Skip to main content

I have several Early Weaver 2 rail engines that have the chain drive with 1 drive shaft from only 1 side of the motor running to 1 truck and drive shaft running from here to the 2nd truck. I noted that the P&D drives have drive shafts from each end of the motor; 1 chain drive to each truck with no drive shaft between the trucks.

It might be a bit expensive to replace all the motors with a motor with a drive shaft at either end, + the added chain drives. The gears as you know tend to split. I got lots of replacement gears from Weaver years ago, but they continue to fail over time.

I am considering just setting my engines up with only 1 powered truck eliminating the drive shaft between the front and rear truck. Of course will reduce the pulling power but it will put less strain on the gears overall. Just add a few powered engines for long trains each running 1 powered truck.

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Have you given any thought to Northwest Short Line's Stanton Drives?

I have used a couple of them on HO motive power.  The first of which was repowering a Hallmark Gas Electric (Doodlebug)...which was incredibly successful.  Reminded me of the adage 'Turning a sow's ear into a silk purse!'

Don't know what your specific Weaver loco candidates are, but using a Stanton Drive on each truck would give you two motors for power, and NO gear train headaches.  No interior intrusion...a boon to detailing, speaker, decoder, additional weight for traction, etc..  Well worth the price...IMHO, of course.

Very responsive folks to communicate/discuss your project with.  Another treasured state-side manufacturer in this hobby trying to relieve 'headaches'!

Just a thought and a recommendation...FWIW.

KD

Last edited by dkdkrd

I have a fleet of weaver single motor drive locos, A couple of FAs and a bunch of RS3s.      I noticed a lot of failures early on .    However, as the years have gone by, it seems there are less and less failures.    This is just sort of observation no real statistics, but perhaps hope.

I think converting the loco to only one powered truck will reduce the pulling power by more than half.    I have had a few of the All Nation NW2 switchers over the years that only had one powered truck.    They were very weak pullers in my experience.    Adding more weight did not help.   If anything it reduced the pulling power because it also added weight to the dummy truck which the powered truck had to pull. 

@prrjim posted:

I think converting the loco to only one powered truck will reduce the pulling power by more than half.    I have had a few of the All Nation NW2 switchers over the years that only had one powered truck.    They were very weak pullers in my experience.  

I agree, the examples of locomotives with a single powered truck I've encountered and owned were anemic pullers.  In one such example, I had the Lionel Phantom set from 2000, it had trouble on Atlas track pulling it's four cars!  I added a second powered truck, and it's a totally different locomotive now!

Improving the Lionel Phantom Locomotive

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×