# Bachmann Large Scale Rail Truck



## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

After many years on the shelf the nylon pinion gear in the gear box next to the motor has cracked and lost a tooth. Any one know of a replacement? Bachmann no longer has the part.


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## Martan (Feb 4, 2012)

I tried all sorts of fixes but I gave up on mine and pulled everything out and replaced it with Tamiya gearbox from Pololu. Mounted it right on the truck. Very smooth and it really scoots along with an 11volt lipo.

Videos – Blueridge Engineering


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Contact Jiro, the guy who makes custom gears... I forgot his contact info...

someone else can find a thread.. ahh here's a reference:









Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 Gears


As some of you don't read the stuff on LSC, I thought I'd post this information here. Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 drive axles are known for splitting their gears and the train then coasts to a halt. NWSL makes a replacement, and a simple google search will turn up several threads here...




www.mylargescale.com


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Martan, I searched for a single axle drive and couldn't find one, but looks like you did. Can I assume you mounted it in the truck bed? Will look into the drive you mentioned.
In searching Bachmann parts realized they also made the Rail Truck in ON30. For that they had parts, so I ordered the motor/gear box assembly and the drive assembly that connects to that. Will arrive next week and then be better able to tell if I can adapt them.
EDIT: Martan, checked them out, they offer many different drives, all with very reasonable pricing. Going to book mark that site, many useful things there.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Contact Jiro, the guy who makes custom gears.


Jerry/Jiro says he can't make bevels. I used some from china - see the LSC thread
Large Scale Central - Advanced Forum Detail Topic - Bachmann Rail Truck Axle Fix - Maybe

I have some bevels left, so I offered some to Nick.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Martan said:


> Tamiya gearbox from Pololu.


Is this the one? Looks like a good solution for the railtruck:
https://www.pololu.com/product/69


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Pete, and much appreciated.


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

I had the same problem with my Bachmann large scale trolleys. Had to 3D print a replacement gear. Here's the result:


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## FredH (May 18, 2018)

Nick Jr said:


> After many years on the shelf the nylon pinion gear in the gear box next to the motor has cracked and lost a tooth. Any one know of a replacement? Bachmann no longer has the part.


Northwest Short line has all sorts of re-gear sets for almost every situations. Check them out.

I suspect they will have a solution for you. https://nwsl.com/collections/regearing-repower-kits


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## Martan (Feb 4, 2012)

Meant to put these up a few days ago. I tried the metal one Pete linked to but it is noisy and 'skips' sometimes and locks, bit too much play in the gears I think. This plastic one just does fit between the wheels and make it over the switch points. And it's pretty quiet too. I had to re-do the center bolster a bit to make everything fit plus add that styrene strip to hold it down. I also made a new mount that bolts to the underside of the bed too, the one I had made it too tall, it looked like a dragster, ha. But it works well and purrs along, in fact it's a bit fast at 11v. I probably could have just cut down the stock parts but I decided to make STL files and 3D print new ones. Those are here if you want them: RailTruckSTL.zip

Actually, come to think of it, this is the RailTruck Pete sold me a few years back. I've had a lot of fun with this little fellow. It have an old passenger car I picked up somewhere, its quite heavy with metal wheels and batteries for the lights but this little guy hauls it around with no sweat.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

The truck I have has just 2 rear wheels, did they make more than one style? I got the gear Pete sent to mesh very nicely, now need to fit it to the shaft.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Fitted the gear to the shaft and it runs beautifully. Slightly better in reverse, so I think the gear needs to be seated a bit more. I'm happy. Will fully assemble when the eyes are more up to it. Thank You Again Pete


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## FoothillRails (Aug 31, 2017)

Martan said:


> Meant to put these up a few days ago. I tried the metal one Pete linked to but it is noisy and 'skips' sometimes and locks, bit too much play in the gears I think. This plastic one just does fit between the wheels and make it over the switch points. And it's pretty quiet too. I had to re-do the center bolster a bit to make everything fit plus add that styrene strip to hold it down. I also made a new mount that bolts to the underside of the bed too, the one I had made it too tall, it looked like a dragster, ha. But it works well and purrs along, in fact it's a bit fast at 11v. I probably could have just cut down the stock parts but I decided to make STL files and 3D print new ones. Those are here if you want them: RailTruckSTL.zip
> 
> Actually, come to think of it, this is the RailTruck Pete sold me a few years back. I've had a lot of fun with this little fellow. It have an old passenger car I picked up somewhere, its quite heavy with metal wheels and batteries for the lights but this little guy hauls it around with no sweat.


I see that the factory front truck and rear axle have been replaced on yours. Do you still have them and would you be willing to part with them?

Also, if anyone has a railtruck that is dead in the water, I'd be in the market for a non-runner.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

FredH said:


> Northwest Short line has all sorts of re-gear sets for almost every situations.


Fred, most of those regear sets are for smaller scale locomotives. (Good to see they finally have some photos online.) If you go to the 'old catalog pages' and look at the last page of the upgrade and replacement gears catalog, you'll find the few large scale parts/gears. I am not sure that the re-organized NWSL is producing them yet.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick Jr said:


> The truck I have has just 2 rear wheels, did they make more than one style?


Nick, good to see your truck running. Bachmann only made one type - Martan's truck is a hybrid; looks like a railtruck frame with a single front axle and a regular truck back. I'm not sure it's the one I sold him, as mine looked like this:










Though looking at the underside photo, it was based on a railtruck frame:










Martan had some fun rebuilding it!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Wasn't that the Galloping Goose? or something like that? That is one long drive shaft, and nice to see both rear axles are powered. I tested it AAA batteries, with that little bit of power if there was any binding it would shown up. Gave it 12V of power with NiCa batteries, she clips right along. Glad to see NWSL is back.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick Jr said:


> Wasn't that the Galloping Goose?


Sorta. Someone put the body together, and I had the fun of making it run. There's a long thread on LSC.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Very interesting project, I especially like the running gear.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Head lamp conversation. While the yellow ones supplied were more to the period I wanted them bright enough to be seen in daylight. Used Evans LED's as theirs have very thin wire right up to the LED. Extracted the bezel/bracket from the housing and enlarged the hole to the same diameter of the lighted part of the LED. Painted the hole Chrome to match, it is made of black plastic. Filed the back wider and thinner so the LED fit and was closer to the lens, also make room for the excess wire. Just need to coat the exposed wire with black liquid tape and the lenses are just press fit, eyes had it for today.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

nice work Nick


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank You, can't take the credit for the lights either. The Schreyer pages gave me the incentive. The LED's with wire leads made the job easier, I think.


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## ddrum31 (Aug 30, 2017)

So what’s the model number for that plastic gearbox?
Jason


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## RobMW (Aug 7, 2011)

Thanks to the forum folks above, I found a fix to my dead Bachmann Railtruck.
It had a seized motor and I couldnt find a replacement... so after fossicking in the "useful box" I came up with a workable solution.


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