BachmannTrains - USRA 0-6-0 w/Smoke & Slope Tender - Chesapeake & Ohio® #128 - HO Scale

UPDATE: July 22, 2023I replaced all the previous brand new code 83 track with also brand new code 83 track to see if this was the issue with dead spots.I've added a couple more cars so there are now 16 (not counting the engine and tender) and once you get on a level track, it can pull them with no problem. I'm going to get about 9 more cars to see what it can do. I'm hoping I won't need to buy a second engine and tender to pull all 25 cars.What I just figured out in the last 2 days is there is the slightest of incline on both the inside and outside curves in 1 corner and the wheels slip very easily because all the weight of the cars makes the engine do a slight nose pop up because it needs a set of wheels in the back and a set of wheels in the front to keep it balanced on the track. Even with just the engine on the track, you can put just a little pressure on the front or back and the engine will bob in that direction, causing a set of wheels to come off the track.Now, with just the engine on the track, it has no issues with the slight incline and the wheels don't slip but once I add about 3 or more cars, then the wheels start to slip on the slight incline.With all 16 cars added, you have to push the train to get it started at this slight incline but once it gets past the slight incline and gets on the level track, it really flies. It gets enough speed to come around to the slight incline and can muscle it's way past and repeat going around the track without any help. If I run it at any slower speeds, it won't have enough speed to get past the slight incline and I have to give it help with a push here and there.I am using 24" radius curves on the outside loop and 22" radius curves on the inside loop with a 30 degree crossover. NOTE: 22" radius curves work perfectly with the 30 degree crossover to go in and out of the crossover.It's still a long way until Christmas so hopefully I don't burn up the engine flying around the track at full speed and pulling so many cars!I forgot to state that I'm using it with only DC so there is no sound. However, it does smoke. There is a super tiny tiny switch on the back of the engine and if you push it to the right, it will smoke; if you push it to the left, it will not smoke. You can tell which setting it's on because the smoke stack will get hot really quickly when it's turned on.I just got the last piece to get running the 6 foot by 8 foot twice around track I built to go around the Christmas tree this upcoming Christmas.I'm using Bachmann Trains large power supply and speed control so it gives this engine plenty of power and speed. I have a total of 13 cars which includes the engine and tender and it can pull everything easily.However, I'm not sure if it's the track, engine, or power supply but I'm coming across several dead spots and if the train isn't going fast enough, it won't go past them; however, if it's going fast enough, it goes right pass them with a little stutter here and there.I'm using all nickel track pieces so they are the top quality for keeping good power to all the sections.I believe this engine would go pass any dead spots like this at a slower speed if there were another set of wheels in the very front and another set of wheels in the very back so you get a longer space for the wheels to get a better connection.Also, the connection between the engine and the tender needs to be a regular coupler so you can hook and unhook the tender easily instead of having to lift up the back of the engine to connect or disconnect them because that means trying to align up the engine and tender on the track at the same time.I'm still trying to get the right placement for all the cars because I'm having issues with derailments every now and then since this engine needs to be going fast to get pass the dead spots.I like this engine because I like the old steam engines and I'm also going to build an Old West Town on 1 end of the track and a Christmas Village on the other end.I also got all C&O cars to go with this C&O engine so everything matches.

I guess for 120 dollars I cannot complain too much but for those who are interested I’ll provide some detail. By no means is this model a quiet runner. No directional lighting as there is no light on rear of tender. Front headlight is very yellow and not bright at all. Smoke unit only works at full speed and even and at full speed there’s not much coming out. Front coupler is non operational which kind of sucks because 0-6-0 were typically switchers. The riveting detail and grab irons are nice. Lettering and numbering is very well done. Slow speed creep is pretty good too it’s just noisy. Overall, 120 bucks might be a little much but it could be worse.

It was ok at first then it would not run on the back side of the track, i would have to give it a nudge to git it going again and that was at full speed. wold only pull 3 cars at a time. the factory said it was bad track but i believe it was something else, buyers beware,