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Can Motors in Modern Lionel Locos

RickORickOOGR Forum Member
Mention of the canon motors being used in Lionels new S-3's has made me want to start some dicussion on these "other brands". Pittman motors are/were an industry standard in the hobby. I noticed my Legacy berk has a Buhler motor in it, while a bit smaller than the pittmans powering previous lionel scale steamers I "feel" its a good quality motor being German made by a company that seems fairly reputable when surfing their website. The Canon motors "seem" they may be a bigger step down from the Pittman, but I truly don't know and would be curious to hear any factual quality info anyone might have on any of these motors. I "suspect" that the company supplying the motors for Lionel is probably the "lowest bidder" just like most things in life,and wonder if this will have any bearing on the long term quality of recent locos. I would also be curious to know if Mth has or will be switching from its "staple" of Pittman steam power as well.
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N NortonOGR Forum Member
Why do you think Canon is a step down? They make very high quality instrument motors. Like most other manufacturers of small DC motors they make a full line from consumer grade to those suitable for scientific and military application. Its up the buyer to select the grade. Consider that the Lionel Pittmans have bronze bushings not ball bearings. Lionel could have spec'd the better motors but they didn't.

Pete
RickORickOOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by StevieG:
What's the problem/issue with pittman motors?
Steve


The only issue I can see is price,as far as lionels parts website is concerned a replacement Pittman is roughly $20 more than the Buhler or Canon to replace.I assume this cost difference is a factor for manufacturing as well.
MichRR714MichRR714OGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
quote:
Originally posted by RickO:
quote:
Originally posted by StevieG:
What's the problem/issue with pittman motors?
Steve


The only issue I can see is price,as far as lionels parts website is concerned a replacement Pittman is roughly $20 more than the Buhler or Canon to replace.I assume this cost difference is a factor for manufacturing as well.


Assume is the key word.
RickORickOOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by MichRR714:
quote:
Originally posted by RickO:
quote:
Originally posted by StevieG:
What's the problem/issue with pittman motors?
Steve


The only issue I can see is price,as far as lionels parts website is concerned a replacement Pittman is roughly $20 more than the Buhler or Canon to replace.I assume this cost difference is a factor for manufacturing as well.


Assume is the key word.




Precisely Charlie which is why I started this thread in the hopes of getting some knowledgable info concerning the motor brand/size and price difference.I.E. the Pittman motor in the PM Berk with tender #11146 is noticably larger than the Buhler in the seperate sale PM Berk #11203. If size has nothing to do with the power or durability of a can motor,fine, I'm curious to know what the differences if any could be from anyone who might know.
RickORickOOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by Tinplate Art:
ALL THREE, Pittman, Buehler, and Canon, produce high quality DC motors.

LGB used Buehler motors, and in later years they were manufactured in the USA.

BTW, Buehler is the correct spelling.



Buehler is the correct spelling for "Ferris Buehler" Buhler dc motor is Buhler Smile
K KMKOGR Forum Member
I've used both in my 3 rail o gauge locomotive building projects. The trolley has two Pittman motors (one per axle.) The diesel unit uses a single Buehler motor, which was made in Raleigh, NC. I believe it may have been originally used in the auto industry.

It was easier to use two motors in the trolley as it eliminates the need for a gear linkage between the two axles - for which there is really no room.

The Pittman is useful in applications where it is mounted vertically, as it is considerably shorter than the Buehler. The latter is the more powerful of the two.

Both brands are very well made and when used in appropriate applications I have found them both to be very useful.

FM Former Member
Rick I can't give you scientific data but I did run a lot of can motors in the other scales and thinking back after hours and hours of operation and some of my favorites I ran the heck out of , I don't remember but one failure and that was a wire burnt off.

I know this is not much help but they've been used for years.
I don't know just how much "Low Bid" activity the train manufactures do these days. But I've always liked the Can motors

David
RickORickOOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by 148thscale:
quote:
Originally posted by Tinplate Art:
SB:

NO problems with Lionel motors:

This thread is promoting a discussion of the relative quality, performance, and cost of the major manufacturers of O gauge DC motors.
I agree with you Tinplate. My question RICK O is are you speaking of IN truck, or ABOVE truck motors? IN TRUCK is crap. 148th



I'm focusing on the single large motors powering scale steamers, they have more work to do and this seems to be where the variations in brand and size over the past few years is most apparent.
K KMKOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by Tinplate Art:
ALL THREE, Pittman, Buehler, and Canon, produce high quality DC motors.

LGB used Buehler motors, and in later years they were manufactured in the USA.

BTW, Buehler is the correct spelling.


The company writes it name as either Bühler and Buehler.

Similar to the practice of German model train maker Märklin or Maerklin.
B breezinupOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER
quote:
Originally posted by Jim 1939:
I never thought of this forum as English 101 so as long as it's not written too bad I really don't care.


Well, some of the grammer used on the Forum is indeed pathetic. It could use a little English .001. It seems some contributors must have slept through the 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Eek Wink

("I never thought of this Forum as English 101; so long as it's not written too badly, I really don't care.")
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