Weaver GP38; 3-rail to 2-rail conversion, what's involved?

The motor does not have to have to be replaced.  It is a DC can motor. Except for a few Lionel Hudson models like their C&O Hudson, all 3 rail scale pieces I have converted to 2 rail, steam, diesel or electric prototype use DC can motors.  The electronics package in DCS, TMCC systems rectifies the 3 rail AC to DC for the motors.  As far as I know there is no such animal as an AC can motor.

I would keep an eye out for a 2 rail version of the model you want.  They re out there.

Joe Foehrkolb

Baldwin Forge & machine

"What needs doing to convert a 3-rail Geep to 2-rail??.."

  I never had a three rail version but the two rail versions are a nice running loco. Changing the wheel sets is no big deal, and will give you a chance to inspect the gears for cracks. You might need to revise the wheel wipers if the 3 rail versions are different than the two rail versions? Also inspect the chain sprockets to make sure the loco has a smaller top sprocket so you get good low speed performance, three rail versions might be higher speed geared. The pilots might need a filler piece depending on how Weaver chose to do the three rail version.......DaveB

All good advice!  Bob Sobol is the guru of Weaver/P&D drive upgrading imho. His work for the A&O fleet is amazing. I've tried everything he shows on his site except I used brass tube cut-offs as I can't machine shouldered washers. The results have been excellent for me.

http://bobsobol.smugmug.com/Tr...018664&k=jxLWMHq     

You can get the 2 rail wheels sets for the GP38 (horizontal drive) from NWSL. I think they are about $50 for a set. I have two FAs with the horizontal drive that are still 3 rail. Weaver made the horizontal drive in both 2 and 3 rail. The 3 rail models will have the plastic pilots that you are looking for but with 3 rail wheel sets and center rollers. Best way to tell by eye is to look for the center rollers or the couplers.

I have one of those horizontal-motored Weaver Geeps with a Pittman and flywheel. Got it when they first came out. Unit was the smoothest running 3-rail locomotive at low speed at the time. My plan has been to convert it to 2-rail and install DCC. If you can get one, that will definitely work well in a low-speed switching layout. There's just enough room to get a DCC unit into it and possibly an H.O. speaker in the cab. Some of them did get split gears because they didn't use aged Delrin and it shrinks on the shafts. Fortunately, replacement gears are readily available.

The old horizontal single motor driver are very easy to convert.    You can just swap out the wheelsets in the gear boxes.   All the ones I have seen have the 2 rail wipers on the trucks.

Also the older ones had fixed pilots.    There was just a big slot in the 3 rail version that was about 1/8 inch high.   It would be east to fill in.

However, there are a lot of 2 rail ones that show up at shows at decent prices.   I would suggest just getting one of those and replacing any broken gears.

P&D hobbies, which has a website, also sells parts for the original drives.

 "hence the reason why I was asking about conversion. At least that does seem fairly straightforward, as long as it's the older version."

  As long as the body is in good shape you should be able to fix the drive. The parts are not too expensive and don't weigh much for shipping purposes. The easy way to tell the newer versions is turn it upside down and see if it has twin motors with spur gears where the older versions would have gear boxes on the axles along with a chain drive. .....DaveB