Wedging the Bachmann standard 5 chassis in a V2 body

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Preamble:

Like many others I suspect, the split chassis V2s on my layout wore out relatively fast. In the long period before Bach announced a rechassis for this model I had managed to acquire three cheap standard 5MTs, having noticed that the powered chassis is near right for the V2. However, just as this project reached the top of the 'to do' heap, Bachmann announced their chassis upgrade for the V2. This has proved to be a mixed bag - in my opinion - not only is the body unimproved, but the works don't go nearly fast enough.

 

(I know Barwell don't want to believe it, but put the new chassis for the B1 and V2 on the same set of rails and give them 12V. The B1 will run a good 50% faster. Since both models have 6'2" wheels and what looks like the same motor, it is all down to the choice of too high a gear ratio (40:1) in the V2. One can turn the gears round and get roughly 10:1, but that makes for a rough start.)

 

Proposed method.

1. Dismantle Standard 5 chassis, lop of all parts which prevent chassis block entering V2 body

2. Add drive train and test.

3. Combine old V2 keeper plate and standard 5 pick ups for a running loco with the carrying wheels.

4. Hang on cylinders, gear etc. from the old V2 to complete.

 

Interim progress report.

Step 2 complete. Having had a whale of a time chopping bits off the standard 5 chassis to make it fit neatly in the V2 body, it has gone together easily. (Now, do I completely remove the firebox casting between the middle and trailing coupled wheels, or sell this as the little known extended grate V2?) The large amount of lead already installed in the old V2 body gives this assembly better traction than the current Bachmann model, and it runs faster too - still not as fast as I would really like, but a 1426 motor might fix that.

[Horsetan]

I think you'll find step 4 interesting, given that the wheelbase and associated measurements of the two classes are quite different.....