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Dead Connie

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Rod Hayward 
#1 ·
Well I was going to post some pics of the latest bash, but she is on her back in the shop with the driving axle out. I know about connies stripping gears, but this is a new one on me. The final drive gear on the axle has fractured from the spline out to the teeth and there are two more similar cracks on the way.
This loco has run 30 mins from new in total.
Correct lubes, no load, etc etc....
Good job its a top quality product or I'd jolly upset, I mean it must have been the way I was running it, prob too fast....
How fast should I run a Connie? ooooops wrong topic.....

 
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#2 ·
I'm sure TOC will chime in here sooner or later but I remember on another thread where this topic about cracks was brought up that the reason was that, as the gears get old, they shrink and become somewhat brittle thus something has to give when they come up against the unyeilding steel axle and hence they crack! What Dave was referring to was the gears on the early 2-4-2T's from the mid 90's so I don't know if this is the problem or not...
 
#3 ·
Rod

My Connie broke the same gear (due to the need for an emergency stop on a loco mocving too fast) ... the only remedy is I believe a replacement. It may be possible to find the correct gear from NWSL or some other supplier but I was lucky enough to catch B'mann with a spare. I got a replacement gearbox from Philly and my Connie has run great ever since.

By the way ... I would say that about 2 ft per second should be max top speed ... ooops ... maybe it needs to be quoted in volts and armature windings!

Regards ... Doug
 
#4 ·
I remember a similar symptom (rather an epidemic) when Life Like released their first run of BL-2's (HO-scale). All geared axle centers, if not broken, cracked in an identical fashion within 10-30 minutes of running. Turned out to be some fault in the nylon.

Replacement would be your only option, I'd guess. In the case of the HO BL-2's, we just swapped in Athearn axle sleeves/gears in the center (or an entirely new wheelset), which were essentially identical. I wouldn't know if there is a suitable substitute for the G-scale Connie gear, unfortunately.

-Kurt
 
#6 ·
With respect, I am familiar with the alternatives, I shall make a new gear as I dont want the chance of a replacement Bachmann gear doing the same thing later, even if they sent me a box full of spares.

Make them out of brass or at least with a brass bush and grub screw engaging on a axle flat. I mean its not difficult is it ?

Doug, brilliant, I knew the irony would be recognised :)
 
#7 ·
Rod,
That could be a photo of the gear from my Connie.
Mine came brand new when they were first released,was test run then sat on the shelf for three years.

When I took it down and started the bash on it I discovered that it was doing some slipping during testing of the screw tightening and lubing process.

New gear from Bachmann has been in place and running for quite some time now with no problems. Like others the next replacement will be a Barry's drive if in fact that ever comes to be.

Your idea of a brass replacement sounds good. How do you intend to attach it to the axel? Do you have any worry of brass running against nylon as far as wear? Are you going to make more than one of these replacement gears?:).

As for train speeds you should be here on Friday's when we run "slot trains" 30 feet per second, no problem/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif;).
Later.
Rick Marty
 
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