Rebuilding a American Flyer wide gauge electric motor and I would like to replace the fiberboard for the pickup rollers. Anyone know a source or a suggestion for a replacement? Thanks for any input.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I believe TRC made some reproductions. However, Lyle Cain passed in 1990 and Dick Mayer stopped taking orders and closed shop in early 2010 before passing in 2012.
Looks like Trainz cataloged the part as 4678-2 or 4678-2M.
Another place to look would be Olsens, but @sharon.ottparts frustratingly turns off the website once orders build up.
Have you given Henning's Trains a call? They have tons of parts for older locomotives, including many AF parts.
Hard fiber or bone fiber is available from Mc Master Carr Supply, but only in gray. You could get a sheet of it and cut it out yourself. It warps badly if it gets damp. Keep it in a warm dry place. Amazing stuff, it is an excellent electrical insulator and heat and arc resistant. Made from cotton fibers, no asbestos.
David thanks for the information. OGR forum comes through again!
Thanks everyone. Frank
Jeff @Traintender might have them.
G-10 is a fabric reinforced phenolic resin material. G-10 is a good material but not arc resistant like hard fiber is. It is more brittle than hard fiber and may be more difficult to install.
G-10 is fiberglass board, and it is VERY hard on saws. I don't know where the idea that it's brittle comes from, it's VERY strong and is quite difficult to break. Fiberboard is wood and epoxy and while still somewhat hard on saws, it's a LOT more brittle than G-10 Fiberglass.
G-10 Fiberglass Epoxy Laminate
I'm not sure why arc resistance was mentioned, 100 seconds for the ASTM-D495 test sounds pretty good to me. Anything that has a wood component like fiberboard would surely not be a super arc resistant material I would think. Wood chars easily, makes charcoal, thus you have conduction.
Picked up a new collector from Train Tender and will pick up some of that fiberboard and rebuild the old collector for the parts box.
Thanks again
Attachments
Interesting that the new one has much wider rollers. I wonder if that's deliberate or just the way they built them.
This motor has the track trip reverser. I wonder if the narrow roller was needed to clear the track trip?
I don't have the track trip to check but that roller sure will do the job.
Frank