Hi ALL!I just got a hold of this HobbyTown Diesel. I can't figure out what it is, an Alco?
I've tried getting it to run...it wants too! When I apply power it just buzzes! I can't turn the trucks close to those drive gears, very stuck. I'de like to take the cab off, but I don't think you can ? Any ideas out there ?
Many thanks, Ted
The diesel is an Alco RS-3. I have the six axle version called the RSD-5. The cab holds the long and short hoods down, and the cab on mine is screwed down by one screw on each side under the frame. If yours doesn't have any screws, maybe try gently prying the cab off. These came as kits throughout their 50 year production run, so there absolutely has to be a way to disassemble it.
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Try removing the screws I outlined:
nik .n, those screws are actually for the pilots. The hoods are held at the end by simple lugs(?), visible behind the pilots.
GOT IT!
It's one long brass screw that hinds underneath one of the trucks. It holds the cabs onto the chassis. I was thinking I could pull the chassis out of the cab!
THX everyone!
I guess they redesigned it at some point. I have a much later model with a large flywheel in the cab, and the gear tower in the short hood. They had to put the screws on the sides of the cab instead of the center, but that unfortunately put two big pillars right in the windows.
Once you've got that thing cleaned up, it should run forever! I would recommend replacing that drive tubing, though. It's probably dried up, and restricts free movement much more than a universal coupling.
nik .n Try removing the screws I outlined:
No not those screws..Those screws hold the pilots on..
Look on the frame under the cab
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Try this site for Hobbytown instructions
http://www.hoseeker.net/otherhotrains3.html
Hope you will find the instruction sheet that fits your particular version.
. Hobbytown had a number of revisions to their kits over the years,later 1960s 1970s had major revisions that included flywheels. There were also different version of the flywheels as well. In the late 1970s to the end of production can motors were supplied due to problems getting the DC 70 open frame motor.
From the photo, it looks like the drive shaft between the two trucks is missing. Also, you can't turn the wheels by hand, you can only turn the wheels by turning the worm gear shaft, which sticks out the inner end of each truck, which are suposed to be coupled together by a drive shaft hat goes through the fuel tank.
The HobbyTown (and TigerValley) drives are quite different from the modern drives we are used to. Instead of the modern "motor/flywheels in the middle, connected to the trucks by universal drive shafts to each truck above the frame", the HobbyTown and TigerValley drives have the motor at one end with one flywheel connect to one truck which then transfers power to the second truck with a long drive shaft below the frame. These drives were very reliable and could pull the wall paper off the walls, but are not compatable for MUing with modern drives.
You can make a new drive shaft easily from NWSL parts.
I detailed and converted an all metal HT RS-3 to an Atlas drive, to make it compatable with other Atlas/Athearn type drives: http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=2090373
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
modelmaker51 From the photo, it looks like the drive shaft between the two trucks is missing. Also, you can't turn the wheels by hand, you can only turn the wheels by turning the worm gear shaft, which sticks out the inner end of each truck, which are suposed to be coupled together by a drive shaft hat goes through the fuel tank.
I'm not convinced there ever was a driveshaft connecting the two trucks. That may have come later for the Hobbytown drive. I note there doesn't appear to be the necessary shaft extensions for mounting the connector. It's easy to check, though, if one takes off the bottom cover of the "second" truck--gears? no gears?
Also, Hobbytown used helical gears with a 1:1 gear reduction. So, you CAN turn the wheels and thus turn the driveshaft; and, if the motor is disconnected, can most likely cause the reduction gears to turn, also.
It looks like the insulated wheels are all-plastic. On my old Hobbytown, I replaced them with wheels that were "all" metal--there was an insulated hub. I was apprehensive about having a loco with plastic drivewheels--wear, you know. My reduction gears were also plastic, and I replaced them with metal ones, also. I can't tell from the photo whether the subject loco has metal or plastic reduction gears.
Ed
Ed,You are correct..The early version was a 4 wheel drive and the later "improve" RS3 had 8 wheel drive-the flywheel was in the cab.