News:

Please read the Forum Code of Conduct   >>Click Here <<

Main Menu
Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Messages - Thermo

#1
HO / Re: Replacement gear.
December 06, 2019, 07:23:47 PM
VTBob, the part you need is the same one I need.  When I talked to Bachmann a week ago, that part is never scheduled to be remade.  So, I wish you luck in trying to find one.  I am doing some looking around to see if I can find a gear made by someone else that can press fit on to the end of the shaft and hold up better.  I need the small gear.  I have seen some gears from Roundhouse that seemed like they may work, but it is one of those things that I would like to find a little more detail about them before shelling out the $10 for 6 of these gears that most likely would not have a use anywhere else.  But, it may have to come to that.  I may have to go to a few train shows and really scour the parts bins and see if by chance I can find something that would be even close.  Right now, I glued the gear back together, but there is a wider space tetween the gears in one spot and this is causing the locomotive to bind up. 

I know in the past with say the 4-8-4's by Bachmann, I could pull out the split gear and the gears for Athearn locomotives fit right into place and they seemed to hold up a lot better.  So, one can hope that there is something by Athearn that will work.  I have a few scrap locomotives sitting around, may have to do some dismantling.
#2
HO / Re: Replacement gear.
December 02, 2019, 07:18:10 PM
I am in kinda the same boat as others.  I am attempting to repair a 3 truck Climax for a friend who bought the locomotive new a year or so ago, put the loco on the track long enough to make sure it worked (supposedly ran it about 6 feet).  No issues.  They pull it out a year later to run around the christmas tree and it moved barely an inch and went into neutral (ie, locomotive is not moving, but the operating cylinders are going).  After tearing the locomotive down to almost parade rest, I found that the driveline in the front truck has a split gear on it (broke into 2 pieces).  No problems, Bachmann still sells this driveshaft (atleast for the moment).  But, further digging into the locomotive, I found that the driveshaft in the gearbox that drives the trucks has a split gear on it.  Bachmann used to sell this driveshaft, but no longer does because they are out of stock and have no plans to make any more.  My only option at this time would be to buy a whole new motor/gearbox/frame for the locomotive for $130, just to have the same "weak" gear in it.  I have a hard time telling my friend that his expensive new locomotive now needs $150 ($130 for a frame, $8 for the driveshaft, and $7+ for S&H) worth of parts after moving 6 feet.  Discussions with the service department were of no help as they said that they don't have the part and will never get the part.

So, my question to all of you is that I see all these new gear recommendations (NWSL gears) but is there anything for the gearbox gears.  Great, with NWSL coming back on line, I may have a chance at getting the gears on the driveshaft in the  truck that will not fail (granted, those are still pretty pricy, but if you want something that runs.......).  But, I still need the 10 toothed (I believe) tooth non-tapered gear for the driveshaft in the gearbox.  Anyone got a lead on something that will work?  I have heard of the "ShayFixer.com" website, but looking at what he has, he only has parts for the trucks, not the gear box as it pertains to the Bachmann locomotive.  Otherwise, the ShayFixer is more about repairing the brass Shays/Climaxes.  A search here from what I have seen only really deals with the trucks.  Not much mention of the gearbox and when I do see something, the answer was normally "sorry, we don't have that part any more, send us your old locomotive and we will trade for something new (assuming the loco was still under warrantee)" "or sorry for your bad luck".

Any possible help you can send my way?