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Western Railroad Discussion > SCRM 80 Ton GE Switcher RepairDate: 11/26/20 08:52 SCRM 80 Ton GE Switcher Repair Author: D-Althaus When USAF 1601, an 80 Ton GE Switcher, arrived at the museum, we knew it had two damaged traction motor commutators. We searched for replacement motors for a number of years, but never found any that were withing the available funding. Then we were able to obtain a complete spare truck. That should have solved the need for two two additional functional traction motors. But then we found that we also had two trashed pinion gears on the motor shafts. One in the new spare truck and one under the locomotive. That posed an additional problem we weren't expecting. Ring and pinion sets for the GE747 combo are very rare and expensive. And the tools to remove and replace the pinions are even more scarce. Our only option was to have one of the original traction motor armature commutators resurfaced by a commercial motor shop. They weren't sure they could repair it, but tried. They had to remove 1/8" of copper to reach undamaged segment material. Fortunately the windings weren't shorted to the shaft. Now, we know that pinion problems are one of the most common failures in the GE747 combos and that is an expensive and time consuming problem to fix. Worn out ring and pinion gears are probably one of the main reasons that those combos are thought of as not being very reliable. The first picture shows a good pinion gear. The second one shows all of the teeth totally missing. The locomotive now has four operational combos and should be back in operation this coming week.
  Date: 11/26/20 09:33 Re: SCRM 80 Ton GE Switcher Repair Author: EMDSW-1 The 747 right-angle drive using the gearing shown was primarily designed by GE for narrow gauge export locomotives but some found their way into standard gauge domestic units.
The ones I have had experience with were the three 80-tonners built for Pacific Lumber in Scotia, CA. Not nearly as reliable as standard straight tooth spur gearing but built for a specific purpose when there was no other solution SW-1 Date: 11/26/20 17:09 Re: SCRM 80 Ton GE Switcher Repair Author: SP4360 I'd throw a couple extra bags of crater in that gearbox
Date: 11/27/20 10:59 Re: SCRM 80 Ton GE Switcher Repair Author: jst3751 Thank you for this very interesting, commonly unseen and unknown, information.
Date: 11/28/20 06:44 Re: SCRM 80 Ton GE Switcher Repair Author: junctiontower SP4360 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > I'd throw a couple extra bags of crater in that > gearbox Yeah, after seeing that, if they plan to regularly use this locomotive, I would make lube maintenance on these the HIGHEST priority. Go above and beyond whatever the factory recommended. Whenever I run into a piece of equipment that is marginal on durability, I double or triple the maintenance. |