Products > Sprung Diesel Bogie Kits

Bachmann Class 44/45/46 (Peak)

Kit PK017. Prices and Availability here

This kit is for the Bachmann Class 44/45/46 models with centre motor, four-wheel bogie drives and buffer beams mounted on the bogies. It is not suitable for the earlier centre motor Bachmann or for the Mainline models.

Kit Features

Etched brass fold-up, soldered construction.
Steel ‘guitar wire’ springing.
Secondary springing and fully sprung-equalized primary suspension across all wheels for reliable track-holding.
Primary suspension by spring wires on each side of each bogie, equalized to distribute the loadings across all wheelsets according to the prototype weight diagram.
Secondary suspension by longitudinal spring wires.
Corrected bogie pivot location.
The original cosmetic bogie sideframes are re-used, suitable fixing surfaces being provided.
The cosmetic sideframes swivel only; as on the prototype there is no pitch or roll movement relative to the loco body. This allows a prototypical distance to be set between the frames and the body, and additional details to be added in the gap between them.
The original drive units are re-used.
The kit is designed to use 'American' pickup, with the wheels on one side of each bogie 'live' between the bogie frame and the rail.

The drive unit mouldings are cut down to remove pivot and sideframe attachments, and the extension for the unpowered axle.

The drive unit sits within the envelope of the subframe and bolster etches, floating on the driven axles.

The cosmetic sideframes are mounted on the swivelling bolsters. There is no pitch or roll movement between the sideframes and the body, as the prototype locos have no secondary suspension. Experiments have shown, however, that secondary suspension is desirable for satisfactory performance of a sprung model loco.

The bolster takes the weight of the loco on a flat plate at floor level. The plate is shaped to allow lifting point and pivot ring detail to be added to the underside of the loco.

The bogie subframe assembly.

The frame for the radial axle. You can turn down the ends of a pinpoint axle to represent the visible extensions of the prototype's axles.

The subframe with wheels and primary springs fitted. The springs distribute the load between each pair of axles, with the subframe itself acting as an equalizing beam between the two pairs. Load distribution is in the same proportions as the prototype weight diagrams.

The bolster arches over the drive unit, supported on the subframe by the secondary springs. A separate fold-up frame offsets the pivot to the correct location.