From Headquarters; Fire up Ol’ 88, the old man wants to educate the boys some more…
The best way to teach the lads the finer points of being ruthless Railroad Barons…
Motorman Swen keeps it hitting or missing, Jimmy Olsen cub reporter sits on the running board, a sales rep above him and the Family to the right…
Yep Ol’ 88 is a sharp rig.
Vic?
Vic’s going to run out of motor blocks fast!
I kinda have something like that already, still a neat little critter
I could use six motor blocks but that means I would have to build those projects that I haven’t done!
OK so I know that the new bright and similar cheap toy trains are not very well liked for obvious reasons but how are the motor blocks for little projects like this? Saw one a set, don’t remember the brand, and didn’t even bother to ask the price. Now I am wishing I had if for no other reason than for the motor block.
I will only answer that with the ole adage … ‘ya gets what ya pays fer’…
Devon, the problem with New Blight and EZtec/Scientific motor blocks is two fold:
1: They are actually fairly large, the motor/gearing/electronic minimal as they are, take up alot of that 3-axle-drives wheelbase. Even if you eliminate one or two axles and keep only the drive axle there still all the inside stuff to deal with. They are about the same size practically as an Aristo FA1 block.
2: They are very VERY noisy, I used to describe the running sound of a Xmas set Scientific engine as akin to a fork in a garbage disposal. Not even prodigious lubrication helps much.
Another problem is batteries, where do you store them? Maybe in the body of the railcar, if so better to switch from the standard 6 C cells they usually require and try to use AA cells, maybe 6 to 8 but it can be held in a much smaller made-for box housing with its own on/off switch, you can get them from any decent RC radio hobby shop.
Cool critter!
Trainworld has LGB F7 motor blocks for sale (no side-frames) and an upgrade motor block for the ICE train.
Also, I have been seeing some Bachmann Little Big hauler locomotives and sets for sale cheap. I guess they didn’t go over as well as some folks had hoped.
Just to add some more fuel to the fire. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Thanks Vic and Bob; nuff said. Glad I didn’t buy it.
Vic Smith said:
I kinda have something like that already, still a neat little critter
You can buy the motor blocks, differentials, axles and wheels from HLW, that power the critter shown in the above picture. Last time I got some the cost was $25.00 each. They don’t have them at the train shows I’ve gone to, but if HLW has a display at the show, like they do at ECLSTS, just ask and they’ll set you up.
That’s quite a creation. Sounds like it was a fun project.
