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 Posted - January 22 2012 : 08:49:39 AM
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my locomotive this week is a penn line/bowser 4-4-2,ken
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Posted - January 22 2012 : 10:01:55 AM
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Up today for me is a nice Doodlebug I found at a toy vendor's booth at a local Antique Show a few weeks ago. His prices were reasonable, and I liked the colors on this D-B.
Haven't taken it apart yet to see if it has a Decoder, but would like to add one if not, seems to be a nice runner on my test track, for a Bachmann Spectrum.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 22 2012 : 8:46:25 PM
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Beautiful 442. I really like the spacing between the engine and the tender being so close.
Pete
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Posted - January 22 2012 : 8:47:26 PM
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 My current project an MDC 0-6-0T, Mantua boiler front added by previous owner, ol #9 needs some more cleaning
I buy, repair, and collect
http://scvr.weebly.com/
http://seyboldlocomotiveworks.weebly.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDeputation?feature=watch
Hyde.
Edited by - SCVR66 on January 22 2012 8:48:06 PM
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Posted - January 22 2012 : 9:27:03 PM
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I'm going with a large diesel this week. I picked up this dealer demo unit on a work trip to Eugene, OR. Runs and sounds great.
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Posted - January 22 2012 : 10:18:54 PM
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quote:I'm going with a large diesel this week. I picked up this dealer demo unit on a work trip to Eugene, OR. Runs and sounds great.
Originally posted by eaglerock109Â -Â January 22 2012Â :Â 9:27:03 PM
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I saw one of these on eVilbay go for $350 a month ago.
Nice locomotives!
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
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Posted - January 22 2012 : 11:10:01 PM
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here are 2 of 8 locos I got for $20 from a friend & he was gonna scrap them! 
Mantua Tyco Weight needs to be rescrewed
Athern I think It has the 4 screws on the bottom on the tank
Worst I needs for all locos is horns & couplers 
Edited by - microbusss on January 22 2012 11:11:09 PM
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 01:35:54 AM
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Here's a $10 salvage rescue from the Louisville GTE this weekend:
Bachmann GP40. This is one of the early 70's releases with the filled pilot and extra headlights on the long hood. Love the paint scheme, and it is in almost perfect cosmetic shape. Got it home to investigate, and seemed somebody had messed up the motor contacts such that it wouldn't run... and then when I fixed them it ran backwards, so I had to swap the poles.
I'm fascinated by these early Bachmann chassis and drive mechanisms. For the time, you can tell someone put a lot of effort in the design and engineering, they really are well-thought and used high-quality materials, and should have easily outclassed anything else at the time. Heavy cast conductive frame, easily removed geared trucks, 8-wheel pickup AND drive... direct-coupled armature shafts... even a dual bulbs to illuminate both the number boards and nose lights. A little better motor and perhaps a flywheel, and boom... they might have beat Athearn, and the Roco-Atlas wouldn't have seemed like such a revelation.
Too bad so many of these fell victim to zinc pest and caused problems. The cheapening to the pancake drive is downright startling! And when you look at the full chassis designs being used today with DCC and such, there's a striking similarity.... seems this system was way ahead of its time.
Does anyone have any spare flat-side can motors, or the newer Bachmann trucks with better 3D relief (as released, these early locos used the "flat" truck sideframes)? I'd like to try upgrading this one if parts are lying around somewhere...
Edited by - spiderj76 on January 23 2012 01:44:47 AM
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 03:01:58 AM
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"... easily removed geared trucks, 8-wheel pickup AND drive...."
spiderj76
Bachmann? I coulda sworn that's a TYCO motor-drive with that easy-removable truck assembly. Any chance of getting a photo of the bottom of this locomotive?
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 09:45:03 AM
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My Kitbashed Mantua, Reading 4-4-4 , C1a.
Frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 10:55:59 AM
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that zinc rot is a real pain, Tony What is the cause of it? Cheap cast or what? 
It like that Auto-Train I got from a member It was so bad it cracked the body 
But I got a chassis for it but it only front wheel drive
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 2:05:52 PM
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Bachmann Spectrum 44 tonner, lettered for the Undec RR....
