We are thinking about producing a new style adapter that allows you to electrify a non-electrical pick up LIONEL truck for just a few dollars. This fitting would probably clip on to your existing truck to power it up and would be in a kit form and we are also thinking that the price would be $3.00-$7.00 ea. USD range.
Would anyone here be interested in buying such a NEW PRODUCT?
Dave, LBR
Replies sorted oldest to newest
What would make your fitting superior to what is offered by Lionel?
Dave,
If I understand your inquiry it is about converting a standard Lionel style truck into one that would have a pick up roller assembly. Is this what you're talking about? The major problem would be creating something that would work with each manufactures piece.
I find more and more instances where a powered pickup would be nice to have - make a cheap trainsounds boxcar for my kids from spare parts, add an EOT to a car, power QSI live action units from the rails, add a light to $5 SP caboose the kids play with...
I'd be in.
Dave,
If I understand your inquiry it is about converting a standard Lionel style truck into one that would have a pick up roller assembly. Is this what you're talking about? The major problem would be creating something that would work with each manufactures piece.
If this is the case, yes, I would buy a bunch.
Just this morning, I was converting two Lionel non-powered trucks to power pickups, both for the wheels and by installing a center roller. One question I have is how/if you would make the product adjustable as to height and range. For example, the two trucks I was working on were different enough that a 1/8 inch space had to be worked in to one so the pickup I was using would fit within its spring-compression range, while the other didn't need that. There are many types of trucks, etc., with slightly different spacings above the rails. On the other hand, pikcup from the outer rails is easy and the same for all three-rail trucks: just loosely wrap a copper wire around the axle three times and solder a lead to it.
you talking about this?
I get theses within your price range now.
I sure could use a better pickup for K-Line inter-urbans, but I don't think you can get the volume. Pictures of course would help, but I am so buried with other stuff at home, the first of which is taxes.
( Post a photo when you have time Please.I would certainly be interested. For example, PW LIONEL B units for diesels don't have an electrical pick-up and are dark behind or between lighted A units. Being dark may be protoypical, but I'd prefer to light them.
Likewise, baggage cars are not lit which, again, may be prototypical, but I'd prefer to add some light, although it would be different from the passenger cars.
Lots of possible applications for sure.
The problem with just saying only for Lionel is, "Which era and which style of truck?" Post War, MPC, Modern, etc, and there are many truck styles in each era.
I have typically bought post war "clip on" rollers that clip around the axles of post war style trucks and used them on various trucks where applicable. However, this doesn't work universally.
At your price point, I would be interested in your kit if I had a project coming and you solution would work for it.
Yes, yes and, did I mention, yes?
-IF- it is truly universal and/or easily adaptable to most 3-rail (we're not just dealing with "Lionel"-brand, here - by a long shot) trucks, so far as is reasonable. I'm thinking something that might be clipped on the axles, somewhat Postwar-style (yes I know about new fixed wheels/axles and old rotating wheels/axles - it would still be a desirable thing) so
as to avoid dealing with as many truck side frame configurations.
I would love to clip a bunch of them to steam loco tender axles (one upgraded truck per tender) to route the center rail power to the boards; many older locos will die on switches - especially switchers.
Yes, I would be interested. I have a LOT more MTH rolling stock than Lionel, so if they would fit MTH trucks, I would be even more interested.
Yes - I often convert operating cars with sliding shoes to Electric Railroad Mini Commander operation. Since this requires a pickup, a kit would be welcome.
Does the design you're contemplating have a provision for common (outside rail) as well as center rail?
then how will it get a ground?
$4.50 all day long, lower in quantity:
you talking about this?
I get theses within your price range now.
Really? Lionel says they are unavailable.
$4.50 all day long, lower in quantity:
Where does one get these and what is the part #?
In the past I bought whatever piece of rolling stock was cheapest, just to get this part. I don't have an immediate need for any more right now.
What I would rather have, is a retrofit collector roller kit for the most common MTH tender trucks. With only two rollers on the loco, MTH steam locos are prone to stalling on back-to-back switches and crossings, especially if they were ever used on RealTrax with the blackened rail.
There is already a humongous tether between loco & tender carrying track power to the PS2 board. Putting rollers on the tender would yield a clear performance improvement, except that there's no obvious way to do it! There's not even a good reference document showing the various types of MTH rollers.
As with Lionel, MTH tenders have different types of trucks but if you're planning to 3-D print these things, low production volumes shouldn't be a big deal. There's your market opportunity IMO. -Ted
The pickups I would like are for dummy diesels. Lionel used to have them on dummies but not for the last few years. The cost of doing it with Lionel parts is so high, you might as well have bought the powered engine. That may change with the 30% increase in cost of Lionel engines...hope the dummies don't follow that pricing trend.
Trouble is, the trucks are so different even within Lionel...but maybe something could be done.
Well, we are just days away from offering a UNIVERSAL ELECTRICAL TRUCK COLLECTOR for 3R trucks of all Mfg.'s. We are in the test & evaluation stage at present and all looks good. With any luck we may be offering these trim to fit collectors by the 2nd of April.
Wish us luck. OK?
When they are available they will be at our web site at
http://www.lbrenterprisesllc.com/-O--Stuff.html
We will also announce it here at the forum with price and particulars.
Dave, LBR
Good luck...I'll look for them.
I am interested.
Tom B
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
