Restoreing a Bachmann E60CP

[green_elite_cab]

Hello!

I have Bachmann E60CP. When i got it it ran fine. ( although loud because it has a toy motor). Now however i'm haveing problems. It only runs well in one direction. the other direction i swear the gear is turning but the axle isn't. i can actualy roll the wheel on the powered truck. Also, it appears that ever yonce in while the power truck lifts the itself up. I have done alot of work on it, and I don't want it to die. The E60CP is one of my favorites, even though its not the best model out there. I have not been able to get an American GK one at all.

Could anyone help me improve my model Motorwise? I'd like to get it running smoothly in both directions again.

thanks

chris

 

[Badyin Macfadyi]

American GK and later Walthers produced a version of this later. I think it used an Athearn SD9 frame and GE c trucks.

You could also try a Tenshodo spud kit

 

[green_elite_cab]

Spud kit?

Like i said, American GK is impossible to find. even if you find one on ebay, peopel scramble over them. it doesn't look likely i'll get the American GK model. also, an E60CP is a whole 1 1/3 inches bigger than the SD9. Maybe if i had the CF version it would work, but i have the Double ended CP version

 

[Badyin Macfadyi]

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50323 has some information that might help
Tenshodo spuds are (were?) an underfloor conversion kit distributed by Pacific Fast Mail

 

[green_elite_cab]

now according to the guy who posted right above me on the 6th, he says you cut a uboat chassis and use brass angles to birdge them back together. That seems fine. the only problem now is getting a realistic water tank that ran under the E-60CP. I already hacked mine off the chasssis (but it will still attach if i want to keep it the old way). I get alittle nervouse about useing files and such to trim down the chassis. To bad someone like IHP couldn't just make us a new one. they make metroliner underbody parts to repace the old crumbly ones.

 

[Badyin Macfadyi]

Copying the tank sgouldn't be too difficult.
Build a framework - Lego is great for this. Fill it with plasticene and level it off. Press the part you wish to copy into the plasticene to make a mold. Then fill the impression with a resin.

 

[shortliner]

One thing that might help - I had a 44 tonner that just purred along running forwards and dragged a bogie, unmoving, in reverse. Vast ammounts of headscratching and a LOT of naughty words finally trurned up the answer. The worm on the motor shaft was slightly too far along the shaft, and allowed the shaft to move forward in the bearings, when it was in reverse, jamming the "teeth" on the worm into, and onto, the teeth on the gear. The cure was to take the motor out and tap the worm VERY gently with a light hammer to take up the slack - the movement needed is TINY so take it, if needed, in stages. If the gear needs to go the other way, slip a pair of needle-nose pliers between the gear and the end of the motor and, again, tap them GENTLY! Hope that cures the problem. BTW - I have found Bachmann service/spares department in USA and UK, both very helpful. Hope it helps with your problem
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

 

[green_elite_cab]

Copying the tank sgouldn't be too difficult.
Build a framework - Lego is great for this. Fill it with plasticene and level it off. Press the part you wish to copy into the plasticene to make a mold. Then fill the impression with a resin.

I don't need to copy the tank. even if i did however, i don't really have acess to any of that stuff ( being only 16) and i wouldn't know what to do with any of it.

I can use the old tank because i just sawed it right off, . Its just getting any sort of tank, molded or not, to actualy slip onto the under frame of an Athearn Chassis. thats the hard part. I think its gonna require lots of fileing and grinding.

 

[green_elite_cab]

One thing that might help - I had a 44 tonner that just purred along running forwards and dragged a bogie, unmoving, in reverse. Vast ammounts of headscratching and a LOT of naughty words finally trurned up the answer. The worm on the motor shaft was slightly too far along the shaft, and allowed the shaft to move forward in the bearings, when it was in reverse, jamming the "teeth" on the worm into, and onto, the teeth on the gear. The cure was to take the motor out and tap the worm VERY gently with a light hammer to take up the slack - the movement needed is TINY so take it, if needed, in stages. If the gear needs to go the other way, slip a pair of needle-nose pliers between the gear and the end of the motor and, again, tap them GENTLY! Hope that cures the problem. BTW - I have found Bachmann service/spares department in USA and UK, both very helpful. Hope it helps with your problem
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

Unfortuneately, the Bachmann E60CP is and older locomotive. Its probably around 20-30 years old. I don't know if they keep parts from things that long out of production. Other than American GK, this is the ONLY E60CP model made. i don't even think ive ever heard of or seen a brass one, but that would be out of my price range ( and probably have just as crappy a motor) anyway. The American GK version actualy has a an Athearn-like Chassis, but it had to be specaily made for it because i can't find any other chassis that fits right out of the box without modification.

I've also tried calling Bachmann for spare parts for my Acela, and they never got back to me. It also has a toy train type "motor truck" and "power truck" I wanted to get rid of this and put a more reliable motor and chassis under the shell, like that of athearn. Its nothing like the 44 tonner. the gear is actualy slipping. the gear is turning, but the axle isn't. i've tried glue and everything, but nothing holds when you turn the motor on. it just destroys any bond no matter how long you let it set and cure. i left it for 2 weeks after putting CA glue on it, but it still never held the axle to the gear.

 

[shaygetz]

Its nothing like the 44 tonner. the gear is actualy slipping. the gear is turning, but the axle isn't. i've tried glue and everything, but nothing holds when you turn the motor on. it just destroys any bond no matter how long you let it set and cure. i left it for 2 weeks after putting CA glue on it, but it still never held the axle to the gear.

I had a Flieschmann turntable motor with a gear in the drive that did the same thing. I carefully removed the drive, slid the gear to one side, then "chewed" the axle where the gear went with the serrated teeth of a pair of pliers. Then I carefully slid the gear back into place. The "tooth" created by the pliers hasn't lost its grip yet in 2 1/2 years. Maybe that'll help. You're right about Bachmann, the goofy stare I got back in my email pretty much says it all about their spare parts inventory. :thumb:

 

[shortliner]

Don't email them - phone them - actually speak to somebody!
Re the tank - mould a new one - it isn't difficult, you can make it from Milliput, and press it into the mould - (GENTLY!) or vist your local car body shop and get some fibreglass resin and hardner. Make the mould from plasticine, spray it with one of those cooking oil sprays , mix and pour. Leave till set, trim it up, then epoxy it into position. Experiment is the best way to learn!
Have a good Christmas
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

 

[green_elite_cab]

I did call them. no one was there. it was "lunch Break" I called twice. still no one. no one ver called back