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 3:40:24 PM
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Athearn John Deere FP 45 going for a spin. Actually I bought the shell at a show and placed it on a re-built Athearn BB chassis. Have two flats and a matching caboose too.
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 3:49:35 PM
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| frank the loco,after all your work,looks great and well worth the effort ken
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 8:29:02 PM
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toptrain,
I agree with catfordken, well done.
Alco Fan
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Posted - January 23 2012 : 11:03:52 PM
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quote:Here's a $10 salvage rescue
I'm fascinated by these early Bachmann chassis and drive mechanisms.
.... seems this system was way ahead of its time.
Originally posted by spiderj76Â -Â January 23 2012Â :Â 01:35:54 AM
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I traded a couple of these Kader chassis's to someone on the TF last year. I too kind of like them, although I haven't really run them much. I have at least one more I want to get a shell for, it runs well, like you said. No sign of pest yet.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 24 2012 : 08:58:07 AM
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Another odd ball my brother picked up for me on his honeymoon. A Tyco F7 with MU2 drive.
From the looks of things its lead a rough life. Also the wheels are cracking which isn't helping things. However I think with some spare parts I can get it to come around. The motor itself seems to be in decent shape.
Edited by - ChrisC on January 24 2012 09:02:53 AM
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Posted - January 24 2012 : 7:22:45 PM
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Tony,
These drives definitely had potential. The motors were even 5 pole, though of lightweight construction and pretty noisy. Kader seemed to be building their locos by following Trix N scale practice at the time: diecast frame, pins retaining the trucks and worm gears, and truck wipers that rubbed contact plates on the chassis. Even the 0-6-0T chassis (also used for the AHM Side Tanker) had all drivers geared like N scale steamers.
I have an AHM FT that I remotored with a Mabuchi from an IHC/Mehano diesel, and it runs beautifully. I replaced the noisy couplings with sections of silicone tubing, and quieted the rattle of the plastic worm bearings by shimming them.
I recommend these motors from Bearbon when he relists them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/270895077182
John, here's the exploded view of the FT to show you the basic construction.
http://www.hoseeker.org/AHMRivarossiassembly/ahmbuildersbiblepage103.jpg
quote:
I'm fascinated by these early Bachmann chassis and drive mechanisms. For the time, you can tell someone put a lot of effort in the design and engineering, they really are well-thought and used high-quality materials, and should have easily outclassed anything else at the time. Heavy cast conductive frame, easily removed geared trucks, 8-wheel pickup AND drive... direct-coupled armature shafts... even a dual bulbs to illuminate both the number boards and nose lights. A little better motor and perhaps a flywheel, and boom... they might have beat Athearn, and the Roco-Atlas wouldn't have seemed like such a revelation.
Too bad so many of these fell victim to zinc pest and caused problems. The cheapening to the pancake drive is downright startling! And when you look at the full chassis designs being used today with DCC and such, there's a striking similarity.... seems this system was way ahead of its time.
Does anyone have any spare flat-side can motors, or the newer Bachmann trucks with better 3D relief (as released, these early locos used the "flat" truck sideframes)? I'd like to try upgrading this one if parts are lying around somewhere...
Originally posted by spiderj76Â -Â January 23 2012Â :Â 01:35:54 AM
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The Tyco Depot
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Posted - January 24 2012 : 8:06:40 PM
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quote:Any chance of getting a photo of the bottom of this locomotive?
Originally posted by zebrails - January 23 2012 : 03:01:58 AM
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Soitenly:
/tyco/forum/uploaded/spiderj76/20120124195139_Bach_Drive_1.jpg
Just really well-thought, designed, machined, and assembled. Those bright conducting plates fit flush and stay clean and the countersunk brass screws add a touch of class. The trucks are modular and reversible without affecting performance. Maintenance is a snap. Again, for 1970 this was really beyond anything on the market AFAIK.
(the coupler covers were missing, so I held some Kadee covers on with wire as shown. Works fine. Could tap for screws but wasn't sure of going that irreversibly far yet, covers may yet turn up someday)
quote:Tony,
These drives definitely had potential. The motors were even 5 pole, though of lightweight construction and pretty noisy. Kader seemed to be building their locos by following Trix N scale practice at the time: diecast frame, pins retaining the trucks and worm gears, and truck wipers that rubbed contact plates on the chassis. Even the 0-6-0T chassis (also used for the AHM Side Tanker) had all drivers geared like N scale steamers.
