Finding parts

[WINGNUT308]

Trying to repair 3 Bachmann 4-8-4 locos, mid to late '80's early 90's steamers.  They all have the 'pancake' style motors (white) and they are trashed.  Where can I locate 3 (or 4) of them, along with some replacement brushes and springs ??  At 75(yo), I'm kinda new at this stuff........  Any help is appreciated, Thank you.

[trainman203]

In the model railroad Jurassic in a world of US made models, spare parts were always available from almost every manufacturer for almost every repair you could imagine.

That was then.  This is now.

Bachmann is better than almost everyone else at maintaining some semblance of parts availability, but with old models like the 4-8-4, the odds of finding there what you need are not very high.  You need to become accustomed to the present world of donor models, ie, finding ones to supply you with spare parts.  Often you can find them on online auctions with needs unrelated to your parts quest.  Or, You may find it easier just to buy used one that works well and keep the ones you presently have as donor pieces. 

This isn't such a bad thing.  Especially with the extra tenders you can sell online, people are always looking for them.  As far as the pancake motors go, I've never had a model with one, but I've heard nothing but bad things about them.  You might try developing your Model Railroad skills and try installing a new high quality can motor.

[jward]

I do not know much about the pancake motored steam locomotives. But if they are anything like the diesels, you're going to be much better off with something else. There's not much you can do to overcome the many shortcomings of this design, other than to find something better to put the old body shell on.

Back in the 1980s, I worked for a many who ran a portable display layout built in a semi trailer. He had connections within Bachmann, so we used alot of these old pancake motored locomotives on the layout. They didn't hold up well under heavy usage, and we the only practical way to fix a pancake motored diesel was to swap out the power truck.

[VTBob]

I have the 3rd generation of NYC 4-8-4, & all I need is an axle gear to make it run again -- finding the gear? Almost impossible. Went round & round with the guy from Shapeways, but his gear is for the pancake motor version - 1st gen. It does not fit this one.

Parts used to be available all over, but as time marches on, less & less of the parts are produced, because we seem to be living in a "It's broke? Throw it away & buy a new one" generation.

I'm old school -- if it breaks, fix it, but even I'm not having any luck getting parts.

Rob

[trainman203]

I'm old school too, Been modeling since the 1950s. But times change.  You're probably going to need by another model. And instead of buying another broken one to get the part, I'd buy one that runs and keep the broken one you already have as a parts reservoir.

if you think times are tough now, look back to the 1940s and 1950s when you weren't a real Model Railroader unless you scratchbuilt a steam locomotive out of sheet brass.  Some guys back then wound their own motors. Back then, you pretty much needed a machine shop to be a Model Railroader. When Varney, Mantua, and Model Die Casting locomotive kits appeared, it was a shower of blessings from on high for modelers.

[jward]

I have the 3rd generation of NYC 4-8-4, & all I need is an axle gear to make it run again -- finding the gear? Almost impossible. Went round & round with the guy from Shapeways, but his gear is for the pancake motor version - 1st gen. It does not fit this one.

Parts used to be available all over, but as time marches on, less & less of the parts are produced, because we seem to be living in a "It's broke? Throw it away & buy a new one" generation.

I'm old school -- if it breaks, fix it, but even I'm not having any luck getting parts.

Rob

Have you tried Northwest Short Line? They have many gears in stock. Hopefully you can find something that fits there.