With the recent increases in business, SHABBONA has found itself short on power
on the 2nd District, so yesterday I tore down RS-3 #35 and cleaned and rebuilt
the drive to remove the granite dust I had been using as lapping compound to
free it up.
In the process, I found where the drive axles had been rubbing the cover
plates, causing some of the tight running. I files a groove at these locations
with a 3-corner, and now the wheels not only turn free, they have a semblance
of equalization, which helps with traction and power pick up.
After I got it back together, it runs well, but has a little harmonic whine at
certain speeds when running long hood forward. This is not gear noise, so I
suspect one of the universal drive shafts is a little long and transmitting
motor noise to a gear tower.
I know a lot of people have little good to say about the original power units
in these early ALCO MODELS engines, but as I have worked with them over time,
they have become to be among my favorite engines. RS-3 #37, for instance, is
virtually as quiet as the AMERICAN MODELS engines. My next project will be to
mount the motors with miniature model aircraft grommets to further insulate
motor vibration.
SW-1 #22 is still sidelined for heavy repairs, and is sorely missed. Its short
wheelbase makes it more useful on the Homongous Co. industrial trackage because
of more reliable coupling and uncoupling during various switching moves. It,
and GP-9 #42, are still waiting for a slot in the shops.
That SHABBONA's locomotives have been around longer than most of their
prototype examples is sometimes hard to believe!
Bob Nicholson _______________________________________________
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