I have an AHM FT that I remotored with a Mabuchi from an IHC/Mehano diesel, and it runs beautifully. I replaced the noisy couplings with sections of silicone tubing, and quieted the rattle of the plastic worm bearings by shimming them.
I recommend these motors from Bearbon when he relists them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/270895077182
Originally posted by NickelPlate759 - January 24 2012 : 7:22:45 PM
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Trix, eh? I'll have to keep an eye out for those. I have a small collection of N scale stuff but nothing comprehensive, nor anything from Trix. If Kader did crib this design, it's interesting they adapted it to HO scale; their contemporary split-frame N scale chassis is completely different.
Thanks for the tips on upgrading... I'll definitely give that shot once I source the truck sideframes. Those flat ones were always kind of a peeve of mine (and the only part carried over into the plastic / pancake drive). Wouldn't have thought about the Mehano motors either. The bachmann motor is weak... but still shows evidence of smart design. It should be stronger.
Loco noise doesn't bother me, actually... but these days it seems like I must be the only one who enjoys the unique sounds of HO locos. I mean, part of what makes proto diesels so interesting is the unique sound characteristics of different models - it's what gives them their personality. I think HO diesels should be the same way. If it's not DCC/Sound, it shouldn't be silent. They might be simplified toy mechanisms, but every HO loco has a personality and story in the way that it sounds. If you can tell EMD vs. GE vs. Alco vs. 1st or 2nd vs turbo or non vs. other... so too you can tell Athearn v. Kader v. Tyco v. Atlas/Roco versus.... 
Edited by - spiderj76 on January 24 2012 8:11:26 PM
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Posted - January 24 2012 : 9:11:37 PM
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quote: but every HO loco has a personality and story in the way that it sounds. If you can tell EMD vs. GE vs. Alco vs. 1st or 2nd vs turbo or non vs. other... so too you can tell Athearn v. Kader v. Tyco v. Atlas/Roco versus....
Originally posted by spiderj76Â -Â January 24 2012Â :Â 8:06:40 PM
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Right on!
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - January 24 2012 : 10:58:09 PM
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Here is my LOW.I tried to find info on this unit.
It has a spot that says Heisler locomotive Works-ThreeTruck Heisler- RR Rivarossi made in Itley
does anyone know where I can find info on this unit.
Thanks.
Ken 
By the way I need a cab.
FIDDLEHEAD RAILWAY CO.
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Posted - January 24 2012 : 11:27:17 PM
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Ken;
A guy sells them regularly on Ebay.
The 2 & 3 truck are idectical save the tender part...
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 01:55:07 AM
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Thanks, Tony. Good answer.
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 06:25:06 AM
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hi ken this should help you ken
http://www.hoseeker.net/AHMRivarossiassembly/rivarossiheisler1995pg5.jpg
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 08:38:17 AM
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Ken:
Try this ebay seller, I think if you do a shay search under his name you'll see the rear sections for sale..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250980341400&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 09:32:27 AM
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hi gareth sent him those details earlier today,shame he does not do just the roof section, ken
350526473277
seen these go up as high as $60,so hes as cheap as i think you will find
another seller has the complete body,
280812778043
Edited by - catfordken on January 25 2012 09:50:11 AM
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 10:27:44 AM
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I think unless for some reason you're practising locomotive Orthodoxy, I'd find another roof to fit rather than pay silly rates, but thats me. It really depends on how you see the unit.
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 12:11:16 PM
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Thanks guys.
I tried on e-bay and your right it would cost me around $50.00 so I decided to try an make one and see how that goes.
It runs great and looks good so a new roof will make it look better.
I will ask my engineering dept. to go ahead and design me a new one.
Thanks.
Ken
FIDDLEHEAD RAILWAY CO.
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Posted - January 25 2012 : 4:23:33 PM
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quote:Here is my LOW.I tried to find info on this unit.
It has a spot that says Heisler locomotive Works-ThreeTruck Heisler- RR Rivarossi made in Itley
does anyone know where I can find info on this unit.
