I think your motor is hanging a tad low....

Jim, these kind of drives need to be very solidly mounted so they can't rotate around the axle - which they will try to do instead of turning the wheels.  The attached pic shows a Fosworks drive, just like the NWSL (and also no longer available,) with the big plate that fit on the motor lugs to stop it rotating.

Make a sub assembly for the motor and Wheels. I think you are too dependent on your foam frame. I'd rather the frame merely hold it true to the track than holding moving parts in alignment.

Combine that with Marty's reinforced frame ideas ...

How easily removable are the motors in your locomotives?  

Perhaps some disassembly required

My thought would be to run a brass flat bar on the under side of the frame at your mount location and 

through bolt the mount to the frame to reinforce the frame at what will be a stress point for the frame.

Even if it were removable, what are the odds of finding a replacement If it broke. 

doc

Jim Rowson said:

Eric: I would LOVE to make it removable, but I'm not so totally sure I know how to do it. I'll keep noodling at it. Thanks for encouraging me (I think?)...

 

Eric: I would LOVE to make it removable, but I'm not so totally sure I know how to do it. I'll keep noodling at it. Thanks for encouraging me (I think?)...

Jim,

Based on a well-grounded lack of experience, I am all for making the motor removable and replaceable.  You never know where a good idea in concept might translate into a bad idea in practice!

Eric

I hate it when my doohickey gets slonchwise (hmmm, I always thought it was slaunchwise, but who's counting? neither one passes spellcheck).

Today was dingus day: building a little bracket to hold the motor at an angle. This is just the basic strap... I need to also add a piece to hold it firmly in place on top of the plastic tab that is obviously there to help hold the motor in place (I hope!). Not show here, I also added some trim to make the frame be parallel to the track (i.e. straight!). Waiting for glue to dry and have some screws and bolts on order so I can decide how I want to actually attach this firmly.

Before I post pics, I have a question for this highly experienced audience: how much should I worry about making this motor be removable (i.e. replaceable)? Or should I just go ahead and make this a permanent installation?

OK, pics:

Happy stay-at-home!

Jim, I really like the looks of this build so far.  A rail truck is one of the few missing pieces of motive power I would like to have on the roster.  Watching with great interest.

Him, just make sure your doo hickey is not slonchwise, as my uncle  used to say. I once asked what slonchwise was and he said the opposite of antigoggling!!! Thanks Uncle Bill!

Jim,

I feel you. I think I am going to have to break down and make a frame much like you are for mine. Trying to make things fit where they were never intended to go in a small model is a bit rough. You will get it.

Dirty Dingus McGee= Frank Sinatra

Dirty Dingus McGee - wasn't that a 1960s or 70s western movie? My Dad was a big fan of Westerns. And didn't it star someone who was famous for some other form of entertainment?
Okay off to look in Google.

Jim Rowson said:

I have a dingus too, if that helps!

I know its been asked before, but I think its time to ask once again ..........

Is the damn thing done yet 

Heck, I leave for a few days and come back and WOW, you've built a mighty fine looking engine.  You can carry on.

Devon Sinsley said:

John Caughey said:

Korm Kormsen said:

hmmm...

i see, where the water can be filled in.

but where do they fill in the oil?

Maybe it's a hybrid and there will be a charging port

Oh now hey there's an idea. The first Tesla locomotive

Keep rolling along Devon....there is a whole bunch of detail nitpick stuff that could be added but not necessary. Focus on the overall look !

Looking good

John Caughey said:

Korm Kormsen said:

hmmm...

i see, where the water can be filled in.

but where do they fill in the oil?

Maybe it's a hybrid and there will be a charging port

Oh now hey there's an idea. The first Tesla locomotive

Korm Kormsen said:

hmmm...

i see, where the water can be filled in.

but where do they fill in the oil?

I wondered if anyone would ask that. Its not an oil burner. I realize it looks like it with the flat cover but that is just a cover the hole where I will access the electronics. This is a wood burning loco and will have a pile of wood. I will split some twigs and glue them onto the cover so it has a wood load. This is the same thing I did for the 2-6-0

Korm Kormsen said:

hmmm...

i see, where the water can be filled in.

but where do they fill in the oil?

Maybe it's a hybrid and there will be a charging port