http://www.3rdrail.com/images/FP7Diesel-small.pdf
What was a china drive?. In the description near the bottom is were it is listed.
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A China Drive is a model with twin electric drive motors, one at each end.
Originally Posted by toddstrick:
http://www.3rdrail.com/images/FP7Diesel-small.pdf
What was a china drive?. In the description near the bottom is were it is listed.
China drive is slang for two vertical can motors, one over each truck. It's what Lionel and MTH currently use in their diesels.
Rusty
Williams uses it, too.
All the above descriptions are what I understand too.
Actually the original term I saw was "China-block" drive. I think it came about because all the original ones had the wheels mounted in a solid diecast housing that resembled a block. There was no bottom plate or access to change out axles for conversion. The axles were passed through holes in the block and then the wheels pressed onto the axles. It is a very tight fit. All those drives I have seen have the gears on one side of the truck and the wheels on that side include a gear cut into the back.
It is a very sturdy drive, but in my experience not as smooth as any single motor drive I have.
The center mounted can motor drives in these chassis are about as smooth running as you will find in all of three rail. The E7s have these drives and they are wonderful.