Thanks.
Ken
By the way I need a cab.
Originally posted by Ken - January 24 2012 : 10:58:09 PM
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Ken it looks like only a roof is needed.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Jeremy
Little Six
Status:
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 3:12:23 PM
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Mine this week is my custom weathered and patched Dash 9. Still have a few detail parts to add.
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 4:29:39 PM
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nice loco, Jeremy! There still are about 4 or 5 unpatched SP units going to the Powder River region hehe
Will have to watch for those numbers on the UP coal line
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 4:42:38 PM
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My latest eBay purchase. Needed the smoke box door painted and some touch-up paint. Its a little off. I used Testor's acrylic paint. Yes, I'm that cheap and old school! Runs better now with a PT motor swap out.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 5:39:00 PM
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My engineering dept. came up with a new roof for this unit. Not bad I need to thank them.
The second is one I got in the 4 boxes I bought lass week. Do you think it was greased a little too much???
The Fiddlehead Railway Units are in the paint shop should be out next week.
Ken you have the first seat up front.
Ken  
FIDDLEHEAD RAILWAY CO.
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 6:44:45 PM
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Tony, one issue I've had to address in the AHM FT's is to grind a little rounded cut into the ends of the pickup plates so that the truck gearing doesn't catch the edges. I don't know if that's an issue with the Bachmann hood units, but they're a little too long on the FT chassis.
Ken, nice fix on the Heisler. How does she run?
It does look like someone went a little grease-happy on that Roco E-unit. I'd give the truck parts an alcohol bath and a relube.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 8:23:44 PM
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After the new roof it looks and runs great.
I just had to post the grease bunny. Yea it has had a bath and she is running great as well.
Ken
FIDDLEHEAD RAILWAY CO.
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 9:58:18 PM
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Here are 2 more gems I'm working on.
The Hudson I need the boiler front and the rear truck and tender.
As far as I can come up with its a NYC J3a Streamlined Hudson?????
The other gem is a Bachmann Great Northern 4-8-4 & 52' Tender.
It needs a rear truck and a valve gear part.
Both run well on test.
Any help would be great?
  
FIDDLEHEAD RAILWAY CO.
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 10:05:14 PM
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I think parts are still available for the 4-8-4 from Bachmann, if you want to go that route:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/index.php
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Posted - January 27 2012 : 10:07:58 PM
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Speaking of Bachmann, I thought I would add my LoTW. A Bachmann 2-8-0. I really like the looks of the locomotive. Big boiler with very nice detail. The driveline needs a bunch of repair work. Got it for $5.oo at a train show.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - May 13 2012 : 11:15:39 PM
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nope....would not out pull an thearn Super Power F7....regardless...quote:Here's a $10 salvage rescue from the Louisville GTE this weekend:
Bachmann GP40. This is one of the early 70's releases with the filled pilot and extra headlights on the long hood. Love the paint scheme, and it is in almost perfect cosmetic shape. Got it home to investigate, and seemed somebody had messed up the motor contacts such that it wouldn't run... and then when I fixed them it ran backwards, so I had to swap the poles.
I'm fascinated by these early Bachmann chassis and drive mechanisms. For the time, you can tell someone put a lot of effort in the design and engineering, they really are well-thought and used high-quality materials, and should have easily outclassed anything else at the time. Heavy cast conductive frame, easily removed geared trucks, 8-wheel pickup AND drive... direct-coupled armature shafts... even a dual bulbs to illuminate both the number boards and nose lights. A little better motor and perhaps a flywheel, and boom... they might have beat Athearn, and the Roco-Atlas wouldn't have seemed like such a revelation.
Too bad so many of these fell victim to zinc pest and caused problems. The cheapening to the pancake drive is downright startling! And when you look at the full chassis designs being used today with DCC and such, there's a striking similarity.... seems this system was way ahead of its time.
Does anyone have any spare flat-side can motors, or the newer Bachmann trucks with better 3D relief (as released, these early locos used the "flat" truck sideframes)? I'd like to try upgrading this one if parts are lying around somewhere...
Originally posted by spiderj76Â -Â January 23 2012Â :Â 01:35:54 AM
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caboose 1
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