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NPC No 21 - Modeling the Drive Train
The Source of Drive Train Components
We were very fortunate in having the Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0
available at the time this project began. It is a near perfect model of
the prototype with detailing you'd expect in a Bachmann Spectrum. I
purchased three at closeout prices between $200 and $229. Two will be used
to model NPC No 3 and No 9. The third was bashed for this project.
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This is a photo of an undecorated Bachmann Spectrum 4-4-0 in black.
I used this version in my bash. |
Disassembling the Spectrum 4-4-0
I was waiting for glue to dry on the tender so I took my Spectrum and began
backing out screws. There are about 8 screws needed to remove the cab and
boiler.
 | Four are underneath the cab. Two are partially hidden under the rear
cab support. Back out these four screws and the cab can be
removed. But be careful as a number of pipes run from the boiler area
through holes into the cab. I clipped the strings to the bell, the
whistle, and to the lever on the sand dome. Once the four screws are
removed and the string clipped, you can remove the cab by sliding it up and
back to slide the pipes from the boiler out of the cab. |
| Here's a crucial step. Take a look at the Johnson Bar. This
engine has a working Johnson bar. Note the bar that drops through the
running board then travels to the valve gear near the front drivers.
There is a small slotted screw that attaches the long bar to the valve
gear. Back out and remove this screw. It is not necessary to
remove the Johnson bar in the cab. |
| At this point you are down to the five screws necessary to remove the
boiler. Two are partially hidden behind the rear drivers. Two
more are hidden underneath the running board going sideways. If you
invert the engine, you'll see the final screw through the slot used to allow
for front pilot rotation and swing. Remove these five screws.
The boiler should separate from the engine. |
| There are two wiring harnesses that begin in the boiler area and are def
down through the engine/tender coupler area. Pull these wiring
connectors through the hole in the coupler area. A wiring harness
connects the running gear to the boiler. You can fish the connector
out of the boiler and pull it apart. I clipped the leads about an inch
on the running gear side of the connector. A final wiring harness is
attached to the running gear. This harness goes to the tender and
controls the chuff rate of the sound system in the tender. |
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This is a photo of the running gear after removal of the cab and
boiler. |
What to Do With Parts Left Over
There are a tremendous number of high quality parts, other than the drive
train in this photo including a complete tender, a cab, and a boiler with a
firebox light, smoke generator, headlight, and many useful detailed parts.
At this point you have two choices.
| Bob Baxter stripped the tender down to the deck and used it to build his
No 21 tender. He also salvaged a number of components and used it in
assembling No 21. The remaining parts went in the parts box. |
| David Fletcher indicates that a Barry's Big Train 2-8-0 drive will fit
perfectly beneath the Bachmann Wagon Top boiler. The boiler and tender
can be used in constructing a credible early Baldwin 2-8-0. This is
the route I'm planning on taking. Of course this will mean I'll need
to fabricate cylinders and valve gear. It also means I'll need to
purchase (or salvage) more detail parts and I'll need to scratchbuild
my tender deck for No 21. There are excellent tender construction
instructions in David's MC 2001 series. |
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