Updates to N scale Metroliners or E60?

[wm3798]

Hey, Bach Man.
I've been on a bit of a nostalgia kick lately, collecting older N scale models from the late 60s and 70s.  When I was a kid, I had an Amtrak N scale Metroliner set from Bachmann.  It was a dog, and over the years it got parted out.  I recently accumulated a new (to me) set of Penn Central cars, and I've enjoyed running them.  I changed the headlight to an LED and blacked out the cab windows so it doesn't look like it's on fire anymore. 



But man, the drive is still a dog.  It runs for a short time, then overheats and stalls.
The shells aren't bad, even by modern standards, but given the great strides forward Bachmann has made in many of their other products, is there a chance that the Metroliners will ever see the light of day again?
They'd look really good running next to the new GG-1 you produced.
If so, they'd benefit from body mounted couplers, better pantograph detail, and of course, a smoother drive.  Interior lighting would be fun too.
I'd also be interested in a re-tooled E-60 in N scale.  The model has always looked pretty good, but again, the drive is wanting.

Can you tell us if those of us along the Northeast Corridor can count on these models being updated?
Thanks,
Lee

[the Bach-man]

Der Lee,
I'll pass along your suggestion.
Thanks!
the Bach-man

[wm3798]

Well, now you HAVE to release a new drive.  I just figured out how to repower mine with an Atlas motor!  




If nothing else, can you run some new pantographs?  Or make the pans on the E-60 available as separate parts?  They're not so bad looking.

Thanks
Lee

[FlyGuyB]

Can you post or pm me with the parts you used and exactly how you did it?

[wm3798]

Well, I got close with the Atlas motor, but ended up swapping the entire thing out for a new Tomix drive.  The friction in the OEM trucks and drive train was just more than I could overcome with a new motor.   I pieced it together into the plastic frame of one of the trailer cars, so now it's got a completely new drive train.



I used the Tomix motor mount, which nested into the frame nicely, but caused the motor to ride a little high.  This made the drive shafts a wee bit too diagonal and created some friction going around the tight bends of the layout.  My friend Randy Gustafsen fine tuned it for me, and it runs great now.


The only original equipment from the drive is the zinc weight, which I have screwed to some styrene blocking.  I put the original side frames onto the Tomix trucks, which fit surprisingly well.  It sits just a hair higher than the trailer cars, but not enough to affect coupling or clearances.  Given the simplicity of the Tomix drive, it would be dirt simple to put a decoder in it.



And, as I mentioned, it runs like an absolute champ now.  I think there's an opportunity to breathe new life into these models.  The carbodies lasted quite a while in the real world, with a couple of different configurations, the later ones had the mechanical blister above the roof line.  But the distinctive cab end remained the same throughout.  I'd love to see an updated version using the nice Budd tooling that Bachmann did for the latest round of Amtoobs.



Next I'm going to try to coax my E-60 back to life.  The old 3 pole motors in them are terrible, and of course, it suffers from Cracked White Gear syndrome...  I'm going to start by substituting a Life Like 5 pole motor from an old GP18, then see where we go from there.

Lee