Not sure how to PM here???
I got links to the project. here is some of the information I posted on the toy train site.
Well I got some time to work on the Twin Motor ALCO 200 Series B-Unit today that I am building like the one 8N has made and inspired me to do.
I got the two frames I cut and sent to Hudson John to weld back together along with the lower half of one of the motor that he pulled the wheels on and replaced the pinion gears on today so I could get back to work. John did a great job and I thank him for all he has done…. After I assembled the bottom to the top of the motor I found that even though he installed new pinion gears into the lower half of the motor there was still a lot of run off of the gears in the forward running position. So I guess the pinion shafts wear as well as the brass pinions. I would of thought the brass would of gone before the pinion studs but both wear. My cure for that will be to install that motor with the wear in position inside the B-Unit so that in normal operation it will be running in reverse placing the gear wear where there is the least wear on the shaft, holding the gear in a good running position. Should out live me that way. Next will be to install the motors to the frame, wire the A-Unit to the B-Unit then cut clearance for the tether wired to clear the shells once they are installed. I will see how this A-B set works out before I decide to also lash up another A-Unit to make it a powered A-B-A set.
The shells will be a Santa FE 218 A-Unit with that Unit's E-Unit feeding to the 8021 B-Unit. If I like it I will add another A-Unit numbered 8020. I will wire the tether wires so the units will have to be in the correct running positions for the placement that I want for the motors.
See pictures I will update as I go along.
Here is the three motor Santa Fe ALCO A-B set pulling cars at mock up. What a beast!!
Here is the three motor Santa Fe ALCO A-B set pulling 23 cars. Note the log cars have real log loads. These cars are not light cars and it was not for string lining in the 34” ½ curve I could pull even more. Engine sound is in the box car.
