warbonnet shell.)

I DO know the Bachmann Plus locomotives of the early 1990s came with flywheels of some sort; my Santa Fe Consolidation has a worm gear flywheel as part of its motor. Even though the shell is mostly the same as the Consolidation locomotive of the 1970s and 1980s, it's a more superior runner. (But I removed the smoke unit due to it not being good for the track.)


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

DavefromMD said:


> "So take the shell off and look"
> 
> I would except I'm afraid of breaking something since I am not familiar with how it comes off. If I break something, I void the 10 day return.


So, wait for 11 days.......


----------



## wiley2012 (Dec 8, 2012)

Sorry for the thread bump, but I was doing a bit of maintenance on my DCC-equipped Bachmann GP40 (BNSF colors), and I noticed that mine apparently appears to have flywheels!








It sure looks different from the diagram that came with my locomotive (came with my E-Z Command unit.) Maybe they're getting a little more upscale with the DCC locomotives or something? (This isn't counting their more expensive ones like the GG1s or the new NS Heritage units, stuff like that, as those already have higher-quality flywheel motors.)


----------

