Can anyone offer some advice on how to add the included traction tire to the driver of a Broadway Limited Hudson Locomotive … or any Broadway Limited Steam Locomotive? Ive been to their site for info to no avail. I appreciate any help I can get. [;)] Thanks in advance folks! [tup]
Hi, John
I have done a few of these. BLI does not document it well at all. I have five of their NYC Hudsons and I do not believe any documentation came with them for driver replacement.
Here is what they send with the Niagara:
The photos are not very clear and, oddly, the top photo IS the Hudson.
This is one of those jobs where those foam cradles comes in handy. If you don’t have one, use the open BLI box with its foam.
You have to carefully pry the brake rigging out of the holes. Remove the pilot truck screw then carefully bacl the side rod hex screws out. Do you have the (3mm?) hex driver that should have been provided?
Then (I don’t recall the exact number) remove the screws holding the bottom plate. The driver simply lifts out. Be sure to check the orientation of the brass bearings when placing the new driver in. I do not recall if there is a “TOP” but sometimes they have to be oriented only one way. Check that you have the orientation of the side rod holes correct, of course.
Let me know if I can help if you get stuck…
Good Luck, Ed
Hey Ed,
Man, I appreciate this info! I did noticed the Hudson in the first photo! Funny thing is, mine came with the wrench, and only two little traction tires … the rubber tires themselves … not the traction set of wheels. Go figure! The first photo shows me what I need to do … simply remove the nut, move the drive rod aside, and apply the traction tire - rubber ring - over the wheel. I think I’ll have an easier go of it. I hope! LOL!!! I’ll post how it goes! [Y]
Thanks again, Ed.
Hi, John
In early Broadway releases the extra driver was supplied. Either the traction tire was already on the loco and the non-traction driver was supplied or in some cases vice-versa. In later years they only gave you the wrench.
Sometimes the rubber tires were out-of-round and they made the engine wobble!
BLI has some wheelsets available:
http://www.broadway-limited.com/metaldrivers.aspx
Give them a call or email. Maybe they can fix you up?
Regards, Ed
Hey Ed,
Yes, this Hudson has traction tires on the rear wheels … but I think they may be worn down some. Unfortunately, the wheels set BLI has on their site are metal only, with no traction tires on them. I wonder if they can attach a set of traction tires to them! That’s something I need to ask them.
The current tires on the wheels are really on there TIGHT! I’ll fiddle with them a bit more and see if they will release, so I can put the replacements on.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to put the replacements on over the original tires … that will most likely knock the balance off completely!
Just need to keep on keepin’-on!
If that fails, I give BLI a call and see if they can fix me up with a set. [;)]
I’ll keep you informed!
Right…
There’s a groove turned into the wheel to hold the rubber tire in place. Careful work with a #11 Exacto blade should get the old tire off.
Good Luck, Ed
Yeah baby! [:D] I changed the traction tire on one of my Locomotive’s driver wheels! Fireman’s side! In the photo, the original is on the left, another new one is on the right. The toughest part was getting the old tire out from, and then getting the new tire into, the gap between the brake shoe and the wheel! That took some finagling!
To start, I used a couple of smaller flat head screwdrivers to lift and pry the original tire from the wheel … and that took a while! Once I had it lifted, a fine needle-nose pliers helped lift it away. That’s when the fun part of getting it out of the tiny gap between the wheel and the brake shoe began.
Okay … once freed … I grabbed the new, smaller, TIGHTER, tire and began the task of getting it into place, Started with shoving it down between the brake and the wheel, then working it with the two small screwdrivers and needle-nose pliers. Suddenly, it fell into place! Whew! [yeah][tup]
Got it on the track to run, and noticed it ran a bit wobbly … like it had a flat. Back into the cradle where I noticed the tire was ever so slightly rolled! A little manipulating with one of the small screwdrivers, and now he runs smooth and strong!!!
Next stop … replacing the original tire on the engineer’s side rear driver. But first … a nap! LOL!!! [|)]