Metal replacement gears for 2-8-0?

[Kevin Strong]

I just read this on GR's web site: http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/203636/2226229.aspx#2226229

Great news to be sure. Any word on whether this would be a redesigned gearbox, or "just" metal replacement gears for the current gearbox? (To say nothing of availability and cost?)

Later,

K

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Thanks Kevin,
Very interesting indeed!  Perhaps Yardmaster or the Bach-Man can get info to us on it. It would be nice to see for the Spectrum 2-6-0 and 4-4-0 as well.  I would hope that as a minimum one could buy a metal gear already pressed onto the axle, rather than having to press it on yourself.

I still think the NWSL replacement gear at $12 is a great option, but a metal replacement would be fine too.  Of the five or six bad gears I have looked at in the 4-6-0's & 4-4-0s, all but one was split cleanly in half, and the other was about to split.  All the other plastic gears in the gearbox including the metal worm were just fine.  In looking at the problem I feel that the hole in the plastic axle gear was too small when manufactured and the pressure when pressed onto the axle caused them to crack and split over time.  Looking at the split gears there is no evidence that the gear teeth or sides of the gear was deformed or worn in any way.

I have a replacement NWSL gear handy for my 3 connies (my primary power), but so far they have all held up even pulling long trains on a grade. Judging from anecdotal evidence, it seems that the 4-6-0 & 4-4-0 gear problem is worse than that of the Connie's.

I would love to hear from board members, as to their experience with their Connie or 4-4-0 or 2-6-0 axle gears. helpful info would be an estimate of age and runtime prior to gear failure.  Thanks to any who might chime in.  It would also be interesting to hear if anyone is having problems after installing the NWSL gears in any of the above.

Bill

[R and K RR Products]

   This is great news for all those with broken gears.

  Kevin as I read that article, I read that they are just replacing all the gears and not the gearbox. It is a good design for a gearbox but I don't like the small motor.

Bill
I have 2 connie gearboxes right here with bad idler gears and 1 with a bad gear on the compound, so it will be great to have all metal replacement gears.

[Jon D. Miller]

Bill,
As you know, I have Spectrum 4-4-0, 4-6-0, and Connie.  In fact several of the 4-4-0 and 4-6-0 models.  All of the locomotives were purchased within a few weeks of their introductions.

To date I've had no problems with any of them with split gears.  All the locomotives have high hour run times.  I don't hesitate to pull up to the max load they will handle without wheel slip.

Guess I'm just lucky. I do have a NWSL replacement for the Connie as it's probably just a matter of time till the gear splits.

JD

[R and K RR Products]

  Jon

   The first one that I bought right when the were first released has ran on the club layout at the mall for 6 to 8 months (about 40 hours a week) pulling 12 to 15 AMS cars and not a bit of trouble with it. But out of the 9 I gotten since then. 2 came with cracked axle gears and with a little run time on them 2 has one of the idlers broke and one, has the gear compound gear brake. 

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Good info, thanks to all.    So, even tho I am ready with a replacement gear for my connie I may have a problem with the idler gears as well?  Anybody know if NWSL has replacement idler gears as well??

Hopefully Bachmann will chime in on this one.

Anyone find bad idler gears in the 4-4-0 or 2-6-0?

[R and K RR Products]

  Bill
I would wait to see if Bachamnn makes them in metal (I would guess they will be brass)
I ordered 5 sets of gears from Bachmann several years ago. I still have 3 worm wheel compound, 2 idler compound and 3 idler spur gears left. I making new gearboxes for all my connies and will have 4 to 6 extra stock gearboxes that I'll be getting rid of.

  I'm stretching connie frames to make C-21's and C-25 out of them
I've added .680" between the 2nd and 3rd drivers.

This is comparing the stock rod to ones I've made.



Here is the splice







  Rodney

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Very nice Rod!

[R and K RR Products]

  Thanks Bill

Rodney