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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
 Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:21:47 AM
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I am going to attempt (as I say loosely) [:-banghead]
attempt, to motorize this Vintage Vehicles 1922 Mack Railcar kit. So far I bought a NWSL flea and will be changing out the wheels for the NWSL 36” spoke wheels, and using 26” NWSL spoke wheels on the front.
Also, purchased were Tomar Adlake marker lights for the front and rear, and white 3mm LED for the front and red LED for rear of the railcar. I may be using a Digitrax DZ143 decoder for its nice Back EMF, size, and functions available. This will not be my usual move right along type of build. As I guess I’ll need to figure out what needs to be cut, and what needs to be changed along the way.
I know a bunch of great railcar builders out there, and help and ideas I will need, so please chime in with your knowledge and ideas. You have done this many times, and I’m a newbie at it. 
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 Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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wvrr
Fireman
5017 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:25:08 AM
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Sounds like we will both be experimenting with NWSL power in our projects, Louis. I am going to try Stanton drives in the MDC Boxcab. Yours looks like a fun project!
So, can you easily swap out the 36" spoked wheels with the ones mounted on the Flea?
Chuck |
Wyoming Valley Railroad
http://sites.google.com/site/wvrails/ |
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Ensign
Fireman
Canada
3723 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:27:40 AM
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Wow Louis, you are really on a bender lately!
This looks like another very cool project!
I did not even know about this classic/vintage kit, great find!
And best of luck with this one, I will be following along with you, on your journey.
Greg Shinnie |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:41:15 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by wvrr
Sounds like we will both be experimenting with NWSL power in our projects, Louis. I am going to try Stanton drives in the MDC Boxcab. Yours looks like a fun project!
So, can you easily swap out the 36" spoked wheels with the ones mounted on the Flea?
Chuck
Hi Chuck, I posted in your thread about the Stanton drive units. That you will like them once you get, and see it. It's a great unit for all types of added power.
It is easy to change the wheels. I have a NWSL gear/wheel puller. I should of ordered the Flea with the spoke wheels already mounted, but like a dummy I didn't. [:-banghead]
This is a kit I've had bouncing around for a few years in the drawer, so I think now it is Highway Miniatures that have them, if they are still available. Thanks for relpying. [:-thumbu] |
Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 11:45:04 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Ensign
Wow Louis, you are really on a bender lately!
This looks like another very cool project!
I did not even know about this classic/vintage kit, great find!
And best of luck with this one, I will be following along with you, on your journey.
Greg Shinnie
Thanks Greg for your comments.
Like I told Chuck, this is a kit I've had bouncing around for a few years in my shop drawer, so I think now it is put out by Highway Miniatures if they still have them available. |
Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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Thorn Creek and Western
Fireman
USA
2351 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 2:59:35 PM
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quote:
Like I told Chuck, this is a kit I've had bouncing around for a few years in my shop drawer, so I think now it is put out by Highway Miniatures if they still have them available.
Yup-- It's now made by Jordan. The Walthers number is 360-305.
I built one about a year ago. It's a nice little kit and goes together well--
I'll be following your thread with great interest.
-Dave |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 3:30:33 PM
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Thanks for posting Dave. That is a sharp looking railcar.
Do you think it has enough room for it to be motorized? |
Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 3:32:57 PM
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I changed out the disc wheels for the spoke wheels on the flea, and also installed the spoke wheels for the front truck. I don’t care for the truck though. It is a Boulder Valley Models Archbar On30 truck, and seems way too big. I’ll have to look for something smaller to use in HO scale.
Has anyone seen a simular one in HO scale?
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Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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Thorn Creek and Western
Fireman
USA
2351 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 8:41:47 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by desertdrover
Thanks for posting Dave. That is a sharp looking railcar.
Do you think it has enough room for it to be motorized?
There seems to be plenty of room inside the car for that little motor. I didn't know much about the NWSL Flea so I did a Google search and happened to run across this brief discussion about a project similar to yours:
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/3738
I wonder, though, if you're going to have to remove part of the floor and frame in order to get the wheels low enough to reach the rails. Here's a picture of the body and the frame underside of my car--
It would be a better situation if you could lower the wheels with a gearset so that the motor could remain hidden inside the body of the car.
As for the front truck, the wheel base on the model is only four feet and you don't have much 'wiggle room.' I recommend using a short wheel base old style truck such as those made in HO by Bitter Creek Models:
http://www.bittercreekmodels.com/TRUCKS.html
I assume the truck on the model is the type that Mack originally used on the car. However the Buffalo Creek and Gauley had one of these railbusses many years ago and this is the front truck on it--
(The car is now at the Strasburg Railroad with the same truck still on it.) I think if I were going to try to model that truck I'd start with a Bitter Creek T-22, but it would be a lot of work.
-Dave |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2012 : 9:52:27 PM
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| Well thanks for the added pictures Dave. It now gives me an idea of how it should look at the under frame work, and what I'll have to remove. Just looking and holding the Flea up to my chassis floor, looks like it will drop down far enough. and should work fine. Thanks for the links as well. I'm going to a train show this Saturday in Taunton, Ma. so I'll look for a front truck there. |
Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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adrian_batey
Crew Chief
Australia
670 Posts |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2012 : 10:59:42 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by adrian_batey
This link may be of help to you
http://hon3forums.com/index.php?topic=215.0
That was a great link. It is just what I am tring to do. Now if I can only do as good a job as Phil did. |
Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
Edited by - desertdrover on 03/07/2012 11:03:16 AM |
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desertdrover
Engineer
USA
11275 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2012 : 1:26:56 PM
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Not a hole lot of progress, but I took the motor, and cut down the shafts at both ends.
The Flea instructions say they send longer shafts than needed, in case you want to add fly wheels or have other projects in mind. And, can be cut off. After taping to keep metal filings from getting into the motor, I cut back on both ends.
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Louis
Pacific Northwest Logging in the East Coast |
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wvrr
Fireman
5017 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2012 : 1:35:45 PM
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Looks good, Lou! Great idea on the tape. That was something obvious I did not think about.
Chuck |
Wyoming Valley Railroad
http://sites.google.com/site/wvrails/ |
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centercab
Engine Wiper
USA
225 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2012 : 2:09:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by desertdrover
I don’t care for the truck though. It is a Boulder Valley Models Archbar On30 truck, and seems way too big. I’ll have to look for something smaller to use in HO scale.
Has anyone seen a simular one in HO scale?
The BVM truck is actually a Tichy HO archbar truck kit. He just supplies them with larger wheelsets.
I think the MDC/Roundhouse archbars are slightly shorter...since I no longer have any to compare, I'm going from memory. |
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Chuck |
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centercab
Engine Wiper
USA
225 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2012 : 2:10:23 PM
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| Oh yeah - Neat project! |
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Chuck |
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Topic |
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1922 Mack Railcar-Flea Motorized
