Pancake motor

[PHILFLYER]

Hi, I am new in this forum.
I know there is no more pancake motors in the market. Can I replace this motor, for an old Bachmann locomotive, with a newer one (new technology)? Everything else is new. Thanks.

[Len]

Not very easily. The chassis and truck design is considerably different for a can motor.

That said, you can usually find old pancake motor locos on line, year sales, flea markets, and train shows. If possible, try it on a test track before buying. Or at least use a 9V battery to verify the motor works. You should be able to find something with a working motor you can swap into your loco fairly cheap, $10 - $15 range. Possibly less at a yard sale.

Len

[jbrock27]

Bobby Clarke, keep in mind any pancake motor you manage to find is going to very old and who knows for how long or how much better it is going to run than the one you currently have.  Plus all the loco parts around this replacement pancake motor will remain very old as well and may be the next thing(s) to break or malfunction.  You may want to consider the possibility of throwing good $$ after bad and buy a current loco as a replacement instead.  It will run much better than even finding an old but brand new, pancake motor, in my opinion.  What is the road name on the shell?  Have any special attachments to it?

[electrical whiz kid]

Len;
Why would you say "not easily"?

RIch C.

[Bucksco]

Sometimes you just need to retire the old stuff and move on.

[electrical whiz kid]

Yardmaster;
To your last comment:
The 'old stuff' is sometimes the biggest challenge, and certainly will be the telling point to your abilities.

Rich C

[jbrock27]

As you can see above, I agree with his majesty.

Len;
Why would you say "not easily"?

RIch C.

Rich, bc of different drive parts between the old and the new.

The 'old stuff' is sometimes the biggest challenge, and certainly will be the telling point to your abilities.

Rich C

I would opine that sometimes there is nothing to have to prove and the time, effort and resources just can't be justified.  Especially considering that old is often inferior to new, in a lot of ways.

[Len]

Len;
Why would you say "not easily"?

RIch C.

Because there are often differences between the old chassis and new ones that make it difficult to put a can motor, and new style trucks, in the old chassis.

That said, I've often put refurbished pancake motors in older Bachmann, and other mfg's, equipment, then made it available to people on extremely tight budgets. I'd bundle it with some old Model Power steel track, a Tyco transformer, and a couple of Tyco/Mantua/Model Power cars. It was that, or no trains at all for their kids on birthdays and Christmas. Not everyone has $100 for even a cheap new train set.

The 'refurbishment' generally consists of cleaning things up, and making sure the gears and motor shaft still turns. Then replacing the brushes, lubing, and replacing the incandescent bulb with an LED and resistor to cut down the chances of something melting.

Len

[jbrock27]

Not everyone has $100 for even a cheap new train set.

Len

Gotta believe, someone who has the means to have a computer to post a question, such as the one that started this topic, has the financial means to buy a replacement locomotive. 

How much would you charge for all of that Len?

And I would not consider receiving steel track to be any kind of gift.

[Len]

Gotta believe, someone who has the means to have a computer to post a question, such as the one that started this topic, has the financial means to buy a replacement locomotive.  

How much would you charge for all of that Len?

And I would not consider receiving steel track to be any kind of gift.

A lot of low income people use computors available to the public at their local libraries, they don't own one of their own. It was considered a miracle by some when the local bus system extended it's hours to 10pm. It meant they could start taking their kids to the library to use the computers there for their homework, and not get laughed at by kids that did own computers.

I don't have a set price for the rebuilds, just whatever the families felt they could pay. Sometimes $1, sometimes $10. I wasn't doing it for the money.

Len

[jbrock27]

Computers have come down significantly in price making them affordable when they once were not.  How many households in the U.S. now have computers in them?
The concept of using public computers and those that have lesser means, is not lost on me.  Still, it would seem to me, that someone looking into repairing or replacing a locomotive would not fall into the category of the person you depict, as that person would have a lot more on their mind and plate than trying to figure out how to get an inexpensive HO locomotive to run.

Thanks for the response on your rates; I certainly was not implying you were doing it for the money.  It just seems quite a contrast between your doing that and suggesting people buy A-Line replacement motors that are more costly than the value of the unit they are looking to put them in.  I guess depending on your audience, dictates what you suggest.

[jbrock27]

Just an FYI:

https://ncbroadband.gov/info/research--4/citizen-survey

*Note this was as of 2013.

[PHILFLYER]

jbrock27, the diesel is a UNION  PACIFIC U36B locomotive.
Another alternative would be using the motor of another  old locomotive that has the same motor?Sorry if I insist in the issue, but the body of the locomotive is beatiful, at lease for me.

[jbrock27]

No apology needed FLYER, that is why I had asked you my question about the shell .  I do not know from experience since I never owned this make or this model Bachmann, but it may be possible to fit your old shell on a new frame and chassis.  Someone might pipe up about what chassis (plural) would work or you could be proactive and search via Google for info on what new frame and chassis (plural again) with new mechanisms, might fit that old shell.

Best of luck!

[jbrock27]

PHILLY

I believe your shell is listed at the bottom, along with earlier and later versions of the frame and chassis.  

http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/bachmannhoscalelocomotives/id51.html

If after you have done some research, you may come to the conclusion your best option is to look on Ebay for the earlier version frame and chassis with 8 wheel drive and use your old shell on it.  Just a thought.