Running Bachmann Peter Witt trolley on tomix 104mm curve

[robwill84]

Hi everybody, I recently purchased a Bachmann Peter Witt trolley and was disappointed to find it did not like the 104mm Tomix tram track curves at all. It ran through them, but really slowed down and growled while doing so. I like to tinker with stuff, so I opened it up to see if it could be improved. The fix was to pop off the worm gear covers, and loosen up the clips that couple to the ball joint on the worm gear. I used a jewelers screwdriver, and gently pried back each prong. This results in a slightly looser fit on the ball, and just a tiny bit more freedom of movement. Now it runs through the 4 inch radius curves without a problem!

[sizemore]

Nice work!

[jpec]

Nice! Might be a production issue...I had the same experience with their Brill trolleys...one sounded like a garbage disposal full of glass going through the curves and the other went through like it was greased....

Jeff

[robwill84]

Yeah, I really wish they would update the mechanism on the Brill and PCC trolley. It's next on my list, so I'll do an update here when I get one.

Here are some pics of the Tomix 104mm track. The Peter Witt trolley is the only model I have that will run on it. Even the little six wheel Bachmann MDT loco binds on it. It is otherwise a surprisingly good runner, with excellent all wheel pickup.

In the second photo is the Tomix 140mm (5.5 inch) curve. The MDT works great on it, as does the Walthers/Life Like SW9.

The track is code 80, so it works with deep flanges.

[brill27mcb]

It's 103mm radius, actually...

Rich K.

[strummer]

Yeah, I really wish they would update the mechanism on the Brill and PCC trolley.

I agree. It seems that interurban-type stuff is the last great untapped field for N scale to really address. I would love to be able to model the Sacramento Northern,Oregon Electric or some such line...

Mark in Oregon

[brill27mcb]

I agree. It seems that interurban-type stuff is the last great untapped field for N scale to really address. I would love to be able to model the Sacramento Northern,Oregon Electric or some such line...

Mark in Oregon

Check out the yahoo nscaletraction group. There's someone there well along in creating West Coast interurbans and freight motors on Shapeways.

Rich K.

[wcfn100]

Check out the yahoo nscaletraction group. There's someone there well along in creating West Coast interurbans and freight motors on Shapeways.

Rich K.

Shells are easy, drives are hard.


Jason

[brokemoto]

If you are willing to go to a more broad curve, the Kato UNITRAM has six and seven inch radius.  The drawback is that it is double tracked.  You can, however, take a Dremel  tool to it and make it single track.  I have done it.  You will have to do some work to cover the exposed side.  I have yet to muster the courage to take a Dremel tool to the double track turnouts. 

The Peter Witt trolley and the B-mann GEs will take the curves.  What happens on the outer turnout is that all of the above stall due to lack of contact when they hit the diamonds where the outer track crosses the inner.  If I could make two single track turnouts from the double, that would address the problem.  Kato is supposed to come out with a crossover for the UNITRAM.  That might address the stalling problem presented by the plastic diamonds on the current Kato track.   It might be easier to cut up the crossover.