I'm at the beginning process of restoring a 40B track car. All the parts are there, but the shifter handle is broken. Does anyone happen to know where I could find one?


thanks,


Win


PS. yeah, I know...it would be easier to find Jimmy Hoffa.....

Try www.narcoa . org

Thanks, I checked and there was noting there. Unfortunately, there were 40B parts there a few months back (including the shifter handle) but that was before I started my project and knew I was going to need them.

Send me some pics of what you have and I may be able to help.

We restored a Sheffield 40 B on the Morehead and North Fork a few years ago.

JD Johnson, Morehead and North Fork Railroad Historian

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... %20Chapter

If you look at the shifter handle in the above photo, you can see it is broken off above the slide bar.

Now if you look at this photo of the Sheffield 40B from the VRA, you can see the shifter handle protruding through the deck. That is the part that is broken.

http://www.vratrips.org/images/ex-LNESh ... 00003.html



Win

Holy crow, the guy in the picture you linked to is ME!

I am in the VRA (Volunteer Railroaders Association). We do have a 40B but it is in a couple hundred pieces being restored at this time.

We have two spare engines, but no extra shift handle.

Do you have the broken pieces of the handle you can make a pattern from? If not, let me know, one of the gentlemen involved with this project has over 25 years of experience restoring speeders of all types.

I would also suggest you sign up to the Railroad Motorcar Maintenance YahooGroup and ask for help;

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RailroadMotorcarMaintenence/

Many of the participants have gone through restorations before and may have a source for parts.

Christopher Vitz
Butler, NJ

Do you have the rest of the pieces?

If you do, a competent welder should be able to weld or braze it back together and it will be as strong as new. If it is cast as it looks in the photo, then I have seen better results with brazing due to inconsistencies of cast material. Or if you know any machinists, they could probably make a new one out of bar stock.

Have you tried placing a want ad on the narcoa site to see if anyone has a spare? They person selling the other parts may not have sold the shifter, and pulled the listing because enough of the other parts had sold, and has yet to post an updated listing.

Rich C.

I don't have the other piece(s). I think they have been long gone. Putting a want ad on the NARCOA site is a good idea!

Hey Chris have you made it up to the Catskill Mountain Railroad yet with the VRA brushcutting crew? I volunteer up there and that's where I'm planning on running this thing once I get it going.

Actually, we have a machine tech class here at the school where I teach, I might be able to get them to make it.



Win

The VRA has gone up to the CMRR twice for brush cutting. I personally haven't been on the forays.....yet.

The Fairmont A-5 cutter car was in need of repair and overhaul which was completed in September '07. It then was moved to the CMRR where it is currently stored between use.

First run went well from what I heard. Second one bombed. The just rebuilt carb spewed gas all over on start up so the work day was scrubbed. Replacement parts for the carb have been ordered. And a crew will run again soon. It will eventually be brought back to NJ for winter storage.

Back to the 40B. Ours is L&NE heritage and was run a handfull of times before we decided to restore it. Engine smoked like crazy and rust was quickly taking hold of the body. It is a FAST runner though...not necessarily a good thing with poor track.

I am definitely not a mechanic, the photo of me pouring oil is about my limit of comfort. I prefer to be the go'fer or grunt.

Again I would suggest signing onto the Railroad Motorcar maintenance Yahoo Group and you will get an answer PDQ.

An ad in NARCOA or on the Railspeeders site should also yield results.

http://www.railspeeders.com/

Hey guys, thought you would like to see the finished product. I just got back from a run on the Catskill Mountain Railroad and the thing ran great. The engine ran a little rough at first, but I had poured some Seafoam in the gas tank and it ran better and better the longer we went.

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... %20Chapter

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?pho ... %20Chapter

Win

How old is this unit? The engine/transmission setup looks like something from a Cartercar or Sears Buggy of about 100 years ago.

It was built sometime around 1925. The friction wheel is really a unique setup