Triple O -- Bachmann 10-Wheeler Salvage Campaign

[Hines (Bill)]

Eric, is it a clean plastic snap? If you think it can be placed together and only shows a hairline it may be worthwhile trialling a solvent glue like MEK methylethylketone.

You hold the pieces together. Capillary action will suck it into the crack, melt the plastic which then solidifies as the MEK dissipates leaving little evidence of gluing. Once completely dry you have less worries of glue failure as the MEK has evaporated and the plastic becomes a solid welded plastic.

I’ve used it on styrene like plastics with success. I believe ABS glue does the similar but with ABS.

[Eric_Mueller]

HiEveryone,

Here is the picture of the break:

You can see that the post holding the truck to the frame snapped as did the truck itself.

It would seem that I could try Pete’s (@PeterT ) and Bill’s (@Hines ) suggestion, using a solvent style glue and a bit of a U-channel to brace it. Then I should be able to tap a hold into the step and drive a screw through the lot. There would be nothing hurt in trying.

Fred (@freddy ) thanks for the kind offer of replacement parts. I will write you separately. They would be welcomed.

As for drilling into the frame to mount a new style truck, I am wondering if the plastic will handle it. The stems that take the screws holding the bottom of the chassis to the upper part of the chassis gave way, too, and we are going to have to get long screws to hold this contraption together. One part we are going to see if we can “fix” with a zip tie held in place with CA, reinforcing the steam and allowing the screw to bite. The cause of the break is unknow, but could be 1.) we overtightened it, 2.) we used screws from a different derelict that were slightly larger, 3.) the plastic was old and brittle and could no longer handle the stress of holding together a working loco’, or 4.) Act of Dog. One more thing to puzzle out as we proceed.

Eric

[freddy (Fred Mills)]

Eric;
Today, I have mailed you two “New” pilot trucks for your 10 wheelers (No Charge) Enjoy…
Please send me your telephone number, and email address Does your email address have a dot at the end of it ?
Fred Mills

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

the plastic was old and brittle and could no longer handle the stress of holding together a working loco

That would be my guess.
I get to fix the pilot on an old Circus loco this week - my pal Jack in Florida has 2 and the working one has a broken pilot so they will be swapped. Not sure what will happen to the other!

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

While we await Fred’s parts (@freddy ), I decided to forge ahead with a repair effort. I got a plastic I-beam that, as it turned out, was just a bit too wide for the job, but that was easily remedied with styrene shim left over from another project. I remembered that I had a huge tin of MEK bought for a long forgotten project, so I grabbed that, too. I then clamped that lot together and let it lie.
Uploading: 20240420_132244.jpg…
It worked! I found a bit of dowel we will cut to make that “stem” that rises into the chassis, and I bought some small woodscrews today.

Today, Kid-zilla and I scrounged up our remaining pilot trucks, and he and I set to work cutting the bits we will need to repair them. We will glue the remaining pilots back together over the course of the week, then we will set about trying to connect them to the various chassis. Even if Fred’s pilot trucks get here first, finding away to make spares from trash seems like a good idea!

Beyond the pilot trucks, we puzzled over how best to attach that lower plate of the chassis to the upper portion with that busted stem. I found a bit of styrene tube that just fits over the stem. What if I glued that on, filled the cavity with CA, then tapped a new hole? Also, for the record, our zip-tie reinforcement of the other stem worked.

I’d show pictures but, I have some internet connectivity issues at the moment…

Eric

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

What if I glued that on, filled the cavity with CA, then tapped a new hole?

It should work. I had a Bachmann tender with a huge battery in it and it looked as if the owner had picked it up a few times and the screws stripped.
You can see in this pic that he put tubes on them to make them connect in the right place, then he drilled out the hole in the top and used longer screws.

[Eric_Mueller]

Pete,

Thanks, we’ll go for it, using the longer screw in lieu of trying to fill and tap the cap. That sounds like an easier solution!

This project, by the way, has really captured Kid-zilla’s imagination, so restoring these old iron horses has taken lead on the lanai. To better capture our weekend efforts, below is a picture of our first repaired pilot and accompanying repair material:

As mentioned, we need to cut a bit of dowel to shape to replace the plastic rod that once connected this to forlorn Big Hauler.

