Bachmann GS4 4449 - How to secure draw bar to tender


malibu43

malibu43

Active Member
Hi all. I don't have a permanent layout set up, so my locos and rolling stock get handled and unpacked/packed away fairly often (several times a year). On my bachmann GS4, the wire plug from the tender to the loco needs to be unplugged to place it back in the Bachmann packaging, and, because it's difficult to plug in and unplug, I have already pulled a wire out of plug once and had to do a lot of work to fix it. As a result, I've created a custom box to store the loco that doesn't require that the tender be disconnected from the locomotive. This will allow me to get it in and out of storage without risking breaking a wire/plug again. However, there is a pin on the tender that simply rests in a hole on the draw bar. The result is that the drawbar immediately becomes disconnected any time the locomotive/tender are picked up or handled. This creates more opportunities for breaking the wires connecting the tender and loco.

I'd like to come up with a way to temporarily fix the tender to the drawbar so that the locomotive will be easier to handle and more robust in case its not handled perfectly. I've thought about trying to find a very small O-ring to use as a retainer on the pin to hold the draw bar in place, but haven't come up with any other ideas yet.

Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this? If so, what kind of creative solutions were you able to come up with?
 
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Remove the pin, drill the hole with a #50 drill and tap for a 2-56 screw. Cut a 2-56 screw as long as the pin and screw it in the hole through the hole in the draw bar. You may need a small washer if the hole in the draw bar is larger than the head of the screw.
 
Thanks. That is a good idea, although I was able to come up with something a little simpler.

I was digging through my box of RC airplane stuff, and found a small plastic retention washer for holding push-rod connectors on servo arms. It was a nearly perfect fit for what I wanted. I only had to open the through hole a tiny bit with an exacto knife and then I was able to push it onto the drawbar pin with a pair of needle nose pliers. It's a pretty snug fit but I can still slide it off if needed. I was able to get the locomotive in and out of the box a few times and on and off the current 4x8 oval without the draw bar disconnecting.

I'll try to grab a picture later if I have time.
 
An even simpler solution will be found in your r/c parts box.
Get a short piece of 1mm vinyl fuel line, and shove it onto the pin after to attach the drawbar.
I use this method on every single drawbar.
 
bnsf971 said:
An even simpler solution will be found in your r/c parts box.
Get a short piece of 1mm vinyl fuel line, and shove it onto the pin after to attach the drawbar.
I use this method on every single drawbar.
Click to expand...

Electric park flyers only for me. No fuel or fuel lines!
 
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