Curiosity question.

[antonyvw]

Im hoping to start a smallish layout, possibly in N gauge. In my home town we used to have a large salt industry which was eventually replaced by coal sidings. One of the locos that used to operate the sidings was a R&H 4wDM 48DS shunter. Ive always wanted to have a model of this shunter and I note that Hornby have just released one in 00. I was wondering if it would be possible to have one in N gauge? Im aware that it would only be just over 28mm long, (assuming my calculations are correct - the original I believe was 13'6"), so the question is more about the chasis. Is there one small enough to fit it? If there is what would I use?

As for the body, Im aiming to 3d print one so that I can produce my own.

Any thoughts on this? Or am I expecting to much?

 

AntonyVW

Edited May 16, 2021 by antonyvw
Add information

[65179]

Hi Antony,

 

There is this:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/YNF9TTTRV/ruston-48ds-n-scale-about-6-quot-1mm-wider-than-acc

 

Simon

[antonyvw]

Thank you. That is most helpful.

[bécasse]

R & H 48DS shunters are seriously small. While you can get a 3D-printed body, motorising it would be a serious challenge and incorporating enough weight to enable it to haul anything at all would be well nigh impossible.

[Curlew]

One was scratchbuilt by S Harris in the 1990s. I think it was featured in MRJ

 

http://www.2mm.org.uk/galleries/agm-1998/07.jpg

[Kris]

There used to be an etched brass kit for the 48DS in N. I can't remember who made it but I think I purchased mine from B & H Enterprises. I've never motorised it so can't advise on this part. 

 

Etched Pixies / Ultima have a 3d printed version and suggest a chassis that will work with it. 

[Valentin]

And you could get a motorized chassis from Narrow Garage.

[Nigelcliffe]

I was going to comment on the various chassis that Valentin references.    I've seen one built into a 3-D printed Sentinel body.  Eventually, it ran well, but was some work by the builder (not me) to get there...

 

Firstly, there isn't much weight, so lots of tungsten putty in every spare space.   Even then it doesn't weigh much, but its OK moving a few wagons.  

Secondly, speed control.  Those tiddly chassis with the little can motor are designed for low voltages; less than 5v will have them running at silly speeds.   So, a DC controller needs to be turned down to work over an acceptable range, most off-the-shelf DC controllers will struggle to control it.   DCC is possible with those decoders offering wide range of motor controls; in the example I'm discussing it was a Zimo MX616 with a single tantalum capacitor for stay-alive, with the motor setting CVs pushed a long way to get the speed controllable  (it was controllable, eventually, with the right settings).     The model came over my desk to load newer firmware into the decoder.