Series Wiring on a Williams by Bachmann 44 Tonner

@mustang posted:

Has anyone on the Forum taken apart a Williams by Bachmann 44 tonner and wired the motors in series? I'm asking because I'm not sure how the shell removes from this engine. The Frame and body appear to be of a 1 piece construction. When I loosen a set of the screws just ahead of the trucks on the underside of the engine, nothing seems to be loose or separatable. I've wired several Williams engines in series, so I'm familiar with that operation, it's just a matter separating the body from the frame. Normally the plastic body separates from the steel frame with 4 screws. But this appears to be different. I obviously don't want to damage the engine trying to separate what isn't supposed to separate. Any thoughts or assistance would be appreciated. Thanks.

The parts list shows 4 screws to mount the body to the frame. Keep looking, maybe under the trucks?

Some parts of the thin plastic handrails have to be removed from their holes and then gently separate the whole thing.  The plastic handrails are easily broken just lifting the unit up.

Someone here replaced them with wire rails:

https://ogrforum.com/...22#43524904128474622

I also thought there was only one motor in the unit.

John

@Craftech posted:

Some parts of the thin plastic handrails have to be removed from their holes and then gently separate the whole thing.  The plastic handrails are easily broken just lifting the unit up.

Someone here replaced them with wire rails:

https://ogrforum.com/...22#43524904128474622

I also thought there was only one motor in the unit.

John

Can someone clear this up?  I don't want to open the switcher up again.  I could swear I only saw ONE motor.

The instructions say ONE motor, yet someone posted in the past about wiring TWO motors in series on these things.

https://ogrforum.com/...-it-to-series-motors

Instructions:

https://www.bachmanntrains.com...s/williams/44ton.pdf

MOTOR PARTS
1215-E001 Motor Assembly w/Motor Mount NUMBER USED: 1

Thanks,

John

Which Williams 44 tonner are we talking about? The first one was not a scale one, but a copy of the old oversized Lionel one and issued over 15 (maybe 20) years ago. The second one was the scale one issued in 2015 or 2016 which has a motor in each of the trucks. The diagrams posted here are for the Lionel look-a-like and not the more recent scale one.

Some vintages of Williams locomotives could be had with either one motor or two, depending on the production date. Models that come to mind are:

-GP7/9

-Alco FA-2 (the O-27 size ones)

-postwar size 44 tonner

I haven't run my scale-sized Williams 44-tonner since I first got it, but as I recall, it's low-speed running was actually pretty good for a conventional locomotive. If you wanted to slow it down, you could simply put a "drop bridge" in between the reverse unit and the motors. A drop bridge is a full wave bridge with the "+ and "-" leads tied together and the AC Leads ("~") spiced into one of the motor leads from the reverse unit. It creates an approximate 1.4 volt drop of the voltage to the motor from the reverse unit. I used this trick to slow down one of my kids' K-Line diesel.

Mine has jackrabbit starts and stops.

In looking at the parts diagram that came with it, it is different than the one I posted above.

It says SCALE 44 Ton Locomotive Parts Diagram.  It looks to me like one motor.  The rear truck (other truck) doesn't have one.

John

@AGHRMatt posted:

If you wanted to slow it down, you could simply put a "drop bridge" in between the reverse unit and the motors. A drop bridge is a full wave bridge with the "+ and "-" leads tied together and the AC Leads ("~") spiced into one of the motor leads from the reverse unit. It creates an approximate 1.4 volt drop of the voltage to the motor from the reverse unit. I used this trick to slow down one of my kids' K-Line diesel.

I may try this Matt.

Thanks for the tip.

John

Found the diagram for the scale one:

https://www.bachmanntrains.com...WITCHERPartsList.pdf

It is discontinued, but the ads for it say "dual motor".  I'll probably end up opening it again.

John

I have two of the scale (9" long over the couplers, wire handrails) WBB 44 tonners; they both have two motors ( one in each truck) - NOT China drive can motors), one I added ERR Cruise Lite to, and the other I've stripped for parts. The other 44 tonner that is getting mixed in the discussion is the Lionel copy (Over 11" long with a stamped frame and handrails, and China drive vertical can motor). Perhaps the original poster could clarify which WBB 44 tonner he is referring to?

Side by side comparison.

The older Lionel copy has one motor. New scale one has 2 in the trucks.