Large Scale Central

Bachmann Connie gear

Problem Solving
#1

OK, OK, I KNOW it’s all been done before.

But not by THIS boy.

I got my Bachmann replacement axle/gear unit in the mail yesterday.

Great stuff.

Not quite.

All that was in the Jiffy bag was the item itself - no instructions.

Now I know that thousands of you out there have replaced your crumbly original with the NWSL item, but that too has its funny little ways, like being a tad too narrow and in need of a packing washer or two. And yes, I’ve looked at Greg Elmassian’s helpful pages and his link to get me started.

To save the teeth-gnashing’ not again’ posts, I’d be grateful if somebody who has used the Bachmann replacement could take me through the process via a PM. that way serves to achieve two important things -

  1. My self-esteem.

  2. The ‘oh, not again - I’ve done this a hundred times and doesn’t he read’ poster.

Thanks in advance

tac, ig & The Busted Gearwheel Boys

#2

Hi Tac
have you looked at Mik’s instructions
http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/gear.html ?
They are for the NWSL replacement gear so you simply replace the old with the new complete axle and gear .
Mick

#3

Actually they’ll be a few more steps involved than what Mik has. You’ll have to remove both counterweights and bearings, then remove the wheels off both sides, then slide off the bushings next to the gear, then place those bushings on the new axle (make note of which side goes against the gear), and reverse the process you just went through to get the axle off.
When I did mine, I didn’t remove side rods, just removed the counterweights for that particular axle, then laid it on the running board, side rods and all. And watch out for the tiny springs used in the suspension.

#4

Thanks, Ken.

And Michael, too. Mr Ash-pit’s guide was as far as I had got until it all went to worms at the thought of having to remove all the teeny bits and re-quarter the axles…

sigh…

Barry Big Train, are ye there, bye?

tac, ig & The Confungled to Bitz Boys

#5

No help, but if ya get it figured out - posting the procedure would be helpful. I’ll need to do mine eventually.

#6
tac said:
Thanks, Ken.

And Michael, too. Mr Ash-pit’s guide was as far as I had got until it all went to worms at the thought of having to remove all the teeny bits and re-quarter the axles…

sigh…

Barry Big Train, are ye there, bye?

tac, ig & The Confungled to Bitz Boys


It’s not all that difficult. Just tedious, and you don’t have to re-quarter the axles since they only will fit one way, the axle end is half rounded to fit the counter weights. (or vice versa) and if you only remove the siderod and counter weight from the drive axle there’s only one you have to mess with. There’s enough slop in the side rods to allow you to remove the axle this way, instead of all 4 axles.

#7

tac, the most important step in the whole procedure is to hold your lower jaw to the right, with your tongue placed firmly over your left lower incisor tooth.

Failing that, it goes all a flanders.

Don’t forget to have your moaning chair handy.

Good luck, old friend.

#8

The interesting part of the quartering process is that even if you flip the axle over from right to left the quartering is still correct.

Always has fascinated me. Also know that there is right and left hand lead quartering. Bachmann does a left hand lead and just to be different I use the right hand lead.

Barry

#9

My real and grateful thanks to all of you who responded to my crie de coeur, both on this forum and by PM - you know who you are.

Such a pity that a fine-looking model like this one gets spoiled for saving on a penny-ante few bits of toothy plastic, when brass would be cheaper in the long run - one guy I was reading about got a whole ten minutes out of his brand-new Connie.

At least part of the name was right on - the ‘CON’ bit.

Grrrrrr.

tac, ig & The Locoshop Fixin’ Boys

#10
tac said:
My real and grateful thanks to all of you who responded to my crie de coeur, both on this forum and by PM - you know who you are.

Such a pity that a fine-looking model like this one gets spoiled for saving on a penny-ante few bits of toothy plastic, when brass would be cheaper in the long run - one guy I was reading about got a whole ten minutes out of his brand-new Connie.

At least part of the name was right on - the ‘CON’ bit.

Grrrrrr.

tac, ig & The Locoshop Fixin’ Boys


If it’s any CON solation to you I got about 10 years worth of running before the gear went…and it eventually split where I had tried to fix it to keep it from sliding off the knurling on the axle.

#11

Tac,

I’ve been following this, anything in particular I can help you with?

Barry

#12

Sir - Thank you for your kind offer of assistance. I know that you made, or used to make, a very fine bespoke chassis and running gear for this model, but I’m determined to keep this one going, rather than spend a substantial chunk of my hard-earned steamer-money on a sparkie. The last time I ran it, couple of weeks ago at a public running day, it suddenly started to make that ‘grate’ sound we all dread, and then came to a ‘grinding’ halt - motor spinning like crazy. The Youtube video I posted of the AccuCraft Shay and Bachmann Shay in action at Barnwell was its last appearance - edited out for obvious reasons.

Bachmann were VERY quick here in yUK to send the axle, but neglected to include any form of instructions. I’m not a total klutz - I build and maintain BIG live steamers as well as my own Fn3 cars, hence my questions on the forum about the dismantling of the bits. The guy over in Hinkley - home of Bachmann Europe’s HQ - told me that not only had I got the only one they had, but that there were no other parts at all, hence my concern at getting it wrong.

When I bought this loco, here in UK, it cost me north of $1000, and that was with a 10% discount - you guys over there who can still buy them NIB for $250 really don’t know that you are born. I don’t have ‘display’ models or shelf queens - if you saw the size of our house you’d realise why, so everything has to run.

Mrs tac says so.

Thanks again.

tac, ig & The Cordless Spoon Boys

#13

tac,

Just one observation, for the Connie I build a replacement gearbox and new Pittman Motor to install in the Connie.

Barry

#14

To all who offered help including Steve Conkle and E Paul Austin - thanks. It’s all done now, having taken me just over an hour, a few pieces of double-sided Scotch tape, thee large zhellums of coffee, and a LOT of care and attention. I took a lot of photos, none of which were needed, but you never know. Apart from the cr$ppy gears, the thing is a model of miniature engineering, the way it all goes together and comes apart, and then goes back together again.

It’s now twelve after midnight here, but I’ve STILL been out in the backyard and run it, so I can say it works!

And Barry, please read your email.

Best wishes to all here. And absent friends, too.

tac, ig & The Flying Screw Boys

#15

Your welcome!

Glad to help and glad it works…:wink:

#16

tac,

Checked, nothing yet.

[email protected]

Barry

#17

Hmmmmmmmm. Very odd - I used the email address on this site, too.

tac

#18

I feel your pain tac.

The Connie is a great loco though. I bought mine used from a friend at my local RR club. He had his for about 10 years and it worked great. It did for me also, until I had it running on a Christmas display last year. I think the 8 hr constant running finaly did it. I got the brass gear replacement, but have not yet installed it. I want to do a lot more to the stock loco (change it from a Mexican Prototype) and the gear replacement is just one thing.

I dont have Barry’s drive, but I hear it is really great. There is another option coming. I have one of the prototypes for the Connie, but havent installed it. (I really need to get that done, so the prototype maker can get some feedback from me!!)

#19

Hi there, Jake - which one of you is on Mt Rushmore?

Like I said, all fixed now and running like a train.

tac, ig & The Missing Teefs Boys

#20

Ha ha, I forgot I put that on there. If I remember correctly, most know where Mt Rushmore is but not Hayward. Which is about 5 miles from it.