Replacement Electric DC Motor

[Redtail67]

I have a Bachmann Item No. 41-635-01 Emd GP 40 Diesel Union Pacific that is Dead. I purchased this in a set maybe 20 years age for my son. I just got it out of the closet and set it up for my Grandson.

It will not run and the headlights do not light up. I have taken it apart and cleand everything I could as well as the wheels. The motor still does not work.

I purchased a new DC Engine a few days ago and it runs perfectly on the track with no problems.

I have emailed Bachman to get instructions on sending it in to be repaied and have not received a response.

I have several questions for members of this board:

1. Can I buy an electric motor like the one in it or perhaps a better one to put in it? If so where and what motor would I use?

2. I have noticed that this Engine is powered only on the front trucks aand on the No. 1 Wheels there are what looks like rubber bands on the lead wheels.  What are they for? It seems that would insulate the wheels from the track and keep them from getting power?

3. The rear trucks have no gear connection to the electric motor but they do have wires going to the wheels. WHY?

I know that this is a cheapie engine , however, I would like to return it to service.

I am totaly new to this other than I bought this set for my son about 20 years ago. So bear with me as I am a newbie but plan to build a l;ayout for my Grandson.

I will now introduce myself, I am 59 years old and retired totaly disabled with 34 years of service as a Locomotive Engineer on the Santa Fe and the Colorado Southern Railway.

I have worked all over Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Wyoming.

I hired out in 1967 at the age of 17 years, and have personaly operated almost every type of Diesel Engine they have from some Fts to the new AC Engines.

Personally I loved the F Units  the Santa Fe 200 and 300 Class and the 2650 Class GP 7. The later GP38-2 and the the SD40-2. As far I am concerned they did not come any better than those for an Engineer.

I studied and paased the 1st 2nd and 3rd year steam qualification tests for Locomotive Engineer. This was in an effort to be selected to be a fireman on the "Flying Scotsman" that had been brought to America for a tour of the US.

Well as fate would have it I was not selected the most Senior men who had been claiming that they would never run another Steam E ngine in their lives, took the jobs as soon as they were offerered.

By the way, that "Flying Scotsman" was an absolutely beautiful train as it passed me while I was in the side track for it on a drag freight.

Well so much for all that, I hope some of you can help me fix that old cheapie engine.

Redtail67


wi

[Guilford Guy]

1: Engine may not be worth saving, you could probably get a new loco of better quality for less than it would be to find a new motor. It may hold sentimental value, in which case, buy a new GP40 (much better runner) and swap the shells.
2: The "rubber band" like things on the front wheels are traction tires. They are used to increase traction when pulling. If there is only 1 on the locomotive you are missing one.
3: the back truck was not powered, but was used as pick ups... The wires are the leads to the motor which powered the front trucks which did the pulling.

It sounds like one of the leads has been disconnected. Make sure the connections are there, and that they aren't shorting with each other.

[Redtail67]

Thanks for your prompt response  Guilford Guy. You are right it is only for sentimental reasons. I was just hoping to find a DC motor to replace that one and keep it in the future fleet.

As you can tell I am a"RUBE" in this form of Railroading and look forward to the help this board can provide.

I have read every message on the board and have picked up a lot of helpfull ideas.

I plan to get some EZ Track and set up a living room layout that can keep my Grandson occupied while I plan and biuld a more permanant on in the garage.

My dream is to build an EZ Track layout in HO in the garage using DCC based on 1950-170 Santa Fe.

Right now my Grandson, who is 4 years old, will not let me reat untill I have him up and running. It was my thought that if I could get that old engine going he would have two units to mess with and he3 would let me have time to plan a more sophisticated layout using DCC.

Hey, one more question..

I had several freight cars from that old set missing wheels, can they be replaced with the steel wheels I have seen advertised? If so what size would I use? What kind would you recomend?

Thanks again for your help and these are just the start of many questions to come.

Redtail67

[Guilford Guy]

Yes, 33" wheels will work. Intermountain wheels are very good, and reboxx plastic wheels work just as well...

[SteamGene]

Sorry, GG - go for metal wheels.  Replace all the plastic with metal.  Kadee sells them in sets of twelve marked for freight or passenger.  Life Like also has metal wheels, as does Intermountain. 
If you are missing a lead your motor, such as it is, may be fine, it's just not getting power.  If you have a local hobby shop, check with them.  Also check to see if you have a local chapter of the NMRA - there may well be a member who can help you out.
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

Red
Sounds like you have all the qualifications to be a first class model railroad Engineer.
I don't know if your older motor is an open frame type or the newer can motors.  I have some rather antique diesel locos made in Yugoslavia, they are very nice but have the open frame motor. 

Considering the traction tires and limited pickups, I would suggest getting a new one and keeping the old one for display or something. I have 4 of the Bachmann 60301, Union Pacific, they are great runners with 8 wheel pickup and traction.  Here is a link to a good source:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJWM1&P=SM
This is for the DCC equipped which will run on regular DC track.

If you only want to run DC,  here is a set with powered loco, a dummy loco and a caboose for only $45.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXRMN9&P=SM

I live in Colorado and mostly model the coal trains of the Yampa Valley area, but also have a narrow gauge Colorado Southern setup.  I believe that line was sold to the Leadville Tourist Group and still runs excursion trips.  There is so much railroad history here, I wish I had room to model it all, the Rio Grande South, Durango Silverton, etc

I have only Bachmann locos and only buy them from this source because of their no hassle guarantee and great discounts..
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/listings/cat-u.html

Bob

[Yampa Bob]

Red
PLease check my thread "Yampa Valley Railroad" in this section, it might give you some ideas for a quick way to get that layout for your grandson. 

You are the first modeler I've met from Colorado,  and I would enjoy communicating with you about Colorado railroads and modeling in general.  Let me know, and I will show my email address.

I also have a bunch of extra wheels I don't need and several freight cars that I would be glad to donate for your grandson's railroad.  My friends keep giving me cars they pick up at yard sales and I enjoy fixing them up, but I now have way too many cars.    We Grandpas gotta stick together.

Thanks
Bob

[Redtail67]

Thank you Yampa Bob and Steam Gene for your replies to my questions.

If I understand it correctly the 33" Scale Wheels are for freight cars and the 36" Scale are for passenger coaches in HO Scale Train Sets.

I will take a look at the steel wheels from the places that you all have recomended.

Yampa Bob send me a Email and I will correspond with you. That is an Email that I use to keep so many Junk mails out. I would be very happy to get some free wheels and some cars for the Ho set I have. We now have 1 new engine and the old dead one 2 cars that work and 3 cars with missing wheels on about 15-20 of old junk cheap cheap track.

I have the track on plywood and connected and it runs good..its the cars with no wheels that are the biggest problem along with drawbars that are too short for the tight curves.

That will be next trying to figure out the drawbars..you know longer shanks and which company makes them and all that. I know nothing about the model end of that either.

If I could get this little set all working it would be fine for him untill I get the other up and going. I see that that will take a lot of time and knowledge and if all works well he and I will get it up and going in a month or two..


Would have replied sooner but I was trying to rest a little as the Grandson was napping, he slept until 6:00 PM..now he will be up all nite.

Now he has me playing with the trainset with him. Bet he goes untill after midnite..lol

Thanks again to both you for your advice.

Redtail67

[RAM]

Since es not work I wonder if the back truck may have gotten turned around. 

[Yampa Bob]

Thanks Red, mail on the way

I forgot to mention that I'll also send a list and samples of the various Kadee couplers and sources,  and instructions for upgrading any older cars. 

Bob