drive gear is slipping on drive axle of a 4-6-0 -- Milwaukee Road #3

[Bob Sladky]

I have a large scale 4-6-0.  The gear on the drive axle (last axle) turns freely.  When the power is on, the motor runs and all the gears in the gear train turn; however, the power axle and drivers do not move.  When the power it turned off, the engine rolls freely with all six drivers, siderods, pistons etc. working perfectly. 

My question, how does a person go about fixing this problem?  Can this repair be performed at home successfully with limited tools, equipment, etc.?  or is this the type of problem better resolved by sending the locomotive back to the factory where it can be repair correctly the first time?

If it can be done easily at home, what parts need to be ordered?  how does one extract the rear driver  from the siderods and from the frame?  how is the existing gear reattached securely, etc.?

If locomotive needs to be returned tot he factory, should the tender accompany the locomotive, etc?

[Barry BBT]

Bob,

Maybe I can help.  I believe all of the Golden Classics (your Milw. Rd loco) were what were called Plus models.  This means the brass worm on the motor drives a cluster gear (a combined worm gear and small spur gear) the small spur gear turns an idler gear which in turn, turns the spur gear on the axle.  Your problem is that the spur gear on the axle has lost its "grip" on the axle.  You need a replacement axle.  The most difficult part of the solution is what is called "Quartering the wheels on the axle".  I can do this and I can tell you how to do this, but a small error is less than satisfying.  I thinking of an alternative,

but first:  If you send anything to the Bachmann service department, ask what they need you to send, do not volunteer, for this problem they don't need the tender.  And it would be best not to send the cab and boiler or the weight.

To remove the valve gear and siderods is easy when you know that the gray pins holding the siderods and eccentrics, etc. are just push pins and can be wedged out of the rod posts  Save them.

What I can do for you is to invite you to send the rear axle and wheels, complete, to me.  I have the axles and can do the quartering .
My charge will be a lot less than Bachmann's, but I don't have as much overhead.

Remove the bottom plate from the chassis of the loco, simply lift the drive axle out of the loco, send the axle assembly to me:

Barry Olsen
Barry's Big Trains
6822 W. Villa St.
Phoenix, AZ 85043

or

P. O. Box 1119
Tolleson, AZ 85353-1103

623-936-6088

Include $10.00

Barry - BBT