Bachmann Big Hauler ten wheelers

[ge_rik]

I was asked to convert a couple of Bachmann Big Hauler 4-6-0 locos to battery RC.

vlcsnap-2026-05-17-17h08m49s354.jpg (258.61 KiB) Viewed 346 times

vlcsnap-2026-05-17-17h07m05s128.jpg (313.07 KiB) Viewed 346 times

When I took the second one apart I was surprised at how different it's mechanism was to the first loco I had just finished converting.

DSCI0902.JPG (435.54 KiB) Viewed 346 times

DSCI0781.JPG (324.31 KiB) Viewed 346 times

Also, its fittings and the quality of its plastic were poorer quality. It turns out there were at least six "Generations" of the model - each with different mechanisms. They gradually improved the quality over time.
https://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/bi ... _tips.html

Rik

[GAP]

As fate would have it I have just been gifted a Bachmann Big Hauler set which contains the No 10 loco.
How did you do your conversion leave the internal boards or gut it and start afresh?

[ge_rik]

As fate would have it I have just been gifted a Bachmann Big Hauler set which contains the No 10 loco.
How did you do your conversion leave the internal boards or gut it and start afresh?

Hi Graeme
Mostly gutted it. Starting at the front, I replaced the filament bulb with a 3mm LED. I kept the smoke generator in case the customer wanted to use it, I added some lead to the pilot bogie as that seems to derail easily. I stripped out the wiring and removed the wheel contacts then replaced the switch and two pin socket at the back of the cab with a piece of Vero board on which was mounted an eight pin JST socket (a six pin will do - pos and neg for the smoke generator, LED feed, chuff cam output and the two leads to the motor).

DSCI0981.JPG (4.49 MiB) Viewed 93 times

In the tender, I removed the chuff board and the mounts for the 9v PP3 battery. I retained the speaker and added a Micron soundcard and an MR603 receiver. I made a 3S battery pack from three 4.5Ah 21700 li-ion cells (with BMS). I reprogrammed the receiver to trigger all the sounds using the buttons and switches on a Micron Tx22X transmitter. I mounted an on-off-on switch and charge sockets on a 3D printed mount so they are accessible when the flap for the PP3 is opened.

DSCI0896.JPG (5.01 MiB) Viewed 93 times

Rik

[BertieB]

I’ve noticed the variable quality of these too. They’ve been reliable though. I’ve bought a few of these second-hand over the years, to brutally cannibalise just for the chassis. And I recently bought a brand new chassis direct from the US which, I was pleased to see, has a much improved leading bogie arrangement, though you still have to do a bit of work to get it to accommodate more plausibly sized wheels. I have to say your R/C installation is a little more elegant than I’ve managed.

[ge_rik]

I have to say your R/C installation is a little more elegant than I’ve managed.

Thanks. Mind you, compared with the lash-up which the original loco was wired-up with, anything is an improvement.

Rik

[GAP]

I’ve noticed the variable quality of these too. They’ve been reliable though. I’ve bought a few of these second-hand over the years, to brutally cannibalise just for the chassis. And I recently bought a brand new chassis direct from the US which, I was pleased to see, has a much improved leading bogie arrangement, though you still have to do a bit of work to get it to accommodate more plausibly sized wheels. I have to say your R/C installation is a little more elegant than I’ve managed.

Do they suffer from the dreaded bacnmann gear cracking? I had a 2-4-2 that I had reaired by "barry's big trains" years ago due to a cracked gear. Mine is still new in its box having ever been run. I have a 3 truck shay with a cracked gear that I have to 3 d print a new one for.