Brass Gears

[Joe Zullo]

Which Bachmann locos have ALL brass gears? 

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi Joe,

I was told the metal gears are not brass, but I do not know what metal they are.  These are the ones I know about:  latest version 6 Anniversary 4-6-0; latest Spectrum 2-6-0 (not the Indy);The c-19;The latest Standard Line 2-4-2.

Also I am not sure that the axle gears are metal. The info on some of the above state all metal gearbox, not necessarily the axle gears. I have never taken apart my Version 6 Annie to see if the axle gears are also metal. The c-19 info says all the gears are metal.

Personally I have never liked brass gears.  all my early HO scale models with brass gears wore out so bad that the teeth would not mesh anymore.

I can say that my Version 6 Annie and my C-19 have performed flawlessly, and so far I have had no problems with the metal gears.  My 4 Annies with the plastic gears have also performed flawlessly two in service since they came out in 2000.

Hopefully others will respond with better info than mine.

Take care.

Bill

[armorsmith]

It has been some time since I have had my K27 open, but if memory is holding up, I believe the worm is steel and the gear is brass. If you maintain the proper lubrication on the gears, they will last a very long time. These kinds of drives are used in every thing from copiers to rock crushers that work 24/7/365 crushing hundreds of tons of rock a day. Quite honestly Bill, your comments indicate to me that they were either not properly lubricated or not properly installed (gear mesh was off).

[Greg Elmassian]

I believe the latest chassis for the big hauler / annie is the same, brass worm gear, steel worm.

Greg

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi All,

All the "Big Hauler" 4-6-0's have plastic gears Version 2 thru Version 5, none were made with metal gears.  All set locomotives have plastic gears.

These are the only 4-6-0's with the metal gears(Version 6 chassis with new pilot truck). These are the Annie's that were introduced in 2011 with the 916xx product numbers. The Version 6 chassis gear box is the same as the version 5 gearbox, the only difference is the metal gears in the Version 6:

91601   EBT   10   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie  East Broad Top            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91602   D&RGW   178   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie  Denver & Rio Grande Western            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91603   RGS   25   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie  Rio Grande Southern            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91604   SPC   22   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie  South Pacific Coast            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91605   D&RG   10   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie  Denver & Rio Grande  Ver 6            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91606   ET&WNC   11   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie  Denver & Rio Grande Western            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91607   none   none   2011   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie painted unlettered Black            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91608   D&RGW   168   2016   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie Bumble Bee            Ver 6 Metal Gears
91609   None   None   2016   ~ Loco   4-6-0 Annie painted unlettered Black            Ver 6 Metal Gears



All the early Annie's with the 81xxx series product numbers below have the version 5 chassis with the plastic gears here is the list:

81088   D&RGW   178   2005   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, Denver & Rio Grande Western
81092   PRR   9660   2002   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, Pennsylvania Ver 5
81093   EBT   10   2002   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, East Broad Top Ver 5
81094   RGS   25   2002   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, Rio Grande Southern Ver 5
81095   SPC   21   2000   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10tn aniv, South Pacific Coast Ver 5
81096   WP&Y   10   2000   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, White Pass & Yukon Ver 5
81097   D&RG   12   2000   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, Denver & Rio Grande Ver 5
81098   ET&WNC   12   2000   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, ET&WNC Ver 5
81099   None   None   2000   ~ Loco   4-6-0, 10th aniv, painted unlettered Ver 5

Bottom line is that if you want a 4-6-0 be sure you are getting an Annie in the 916xx product number series.  Do not just assume buying an Annie you will get one with the metal gears.  

[Joe Zullo]

Thanks for the list Bill. Very helpful.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Glad to help out Joe, I also forgot to mention the Version 6 Annies are sold out at Bachmann and about gone at Trainworld.  The only version 6 Trainworld has  left is the 91603 and the price is pretty good.  I would hope Bachmann would re run them, but you never know. 

Bill