Re-motoring with small motors from e-Bay


Espeefan

Well-Known Member
Ever have a project that just didn't go how you wanted it? If not, you probably aren't doing much modeling!. Some years back I bought this little Westside T-28 ten wheeler. I really wanted small steam, and I already had all the Northerns, 2-10-2's and articulateds I needed. I wanted small steamers for pike sized trains. Pike sized. There's an old term! It was going out of use back when I was a youngster, but, I digress again! Small steam that can take tight radii, and pull a respectable train for a smaller layout, say one that fits in half of a two car garage. So I bought this thing and it wasn't what I expected. Though it was brass, and prototypically accurate, it lacked a lot of what I considered important features. Crude details, no sprung drivers, and it had a Tyco style drive. The worm was soldered right on the Pittman motor shaft and meshed with the worm gear in the middle driver axle. I had DCC even then, back when basic decoders were a little pricey. The under $20 decoder was still several years away. The Pittman had to go. This meant a new gear box was going to have to go in too. The bottom cover plate just had a small slot for the little worm gear, not big enough for a gear box. I was starting to sweat bullets at this point as I had never done a lot of this stuff before, but it was modify or make it a shelf queen, so away we went. I installed a 28:1 NWSL gearbox, which meant cutting out the cover plate for clearance. That made me nervous, as I didn't have the skills I do now, but I managed it. Not a beautiful job, but functional, and you cant see it anyway. Then came the motor. I had a Sagami 16 x 30 that fit in the space but the existing mounting bracket was decidedly unfriendly to it, and there were issues with the shafts meeting squarely. I fashioned an adaptor bracket of sorts and got the motor mounted and the decoder installed. It ran but not well, and the screws holding then motor in kept coming loose. I finally got frustrated and put it in the box, and forgot about it. There's always another project, right? Fast forward to today. With the pending loss of NWSL I have been looking at these small can motors on e-Bay. Most are surplus and come and go. They are all pretty cheap. A fellow over on one of the Facebook re-power pages recommended a little 15 MM square motor. Good RPM, hi torque, and small size. Cheap too, which is nice after paying $30-40.00 a pop for Canons or Falhubers, or whatever A-Line has in stock. Here's what I tried: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-Mineb...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
At that price even if they exploded I figured they were worth trying. They worked very nicely. Here's the install:
IMG_2195.JPG


The speed range is very good, and the mechanism is nice and quiet. I have a few things left to do. Some touch up painting and replacing some older crude detail parts, and she'll be ready for service. I have in mind a short passenger train, maybe a baggage and a pair of coaches, but it's a heavy engine and should pull well for its size. Ten Wheelers lasted on the SP just about to the end of steam, so it'll be right at home.
IMG_2196.JPG
 
It looks good, but every time I see one of those inside valve gear engines, it looks like it's missing all of its vital mechanicals.
 
It looks good, but every time I see one of those inside valve gear engines, it looks like it's missing all of its vital mechanicals.
That's how they built 'em in the late 18-early 1900's! It also makes the mechanisms easy to take apart & reassemble. They are good models to start with when you are learning mechanisms.
 
it's good to see articles on re-motoring ...
especially older brass that benefits from lower amperage draw, and smoother / quieter running

thought about it for a bit, and ordered four of the same motor, lol
 
That's how they built 'em in the late 18-early 1900's! It also makes the mechanisms easy to take apart & reassemble. They are good models to start with when you are learning mechanisms.
It's true it makes it easier on us, as modelers. Not so much on the poor slobs that had to crawl up in them to maintain them, though.
 
Nice article, nice model - thanks!
Your work is top notch, but you need better lighting for photos !
light needs to be "ground level" more or less to see better details?
 
I wonder if SP bought any of the C&NW Ten-wheelers that used to pull suburban "dinkies" out of Chicago in the 1950's? They weren't very reliable, and, along with some Atlantics and also a Pacific or two, were responsible for the commuter runs not being on time a lot! Ben Heineman became president and got rid of the steamers and the un-airconditioned cars, and brought in E-8/9's and the bi-level cars with a cab in the last one so they could run "push-pull" out of Dearborn Street station.

