Usa Trains 44 Ton Switcher

Madman said:
So, Greg, you think the traction tires are the culprit, in the cracked axle mystery ? Just as an experiment, I took a different approach to rehabilitating the broken axles on the loco I purchased. I figured why not give it a try, I have new axles on order. It's how we learn. So I pulled the wheel/axle assembly out of the gear and cleaned the grease off everything. Next I put it all back together. Then I placed the completed assembly in my drill press vise and drilled 1/16" holes through the gear shoulder, into the steel axle and out the other side. Next I pressed 1/16" brass rod into the holes and cut the excess off flush with the gear shoulder.

All seemed good until I checked for wobbly wheels. Holding the axle ends I spun the assembly. I noticed a slight eccentric movement in the gear. I know what happened. The splits in the gear shoulder were the problem. They created just enough room for the axle not to sit perfectly straight. If you look carefully at the photos, you can see what I mean.

So has anyone had experience with the performance of replacement axles ?


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If you could have sleeved the gear shoulders, you might have been able to make the gear concentric (the operative word being 'might'!).
 
Kiss also had a problem with splitting gears a while back - one of their RhB 4/4s I think.
 
Yes, it should really be called "cracked gear housings", the gears themselves are not cracked.

http://elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=150&Itemid=167

So, the plastic used for the casting which has the gear and the "tubes" that the metal half axles are pressed into splits over time.

As Dan has stated, this can cause runout also. This is why I put sleeves on the ends of the axles, which not only keeps the axles from slipping, but keeps runout to a minimum... if the plastic is split, and not "put back together" you WILL have runout/wobble, as Dan has now figured out.

My theory, based on quite a large number and extensive experience with my locos (I have 10 F3's alone) and others, is that the traction tired wheels (quite naturally) take the majority of the load, so basically the force on those axles are doubled and they split more often.

Greg
 
The more I think about it, the more I think it is not such a good design. Perhaps the shoulder, the part around the axle, on the gear should be beefier. The fact that the axles are in two pieces doesn't make sense to me either. Are all USA Trains loco axles of this design ?
 
For the record - I didn't replace the wheelsets I used low viscosity super glue to bind the parts together and epoxy to fill in the cracks. My consists are usually around 4-5 cars long max, so I figured that this would at least hold things together for a while (2 years now). I'm thinking that a recall for inspection may be needed. :oops:
 
not tooting my own horn, but I have tried all the different repairs.... the one with the tubing is the easiest, fastest, and keeps runout (wobbling) at a minimum. if you try to glue the plastic back together and then re-insert the axle, it cracks again... if you reinsert the axle and then glue, it will probably wobble, and crack in another place. The method of winding fishing line around tightly, gluing and re-inserting works but it is very labor intensive.

Greg
 
No worries I'm a novice at this and the advice is really helpful.

I think a main works visit will be needed.

I'm new at this Greg, is there a thread I can pick up? The fishing line approach sounds do-able, as I don't have access to lathes or any heavy equipment.

Best regards
Tony
 
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I have quite a few USAT locos and because of my 1:10 incline, I use traction tyres, as well as multi heading depending on the train being pulled.
It was only last year that I had my first two cracked gear shafts (despite being warned that I would lose all of my axles to the gradient many ears ago!)....my layout is now almost ten years old and I have been running the affected loco for all that time (F3 'A' unit).

The 'A' unit was part of an ABB lash-up which pulled six very heavy aluminium USAT streamline coaches or six Aristo streamline coaches, also made from aluminium 'around my mainline'

I have replaced the two 'cracked' axles with new ones that I had in the parts bin, but have repaired the broken ones with the above method to use as back-ups....just in case......
 
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I have to give Greg an A+ for his solution on this one. Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, ha, ha, I should have used his method of axle repair.
 
Just a note about the cracked plastic pieces. I have successfully repaired cracked gears, but you must take the pressure off of the gear/axle interface. I removed the cracked gear and cleaned it well. Then file the 'teeth' off of the axle, you won't need them any more. I'm not real impressed with an engineer who designs a press fit using steel inside thin plastic. Anyway, I also reamed the gear hole slightly so it is a slip fit on the axle. You need the crack in the gear (or gear carrier) to close completely. Then I put epoxy on the axle, wedged the gear crack open slightly so there is a gap for glue and put epoxy in the bore and crack. Assemble the thing and clamp the gear closed and let it set.
This may help someone who has a cracked gear on some machine and isn't able to find replacement parts.
 
I don't have the faith that you have in using epoxy for this type of moving part. And I couldn't agree more on the design. I understood that Charle Ro had visited LGB before he started manufacturing his trains. I had heard that he wanted his products built well like LGB's are. I guess I'm beating a dead horse here.
 
Madman said:
I don't have the faith that you have in using epoxy for this type of moving part. And I couldn't agree more on the design. I understood that Charle Ro had visited LGB before he started manufacturing his trains. I had heard that he wanted his products built well like LGB's are. I guess I'm beating a dead horse here.
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There is built well, and then there is a tweak too far on fit..
I am of the opinion the bore of these gears is a little too tight for the axle diameter.. probably only a fraction, but jus too small.
 
EL 44 Tonner.JPG
Madman said:
So I just purchased a USA Trains 44 ton switcher from a seller on Ebay. It had sustained damage due to dampness, but I was assured it still ran.

The damaged electronics don't really bother me as I intend to rip them out and convert the loco to battery power.

What experiences has anyone had with these little gems ?


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I have one in EL and the WNYGRS has one PA and they both have run well over the years, Both were fitted with Sound Units and continue t0o operate with only minimal maintenance (i.e. no cracked axles, etc.). Most damage is to the Handrails on the club engine from folks picking it up incorrectly.

Attached is a USA Trains Instr. Manual for reference, and a photo of my EL.

Rich
 

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