This having proved successful, Kid-zilla and I rounded up all the other pilots, cut the I-beams…

…removed paint from the scrap styrene that would serve as shims…

…and commenced repairs, which, today, include buffing corrosion off the pilot wheels.

Fred’s donor pilot will got to Emmett. The next donor will got to the second derelict to return to service. We’ll use our spares for derelict number three and whatever goes out next!

In the meantime, he and I are debating paint schemes. Emmett will remain our circus train by mutual agreement. He gave me permission to transform Other Emmett into a proper OR&L inspired iron horse. Other North Star he asserts should remain a Christmas-themed engine. I think we may compromise and do this one up in a more Wild West color scheme to maintain the colorfulness while moving away from a holiday-specific engine. We’ll see!

Updates as progress merits!

Eric

[Pete_Lassen]

Kind of sounds like it is you and KZlla as the main operators of the repair and maintainence shop. Well it is easier to reach a consensus with only 2 to vote, than the opinions of many! Looks like you have this well in hand!

[Korm (Korm Kormsen)]

yeah, seems that this repair and maintenance shop depends heavily on child labour…

[freddy (Fred Mills)]

Two replacement Pony trucks, for the Bachmann ten wheelers, have arrived at the “Island Repair shops”…The great “Professional Child Labour” can now make part of the repairs needed.
FJPM

[Eric_Mueller]

Indeed! Thanks, Fred, for the assist! We will press one into immediate service on Emmett and place the other in reserve. We will also proceed with our experiment in repairing the broken pilot trucks.

Professional and personal obligations will place this and other projects on hold, however. I will see if Kid-zilla can get the other derlicts prepped while I am otherwise busy.

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

Fred’s ( @freddy ) pilot trucks made it onto Emmett over the weekend, making a countrywide salvage project an international one! Kid-zilla also found and reattached some bits to the circus wagons…

…and discovered polished wheels work better than tarnished ones!

Even better, he discovered the smoke generator worked! I’d show a video, but I am getting 'tronned.

We used a zip-tie to reinforce that other stem, and the assembly was just long enough for Kid-zilla to enjoy watching his train pulling the circus around the railroad. By Sunday, that screw had worked loose, though, and the axels no longer made contact with the little brass busses inside the chassis. We used this as an opportunity to discuss remedies, and he decided upon trying a longer screw, which, of course, we don’t have on hand. He also realized that we could swap chassis with one of the derelicts or even one of our old spares to place Emmett back in service while the derelict awaits restoration. He is beginning to learn that some parts are intended for salvage, not as the basis for something new. Goooooooodddddd…

Speaking of derelicts, they remain largely uncleaned on the Shelf of Perpetual Puttering. With our other projects going on, that is OK!

Updates as progress merits!

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

Last week, we braced that failed stem with a zip tie and CA glue.

We got a screw of the correct diameter today, and, after a bit of DREMEL work to shorten it about 1/8", successfully
got Emmett buttoned up and test on the stands.

Despite a successful test, Emmett kept stalling out on the rails. We discovered that a plunger style brush gets jammed in its barrel.

Shimpf! We freed it, tested Emmett, put him back on the rails, and had the same results. An inspection of our spare early generation chassis showed that neither have similar spring-loaded brushes. One of our two derelicts does. We then discussed our options.

1. Kid-zilla suggested salvaging that part from the derelict (Boy is learning!). The derelict needs a thorough cleaning, and we intend to use it as a test subject to see how to marry an old boiler and cab to an updated 10-wheeler chassis.
2. We discussed swapping out the derelict’s chassis for Emmett’s, disposing of the former’s defunct motor and corroded wheels, but I am not sure about the integrity of the rest of the wiring.
3. We thought we might be able to clean the existing brush, oil it a bit, and see if that works.

He is really jazzed about this project, so we will push forward!

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

@Eric_Mueller

We thought we might be able to clean the existing brush, oil it a bit, and see if that works.

Don’t know that I’d oil it, but I would run a Q-tip through the sleeve it goes in to remove the residue you’ll likely find in there and wipe off the sides of the brush to remove that residue also. Dry cleaning the parts will work as all the residue is is carbon I believe.
And a gentle stretch of the spring will help restore its pressure, unless it is heavily rusted.

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

We discovered that a plunger style brush gets jammed in its barrel.

