# Building DRGW's C-21's and C-25's



## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

A lot of Bachmann connies have been coveted to these two class of locomotives but none have corrected the axle spacing that I have seen.
I started like a lot of the others have with a connie. I'm doing 6 frames now and might offer this frame stretching service to others.

The first thing was to strip it down to the bare frame including the springs and hangers.
I milled the frame for the splice joints and then cut them in half with a bandsaw.









By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-03

I made a fixture to keep the frame square and in place to to add the splice pieces.










By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-03

I made the splice pieces and installed them. I've added .680" to the frames to get the axle spacing correct.










By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-03









By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-03

I machined all the parts for the rods and made fixtures to solder them together.










By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-28

Here they are soldered together. I installed Delrin bushings for the crank pins to ride in and so it won't wear the pins.










By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-28


Here is a rod installed and a stock rod to compare how much I stretched the frame.
To remove the springs, I had to grind the rivet heads off and I used 00-80 screw to reinstall the springs










By rodsup9000 at 2012-02-28

Next up will be the new gearboxes.

Rodney


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

Rodney, 

I will be wathcing this very close, similar project is on my long to do list. Will you be using a Barry's Big Trains gear box, or make your own like you did for the K-27? 

Delrin does makes a nice smooth surface, did you consider using bearings? 

Great work so far 

Alan


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## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

Alan 
I'm making my own gearboxes using a Pittman 8000 motor with a steel worm, bronze worm wheel and brass spur gears. 
There is enough difference in the counterweight crank pins castings that there needs to be around .010 
clearance on the pins. This is why I went with the Delrin bushings so the slop wouldn't wear the pin or the rods. 

Rodney


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Looking good Rodney, keep us posted. 

Chris


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Wow that is quite a project, and you are doing several at once! 

I assume the basic stock frame was metal to start with? Is it die cast?


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