Nice job, espeefan! You know how I attach some of my Canon coreless motors to the frames of my kitbashed Mantuas? Electrical tape around the motor and the frame! There's just enough room between the inside of the walls of the boiler! Works, too! o_O
 
Nice article, nice model - thanks!
Your work is top notch, but you need better lighting for photos !
light needs to be "ground level" more or less to see better details?
I hear ya Sherrel, and as a matter of fact I just happen to have a very good 35m DSLR and the necessary lights to take professional photos, which I had to do back when I wrote for Model Railroading, and Model Railroad News. The problem is it's a pain in the A-Double S to set all of that stuff up, and these pics usually get taken after I've been working on the models most of the day, or very late in the evening, and I just don't feel like setting up for high grade photography. Blame the smart phone. The cameras on them have gotten too good!
 
I wonder if SP bought any of the C&NW Ten-wheelers that used to pull suburban "dinkies" out of Chicago in the 1950's? They weren't very reliable, and, along with some Atlantics and also a Pacific or two, were responsible for the commuter runs not being on time a lot! Ben Heineman became president and got rid of the steamers and the un-airconditioned cars, and brought in E-8/9's and the bi-level cars with a cab in the last one so they could run "push-pull" out of Dearborn Street station.

Nice job, espeefan! You know how I attach some of my Canon coreless motors to the frames of my kitbashed Mantuas? Electrical tape around the motor and the frame! There's just enough room between the inside of the walls of the boiler! Works, too! o_O
I've done the electrical tape thing, as a temporary mount, and to check for clearance in the available space. The thing is, with doing it that way, if you ever get a bind in the mechanism, it'll yank the motor off center and give you yet more problems!
 
I wonder if SP bought any of the C&NW Ten-wheelers that used to pull suburban "dinkies" out of Chicago in the 1950's?
Not to my knowledge. They had plenty of their own, and were actually rather snotty about their designs. The Mt class was mostly built in their own shops at Sacramento for example, and they never bought any USRA designs, though some may have turned up as a result of purchasing smaller railroads or wartime power shortages. in the 50's they were retiring small steam and the commute pool was pretty much all 4-8-2's and 4-8-4's.
 
I hear ya Sherrel, and as a matter of fact I just happen to have a very good 35m DSLR and the necessary lights to take professional photos, which I had to do back when I wrote for Model Railroading, and Model Railroad News. The problem is it's a pain in the A-Double S to set all of that stuff up, and these pics usually get taken after I've been working on the models most of the day, or very late in the evening, and I just don't feel like setting up for high grade photography. Blame the smart phone. The cameras on them have gotten too good!

Yeah - cell phones actually make really good photos. I'm not saying you need all the pro gobbledygook, just a desk lamp or bulb behind you to better illuminate the valve gear, drivers, and trucks. I'll admire your work and photos - no matter what!
 
An idea stolen from the flying airplane folks: set the motor in RTV, position it and let it cure.
 
got the motors in today, checked at 8.0 volts, three at 27 mamp, one at 22 mamp... now to find a home for them... so far have a heisler and a ma & pa in mind, lol
 
Hmmm! Similar situation trying to update and DCC a pair of MDC SP 4-6-0's (sort of a T-28) that I built in the 1980's. Personal thing as I put a lot of time into those locomotives shaving off the cast on details and adding brass castings. Have ordered the motors you suggested ( for $7.70) will see how they work. I did have an old NWSL MDC Harriman regear kit in the box with the engines. Will see if it works. NWSL still shows the regear kit but at $39.95 instead of the $7.95 that was on the package I found.
 
Trailrider - Just to be correct, CNW never came into Dearborn Station in Chicago. They had their own terminal to the North on the West side of the river. It's been replaced by the Ogilvie Transportation Center and is still served by the push-pull double deckers now run by Metra.
 



Back
Top