Dewitt Clinton

[VTBob]

Does anyone have the exploded diagrams for the engine/motor part? I got one at a train show & it doesn't run, but I have a feeling I might be able to repair it, if I could get it apart. But never having had one like this before, I don't want to break it.

Vermont Bob

[rich1998]

i do not have the diagram. If you get one, this might help.
i have the john bull and the motor is in the tender. bachmann has pickups for these small locos which are thin metal strip between the drivers and metal motor halves. corrosion can develop on the thin metal strip and metal halves of the motor. my john bull was very intermittent. i took it apart and cleaned everything with alcohol. i then cleaned off the corrosion with a scratch brush from micro mark.
i applied a drop or two of rail zip on these surfaces which is a corrosion preventative.
i carefully assembled the motor with a drop or two on each gear of labelle 102 gear oil. a lot is not better.
it runs very well now.
the below photo is what mine looks like. in mine, that small spring fits up inside the little slot on the motor and presses on the pin on the thin metal strip. this is on both sides.
i suspect yours will look about the same. i belive the motor is in the loco for yours.
if you look at a thread I recently posted about the plymouth switcher, the same thing is done there.
watch out for flying springs. the diagram for mine did not show the springs.
i suspect many of the split half type of bachmann locos have a similar setup.
good luck.



lex

[CNE Runner]

Ditto everything Lex wrote. I had problems with my Plymouth WDT switcher...to the point that it wouldn't run! I took the body off and discovered the frame was in two pieces - held together by two screws. The wheels and axles are held in with a metal piece screwed to the bottom of the frame. When you remove the plate, the wheel assemblies drop out. I had lubricated these axle bearing surfaces...a no-no as it is this surface that conducts electricity from the wheel assemblies to the frame and hence to the motor. After cleaning the axle/frame surface, I lubed only the gears and tightened the frame screws. This thread can be found at http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,10988.0.html and includes Lex's past comments.

BTW: The little Plymouth runs much better and is the 'star' of my Monks' Island Brewery micro layout.

Ray

[VTBob]

the motor is the entire tender. I soaked the entire thing in rubbing alcohol to cut away any hardened grease, dirt, etc. I haven't re-lubed it yet. Looking at your photo, then at the little unit here, I still cannot figure out how it comes apart. I don't want to yank or pull on something that'll snap it.

There's 2 tiny flatheaded (phillips cut) screws on one end, & 2 6-sided nuts on the other. The screws seem to go into the motor (bearing?) housing. The 2 nuts (on both sides of the unit) don't look like they move, or are supposed to move.

I'll try to get some pictures of the little unit as the housing appears to be quite different.

Thanks,
Vermont Bob

[rich1998]

in my john bull tender, the motor housing just pops out of the plastic shell. it was not easy.
two phillips head screws to take the side frames off.
two screws to separate the motor halves.
again, watch for possible small springs.

make sure a drop of labelle 108 oil on each motor bearing since you soaked the motor in alcohol.

something to consider, the gear mesh between the worm and worm gear is not tightly controlled and sometimes the worm gear, the largest gear, is stripped by the metal worm at one point when these locos are run at a fast speed.

lex

[petewoff]

Has anyone been successfull in puting a dcc decoder in on of these?

Peter
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