Well to make a long story short i purchased this from an estate sale.Its prettymuch brand new looking in the original box and packing but is probobly (i'm guessing here) in the neighborhood of 15-20 years old. Its a Hallmark undecorated Model and when pulled from the box i noticed right away the trucks seemed very tight and they seem to bind some.The mote seems to get power but will not turn the wheels.I am guesing the grease etc is very old but perhaps there is more to it. I have never taken an engine apart before so am a bit hesitant.The schematic is with it and i do Have the MR repairing and Maintaining book.Anybody have some thoughts on this and maybe a few tips on restoring this nice old diesel.If i can get it operating in a decent manner i am thinking of getting it custum painted.
I bought a new Hallmark U33C a couple months ago from auction. It was made in 1985ish, and the guy said it ran smooth. When I got it, the first thing I did was to put a decoder in it, because I don't have a DC power pack. While removing the mechanism, I noticed that one of the truck towers had microcracks all over around the top screw. Well I converted it to DCC and only one truck turned, the other just made sound. I unscrewed the screw in the cracked truck tower, and the whole shebang just crumbled into crystalline pieces. I did not move my fingers, but managed to open the krazyglue with my teeth, and juiced up the mess, and press it mostly back together, then used my tweezers to put the fallen parts back into place. I actually got it to run, although very poorly, and at one speed...fast. I decided the shell was good, so I discarded the drive, and bought a used Kato U30C from a trainboard member's timely post in the Yellow Pages forum, and grinded away with the dremel until I got the shell to fit the Kato drive. i just have to paint it now. That was my first, and last brass purchase. If all else fails, it may be possible to save the shell, and modify it to fit over one of the new Atlas RS-1 drives.
Definitely make your moves slowly. First- Remove only the shell. Visually inspect the drive train with great care. IF it is solid, then carefully dismantle further. Some of those older brass imports were not good runners to begin with. And after this much time has gone by, they won't be any better..... Even re-motoring won't gain all you'd desire. Boxcab E50
Will do and Thanks Boxcab I think it was just the mystique of actually owning a piece of Brass that caused me to leap before looking.After running my new atlas RS-3 on my test track the other day,the idea Robert put forth makes a whole lot of sense.I have 19 pieces of Motive power and the 2 absolut best runners i have are the Atlas diesel and my new Atlas DM&IR 2-8-0. I have a few new Lifelikes that run very well also.The thing i noticed most about the Atlas was the Momentum doesnt just stop with cutting off power.it rolls to a stop more like a prototype would.Fantastic compared to some of the other pieces i own. After removing the shell on this piece,I have come to the conclusion that the truck gears are not meshing properly with the drive gears.Both trucks seem to be binding very bad and they do not turn freely.I havent gone into it any further yet,but i will let you know what i find. Thanks Guys!!
Well, here is the diagnosis. someone has taken this apart before.It seems as though it should have 2 lead wires 1 to each truck but it only has 1.The insulators between truck and body were missing under the gearboxes on 2 of the 4 sides.1 gearbox mount was broken,the washers between truch and gear body for smooth turning are gone.The unit looks like it never had any grease ever and because of this when it was run the heat from this raised hell with the gears warping the main i think and warping the teeth an the truck gearbox mains. Basically the drive gear is junk.I'll save the Shell and brass truck frames and the chassis shell.I'll use the old gears after i rust em up somewhere along the way i am sure.I'll save the screws etc and prhaps the bearings and moter.It does run so perhaps i'll find a special effects use for it.So, i guess i'll be scouting for an Atlas RS chassis.If i were to find an older one,can they be remotored with new atlas drive system??
I only did the U33C, and I had to take the long hood off of the walkway/cab assembly. There was a tab folded over at the end of the long hood side that held the long hood to the handrail deck. I just pried the tab a little loose, then slid the long hood back then up and off to disassemble. Next I removed the brass screw tabs from the inside of the long hood. Best to heat them up with a soldering gun, but a pencil torch, or a cigar torch lighter will work. They just fall out when hot enough. At this point, (the point of no return) you can test fit the long hood shell on an atlas mechanism. If it fits a little loose, thats great, because you have to wrap the mechanism in electrical tape. If it is a tight fit, you are in for more work than it's worth. I have the Kato RS2 Mechanism which measures width= .391" at the back, .423" by the DCC Decoder Mount, and .610" at the cab and is .580" tall from the truck wiper strips, and is 3.380" long. This is a better mechanism, and may be cheaper used. I also have the Atlas RS1 which measures .385" wide the full length, .550" high, and is 3.390"long. it may fit easier, but is not a DCC ready mechanism like the Kato. Here is a couple pictures of my project:
Thanks Robert! It doesnt sound too Bad.I did notice on the underside the area you are talking about i'll have to heat to seperate the shell.I am going to print this out ,fold it up and stick it in the box with my brass.I can only hope i will find something suitable soon.Perhaps this weekends swap meet I was surprised at how little there was to taking this unit apart.I'm sure steam engines would be much tougher but i am a little more confident now that ive put the torch to the steel so to speak
tileguy:Before scrapping the brass gear train check with Fred Hamilton at Northwest Short Line . they may be able to match the gears and gearboxs with newer mechanisms. He was very helpful in regearring and remotoring a 20 year old Key 2-8-2 class3160 steam engine . Loco_leonard nvn-trak alexandria, Va.
Thanks Loco Len.Can he get me a flywheel remotoring Job Too??? I'll have to ask him If not, i still like Roberts suggestion of using the Atlas Chassis etc.It certainly would give me a nice Brass shell on a dependable Chassis.And i have an Atlas RS that purrs oh so well ,Its just too nice to dismantle being Great Northern.Now i just have find me a chassis so i can paint this Brass one up in Custum lettering for my short line.
