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Old HO Scale Locomotives with odd motor and gear setup Operation and maintenance
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New member 7 posts GCRR1971 New member 7 posts
GCRR1971

Good evening, this is my 1st time submit data on this site so if it is not in proper order let me know. I'm helping out a local Museum that has a large static display of the Kansas City Southern Railroad yard in Leesville Louisiana. The display is very old, there is no record when it built. I have been trying to clean up the steam locomotives which heavy and would assume old brass models. No luck getting them to run either, but the question is based on what I found on the Diesel Locomotive either RS-1 or RS-3. Underneath the locomotive and outside of the shell I found a drive shaft for lack of better word running between the two sets of trucks. It appears to have gears on each end (Photos are attached) Has anyone run across this and can pass along some information on the model, year etc. Thanks for the time and hopefully some can set me in the right direction.[attach:fileid=/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/GCRR1971/20191023_111343.jpg] [attach:fileid=/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/GCRR1971/20191023_111349.jpg]

 

Glen Mears Sr. (Retired)

Gulf Central Model Railroad 

 
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David Husman dave1905 MRH Author 9,941 posts
David Husman dave1905

Hobbytown drive?

Hobbytown used a drive that had a drive shaft between trucks.

Dave Husman

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TomO Prolific poster 1,241 posts
TomO

Agree

With Dave1905. It looks like the Hobbytown drive. I have a few but mine are for gp35s. Hobbytown of Boston is online and has parts and motors.

Tom

TomO in Wisconsin

It is OK to not be OK

Visit the Wisconsin River Valley and Terminal Railroad in HO scale

on Facebook
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Prof_Klyzlr Moderator 7,976 posts
Prof_Klyzlr

KTM? Hobbytown of Boston?

Dear GCRR, First, Welcome to Model Railroad Hobbyist! That mechanism does indeed look like an older unit, possibly early "KTM" brass or Hobbytown of Boston retro-fit? A number of older HO locos used such a system for all-wheel-drive: - Big motor drives above the frame to Truck #1. - Tower spur gears take drive down to a shaft below the frame/just above the axles - The shaft connects to the axles with worm gears - And _also_ passes power out the inboard end of Truck #1 to Truck #2 via a uni/shafts/uni connection - Truck #2 only has the "just above the axles" worm shaft, thus powering the second set of axles This allowed diesels to use the oversize DC electric motors of the time, and also allowed typically the cab area of the loco to be kept clear of geartrain, for detailing and suchlike. Thankfully we've come a long way since then, with smooth running plastic Alco RS diesels available from a number of manufacturers. If you "just need a reliable RS diesel", One of the newer plastic offerings would be a simple solution. It will run better, and likely survive the endurance-run of museum conditions better than the maintanence-soak old brass mech. If however, it's important to keep the original brass-model appearance, I'd suggest obtaining a newer-era plastic-model RS mechanism and mounting the brass body on the new mech. I hope this helps, Happy Modelling, Aim to Improve, Prof Klyzlr
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GCRR1971 New member 7 posts
GCRR1971

Old HO Scale Locomotives with odd motor and gear setup

Thanks to everyone. Might just have them put it on display. But I will also check those hobby sites.

Glen Mears Sr. (Retired)

Gulf Central Model Railroad 

 
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blindog10 Prolific poster 3,369 posts
blindog10

Not Hobbytown

Every Hobbytown I've seen has die-cast truck gearboxes.  I guess early KMT.

Scott Chatfield
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Bernd MRH Author 5,659 posts
Bernd

Agree with Scott

It's not a Hobbytwon of Boston drive. Hobbytwon used helical gears on their trucks and a spur gear drive down from the gear tower. You can see a spring drive on this unit on the left.

Bernd

New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds - NCSWIC
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Prof_Klyzlr Moderator 7,976 posts
Prof_Klyzlr

Good eyes

Dear Bernd,

Good eyes, totally missed the spring drive on the LH truck. Feels more "Suydam" style?

Happy Modelling,
Aiming to Improve my observation skills,
Prof Klyzlr
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TomO Prolific poster 1,241 posts
TomO

This is Hobbytown

Picture of mine, opened up this morning for re-motoring and cleaning. Purchased in 1974 and until now still DC and pulls like crazy. 
 

Tom

 

TomO in Wisconsin

It is OK to not be OK

Visit the Wisconsin River Valley and Terminal Railroad in HO scale

on Facebook
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Bernd MRH Author 5,659 posts
Bernd

Suydam Drive

Prof_Klyzir,

Here's a similar drive used on an old Walthers doddle-bug kit. Note double spring drive.

@Tom O,

Nice picture.

Bernd

New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds - NCSWIC
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