Help! Brass Steam Engine

[marty w.]

Hi all,
I just picked up a HO Fujiyama Kogyo Co. Ltd, Erie 2-8-4 Class "S-4". This is my first brass steam engine.

I was told it has not been run in 10 years. I took it apart cleaned and lube it. It looked like it has not run in 20 years. It has a 5 pole pittman motor.

There is a silicone tube? between the motor and gear box.
I guess do to the age, it has expanded and is no longer tight on the motor shaft. Therefore the motor just spins. I tried to CA the tube to the shaft and it worked maybe 2 mins.

Anybody know if there is a universal joint I could use instead,
or where can I find some of this tubing? Does someone make a upgrade kit with a flywheel?

Thanks,
Marty

 

[Vic]

Older Brass Engine

Hi Marty, Northwest Shortline makes some of the best universal joints going. You'll need to determine the size of the motor shaft and the size of the gearbox shaft.

For a tempoary fix go to a hobby shop that sells R/C airplanes and get some fuel tubing that will fit tight on the shaft. The clear kind is usually the best because it doesn't flex so much. Just cut a piece the size you need. Most hobby shops sell it by the foot.

As for a flywheel you need to determine if you have room for it ...use the largest possible. NWSL is a good source for that too. Don't know if they make any kind of conversion kit. But the flywheels come in various sizes and there are bushing to fit it to the motor shaft. Adding a flywheel to an older brass engine is kind of a "do- it - yourself" thing. The engine you got is from a real quality builder. Once you get that joint problem fixed you may not even need the flywheel because it will run real smooth.

BTW....Be careful with that ACC....any in the front bearing of the motor and its ruined

 

[RI541]

I think some of the older N-Scale locos had the same set up.

I've seen it before some where.

If you have any other junk engines kicking around maybe you could use some of their drive train parts.

Maybe you could heat it up a LITTLE with a hair dryer to see if it might shrink.I'd be carefull though.

 

[marty w.]

Thanks Vic and RI541.
I'll check out Northwest Shortline. I did not think of that.

For a quick fix. If I cannot find the right size of fuel line. I think I'll try using heat shrink tube over the existing tube around the shaft only. In other words leave the middle of the tube flexable.

Vic you are right. Without the motor and gear box attached the mech. was very smooth. There does not look like there is room for a flywheel anyway. I was careful with the ACC, the motor still just sits there and spins.

Thanks for your help.
Marty

 

[marty w.]

It works. Could not find fuel tube so I used heat shrink tube (see below). Works great. Vic - your right I don't need a flywheel, runs very smooth and quiet. I just might have to back date my layout now, if I can find some more Erie steam.
Thanks!!!!!!

 

[Vic]

Hey Marty, "where there's a will there's a way...
Glad it worked out and I didn't think you would need the flywheel.

BTW Now that I see your photo that tubing has been replaced before. The original ones were hard black rubber.

 

[shamus]

Hi Marty, Glad the heat shrink tube worked okay, I can see the tube in the photo, should run very smooth indeed.

Shamus

 

[marty w.]

Vic,
How old is this?

In my early years of modeling, I never had the money for brass, so I never "looked" at them. All I remember was PFM, because of the ad photo's by John Allen.

What brands should I buy and stay away from. I'm really considering back dating.

Marty

 

[Vic]

Hi Marty, Judging by the way the drive is set up and the Pitman motor I would guess at least 25 years. PFM was not a builder of brass locos. They were an importer. They would have have locos built to their specifications in limited numbers and would then market them. Fujiyama was one of PFM's builders but they also built for other importers to.

Its kinda hard to say what brands were good and what brands weren't. It all depended really on how much the importer wanted to put into them and how much quality the builder built into them. There's been some "dogs" but on the other hand there's been a lot of "plums" too, but even the "dogs" can be made to run nicely if you don't mind tinkering with them.

There is a book called the "Brown Book"...that's the title...that gives brief history of brass models and their current values. I don't have one or I'd look it up for you. You might want to get one if you get serious about brass locos.

If you want some older brass just for "runners" and aren't really into the collecting aspects just look for ones that are complete and if you can try to test run it before you buy it. I've bought some real good locos in the $150 price range before. Of course I had to do some work on them but I'm not into collecting.

Check out the classified ad's in the model mags and check Ebay too.

 

[marty w.]

Vic
Thanks for the info.

I want runners not for collecting. I do not mind tinkering with them.

I'll hunt down that book.

Thanks again,
Marty

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Per the Brown book, 445 pcs. were made in 1966, followed by another 295 factory painted units in 1968.

Gary

 

[marty w.]

Gary
34 years old. WOW, I did use another word, but I will not post it.
Thanks,
Marty