Williams by Bachmann 70 ton

When you can't stop yourself dismantling it, please take some pics of the inside. Us Brits are wary of getting 3-rail stuff shipped over here, but sometimes the quality of the outside makes us reckless!

Jason

I am looking for 36" wheels that will fit a 2.37 mm or .093 in axle. I wish Bachmann would offer 2 rail wheels, it would make 2 railing this so much easier.

Are the axle/wheel sets removable?

Jay

Yes, if I knew how to post pictures it would be better.

@harley rider posted:

Yes, if I knew how to post pictures it would be better.

Pretty easy, you just drag the photo to the message!

You can also use the Add Attachments link on the right below the message box to browse for graphics.  Added in that way, they can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Click on graphic to enlarge.

Thank you John for posting the pictures.

Amazing to me that it can hold those 027 curves at such a high speed.

Break out the building blocks, and start building little walls that it can knock down under the tree!  (That's what we did.)

Mannyrock

I'm wondering if they used the "Super Streets" mechanisms like they did with the 44-tonners. I met a guy who had 2-railed a WBB 44-tonner using Intermountain 33" wheels.

70 ton wheels.

Looks like a piece-o-cake to me.

Jay

Hear are some moor pix of the 70 ton truck, and drive. The wheels are 36 in. diameter.

here's photos

@harley rider posted:

The wheels are 36 in. diameter.

They look more like 3/4" to me!

https://ogrforum.com/topic/43383981010571663

Here is a thread about the 44 ton I converted. It was fairly easy to do.

I want to thank  everybody for their suggestions, and encouragement on the 70ton 3 rail to 2 rail project. I hope everybody has a great 2022.

HR,

What is the distance between the bearing block pockets?  Back to back would be best.  I assume we'll need some sort of spacers between the backs of the wheels and the truck housing/retainer plate so the wheels don't rub and short out.  Think thick washers.

Jay

I get 26.65mm or 1.049 inch. I hope that helps.

Now if only I could figure out the built in electrical bored to see what will run on 12V DC, so I could have lights and engine sound.

@harley rider posted:

Now if only I could figure out the built in electrical bored to see what will run on 12V DC, so I could have lights and engine sound.

I think it'll be a bit more complicated than that.  You will find that the horn and/or bell is always going off first.  Also, the prime mover ramp-up is based on the incoming AC amplitude, so that won't work right either I suspect.

John, thanks for your input. Do you know what voltage the lights are?  I was hoping that I mite be able to use a diode and resistor to have directional lighting.

The little light board actually has a resistor, the lighting outputs from the electronics appear to be close to track power.  For my command upgrade of my 70-Ton locomotive, I used the light boards directly to my TMCC board set, that supplies half-wave track power to the lights.

Just got through converting another 44 ton today. I used surplus MTH caboose wheel wipers for this one. I’m making weights for it now so it will have a little more traction.

Looking good, what wheels did you use,and how did you mount them?

@harley rider posted:

Looking good, what wheels did you use,and how did you mount them?

AtlasO 36” freight car wheels on Williams axles.  I used a layer of heat shrink tubing to make the wheels a press fit. I used my thumb/finger press.  The heat shrink idea was from Rick  Bacon.

Added some weight and it will pull 6 All nation cars really well.

Should have stuck with 3-rail, no sweat pulling these 13 cars, including the 2.5% grade coming back around.  I didn't even have to add weight...

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Should have stuck with 3-rail, no sweat pulling these 13 cars, including the 2.5% grade coming back around.  I didn't even have to add weight...

Just wouldn’t run in 3R configuration on my 2R track😉😁😉. I’m about to convert 70 ton too. That’s a handsome locomotive!

The center roller would make funny noises bumping along the ties.

@Brother_Love posted:

AtlasO 36” freight car wheels on Williams axles.  I used a layer of heat shrink tubing to make the wheels a press fit. I used my thumb/finger press.  The heat shrink idea was from Rick  Bacon.

I tried the heat shrink tubing on the geared axle. I could not get it to hold. I am using the K-Line passenger car replacement 36” dia. axles for the unpowered axle. I am trying to adapt the K-Line wheels to the geared axle from the locomotive. The axles are .0935 on the majority but are turned down and knurled on the ends to 0.090 where the wheels mount. The K-Line wheels were a press fit on .0935”. I plan to make some bushings for the wheels.

On either side of the motor block I am using a .015” thick washer. There is about 0.032”play on each side without the washer. But that is with using wheelsets of the older O scale .175” standard with thicker flanges and 1.125 back to back dimension.

@Nortonville Phil posted:

I tried the heat shrink tubing on the geared axle. I could not get it to hold. I am using the K-Line passenger car replacement 36” dia. axles for the unpowered axle. I am trying to adapt the wheels to the geared axle from the locomotive. The axles are .0935 on the majority but are turned down and knurled on the ends to 0.090 where the wheels mount. I plan to make some bushings for the wheels.

On either side of the motor block I am using a .015 thick washer. There is about 0.032 play on each side without the washer. But that is for wheelsets of the older O scale standard with thicker flanges and 1.125 back to back dimension.

Sorry it did not work for you. I just finished my 3rd conversion using it.

Brother Love,

I got it to work after all. Thanks to all for the input. Now I need to make some pick ups. I wonder also if I can use the lighting board for the directional lighting.

Here is a video of my 70 toner running on the DFW club traction layout. 16” radius curves.

https://youtu.be/lRVlx4_bAu4

Nice work. glad you got it running.

Very nice.

Dan Weinhold

It's a very nice looking model but even with added weight, the drive is pretty lame.  Can't really be compared with similar Atlas, older Williams or MTH  drives.  One axle on each truck is powered by a small DC motor.  In 2 rail without traction tires it has trouble pulling up 2.5% grades with more than a couple of boxcars.  I may convert to NWSL staton drives at some point.  I really don't understand why Bachmann put this very nice model out and couldn't be bothered to properly power it.  They have had very disappointing sales and are now virtually out of making any more Williams type products according to their rep at the Big E in Springfield this past January.