Wheels for Northern 4-8-4 tender

[EJELen]

Group,

I have a Bachmann 4-8-4 Northern, part number 660, lettered for the Santa Fe and having road number 3781, that I pulled out of storage and am trying to put back into running mode. I purchased this item new in 1977 and it has very little running time. My problem is this. The tender rolls like a brick. I've tried putting some LaBelle 108 oil in the sockets, cleaned that out and used graphite and even cleaned the ends of the axles, but all has failed.

I emailed the Bachmann Service folks and they got back to me very quickly with the answer I expected ... they don't have any new parts for this unit.

Is there any metal substitutes for these wheels? The axle tips on the original parts are blunt, not pointed. Does anybody know what size they are?  They are bigger than 36" Has anybody tried to replace them in the past?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Len S.

[jonathan]

Len,

If it were me, I would try to replace the tender trucks.  I don't know how that engine gets electrical pick up.  If you need current from the tender wheels, there are ways to pick up current using tender brush pickups.  They are readily available through a couple of sources. 

At least in this way, you could get free rolling trucks, that may or may not be prototypical.  I always err on the side of function over form. 

There's my two cents.  Good luck.

Regards,

Jonathan

[EJELen]

Thanks for your reply. The trucks are entirely plastic, with no conductivity. All the electrical pickup is in the locomotive. I agree, the wheels need replacement. I was just hoping somebody has already done this and can provide some insight as to what they used as replacements.
Len S.

[jonathan]

It just so happens, I have--just not on a 4-8-4 Northern.

This is a 1970s Mantua.  I didn't like the way the tender rolled, so I replaced the tender.  Notice, I also replaced the tender's trucks with standard plastic trucks with metal wheels.  This is an old Penn Line tender.  Its trucks were sticky like yours.  These are not prototypical trucks, but they look fine and roll very well.



Here is an old Varney tender.  I performed the same procedure.  Those are standard trucks, that roll very well.  They are not tender trucks, but how often do you really look at the truck style on a tender?



I think I paid 4 or 5 dollars for the trucks.

You may have 6 wheel trucks, instead of 4 wheel trucks.  They are available, just cost a little more. I'm sure I've seen them in the usual catalogs.  My Local Hobby Shop can get them.

Usually, you just need a screwdriver and perhaps some fiber washers to adjust the height, if necessary.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Jonathan

[EJELen]

Jonathan

That is exactly what I plan on doing. The pictures are excellent .... you do good work.

The tender trucks are 8 wheel and the tender is a 56' monster, so I will have to start looking. In the meantime, I reamed out the holes a little bit and it rolls slightly better.

Thanks for your insight.

Len S

[RAM]

They are 42 inch.  I think NWSL made that size blunt axle.  I got a English conversion for my sf 4-8-4.  They had a little note in it that stated the tender wheels would work with the daylight but not the Santa Fe.  The original plastic wheels had pointed axles.  The only replacement wheels I could find had blunt axles.  I cut the trucks apart, dilled out the holds and put the trucks back together.  Wonders of wonders,  It worked.  Then I thought.  Why did I do that.  Why didn't I just buy some contacts and pickup the current from the locomotive.

[uncbob]

If you bought it new in 77 it was probably one of the early 4-8-4 that were notorious for cracking axles

I wouldn't waste time on it

[pdlethbridge]

Try Bowser, their t1's had 8 wheel tender trucks, go here
http://www.bowserorders.com/.sc/ms/sch/ee?search=1-7006&go.x=0&go.y=0&go=go