Williams FM Trainmaster

Are the truck sides plastic or metal? I believe the postwar Lionel truck sides work if metal and if plastic I mihjt have one. Let me know if you need the plastic type and I'll look for the part.

 Joe,

 The williams FM has metal side frames. Remove the truck from the motor by removing the screw on the bottom of the truck. The side frames are held on with two small screws into the truck body. They are easy to change out. Marty at Ma & Pa either can get them or has them instock. Have fun.   Brad J

Repairs should be easy. Two screws hold each truck sideframe in place. Remove the body. Take out the screw securing the motor to the truck. Then remove both truck sideframe screws. Replace the sideframe and put everything back together.

It's a good idea to take each truck apart and make certain some grease is lubricating the worm gear. Put a drop or two of oil on the axle bearings as well.

Williams demonstrated a new horn/sound system during the York Meet in April. I hope it will be available as an upgrade. A Dallee horn would work, too.

Reading Fan - Any idea of cost of new sound system?  I have a Lionel diesel railsounds boxcar so I could do without the horn if it's easy to disconnect.

Father Dragon - Is Marty up and about again.  I remember a post that he was out of commission for a while?

The diesel railsounds boxcar will work fine.

Dallee has four or five FM Train Master sound systems, each with a different horn. Go to www.dallee.com and look around.

Marty?  Have not hear of him lately.  Website comes up "missing"!

You can purchase the side truck frames direct from Bachmann as well as most Williams parts.

I believe the postwar Lionel truck sides work if metal.

Not Exactly. The Screw Hole mounted toward the middle & inner wheels may need to be drilled/ widened out. it's NOT an exact match from the Lionel Die cast truck side and the Williams truck block-esp with the early mabuchi/plastic sideframes. A Williams/Bachman part will be an exact match.

Do you get any sound from the engine, whistle or bell? Make sure the speaker wires are not broken. Also try another transformer if you can. The True Blast II boards can be a little finicky not responding to every type of transformer. I have a few boards left over from upgrades. Email (in profile) if interested.

Pete

No one else has asked yet but does it have flywheels?  Williams started building these many years ago and the early ones didn't have flywheels. They run OK but can be 'jerky' and will slam to a stop when power is cut...

I hope that Bachman has changed there policy from when I last did my build. I up graded a dummy unit and was told by them that I couldn't get the bolsters and had to buy the whole truck. I said that that wasn't the case 3 years ago when I last ordered parts, I could get the bolsters alone. I got the blah blah blah answer and wrote a letter. Come to find out that's not policy and they'd look into it. Don't know if it's fixed. Good Luck

Something else to try with the horn.  There is a small volume potentiometer mounted vertically on the TruBlast boards that I have seen.  Adjust it a quarter turn either way and try the horn again.  I have had to do this on two brand new units.  I think some corrosion or dirt had gotten on the potentiometer wiper.  Working it back and forth got the electrons flowing again.

- Luther

Not sure if the new Bachmann TB-2 will let you adjust the volume on the potentiometer or not. A somewhat more current one would give me either full volume or no volume, no middle ground at all, that unit is about 5 years old.

FYI, the new motors by Bachmann will fit the older Williams engines, at least the diesels. I bought a new motor upgrade kit from Bachmann, as I have a few Williams engines in my fleet.

Lee F.

Thank you to all for your input.  Sorry for the delayed response.  Family Health issues preoccupied me for a good part of the last 5 weeks and I forgot about this thread that I had started.  The e-bay seller agreed to a price reduction so I went ahead with the purchase and just went haead and sent the Trainmaster back to Bachmann for repairs.  I had received a phone call from bachmann saying they were discontinuing the Trainmaster so they had no spare parts to repair my engine.  They could however send me a new Trainmaster in either CNJ or Virginian Black and Yellow as they still had these in stock.  I asked the technician if they could swap my Great Northern body out for the Virginian body since I didn't mind if the frame and trucks were black.  Turn around time from Bachmann was great so now I'm all set with a new Williams Great Northern FM Trainmaster.

B/W is discontinuing The Trainmaster!?    That's not good, they are great runners and B/W hasn't done all the paint schemes.  FM demos and original Canadian National come to mind.

John

I'm hoping that the tech actually meant they no longer did the Trainmaster in Great Northern paint and I just misunderstood what he he said, but he did say they had no spare parts available for the Trainmaster.  If I did misunderstand what he said I don't mean to spread any misinformation.  I just wanted to respond to all the offers and suggestion and let everyone know about the service I got from WBB.

Joe

I think from what I read here and there, that Bachman has NO spare parts for anything Williams. Charlie Phillips can help in most cases.

Rob

If you want to get ahold of Marty at Ma & Pa Junction use this email; marty@mapajunction.com

He is over his illness or injury, he just mailed me a Williams engine last week.

Some of the new Williams parts will fit the older engines, can not guarrenty all parts may fit.

Lee F.

Try www.mariostrains.com  They have a HUGE selection of Williams Trains at unbelievably low prices.  They may also have the part that you need.

...keep the rails polished...