Anyone Parting Out LL/Walthers 2-8-8-2?

[JMaurer1]

Does anyone have a LifeLike/Walthers 2-8-8-2 that they are parting out? I just got one and didn't notice that it was missing the pilot and with Walthers buying out LL (and now Atlas buying out Walthers N scale but not offering the engine...yet), I have no idea where to try and find one. Any help is appreciated.

Jeff Maurer
Sacramento Valley NTrak

[kiwi_al]

would you be interested in using the front pilot from an EM1 2-8-8-4 from bachmann?

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=70_726&sort=20a&page=2&zenid=ud9h4ellrgb8ig29f1t23t3lm6

[jeffstri]

Do you have the parts diagram? Is it only part #82 that you need?

[JMaurer1]

Actually, yes. Just 82 (and a coupler but I can probably figure that out).

[jeffstri]

PM your address and I'll send you both.

[peteski]

PM your address and I'll send you both.

Jeffstri, do you happen to have other parts for that loco available?  I'm looking for what I think is power reverse (lost on one of my locos).  I'll have to look up the part number.

[JMaurer1]

This is what I love the most about this board...the people

[propmeup1]

Yes, Always someone ready to help and the way it goes is if no one here can help then your pretty much SOL. I'm glad I found this place too.

[jeffstri]

Jeffstri, do you happen to have other parts for that loco available?  I'm looking for what I think is power reverse (lost on one of my locos).  I'll have to look up the part number.

Peteski, are you looking for #42? ( https://hoseeker.net/lifelikeN/lifelikeNproto2882pg3.jpg )  The only extra parts I have are several incomplete driver assemblies.

When the Life-Like 2-8-8-2 was first released there were a lot of complaints because only the #3 axle of each driver assembly was geared, with the other three driven by the valve gear. The parts diagram showed both #2 and #3 axles were geared, so I asked Life-Like if they could send me a few. They actually sent me complete front and rear driver assemblies, and I replaced the non-geared #2's with geared #3's. Quartering was a bitch, but they run fine, maybe not any better, but certainly there's less stress on the valve gear. 

[peteski]

Peteski, are you looking for #42? ( https://hoseeker.net/lifelikeN/lifelikeNproto2882pg3.jpg )  The only extra parts I have are several incomplete driver assemblies.

When the Life-Like 2-8-8-2 was first released there were a lot of complaints because only the #3 axle of each driver assembly was geared, with the other three driven by the valve gear. The parts diagram showed both #2 and #3 axles were geared, so I asked Life-Like if they could send me a few. They actually sent me complete front and rear driver assemblies, and I replaced the non-geared #2's with geared #3's. Quartering was a bitch, but they run fine, maybe not any better, but certainly there's less stress on the valve gear.

Thanks for getting back to me Jeff.  Actually you might be able to help me after all.  That parts diagram jogged my memory.  It is not power reverse. I'm looking for either #67 or #68.  I don't remember which one.  I going through some reorganizing of my train stuff, that loco is put away and I don't have easy access to it to verify whether I need the right or left one.  If you have those parts available, once I get to that loco I'll let you know which one I need.

I also considered making the other axle driven but I seem to recall that the gear case had some cross-member inside where the idler gear would have to be installed.  How did you resolve that problem?

[jeffstri]

I have #67 and #68 - let me know when you figure out which one you need.

There's no crossmember in the gear cases, but there are screw posts between the #1 and #2 and the #3 and #4 axles. Gears 55, 56, and 57 are aligned vertically between the #2 and #3 axles, and the original geared #3 and new #2 axles mesh perfectly with the same idler gear 57.

The 2-8-8-2 Y3, released several years after I added the second geared axle to the earlier version, has 2 geared axles in each driver assembly but in the #3 and #4 positions. There's a picture at http://www.spookshow.net/loco/ll2882.html . The screw post between the #3 and #4 axles was moved and a second idler gear 57 was added. The gear case for the early release has predrilled holes for an idler gear axle between #3 and #4, so you can add another 57 gear there and a geared driver in the #4 position. I'll probably try that sometime to see if it makes any difference.

[peteski]

Great!  Thanks Jeff.  I have both, locos: from the initial run and the one with factory-installed QSI sound decoder.  I have also contemplated re-powering the drivers in the first run loco. Unlike you (and your great idea) I thought I could adapt the drivers from the 2nd run, but that was a "no go". They are different. But you know that already.    This was all several years ago, and I moth-balled that project.  Now it is likely too late to get the parts and do the conversion you did.