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 Posted - December 02 2009 : 12:07:51 AM
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well a few years ago i bought an old ahm western pacific gp18. when i got it about half the handrail had broken off in the mail, so i broke the rest of them off & put it back. the other day i started digging through all my stuff & came accross it again. i put it on the tracks, & turned on the power, & boy i thought a real deisel war running through. man that thing was loud. i took it apart, greased up the gears, oiled the motor, & man that thing runs like a champ. i had to replace the flashing light on the top, i managed to break off one of the wires. thank goodness for radio shack! the only problems i have with it is the handrails missing, & it just looks small. were the ahm gp18's anywhere near scale?
what all handrails will fit it? or is this going to be one that i have to make a set for? anyone got a frame with all the handrails on it they would sell? remember i'm cheap.
i would also like to put flywheels on it. are they available?
jerry
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Posted - December 02 2009 : 01:38:08 AM
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I built my own railings for the GP18s and other Mehano locos.
As for adding flywheels, I added only one on a can motor because of the limited space between the U-joints on the trucks. I kept the driveshafts as long as possible to prevent vibration due to sharper drive angles of shorter driveshafts.
Ray
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Posted - December 02 2009 : 8:46:38 PM
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For reasons I can't explain I have a fascination with the AHM GP18.
Anyway, here goes what I think or what I think I know about these locos.
The body shell appears to be very close to scale accuracy. The end pilots
on the frame are way too small for scale. Handrails can be fabricated by buying stanchions
from Smoky Valley or Precision Scale and bending your own wire handrails.
Or maybe a set of handrails from a TYCO GP20 might work. I am not sure,
just an idea.
I have remotored one loco using a Kato HM-5 motor and added flywheels.
Fits very well.
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Posted - December 03 2009 : 10:34:53 AM
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I have rebuilt 8 of these AHM GPs. From RMC, Aug 1974:
I replace the railing with bent brass wire and mount them on Athearn stantions. The stantions are not perfectly accurate, but they are strong and blend the 18 into my fleet of Athearns.
You can mount flywheels on the existing motor or a replacement can motor. Space will be the limiting factor though. I managed to mount a single like Ray. 2 smaller flys might fit, but would have less mass.
You might also want to improve electrical pick-up and add weight. These two improvements will have dramatic effect on running.
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Posted - December 03 2009 : 12:30:36 PM
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i'll prabably just put on handrails & be done with it. it runs to good to mess with it now.
jerry
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Posted - December 03 2009 : 2:09:06 PM
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I was amazed with the first one I bought. (I think I bought it at Wollworths)
It ran great right out of the box for an inexpensive locomotive. (I still have it in it's original condition)
Some had 8 wheel electrical pickup and some 4. It is a big pluss to add the extra pickup if it only has 4 wheel pickup.
Ray
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 Posted - December 03 2009 : 4:21:47 PM
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Hey guys:
I read an article on line where you drop in a set of Atlas drive Worms I'll find the part number for you and it gives a terrific low speed start AND cuts the top speed in half! The worms are pocket change. Pretty cool huh!?
Atlas part # is: 850318 CAN I GET A HOSSANA!!!???
-Gareth
PS: These are one of the best Kitbashing training-wheel sets in the hobby. I have two GP-18's and three RS2's! Basically the same beast! All are earmarked for KB-ing...
Edited by - romcat on December 03 2009 5:53:46 PM
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Posted - December 03 2009 : 7:38:03 PM
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I have 3 of the GP18s, one RS2 and a C415 waiting to be kitbashed if I can get to it.
The worm regear makes them run a lot better. Even with the stock motor. I did that to a couple of mine including one of my C628s. (oh yea I have 3 more C628s to do also).
Ray
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Posted - December 03 2009 : 11:38:17 PM
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The only GP18s I've run across with 8 wheel electrical pick-up have been Bachmann's. Bachmann imported the loco in the early 90's I think. This version had all wheel pick-up. The AHM version had only 4 wheel.
Gareth, how much do those worms run? I only need enough to do 20+ locos!
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 12:02:49 AM
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quote:Gareth, how much do those worms run? I only need enough to do 20+ locos!
Originally posted by Hypoponera-December 03 2009: 11:38:17 PM
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Yea, I need enough for about 10 locos.
Maybe we can get a deal by buying them in quantity.
Ray
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 05:24:43 AM
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Hey Ant-Man:
Don't know i ordered 4 "blind" 2 for one of the GP18's thats gonna be kitbashed and 2 for an RS2. I'm thinking under $2 per. I paid $3 per set (2) of replacement wheels for my P2K BL2 so I dunno, but for that price what the heck... I'll likely won't try remotoring since the AHM's role is to help me learn drilling for added feature, creating my own railings and painting with spray can and then airbrush. If they do that they'll likely just sit or be given away to encourage someone in the hobby...
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 11:38:03 AM
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Guess I will give the LHS a call this morning. A couple bucks isn't much at all! Maybe I'll buy them 5 sets at a time.
Do the worm shafts fit the AHM bearings? I wonder how much work will go into fitting them in.
By the way Romcat, did you need an airbrush? I have a model club meeting tonight and a train swap meet Sat. I can look for a decent used one for you if you need it. The last club meeting had a full Pasche set-up for $5!!!!!!! I have my badger and so did not buy it. For $5, I should have anyway!
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 11:48:59 AM
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There are a few different sized Atlas worms, but they're all on 2mm shafts. I bought some brass ones for their Alcos off of eBay a few years back, and the diameter was perfect. They needed some shimming due to being shorter than the Mehano worms. The part # was 707315, but I don't know if that's Atlas or Kato.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 11:50:15 AM
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Here's a link to how it is done.
See step 5
I would add spacers instead of flipping the bearing but it will work that way.
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/57323.aspx
Ray
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 5:03:56 PM
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| Outstanding link Ray! I put a "parts request" in over at Trains West. They will give me a call if/when they find out the cost. Be nice if this gear change saves me from remotoring on such a regular basis.
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 5:09:25 PM
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i looked that part number that romcat gave at the atlas web site, & their $1.50 each. i'll probably order a set just to try out. where can i get some wheel wipers at?
jerry
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 6:42:26 PM
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The wipers from the old AHM C-liners old Bachmann and L/L locos will work if you have any of those as junkers.
Ray
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 6:59:19 PM
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Hey Smokie,
I'll send a couple of the wipers. Got a few spares.
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 7:12:43 PM
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i don't have any junkers, everything i have i've bought running. the only train i've ever thrown away was my first chattanooga choo choo steamer. i was about 11 or 12, i'm 38 now.
jerry
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Posted - December 04 2009 : 7:21:53 PM
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Thank RAY!!!  Johnny on the Spot as usual! The very link I was looking for!
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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