Is there a source for replacement Bachmann E33 trucks?

[faithie999]

i have an OLD Alco Models E33 with the KMT "tower" gearboxes.  one of the gearboxes has a gremlin that i cant track down, that causes it to lock up during operation.  if i take the hood off i can turn the top gear and get it to free up.

i don't think there are any KMT tower gear trucks to be had, so i'm thinking about replacing them with trucks from the Bachmann E33.  there are none available from Bachmann.

Any ideas about replacements from another source?

Thanks

Ken

[gmpullman]

I've never had any luck at getting some of those Alco models engines to run very well, either.

My first inclination would be to find a decent deal on a Bachmann E-33 on eBay. Sometimes parts and chassis show up there. I've got two E-33s and while they run pretty reliably they do have a noisy mechanism which I really don't mind too much since the real ones had similar sounds, plus a lot of blower noises.

If you want to look into getting only the trucks I'd suggest contacting Lee English at Bowser:

https://www.bowser-trains.com/contactus.html

The Alco Century 628 or 630, I believe, have a very similar, if not identical, "tri-mount" truck. The Bowser gearing would be smooth. You might be able to get a motor and drive shafts from Bowser, too. The Bowser truck will have pickup from all six wheels (early models only had four of the six picking up current).

They recently migrated things on their web site so searching for parts isn't as easy lately.

Virginian GE E-33 241 by Craig Garver, on Flickr

 

New Haven E-33 304 by Craig Garver, on Flickr

 

SP Alco Century 630 #3147, Colton YardPS by Rick Wright, on Flickr

 

Good Luck, Ed

[Darth Santa Fe]

NWSL makes replacement gears specifically for ALCO Models brass diesels.  I'd try taking the truck apart and testing a couple gears at a time, and that should help you find which one is the problem.  I do know the axle gears on many of them had a tendency to split, so that could be causing it to lock up.

My first ALCO brass model was a C-630, and it ran pretty rough.  I upgraded it with NWSL gears for the axles and wormshaft and replaced a couple of the tower gears, and although it's still not a quiet runner, it's smooth as silk.