Axle Hung Motors

[Down_Under]

Hi All,

 

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has experimented with axle hung motors like these:

 

http://www.clag.org.uk/axle-hung.html

 

Are there any software packages out there for calculating/designing gearboxes like Ted and Bill have done?

 

Anybody else had success in 4mm scale?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

James

[RAF96]

I have seen some very nice engineering examples of axle hung motors on 1/24 scale tram bogies, using gears rather than elastic band drive. Not reason why they cant be scaled down to 4mm if you can lay hands on suitable parts.

[28XX]

I don't think there is a lot of calculation in these designs. It's getting the greatest amount of reduction in each of two stages within the constraints of the space available and the smallest pulley advised by the makers for the belts chosen.

[Down_Under]

Ok - thanks.  I know Nigel Lawton (http://www.nigellawton009.com/6VMicroMotors.html)sells the micro motors and associated parts.

 

I was thinking of their use in powering a little Impetus Simplex that I have - one on each wheel.

 

Guess its time to have a play with QCAD.

 

James

[DCB]

Biggest problem is cost, 4X motor gearbox units for a BoBo or 6X for a CoCo, but its the only practical way to get the suspension moving on diesels and to me those compensating beams being frozen is as bad as the frozen Triang Valve gear on their Princess.

[Ian G]

ABC gears has one for 7mm Locos http://www.abcgears.co.uk/html/traction_motors.html

 

Ian G

[CloggyDog]

I've used a couple of these Japanese RTR axle-hungs: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10260566

 

 

They work out at around £40 per pair, inclusive of postage from Japan.

 

Gearing is around 1:5, so they are quick off the mark and ideally need some form of resistance built into the wiring circuit when used on 12v analogue.

 

I bodged a pair into a DR Br172 railbus (Sachsenmodelle non-runner I picked up very cheap in Prague a few years ago) and they run smoothly and will easily shift the railcar and it's trailer.

 

They can also be had with spoked wheels and 2 diameters of wheel. Only available in 16.5mm, though it is possible to regauge to EM with some care (and packing to keep the gears in mesh)

 

Availability is sporadic - seems the manufacturer does small batches once or twice a year, but you can sign up to a waiting list which pings out an email when they are back in stock.

Edited June 22, 2017 by CloggyDog

[Beatty 139]

Steve Foster has produced his 'Fosmotors' in Gauge 1 for some years now and very successful they are a simple solution for powering locos and keeping body space clear for batteries, RC etc.

These are three units fitted with to a model of the Armstrong whitworth universal 1-Co-1

[Finsbury]

I have just taken delivery of a pair which CloggyDog refers to. Superb looking bits of miniaturisation.

 

The Dapol railbus motorisation issue is solved as far as I can see. It will fit between the bogies, needs only a section of chassis removed, and with careful cutting of the floor, I think the motor can be mounted vertically. With a thin piece of plasticard to create a new floor, rendered invisible.

 

dc operation only (as supplied) the motor is live to the driven wheel. I doubt that this would present any problem for a shuttle type scenario (the merg shuttle kit I intend to use is dc only, anyway).

 

The only downside was customs and Parcelfarce. They ganged up and hit me for £22.79, making a total of £68.25.

 

Ouch.

 

Addendum. A wiper will need to be fashioned to one or both of the return wheels and careful voltage regulation employed. 'Scalded cat' sprang to mind after application of 9v!

 

Further addendum, I think it could be converted to dcc with insulation to driven wheel.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Finsbury

[Finsbury]

Have done a brief measurement, the jap wheels are smaller than the supplied.

Flange detail for whom it may concern.

flange dia. 11.94mm

wheel dia 10.50mm

 

Dapol flange dia 13.70mm

wheel dia 12.60mm

 

1.05mm radius increase is a bit of a heft?

 

Doesn't help with the platform height, no?

 

edited for cack mathematics, help!!

Edited August 3, 2017 by Finsbury

[CloggyDog]

The prototype Park Royal railbuses had a 3' diameter wheel, so 12mm would be correct.

 

I did look at the rewheeling options when i first got mine - I'll dig the spare set out and have another look. From memory the main part of the axle was 2mm, so it should be relatively easy.

 

Have done a brief measurement, the jap wheels are smaller than the supplied.
Flange detail for whom it may concern.
flange dia. 11.94mm
wheel dia 10.50mm

Dapol flange dia 13.70mm
wheel dia 12.60mm

1.05mm radius increase is a bit of a heft?

Doesn't help with the platform height, no?

edited for cack mathematics, help!!

[Horsetan]

....The only downside was customs and Parcelfarce. They ganged up and hit me for £22.79, making a total of £68.25.

 

Ouch.....

 

That's a touch high for such a small item.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Biggest problem is cost, 4X motor gearbox units for a BoBo or 6X for a CoCo, but its the only practical way to get the suspension moving on diesels and to me those compensating beams being frozen is as bad as the frozen Triang Valve gear on their Princess.

On a CoCo with Heljan's style of drive design to the outer wheelsets of the bogie only, the idle centre wheelset might be given vertical travel regulated by the compensating beams hinging on the axle-ends. Not perfect, but at least you get some movement of the compensating beams..

 

(The effect works very well on the six coupled RTR locos with a sprung centre axle, you can see the side rods hinging as the sprung axle moves to accommodate as the loco runs over a bump or dip in the track.)

[Finsbury]

Update re the Japanese OO motors. A few light ales gave me a bit of gumption to have a fiddle.

The wheels pull off with judicious application of variously increasingly worrying tools. The bearings and driven gear are persuaded onto the Dapol axle and wheels.

We now have insulated wheels and motor, thus opening up dcc possibilities.

 

Groovy.

 

Before and after.

[Down_Under]

Well I did it, axle hung motor for a LOR train as per the prototype.

 

4mm scale. P4 standards. Using 10.5mm AG wheels.
 

Prototype test mule in a Judith Edge 7ft bogie. Nigel Lawton 6mm x 10mm mini motor and belts and pulleys. Running about 16:1 

 

Next but of fun is figuring out compensation/springing and learning how to etch up some modified bogie frames