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 Athearn Motive Power & Rolling Stock.
 Are those old Athearn rubber band drives good?
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Author Previous Topic: Athearn 25th Commerative Set Topic Next Topic: Ernst Gears and Hustlers
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pacbelt
Switcher

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 Posted - October 03 2015 :  09:17:44 AM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add pacbelt to Buddylist
quote:
quote:

I love this vintage piece. The rubber band drive has a little delayed "sproing"
action which carries it through circuit interuptions. The bands will dry out
and rot if not loosened when not in use, I have found. Here is a short video
clip of it in motion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijmQjglqnmg

Originally posted by Chops124 - August 19 2014 :  3:46:59 PM

I know I may sound like an idiot here but, um, how do you loosen up the rubber bands?

Originally posted by kovacste000 - August 19 2014 :  6:04:45 PM


Hey - I'm with Steve!! Nobody answered this....
I have 2 RDCs, and this thread has convinced me to get a couple of Hustlers too!!

..... But if I'm forced to pay more than $10 for one, I may shoot the seller!!! LMAO!!!!!!

Carmine - CEO, Engineer, and Chief Bottle Washer
Pacific Belt RR, in HO Scale, Since 1975!
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Chops124
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 Posted - January 01 2016 :  2:35:10 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Chops124 to Buddylist
By loosening, I mean to disconnect so they are not
under tension.
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ZeldaTheSwordsman
Mikado


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 Posted - January 01 2016 :  4:49:09 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add ZeldaTheSwordsman to Buddylist
quote:
By loosening, I mean to disconnect so they are not
under tension.

Originally posted by Chops124 - January 01 2016 :  2:35:10 PM



This is good general advice for storage of anything with rubber bands. Most bands are made of rubber that is susceptible to drying out or even dry-rotting when taut.

Been interesting to read about these drives. It seems that yes, they are good - if you take good care of them. A rubber band drive working well honestly doesn't surprise me after discovering that some CD drives use a rubber band drive to open and close the tray..

In the case of the RDC, though, I don't think just working well is good enough. I would suggest relocating the drive to the undercarriage if at all possible or else mounting it directly onto one of the trucks. Why do I suggest this, you might ask? To make room inside the thing for seats.

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kovacste000
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 Posted - January 01 2016 :  6:14:11 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add kovacste000 to Buddylist
Oh, I see. The thing is, I ended up getting a Proto 1000 RDC instead of an Athearn RDC, and so far, I'm impressed with it.
-Steve

"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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AMC_Gremlin_GT
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 Posted - January 01 2016 :  6:55:36 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT an AOL message  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT a Yahoo! Message  Add AMC_Gremlin_GT to Buddylist
I DCC'ed an Athearn Hustler band drive switcher, it runs good, but I need to put the weight back in it, it kept derailing on switches on the club layout. I think if you're going to use one, remove the rubber bands when not in use. Since the shell pops off easy enough, it's easy to remove them from the motor shafts and let them flop around until you're ready to use it again, then pull them back over the motor shafts.

Jerry


" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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oldtimer52
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 Posted - January 01 2016 :  9:32:57 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add oldtimer52 to Buddylist
That was slick Jerry. Never would have thought you could DCC one of those things.
Kudos there guy.
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AMC_Gremlin_GT
Big Boy



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 Posted - January 03 2016 :  9:34:20 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT an AOL message  Send AMC_Gremlin_GT a Yahoo! Message  Add AMC_Gremlin_GT to Buddylist
quote:
That was slick Jerry. Never would have thought you could DCC one of those things.
Kudos there guy.

Originally posted by oldtimer52 - January 01 2016 :  9:32:57 PM



Well, actually this is a NWSL dual shaft motor, all I used of the original engine was the chassis and body and weights. I have foam pads under the motor insulating it from the chassis. I haven't tried to put the decoder into the shell yet, but that's coming. I was just testing the proof of concept that a rubber decoder engine would work. It amused my club members to no end. :)

Jerry

" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Chops124
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 Posted - February 16 2016 :  6:41:33 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Chops124 to Buddylist
I popped on an Athearn rubber band drive Budd.
Thing runs slicker than goose you know what.
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Chops124
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 Posted - March 25 2016 :  11:42:02 PM Link directly to this reply  Show Profile  Add Chops124 to Buddylist

And here they be. Run sweet.
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