Large Scale Central

Different Connie gear problem

So my connie likes to eat gears, Iv’e already replaced the axle gear with the one from NWSL, but my issue is the gears in the gear box, I keep stripping them out every six months to a year. Does NWSL make any gears that would replace the ones in the gear box with something a little more robust. Does anyone know what the part numbers they would be or other options out there. I would have liked to have gotten one of Barry’s drives but they where outside my price range at the time. Thanks guys.

When you say “stripping,” which gear is being stripped? The worm gear that comes off the worm on the motor, or one of the reduction spur gears? Are they stripping (teeth wearing down) or breaking outright?

If this is an ongoing problem as you describe, I’d say there’s definitely something unique going on. Given that you’ve replaced the gears apparently more than once and the problem persists, my first thought would be to look at what hasn’t been changed as a source of the problem. Are the teeth on the main drive worm perhaps cut sharp, thus eating away at the worm gear? A little work with a file on the teeth to knock the edge off would help resolve that issue. Also, is the loco running under extreme conditions which would cause excessive load on the gears? (Steep grades, tight curves, maybe extra weight placed on the loco.)

The intermediate gears on the B’mann 2-8-0 drive are seldom known to fail, so when you say you have to keep replacing them, I keep going back to there being something else at issue. Replacing the gears again–even with new materials–may not give you the resolution you want.

Later,

K

Or you are pulling loads too great for the drivetrain

Greg

Usually haul around 4-5 spectrum or accucraft cars, layout is fairly flat maybe a 1% change in grade. I’ve stripped the 1st reduction gear a few times and this time I stripped the middle gear (which is out of stock on bachmanns site). when the gear box is removed the chassis rolls free, no binding in the valve gear. I will look at the worm gear and check it to see if its cut sharp. I was looking at the C-19 gear box as a replacement, it sits 90 degrees differently than the connies but looks like it uses the same type of saddle attachment around the main axle gear, may need a different axle gear if the teeth count is different, just a thought. Not opposed to a little surgery if it gets her up and running again.

I’d say from the number of times you have stripped gears, that your load is beyond the capability of that gear train, given your loads and grades (and tight curves can do it too).

I’d go through the cars and add ball bearings, and check the rolling resistance on them, and not just on straight track.

Greg

Peter

I tried a NWSL gear on one of my 2-8-0s and experienced a gear problem like you have.

The Axle has two brass spacers one on either side of the axle gear. What I found was that the NWSL gear was significantly thinner then the Bachmann axle gear and that the one of the spacers had moved so that it was no longer between the gear box and axle.

I chose to use a Bachmann metal axle gear rather then adding more spacers and that fixed the problem.

This may not be your problem but worth checking.

Stan

That’s good info Stan. Does it speak to the other gear failures he has had?

Greg

Four to five cars should not pose any challenge to the stock gearbox. I pulled that many (and more) for years before my drive gear finally broke. I replaced it with the NWSL gear, and ran it for a while before I got a BBT drive for it. (Barry sent me a sample to review for Garden Railways.) There’s definitely something weird going on within your drive. Definitely check the bearings on the box. If the bushings slip out and the drive gear no longer properly meshes with the idler gear, then it’s definitely going to be prone to problems.

If you can replace it with the C-19 gearbox, by all means do so, even if it means a little cutting. You would have had to do that with a BBT drive as well. Does the C-19 gearbox come with the motor? The two locos do not use the same motor.

Later,

K

I will have to check on the little brass spacers, would be nice if it was something as simple as that, the c-19 motor comes with the gear box, and good news found a spare gear in my junk box so at least its running again.

Since Peter has stripped 3 different gears at various times, sure does not seem to be the axle gear alone.

That’s why I suspect something outside of the loco itself…

Greg

Greg Elmassian said:

That’s good info Stan. Does it speak to the other gear failures he has had?

Greg

Greg

I can only report the problems I had. When I did not put spacers on each side of a NWSL gear I had multiple gear failures in the gear box on multiple locomotives.

Using the wider Bachmann gear the failures no longer occurred. Some recommend putting spacers on the Bachmann gear as well.

I still have several new in bag NWSL gear should anyone want them for 1/2 price. I will not be using them.

Stan

Don’t blame you.

Was looking for your opinion Stan, in light of the other gear failures he has had, and your experience with Bachmann.

regards, greg

Peter Benson: I had a similar problem and installed a BBT Barry’s Bib Trains gear box and gears. Have not had a problem since! Paul