Pictured is a Max Gray 4-8-0. As you can see the cab contains an open frame motor. The locomotive has a nonidler gearbox. I plan to remove the motor and place a can motor in the tender. The drive connection would be a mixture of 4mm rod and Toyota vacuum hose. The length of the drive shaft would be about 6-7”. I surmise it may be better to divide the shaft into two parts with hose joints mid shaft, at the motor and at the gearbox.
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What is wrong with the drive it has now?
Ed
I had a Westside 4-8-0 that had a canon flat can motor in the firebox.
@Ed Kelly posted:What is wrong with the drive it has now?
Ed
It’s inefficient both on output and current, not to mention noisy. Plus I could actually put some details in the cab with the motor gone.
@harley rider posted:I had a Westside 4-8-0 that had a canon flat can motor in the firebox.
Something to consider. Not sure about the power of that size Canon motor. If you know of a good source for Canon motors that is affordable, please tell? I can get a Pittman with ball bearings and rare earth magnets for $20 delivered.
My solution - a solid drive shaft supported under the cab with a bearing, terminated over the drawbar with a cup portion of a large horney ball.
The tender has the motor mounted low enough to align - the motor has a Touyota hose terminated with the matching horney ball.
The tender also has the front truck stabilized laterally - just like the SP did on those small Vanderbilt tenders.
A thought: Use a Pittman 8000 series motor facing backwards toward the cab with a Sunset type belt drive.
Just brainstorming.
Ed
@Ed Kelly posted:A thought: Use a Pittman 8000 series motor facing backwards toward the cab with a Sunset type belt drive.
Just brainstorming.
Ed
That is an interesting idea. If this thing had an idler gearbox like many KTM engines, I think that your idea will definitely work. Not sure with current acute angle of the drive shaft into the nonidler gearbox.
These things rarely pulled more than four cars at the end of steam. I left mine as-is.
look for short circuits between tender trucks and things like rerail frogs.
There probably needs to be a joint at the point where the drawbar swivels either on the tender or loco. Might be easier to align on the tender.
@bob2 posted:These things rarely pulled more than four cars at the end of steam. I left mine as-is.
look for short circuits between tender trucks and things like rerail frogs.
Good point. Seeing a big motor in the cab just bothers me a bit. But I guess that is compromise. These open frame motors seem sort of flimsy as well. Maybe I can shoehorn a Pittman 8x32, if I can find one. Found a short fat 9432 motor the other day. It’s about 1/2” shorter than a 9433 and will likely fit. We’ll see.
@prrjim posted:There probably needs to be a joint at the point where the drawbar swivels either on the tender or loco. Might be easier to align on the tender.
That’s what I was thinking.
That is exactly why I place the horney ball over the drawbar.
Plus, easy uncoupling for relocating or storage.
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