manufacture obsolete parts

[Keusink]

I have a locomotive that is older and no one has parts. Ebay is no use. A gear has lost some teeth and it needs to be replaced.

I have a second, identical locomotive, and its gear can be used as a template to make a new gear for the first.

Does anyone out there make parts from scratch to whom I may be referred?

This loco is a 2-10-2 and works real well as the big steam on my layout. I really would like to fix it.

Chris

[phillyreading]

What scale engine are you talking about?
If it is H.O, maybe a local hobby shop can help you.
If it is Lionel, try a train show where a guy sells Lionel parts.

Lee F.

[Keusink]

It is HO.  I have done a thorough search, and the part is not available. It has to be made.

Chris

[ChrisS]

northwest short line?

[richg]

You missed NWSL in your search. You did not mention which brand/type of loco.
He has a larger selection of gears. Replace all the gears associated with the worn gear. I have done that.
Dave does answer email as I have corresponded with him.

http://www.nwsl.com/

Rich

[Keusink]

Thanks. Tried NWSL. Need someone who can make a gear, apparently.

Chris

[Jim Banner]

Is the broken item a straight gear or is it a pinion that works with a worm?  Many steam locomotive models have only a worm and pinion, no other gears.  If this is the case, definitely talk to NorhtWest ShortLine.  They may not have the exact pinion but there is a good chance they can sell you a worm and pinion set with a similar ratio.  Even better, they may be able to sell you a gearbox that is an exact fit or a near fit.  A gear box will often turn a poor runner into a good one by eliminating binding and downhill surging.  Installed in a good runner, a gear box will usually turn it into a great runner.

If the gear is not a pinion from a worm and pinion set, you can have one custom made.  I believe NWSL charges about $50 for this, but check with them.

Often, but not always, gears are made to standard sizes.  This includes pitch (the spacing of the teeth,) pressure angle (tooth shape) and of course the number of teeth.  So even though a model manufacturer may be out of gears (or out of business) it may still be possible to find a replacement that is used in a completely different application.

Finally, there are companies and make and stock gears of standard sizes.  One that comes to mind is Boston Gear.
http://www.bostongear.com/
Their catalogue includes an excellent section of gear theory which will help you understand which gears you might need.

Jim

[richg]

Thanks. Tried NWSL. Need someone who can make a gear, apparently.

Chris

Again, replace the gears associated with the worn gear might be cheaper if say, just a motor worm and worm gear.
I had an older brass loco with the fiber worm gear worn. Rather than try to find a new worm gear, I ordered a worm gear with matching worm from NWSL.
I also bought the Puller and Quarterer.
You seem reluctant to mention the brand/type of loco. Even a photo might help.

I have also recently sent an old all metal loco to Dave at NWSL and re-motored and re-geared a loco for me. I did not want to bother doing this anymore. Dave has someone do this who is very good.

Rich

[Keusink]

The loco is a proto heritage 2000 2-10-2. The gear is at the local (200 miles away) hobby shop w/ both my identical locos. They cannot find one, so they are sending it back to me. I asked the question generally, out of respect for our host. However, the guys on this site are my heroes, so I had to ask

[JerryB]

H0 is not my area of expertise, but I see that Walthers still lists the Proto Heritage 2000 2-10-2 for sale. Have you tried asking Walthers for the gear? Hard to believe that they would be selling something that they can't or don't support.

"Making a gear" is not a simple task. There are certainly shops that can do that, but designing and producing a single gear will likely cost as much or more than the current list price ($399.99) for the whole locomotive.

Since that is Walther's list price, I assume it can actually be found somewhat cheaper.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

[Doneldon]

"Making a gear" is not a simple task. There are certainly shops that can do that, but designing and producing a single gear will likely cost as much or more than the current list price ($399.99) for the whole locomotive.

Jerry-

It is possible to make your own gears if you have a Unimat or suchlike. Or ... see if someone in a nearby club has one. They aren't rare.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          -- D

[jward]

protp uses standard gear sizes in their locomotives. i would think the part would be readily available through the manufacturer's service department. also, on many proto diesels the drive was a copy of those used in athearn locomotives, with a much better motor in the protos. as such, it is often possible to use athearn parts in proto locomotives. protos had a problem with cracked axle gears that is easily solved by replacing it with an athearn part. maybe your situation is similar.

[Keusink]

Well, gents, Walthers has discontinued its 2 10 2 manufacture, and does not have parts available. Their site says not in stock.

I am taking Jerry B's advice, and buying one of the two I can find on the internet from a supplier who says they arrived in 08 per his databank.

I think we are going to have this problem with reserve orders from now on; they are going to be hard to get serviced after they are discontinued.

Except, of course, our revered Bachmann, which has been wonderful with replacing locos under their lifetime guarantee.

Thank you for your thoughts and help.   Chris

[JerryB]

"Making a gear" is not a simple task. There are certainly shops that can do that, but designing and producing a single gear will likely cost as much or more than the current list price ($399.99) for the whole locomotive.

Jerry-

It is possible to make your own gears if you have a Unimat or suchlike. Or ... see if someone in a nearby club has one. They aren't rare.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        -- D

Doneldon:

Please read what I wrote again. I didn't write nor imply that a gear couldn't be made. I did write that it would probably be expensive to have a single gear designed and made. Finding a gear manufacturer was part of the original question.

My statement was based on the assumption that the OP did not posses the tools and / or knowledge to manufacture the required replacement. If he did have that capability, he would not have posted the original question.

And, if he has to buy, equip and learn to operate a Unimat (which would not be my first machine choice) in order to make a gear, my statement about high cost would be even more accurate.   

Keusink:

Have you looked at places like Stock Drive and similar suppliers? Doing a Google search for "small gear suppliers" returns something over 53 million hits! Got to be someone in there that has what you need.

And I do share your concerns about the future of spare parts for short run manufactured items. Our model trains are just the tip of a very large iceberg!

Happy (Well Geared) RRing,

Jerry

[ryeguyisme]

Northwest shortline isn't of any help? That's impossible, I've had them make me gears before, I call them up and send the broken gear to them and pay maybe $5-10 and they ship back a gear made of better quality plastic. I'd say give them a call


As for making a part for a locomotive costing the amount as the locomotive itself?!?! Ludicrous!! I sold a walthers 2-10-2 for less than half of what I bought it for, packed it very nicely and the buyer has the nuts to message me saying the drawbar broke and he went to the local hobby shop and they said it would cost $50 to make a drawbar and he wanted me to pay for his stupidity let alone he couldn't be bothered to send a picture. This to me was an obvious buyer scam and I told him straight off how ridiculous he sounded. Never got a response.

Anything not mechanically challenging to make(a gear can be, so disregard) you should figure out a way to make it yourself, its not that hard, a part as simple as a drawbar for this locomotive could've been made in less than 15 minutes by me a 23 year old. Yet a hobby shop said $50 to make HA! Cliff Grandt would spin in his grave

Sorry for getting off topic, I had sort of a rant.