Large Scale Central

BBT Drive Annie upgrade

General Discussion
#1

OK, I’ll try to post this again, lost it the first time, damn I hate these learning curves, at my age they are all uphill. Hi all, I recently had Barry install one of his famous drives in my Annie. When I recieved it back all I could do was run it on the test stand because the weather has been so crappy. Well today the sun was out so I put her out on the main with a small string of cars and set her pullin’. All I can say is that the drive is everything it is advertised to be, very smooth and strong. I am very satisfied with the results. The locomotive already had, battery power, Phoenix sound, and Airwire, but I had set it up with 2 magnets on the tender wheel with a reed switch. Barry installed a 4 magnet set on the center driver with a reed switch giving the loco the correct 4 chuff beat, sounds 100% better (so to speak). One thing I noticed with the locomotive running light, no cars, it drifts easily and the sound system reflects this in it’s output. Put a string of cars behind so the engine is working and the drift goes away (as it should) and pulls smoothly with a strong “chuff sound” beat. Very satisfied, Thanks Barry! A couple of pictures of ol’ #21 out on the line with her brand new drive system.

DSCN2793
DSCN27931920×1440 308 KB

DSCN2794
DSCN27941920×1440 277 KB

Thanks for taking a look.
Rick

#2

Very nice Marty! I really want to get my Connie to Barry for one of his drives. I didn’t know he would do the install. My eyesight is not good enough to do it myself.

#3

Hi Gary,
Thanks, it’s a great improvement.
If Barry won’t install it for you just get the parts and send it up here and I will do it for you.
I need the practice before I do mine :slight_smile: :smiley:

Rick

#4

Rick,

E-mail sent. Thank you.

#5

Rick
I have 5 locos with berry drive and he is working on number six this winter for me. Love them all so much I sold all my LGB locos and will now only run BBT drive Annies. They run better and cost less then the LGB ones.

Your loco looks great.
Geoff

#6
Rick Marty said:
...I hate these learning curves, at my age they are all uphill.
I don't know about you but at my age, that's about the only thing that isn't going downhill. ;)

Great looking loco. I love my BBT “annie”.

#7

You’ll get a lot of years out of those drives. I have 2 installed in 2 10 wheelers that are over 15 years old and they still run great. Both of those drives were some of the first units Barry produced, so I’d say he got it right on the first try.

#8

Ken,

Thanks for your nice words, but just like Bachmann I have also gone through 5 generations/evolutions in my drive design.

First was the adjustable, motor mount with 48 pitch gears, most of these have been upgraded to fixed mount and 32 pitch gears. Second was the change to a fixed mount, horizontal motor.

The TOC discovered the surging problem, so I came up with the countershaft drive and move the motor vertically (ran out of room, but more so leaving the “see-through” on the Annies.

Then the Annie drive which you have, the hinged side rods allowed the addition of an equalized (pivoting) front axle. This is where the sound drum used to be so I started mounting a reed switch crosswise in the chassis an spot mill four positions on the back of the blind driver for perfect synro for the sound.

And I added the new metal pilot truck frame.

Barry - BBT

#9
Barry Olsen said:
And I added the new metal pilot truck frame.
Which I need to get one of pretty soon, February, or now most likely March.