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 Posted - August 24 2010 : 11:48:14 PM
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The other day I picked up an early 70's era Bachmann GP-40 at an antiques shop. Got it for a steal and other than a missing coupler cover, airhorn, and a slight bend in the left front step, the loco looks nearly immaculate. After giving the engine a good wheel cleaning, some oil, and some tweaking to remedy some skipping, I have gotten the engine running quite smoothly. The one problem....the loco is rather noisy. It's not an oil-needing squeal, but more a heavy geary sound.
I know alot of these old engines were a bit loud due to metal gears so is there any way to quiet them down? I noticed that if I pull the pin out that holds the trucks in place, a metal center gear can be removed. Can a plastic gear be put in it's place to make the ride a bit less loud? Is there any other way to quiet things down?
Thanks!
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Posted - August 25 2010 : 12:45:35 AM
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Nice find. They are fun to tinker with, but they were pretty noisy by nature. I'm surprised that you have metal worm gears (the ones that ride on the pins), because all the ones I've come across are plastic.
We were just discussing these old Bachmann drives in another thread. http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8874
They can be quieted down with some grease, and I've found the shafts, couplings, and motor to be the source of the most noise. Are the worms (the spiral gears) metal too, or are they plastic? The plastic ones tend to be noisier, because the mold parting lines run down them lengthwise, right through the teeth.
The Tyco Depot
Edited by - NickelPlate759 on August 25 2010 12:46:21 AM
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Posted - August 25 2010 : 08:15:13 AM
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Thanks for the response. I was pretty happy that I stopped at that store as I was just passing through and managed to score a great deal. Not only did I get the Bachmann Penn Central GP-40, but I also picked up a late 70's/early 80's Atlas Conrail GP-40 as well. Runs as if it were new, but needs handrails and cab glass. Still an awesome deal...$12.00 for the pair!!
Yes...all the gears are metal, no plastic at all. The chassis looks identical to the ones in the photos in that thread link you gave me...I take it the locomotive must be very old. Where exactly to I put the grease on the gears. As I was cleaning the wheels, I noticed that there was some oil on the gears themselves. Are there any other points I should (or should not) be lubricating?
Thanks again for the advice.
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Posted - August 25 2010 : 4:13:30 PM
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About the only place you don't want lubrication is on the motor brushes. If they look really dirty, I would take the trucks apart and clean the gears in 91% alcohol, then use some plastic compatible grease, like Labelle's products. A little goes a long way, and will be distributed across all of the gears. You can take off the top plate and clean the worms as well to oil the plastic shaft and motor bearings.
The Tyco Depot
Edited by - NickelPlate759 on August 25 2010 4:13:56 PM
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 Posted - August 26 2010 : 12:34:03 AM
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Wow...Thank you for the advice. I just followed the advice you gave me here exactly, and not only has the engine quieted down a bit, but the slow speed responsiveness is 100% better. I snapped in an E-Z Mate knuckle coupler and hauled 14 Atlas 50 foot boxcars around the layout without a problem at both high and low speeds. Amazing what a little tune up can do for a 40 year old engine. If only my car was so easy!
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Posted - August 26 2010 : 12:52:35 AM
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 .
Hi all.
Yeah i remember those old early 1970's (about 1972/73 for the old GP40 i think), bachmann GP40's well.
Bought a few from a long-ago now closed hobby store in Adelaide named "Bridgelands Hobbies" (here in South Australia, Australia).
They were always noisy runners & having no flywheels meant that when you shut off the train throttle they stop dead. Still they were then (& sounds like also now), definately reliable.
Glad to hear of your Great find.
I sometimes see these on ebay, but not bought any yet.
Many Thanks also for the info on lubrication suggerstions.
regards.
Pete H.
Australia
Many Thanks.
Best Regards.
Pete H.
Australia
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Posted - August 26 2010 : 4:40:12 PM
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Here are a few shots of my AHM FT with a Mabuchi motor installed (old IHC stock), and the couplings replaced with RC fuel line tubing. I had to grind some metal away from the ribs beside the motor to get this to fit, but otherwise it was a very easy conversion.
I also added 4 more ounces of weight to every available space in the frame, so now this thing pulls like a super-weighted Athearn F-unit, and has better speed stability. 
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - August 26 2010 : 7:35:24 PM
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| Nice looking EMD-FT engine. I have a few of those motors lying around so that looks like a doable project. The RC fuel line is a great idea. Old aquarium undergravel filter tubes could probably work quite nicely as well. Running like an Athearn is the impression I got after I cleaned and lubed up my GP-40. It is alot quieter but has that heavy growly sound to it as it moves along. Indeed they built the engines back then with hobby quality in mind. (Compared to some of the pre-Spectrum/Plus stuff they put out in train sets during the mid 80's). Lots of metal and gears!!!
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Posted - August 26 2010 : 9:56:21 PM
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If you have a hobby shop nearby that sells RC vehicles, silicone fuel line tubing is the best. Get the smallest diameter. Most aquarium tubing is large stiff PVC, I think.
The Tyco Depot
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