Barry, you still making the Bachmann 10 wheeler replacements? I must have at least 5 of those engines.
Jon.
John,
Thanks for asking, yes I am. Got two orders earlier this week. There are two versions the Plus which is a rigid frame version and the ANNIE which has an equalized front axle, thanks to Bachmann’s design (hinged siderod).
Check the website for order forms and descriptive info. One pricing error on the Annie BBT wheel 2-8-0.
Any questions, ask them here or to me direct: [email protected]
Barry - BBT or call 623-936-6088
What’s an “equalized” axle? Does that mean it has springs, or what?
Ray,
The front axle is in a thick-walled brass tube which carries the ball bearings, the chassis has vertical slots the same size as the brass tube. In the center of the chassis above the tube is a smaller thick walled brass tube which is a fulcrum to the axle tube. This means the front axle can pivot on the fulcrum and maintain it’s contact with the track at all times. Doing this means better pick up if you are track power and also means a better transfer of power from the motor to the track.
The gear set up is the same in both loco types.
Barry - BBT
Ray if you are familiar with AristoCraft 2 axle diesel power trucks you will notice one axle is rigid and the other is free to rotate around the axis of the motor shaft. This is a simple form of equalisation and allows the truck to more easily follow irregularities of the track and reduces any chance of derailment.
I called Bachmann today to see about the replacement gear for my 2-8-0.
I didn’t have the reciept from when I bought the thing.
The gennamen on the phone says, “That’ll be 50 bucks.”
I said, for a lousy little freakin gear that will break again?!
He said yes.
I say, I’ll wait for Barry.
BBBBBBAAAARRRYYYYYYY???
John, et al;
I missed my goal for checking out the drill jigs by the end of January, but I have changed the drilling procedure/sequence.
New goal end of next week, schedule filled for this week. The good news is that orders are coming in so in the short term the scare is over…the last quarter of 2008 was the worst quarter performance since I started my little biz 16 years ago.
I promise to keep you posted.
Barry - BBT
Barry, we all had a BAD last quarter of 08. If this keeps up I’ll down there and help you for free! By the way others have said it but I too would like to thank you for all your good work. And no I have not finished the 2-8-0 conversion with the Annie boiler etc. Its too COLD in the shop! And I got to much work to get done. Soon I hope.
Paul
John,
Can you find the replacement gear somewhere else?
What size gear are you looking for?
Steve Featherkile said:
John, Can you find the replacement gear somewhere else?What size gear are you looking for?
Not really.
Mike and I looked into pressing an LGB gear onto the Botchman axle.
It’s about yay big.
Paul,
My shop is either heated or cooled, I can’t use the weather as an excuse. I have to work. But it really got bad, I’m starting to recover, but still slow. Getting the gearbox done should solve my problems.
John,
One problem with trying to use LGB gears on the Consolidation, the Connie’s axles are .249", while most others have been 6mm. This suits me perfectly, but does make it more difficult for the metric gear hub. The stock gearbox is too small to use a gear with a setscrew hub, otherwise that could work for you.
Barry - BBT
Barry,
I will wait.
jb
Back to the top.
Just checking on the progress, Barry.
…September, October, November, December, January, February, and now March…Haven’t we seen something like this go on before…September 2009 is coming…!!!
Fred Mills said:Just wait till next week, good friar.
....September, October, November, December, January, February, and now March........Haven't we seen something like this go on before.....September 2009 is coming.......!!!!
I spent the day checking out the drill jigs. The main body jig had a poorly positioned drill bushing, which I removed and then had to drill out the old position, drill for a 1/4 X 20 tap. Ran the tap, and remembered I needed a different thread locker, so off to Lowe’s. Got back slathered the hole and bolt with the locktite, put them together.
Tomorrow, drill the new hole. This is a fall back, not as good as a drill bushing, will work for a while. When it gets bad, I can then drill it out for the original drill bushing. This is for a #43 tap drill, for a 4-40 bolt, so the drilling won’t be severe, but the bushing can be put back in anytime.
The upper cover, checked out, but with a different procedure. Rather than drill the holes for the attaching bolts, to the main body, I will drill the cover and the main body together. There are a couple of places where this type of procedure solves a potential mis-match problem.
I estimate this will take the rest of the week. I have a few blanks, which means a number under 25, I will finish the contours on. This is mill work, before the drill process. This will be done after the first drill jig gear box is complete. It will be sent to TOC, to test and use to write his portion of the instructions. My part is the installation into the Connie chassis, TOC will write the changes which have to be made to the firebox and cab. We will both be creating these instructions with pictures. Each step is simple, with pictures you’ll be able to see what we’re telling you to do.
One thing I want to do is include nine or ten metric bolts in stainless steel to replace the bolts in the counterweight centers. The opening is covered with a plastic plug with a hole in it’s center. The first time I was tearing this loco down, I stripped the phillips head on the bolt. Very scary, but I got it out. Taught me to be careful and to pass it on, but also to correct the problem, therefore the new bolts.
I will keep you posted all of this week and later. I have said that I think this will be my best work yet.
The Connie, in my opinion has the best chassis I have seen, each drive axle is sprung and with the new gearbox and motor this should be the best loco most of us has ever seen, much less own. TOC’s remarks have been very encouraging. He has had the test unit for a year now, and still speaks well of it.
Thank you for your patience, later.
Barry - BBT
Sounds cool.
BTW, in running my BBT 4-6-0 at night, I noticed that there is very little sparking between wheels and rails. I’m guessing this is due to improved track contact as a result of equalized wheels. Sure beats my old Buddy L, which produced sparks constantly.
I was wondering about the flanges on the drive wheels. They’re smaller than the flanges on the pilot wheels. Did you turn them down, or did they come that way from Bachmann? Whatever the case, they look great and again it’s a big improvement over my old loco.
I just finished lettering it for my railroad, and making a few other small cosmetic changes. Now I need to make an engineer and fireman for her! Oh, and I want to build an oil bunker to replace the coal load.
Ray,
The wheels are turned. The objective is to get a concentric wheel as well as straight. I have had permission to use Sierra Valley Enterprises profile for many years now. Gary Watkins, SVE, had the tools made for me, including one I requested which extended the flange .020". SVE runs a conservative flange, which looks prototypical, but really isn’t.
Ray, I just finished converting a Buddy L chassis, and the wheels are worst I have ever seen. Dead flat tire and perfectly perpendicular flange, and no fillet. Couldn’t believe it.
When I started the conversions Bachmann’s wheels weren’t as good as we get today. In fact, I might have been tempted to use them as is, if I was starting today. But too often there is a wheel just too far out and not concentric.
The sparking comes from dirt and a space between track and tire. Good observation.
Barry - BBT
all this talk makes me want a Connie even more (with the BBT drive of course)!
I really like my Connie. It doesn’t get run a lot, but it has always performed well. It’s slow speed performance is excellent, even with the stock drive. I did take it apart and apply loctite per TOC’s warnings before it had much time on it.