Project 4-6-0: First kitbash

Robbie Aug 2, 2010

  1. Robbie

    Robbie TrainBoard Member

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    Second gen 4-6-0, had dead power pickups, so I installed an Aristo TE in the tender for onboard battery. I added a drill battery in a trailing car.

    Then I decided I hated the way it looked...I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

    Here's how it looked before:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/trainsands … 464663387/

    And here it is now:

    [​IMG]


    Thoughts? What should I do next? (other than an onboard battery in the new coal bunker)

    And might I add, I've done more than it looks; all the wiring inside the engine had to be replaced, it was missing a headlight, and the tender had a truck snapped off.
     
  2. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Wow, you did alot of work to this locomotive and it looks good. The only other thing you may have to do later is upgrade the gear drive train as Bachmann is known not to have the best one in the world. Believe it or not the 10th anniversary Bachmann 4-6-0 locomotives had better running gear and metal side rods, if you see one for parts, grab it.
     
  3. Robbie

    Robbie TrainBoard Member

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    I'm well aware of the gear problems--I have two 4-6-0s in Bumblebee and I've had a few others over the years, and this is the only one that through it all hasn't burned up its gears. According to George Schreyer (http://girr.org/girr/tips/tips1/big_hauler_tips.html) this, the second generation, has a fairly solid gear train, so I'm going to trust it for the moment.

    I'm not too interested in the Annie, quite honestly; I've only done this because I bought it ten years ago for $50, and it was sitting around dead. Spending $100 on it? No way; I've got a total of $58 in it as it sits. If the gearbox goes out, well, Bachmann will sell me an Annie gearbox for $20...and I'm sure there's a way to shoehorn it in!
     
  4. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Thats a great tips page for all Bachmann big hauler owners. I'm not sure what type gear boxes and motors that Bachmann puts into thier Narrow Gauge line up locomotives
     
  5. Robbie

    Robbie TrainBoard Member

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    The K-27 has a solid gearbox with a large 18v Pittman motor and brass gears.

    The 2-8-0 (Connie) has a vertically mounted motor on top of a gearbox(both the K-27 and 2-8-0, for the sake of movable suspension, have a motor and gearbox riding on the third driving axle). The plastic final gear in this has a tendency to burn out, which is why I have a Barry's Big Trains gearbox and motor in mine. I may install my old motor/gearbox from the 2-8-0 in the 4-6-0 if it burns out for whatever reason.

    The 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 have the same drive, but as I do not have one, I can't describe it any better.

    I have a 2-6-0 Industrial "Mining Mogul" and haven't opened it yet to see its gearbox.
     

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