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Another update: spoke with Roy a couple days ago. The gears were broken, the u-joints were fine but going to be replaced with stainless. BUT the wheels were falling off the "pitted" rims. So it now looks like all of this engines shortcomings will be addressed. I will post a video as soon as l get it back. P.S. it already has a chuff board and upgraded smoke unit installed.

It seems as though some of the "lucky" Lionel Niagara owners have ordered the replacement gears from NWSL. While some are waiting for Mike to come up with a solution. I'm still waiting on Lionel to come out with the 180 watt power brick that they have listed in their catalog for years. Consider this: Lionel has sold huge engines for years, but recently released 096 curve track.  I plan on playing with my trains before I die.

Okay folks,

Its been a while since I have reported anything. The two plastic gears which are the weak link in gearbox are being remade in brass with new steel dowel pins (axles). This will definitively resolve this issue for eternity. The drawback is that there are no mechanical drawings for these gears in existence, so the process is painfully slow. It is most probable that it will not be until May/June that we will have the gears in NC and able to order/sell them. I don't have a price at this point, but as slow as it is going, we are making progress. 

Sorry for the late update, but that is where we stand currently.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike this is good news, though some will question the use of brass vs bronze which is much more durable. As for prints all you need to know is they are metric MOD .7 (point seven) gears, 19 and 13 tooth. Any gear maker should be able to reproduce the gears given this information along with the width. The steel shafts are 3 mm.

I made delrin copies using Stock Drive Parts gears and 3mm dowel pins.

Lionel at top, homemade just below.

 

Pete

Last edited by Norton

Final update before l get the Niagara back and post a video. Talked with Roy today, new NWSL gears installed plus stainless u-joints from the four letter auction site fitted. Roy says it runs smooth and very quiet. He was very happy with the gears. I forgot to mention earlier that the gears look nothing like the original paddle wheel gears, the teeth are angle cut and not as deep. Video as soon as l get it back.

P.S. the new gears are a "drop in replacement" for the two white plastic Lionel gears. Nothing else was changed except for the u-joints between the motor and the gearbox and the pitted drive wheels. All of the shortcomings of this engine have been researched, new parts either made or bought, and now being installed. I'm quite sure Dave at NWSL has the gears since someone else has bought a set. Problem solved, end of story

 

laz57,

The NWSL gears for the Niagara are listed as such on their site.  I have purchased both for replacement, although I have not experienced problems with mine.... yet.  I did replace the u joints with stainless as the original gave up when pulling 12 NYC scale hvywts.  Also, as Duke mentioned, I had to re-affix the tires onto four of the drivers, the ones that were/are pitted.  I have a post earlier in this thread where I, like Duke, have listed the part numbers and costs.  The u-joints I installed are 4mm and stainless steel, easy to change out and work great.  Good to hear of the positive impression report from the tech doing repairs on Duke's Niagara, some encouraging news.

Jesse   TCA

 

dukeofnuke posted:

Pete, l didnt post pictures because the gears were made by someone else. Since NWSL was kind enough to make them, l sure didnt want to ruin his sales by posting pictures. We all have to eat. Already gave a informal description. Buy the gears, and fix your engine. They work, brass will not.

Well I sure don't agree with the statement about brass gears not working. My MTH One-Gauge Challengers, Big Boys, Hudsons & GS4 are about 10 years old now and have brass axle gears in them along with metal worm gears and I'm having zero problems as those things are bulletproof. Now LGB, Aristo, USA Trains diesels & Piko loco's all use plastic gears and they chew them up all the time. It's clear that NWSL has recently changed owners who wants to machine & sell plastic, not brass gears.    

Talked with Roy yesterday, the Niagara will be shipped on Monday. He did say that he put the engine on his layout to test it. Pulled ten scale cars plus two "heavy weight" passenger cars with no issues. I will post a video of it pulling the eight Lionel heavyweight Vanderbilt cars that broke the first set of gears.  That will be next weekend. Thank all concerned for being so patient.

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