* The two Gilbert 0-6-0s I got at the Allentown train show last weekend are shapeing up. 31031 the B&O B6 had a burned out motor. I had a original gilbert motor with a good armiture but a broken brush holder. The brush holder from the burned out motor fit taking care of this problum. Next crossion has set in atop the firebox front by the two presure release valves. I started lightly sanding this area but need a finer paper to complete this.
* The front set of drivers had it's tire rim improperly repaired in the past and it wasn't on right. The flange guage is to wide. Had to disasemble the drive section. The motor was off already. The main rod valve gear on each side removes as two units. Removal of one screw and three crakpin, on each side allow the two units to be taken off. Some light brushing with a brass wire brush and oiling makes these look good again. One screw removes the cylinders. A spacer washer is atop the side rods and is removed first. Next the side rods come off. The driver axles are steel and the driver wheel centers are plastic. Slight proding separates axel from wheel. A lot of crazey glue had to be removed from the wheels center outside surface and tire rims inside surface. Once cleaned up the wheel and rim went tightly together. This seams to take care of the loose rim problum. Aligning and pressing together the wheel and axel, replaceing main rods, valve gear, motor and cylinders puts the drive section back together. Flange guage was checked on the three axels and was OK. I rewired the boiler section only to find out that the new wires insulation was to thick and at at smoke unit front blocked the boiler to frame replacement. Now I have to find a new type of wire.
* Now the tender! All electrical pickup for this model is done on the tender. This is just like on the Gilbert J3 Hudson. One truck picks the left rail and the other the right. The wireing solders directly to the screw and nut inside the tender body. The tender trucks can not be removed without unsoldering this connection. Four screws hold the tender body to it's frame. Now checking for power to the motor shows a problum here. No power is geting to the motor. This is where I'm at now. I have to remove the tender trucks and clean up all connections from the wheels to the wireing to the motor.
I have gotten new boiler fronts for both locos. I still need new front pilots or I'll have to make them. It isn't hard to do . It just takes time and Material. I want to get the original parts. Their is a site for American Flyier parts but I have to locate it again. I could use some help here.
* The front set of drivers had it's tire rim improperly repaired in the past and it wasn't on right. The flange guage is to wide. Had to disasemble the drive section. The motor was off already. The main rod valve gear on each side removes as two units. Removal of one screw and three crakpin, on each side allow the two units to be taken off. Some light brushing with a brass wire brush and oiling makes these look good again. One screw removes the cylinders. A spacer washer is atop the side rods and is removed first. Next the side rods come off. The driver axles are steel and the driver wheel centers are plastic. Slight proding separates axel from wheel. A lot of crazey glue had to be removed from the wheels center outside surface and tire rims inside surface. Once cleaned up the wheel and rim went tightly together. This seams to take care of the loose rim problum. Aligning and pressing together the wheel and axel, replaceing main rods, valve gear, motor and cylinders puts the drive section back together. Flange guage was checked on the three axels and was OK. I rewired the boiler section only to find out that the new wires insulation was to thick and at at smoke unit front blocked the boiler to frame replacement. Now I have to find a new type of wire.
* Now the tender! All electrical pickup for this model is done on the tender. This is just like on the Gilbert J3 Hudson. One truck picks the left rail and the other the right. The wireing solders directly to the screw and nut inside the tender body. The tender trucks can not be removed without unsoldering this connection. Four screws hold the tender body to it's frame. Now checking for power to the motor shows a problum here. No power is geting to the motor. This is where I'm at now. I have to remove the tender trucks and clean up all connections from the wheels to the wireing to the motor.
I have gotten new boiler fronts for both locos. I still need new front pilots or I'll have to make them. It isn't hard to do . It just takes time and Material. I want to get the original parts. Their is a site for American Flyier parts but I have to locate it again. I could use some help here.
