Large Scale Central

Battery & R/C in a Bachmann Eggliner

Electronics Power and Sound
#21

Joe, look at the weight of an RS-3, divide it in half… I think your eggliner will be within that weight easily.

Stock, without weight in the “Tank” the RS-3 weighs about 5-1/2 pounds, and adding the stock weight, or the factory optional weights should take it over 6 pounds. (this was for the old sleeve bearing motor blocks too!)

So, you have one motor block instead of 2, AND you have ball bearing axles. You stated the loco was about a pound… so you should be able to have the total weight 3 pounds (1/2 of 6 pounds for an RS-3) no problem.

I would not worry and keep the stock weight, especially since you don’t have traction tires.

Greg

#22

With the battery and the stock weight, the total weight would be about a pound and a half. Could that stress the gears?

Also, even if you don’t use your Eggliner as a loco, it has the ability to pull a couple cars straight from the box . I am not the first to try this:

#23

“stress the gears” is hard to define. Pulling more will stress the gears. More weight will stress the gears. The fact that many people have locos with this basic motor block that are 20 years old should put your mind at ease.

I cannot speak to the quality control of the latest production that is sold by Bachmann. The earlier ball bearing blocks have fared well.

I think you are worrying too much.

Greg

#24

That, and I don’t know. It was well within the 3 pound “limit” when I first heard the gear noise. I guess that’s all I have to go on. If I do hear it again, I know what to remove. I’ll test it this weekend.

Sorry for wasting everyone’s time :frowning:

#25

Joe, not wasting anyone’s time… if you see all the participation, it’s because people are interested.

But as they say in the song: “don’t worry be happy”… you can overthink things and sometimes you just got to check it out and see what happens.

Greg

#26

Joe Loll said:

I can see why you’d think that. For me, it is basically the Lil’ critter with a different appearance. Admittedly, it weighs less than a Lil’ critter, but the Lil’ critter can pull 4 or 5 standard size freight cars on level track.

Or a chip gravel-laden 2 bay hopper, as I found out in middle school.

#27

You going to get a string of egg haulers?

#28

After a couple months hiatus, I have been able to get back to work on this project.

A couple considerations:

  1. Due to the motor noise from the motor block after one pound of weight was added, I chose to use a smaller battery (4 cell) and remove the factory weight. With the factory weight removed, the total weight of the unit is about the same as before the conversion. Eventually, I may swap out the Bachmann remake truck for an original Aristo, and perhaps add back more weight (not sure why the Bachmann remake couldn’t handle the extra weight, but I think the Aristo block could).

  2. After much hemming and hawing, I have chosen to stick with the Airwire receiver. I had thought that the Airwire board was a little overkill for a critter such as this, which it is. However, I already have the Airwire board, and I wouldn’t have to pay money for a simpler system. Free is the best price there is. :slight_smile: Also, Airwire is the only system I’m really familiar with.

@David Maynard I had thought about it, but I’m just not a fan of the shape. I know it’s supposed to match the eggliner, but I prefer the look of rectangular cars better.

#29

Some of those motor blocks are just plain noisy and can last forever still making the noise. If it pulls what you want, then you don’t need the weight… but wheel slipping or other difficulties should put the weight in. The noise really should not change with weight, just load and speed.

Greg

#30

I just don’t feel comfortable putting more weight into the unit. I accept that the pulling power will not be great, but it should still be a fun unit to run. I should also mention that I decided to leave out the sound, as there was no easy way to mount the speaker, nor was there really any room for one. I wasn’t happy with the smaller speaker. It also made installation much easier. I actually got the egg up and running this past weekend, and I will try to share some photos later on.

#31

Always do what you are comfortable with!

#32

I have now finished with the all the electronics in the eggliner (I have actually been finished for about a month, but with finals I didn’t have time to post.) Posted below is a photo of the installation. As I had wanted, it is a no frills r/c loco, with the battery feeding the board, and the board feeding the motor. I also wired in an on/off switch. Next up is painting the eggliner shell, which I will put in a different thread and possibly include a link.​

(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=582706275560995&set=a.366065423891749&type=3&eid=ARDmc3fTE1FkxxS8jUemV8OGCvvZ_F3vvTpkmY2AOQPdbTAKlzo9PY_lzqGYaaKhbb0qtgGE9tlKr2UC)

#33

I don’t have a Facebook login, so all I see is a circle with a dash in it.

#34

Can anyone see it now?

#35

Joe

I can see it now!

Tom