Regearing a Bachmann 0-6-0.

[Ray Marinaccio]

After fussing with this Bachmann 0-6-0 for quite some time and hearing others getting frustrated with theirs, I decided to figure out a way to get this loco back into service.
These Bachmanns with their split axle design are known for the axle gears cracking which lets the drivers get out of quarter and jam or the wheels just fall off.
I found that the older Bachmann diesels have a metal gear with the same pitch and number of teeth.
I knew this wasn't going to be an easy fix but I had to see if it would work.
The Diesel gears had to be narrowed and pressed off center on the axles.
Bushings were fabricated and fit into the frame rails.
The bushings on one side were soldered to the frame rail. (note the addition of extra pickup wipers soldered to the frame rails also)
The bushings on the other frame rail are plastic with brass sleeves to allow the frame rails to be electrically isolated from each other.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

The 11 tooth idler gears between the drivers were replaced with some modified gears from an old alarm clock and the original Bachmann cluster gear was fit with a brass sleeve. Brass sleeves were also fit over the original posts.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

This photo shows the gears in place.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Here's the assembled frame

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

I put some lapping compound on the gears and ran them in by attaching a motor to an axle and running it in both directions.
The assembly was disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, lubed and run some more.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

The wheels were chucked in the lathe and drilled.
Three of the wheels were drilled oversize for insulated bushings to be installed. (the plastic centers of the wheels were not drilled oversize)
I will post more as I continue with this project.

 

[TrainClown]

Beautiful work Ray. What are you using for the laping compound? Is it the same stuff used to lap valves? You must have one awsome parts/junk drawer. Probably bits of everything in there.

TrainClown

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Thanks TC,
Yes, I used valve lapping compound. It's water soluble so I thin it out a bit with water.
I toss everything in my junk drawer, I hate to throw anything out. It's in need of restocking though, time to hit some yard sales and train shows.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

I made the bushings for the insulated drivers and installed the wheels.

I tried something different when I quartered the drivers and it worked great the first time.
I installed the rear driver on the left side first with it's crank at the 6 O'clock position.
Then installed the left center driver at it's 6 O'clock position. The center driver positions aren't critical as the siderods aren't attached to them.
Moving to the front axle I found the center of the backlash in the gear train by holding the rear driver in it's 6 O'clock position and taking up the backlash in one direction and noting the position, then rotating the front axle in the other direction and noting the amount of rotation of the front axle.
I then rotated the front axle back half that amount putting the front axle at the center of the backlash and installed the left front driver an it's 6 O'clock position .
Then to the right side.
Keeping the left rear driver at it's 6 O'clock position , install the right rear driver with the crank at it's 3 O'clock position .
Install the right center driver with it's crank at the 3 O'clock position.
Holding the left front driver at it's 6 O'clock position, install the right front driver at it's 3 O'clock position.
Install the siderods and valve gear and test run.

I changed the tender pickups because I wasn't happy with Bachmann's design. there were to many contact points where the current flow could be interrupted and the wheel wipers caused so much drag they locked the wheels and wore flat spots on them.
I changed the wheelsets on the front truck and installed a set of wipers from the diesel trucks. They fit right on with no modification other than soldering the wires to them.
The wires run from the wipers to the drawbar. The wire from the rear truck runs through a hole in the floor through the tender and back through the floor at the drawbar.
Then another pair of wires run from the drawbar to the loco frame sides.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

This photo shows the drawbar and wiring.

 

[ezdays]

Ray,

Thanks for sending me the link to this thread. I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to read all the threads that I did before I moved. As you know, I have a few of these Bachmann 0-6-0's, one is complete junk, the other two bind up. You've got more patience and talent than I do for me to even try this. I'll hang on to them and maybe you can take a look at them the next time you're here. In the meantime, I did get a bunch of other ones running including all the Atlas and Trix, and even that Bachmann 4-8-4. That was rewarding to see them go from not running, to skipping, to creeping, to running full throttle as I progressed. :thumb: :thumb:

I gotta think that the ultasonic cleaner paid for itself in no time at all. Total score: 18 diesel and 10 steam running good and about six diesel and six steam either junked or waiting for better times.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Glad to hear you got some more running Don.
I've been buying up some N scale loco parts, If I have the right parts maybe we can swap some parts and get a few more going.