New to Group and looking for help (kind of long)

O.k., lets see... Your son's Bachmann is going to be the easy part: Bachmann has a lifetime warranty on their locomotives, just send it back to them with the handling/shipping fee (IIRC $10.00 for diesel, $ 15.00 for steam) and they will replace it with a new one; a lot easier than trying to find a part and then repairing it. ( I'm into N scale and about two years ago I sent a 20 year old 2-8-0 for repair and got back a brand new 2-8-0 Spectrum,Kind of like taking a 1980 Chevette to your local dealer and getting back a 2008 Camaro - amazing how the quality of models has improved..) As to the 2-4-0, well, that is going to be a bit harder. I modeled in Horribly Oversized scale in the early 70's and the Pocher models were imported by AHM, which has long ago gone out of business.Pocher may have gone out themselves; I'm not sure, maybe Greg Proctor would know.. One thing I do remember that the models were not that great. You have several choices: Try e-bay to find one that hopefully has the part you need (or try swap meets, garage sales. etc..) Or you can relegate it to a display model and replace it with a Proto or Spectrum unit. As far as finding someone to repair it for a reasonable price, that is a very remote option, especially if you live in an area without a DECENT local hobby shop (which includes 90% of the lower

HTH

Franz T

Nope. That engine AFAIK is no longer produced. Pocher no longer exists. IIRC, Rivarossi bought them out. They retooled that engine's drive train at least twice.

North West Short Line (NWSL). They make excellent gears, wheels, and sell superb motors. But you have to have some mechanical engineering and/or machinist background to use their products. They are not plug'n'play.

That's a common experience. ;-)

It's cheaper to buy a new engine. Even at a very low $25/hour shop charge, it will run at least $50 to repair that engine. That is, if the shop has or can find parts.

The alternative is to buy a whole new drive train - motor, gearing, and drive wheels. You're right to be afraid of pulling the gear on that engine - the centres are plastic, and you will likely break the wheels. Finding and fitting the right combination is tricky, and not for a novice mechanical engineer.

You have an engine with the original drive train, which has been retooled at least once in the meantime. That's why you can't find the part on Bachmann's website. The new motor might fit - I don't know. but I doubt it. Or you might be able to find a used engine somewhere and cannibalise it. But IMO the engine is not worth repairing. Besides, a used engine is likely to be in nearly as bad shape as the one you've got. The current version is much better than what you have. I suggest you buy a replacement.

Unsolicited advice: buy a current issue of Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman. Read the ads. The print media are still more informative than the web. You will find a lot of unanticipated help in those magazines. Your self-assessment as "green" isn't quite accurate: "no longer current" is a better description I think. So get up to speed with what;'s out there now, and you'll find that the hobby is better and more fun than ever.

Well, I hope I haven't damped your enthusiasm too much. ;-)

HTH

Try googling on the maker's name and any part numbers. With luck you can find the original user's manual and parts list, or even someone who is selling parts. Or a like item for sale on Ebay. Check the big Walther's catalog Check all the hobby shops within range. Some of 'em have been in business since forever and might have spare parts. Find a train show in your area (try the Model Railroader website) Junker's (parts loco's) often turn up for little or no money. Many models stay in production long after the original maker goes out of business. Other hobby makers buy the dies and tooling and keep making the cars. For instance Varney has been out of business for 30 years or more, but Bowser bought the tooling for the Varney steamers and spare parts, along with entire new locomotives, are still available. Or try North West Short Lines for repower kits, gears and motors. The wheels are a press fit onto the axle. You get them off with a gear puller or you make a jig for your bench vise and press the axle out of the driver. Or you find a replacement wheel set with a good gear on it. If you go the pull-a-driver route be sure to put the driver back on "in quarter". The crankpins on the left and right driver must be at 90 degrees from each other. Best is to mark the axle and driver before taking them apart and the reassemble and line the marks up. Good luck.

David Starr

How dumb can I be. I looked at the box of my son's steamer and right on it, "LIFETIME WARRENTY" I then find the paperwork in the box. I emailed Bacmann and will send it in. Thank you. I'll keep looking for the Pocher part. Somethings got to turn up somewhere. Thanks, Tim

You havn't dampened my enthusiasm at all. With the work I do, I am always looking for obsolete parts or assemblies and I know that sometimes it can take o week or a year even more to find what were looking for. We always seem to find it. eventually.

Your self-assessment as "green" isn't quite accurate:

Maybe I should say "closet model railroader"

Thanks for all the info, Tim

I'm going to keep looking and try to figure something out. I won't give up, I've been down the parts search road many times. Thanks, Tim Nabours