They also melt the plastic around the base and push themselves away from the wheel. There’s a reason Bachmann switched to the brass axle bush pickups.

And it looks as if those axles on Emmett have the same brass bushes as the later ones with the long pickup metal bits attached to the base plate ? You might be able to swap chassis and keep the wheels.

[Eric_Mueller]

Pete and Dave (@David_Marconi_FOGCH ),

Thanks for your inputs. We discussed both routes forward. Since they both involve cracking the loco open, we’ll try the simpler solution of pulling, cleaning, and reseating the brush first. As Emmett does have the pick-up plates, we’ll try swapping chassis next after salvaging the circus-themed wheels. Kid-zilla has already selected the donor chassis for the attempt. Catching the spirit of the project, he also selected a donor pushrod to replace the Emmett’s broken one. Then I had to explain the donor loco will get a new chassis in time… I will hold off until we have the time to focus on it, so that’ll probably be this weekend.

Aloha,
Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

We puttered with Emmett a bit. We could not free the plunger to check the spring, and our inspection of the housing showed no easy way to get at it from the backside.

We have discussed affixing some sort of extension to the stuck plunger, but we think a chassis swap is in the future.

Question: Has anyone tried soldering some sort of wiper to the brush, allowing the wiper to contact the wheel regardless of where the brush is?

We are finding the plastic “plugs” holding the rods in place are brittle , and we’ve broken two of the “caps” trying to remove them.

Question: Are there alternative ways to mount the rods to the drivers?

Kid-zilla has selected the first of two derelicts to serve as a parts loco for Emmett and the basis for a new bash, using the boiler, smokebox, and cab. He detailed his plans below.

He is already busy removing vertigres from the metal bits.

We will fit the reborn loco to a modern B’mann chassis. This derelict, which is in worse overall conditions, will be where we figure out what cuts need to be made, if any, and how to rig the wiring. IN effect, it is our “practice project.”

Question: Kid-zilla did ask if anyone know how best to fashion a steam dome. We are both hoping to find a small pill bottle or something similar we can cut, sand, and shape.

I am really enjoying watching him take the helm on this project. I am really just there to help with the fiddly bits and to ensure safety. I am enjoying watching him puzzle through solutions as we learn how best to keep these vintage B’mann beasts on the rails and turn junk into unique Triple O pieces.

Updates as progress merits!

Eric & Kid-zilla

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

A small piece of PVC pipe or a fitting, check the doll house section in a craft store for glass domes, or I’ve used wood dowels either bought for the purpose or cut off an old broom handle and carved to shape.
If you want to get real crafty try Sculpey an air dry clay you can mold and paint, form this around a heavy wall piece of plastic tube so you can attach with a screw when you’re ready to mount… Just a few ideas.

[Korm (Korm Kormsen)]

@Eric_Mueller

if anyone know how best to fashion a steam dome.

i did not measure, but to me it seems, that the sleeve of a 50cc veterinary siringe might fit.

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

soldering some sort of wiper to the brush

My suspicion is that if you start soldering to it, the plastic will melt?
I seem to recall they were fixed with a small screw inside the frame and are therefore removeable?

There are lots of other wiper options - LGB makes a kit for adding lighting to a caboose or coach and sells individual wipers:
https://www.onlytrains.com/model/trains/63120.html

Finally, some of us have similar plunger wipers taken from various rolling stock. My USAT streamline coaches all had wipers which were removed (in Florida.) I think the Aristo Sierra coaches have wiper sets - I just removed a few. And my HLW 4-4-0 conversion had its plunger pickups removed. Would you like me to send a selection (just email me)?

@Eric_Mueller

Are there alternative ways to mount the rods to the drivers?

I don’t recall any I worked on being brittle. I lost one or two, but they all stayed solid and slightly flexible. Maybe yours was out in the sun. As the rod rest on the boss sticking out of the wheel, just find a screw/bolt/pushpin that will go in the wheel boss and glue it in?

@Eric_Mueller

Kid-zilla did ask if anyone know how best to fashion a steam dome

Well, as you probably noticed, the dome is a round tube with a cap on top. Trackside Details sells brass dome toppers - just supply your own tube.

Part number is TD183.

But I’ll be surprised if one of our compadres doesn’t have one in his ‘bits’ box.