Large Scale Central

Upgrading my locomotive motor?

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

I recently bought a copy (at a really cheap price) of the Lionel “G” Hogwarts Express. It’s a really nice set and was better than I expected. Now I am fully aware of the quality of these sets from Lionel and how cheap they are but can I somehow improve the locomotive by either giving it a new motor as well as adding weight to it? It’s fairly weak puller but if there’s any options I’m curious to hear them even if it sounds like a lost cause. You can see the work so far on changing it back to it’s original GWR livery.

#2

You might contact www.barrysbigtrains.com

#3

Sure is a nice looking loco.
Dave

#4

Alright I’ll give it a shot. I’ll have to replace the drivers anyway, they’re plastic. @Dave: Thanks, mate. I re-painted the coaches in the classic two-tone cream and chocolate. Very classy.

#5

Lionel’s motors are usually pretty good stuff. It it is anything like the one that powers their Atlantic, you won’t be able to beat it with a stick. Before you dismiss it out of hand, take a real good look at it.

#6

Dennis Cherry, Good to “see” you again.

Steve, the Lionel Atlantic motor is ‘weak’ Pittman, plus the worms are on the end of very long shafts which allow the worms to flex especially under load.

Caleb, what is the diameter of the drivers? I may be able to help.

Barry - BBT

#7

Barry, the drivers are 2 1/4" in diameter (excluding the flanges, right?). Like I mentioned before they’re plastic so I don’t think they’d last very long outside on my track. Would it help if I posted a picture of the inside mechanism?

#8

I guess I got a good one, then, Barry. I strapped the motor down with three straps instead of just the one, and it will pull 8 - 10 40 ft Aristo cars up a 25 ft 5 % grade without breaking a sweat. Of course I’ve added 4 lbs of lead to the boiler.

#9

Steve,

I think you did get a good one.

Caleb,

The best wheels I can think of, are those on the NEW Thomas the Tank. The wheels are a bit over 2" and in a “European” style.

It might be interest to see what kind of a drive is there. It can’t be of much use in a track or R/C loco. What voltage is the motor?

How large is the motor? Does it run?

Barry - BBT

#10

Caleb,

Just measured the wheels, they are 2.194".

Barry - BBT

#11

Sounds like a good idea, I’ll take a pic of the drive and measure the motor tomorrow. It runs on 6 C cells or a 9.6v rechargeable.

#12

Well I tried to take a pic the best I can. The chassis detach from the locomotive body via 4 screws and has two wires both of which can be detached from the mother board making it easier to work on. The motor is the same diameter as a Bachmann Big Hauler motor but a little bit shorter (2 1/2" roughly). Sorry about the quality, if it’s too bad I can re-take another photo.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6831348549_e9b4f49843_z.jpg)

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6831348707_b557312325_z.jpg)

#13

The Bachmann Big Hauler motor is just under 1 1/2" long. Trying to make out the gear arrangement, looks like the big gear is on the axle, probably engaged to a cluster gear with a small spur gear and a larger worm gear, then the worm.

What do you want this loco to do? (and for how long?).

Barry - BBT

#14

Yeah that photo is hard to tell how the gears are arranged. Here’s a better angle.

(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6841283639_8abbc48d1d_z.jpg)

I want this loco to be able to haul it’s own 2 coaches, both are 13" long and don’t weight much at all. (I plan to buy 2 more coaches later to add) Like I mentioned before the motor seems really weak and didn’t take much effort to hold it back without wheel slippage. Most of the weight it’s pulling is it’s own tender full of C cell batteries. I’m afraid that if I add any weight to the engine the motor will burn out.