44 Tonner

[SirTainly]

Kato chassis motor is 8mm at it's thinnest.

I think it can be made to fit pretty easy,  0.5mm off each side of one hood.

Sadly the sides are too thin to do that..how about thining the motor can ?

[up1950s]

I don't know MM from CM . The critter will not fit as is . However with the cover off the critter , it could be modified . The motor sits flat , so in that configuration .400 thousandths is needed . Maybe the motor could be rotated 90 degrees to it side , .320 thousandths would only be needed width wise .

[SirTainly]

I don't know MM from CM . The critter will not fit as is . However with the cover off the critter , it could be modified . The motor sits flat , so in that configuration .400 thousandths is needed . Maybe the motor could be rotated 90 degrees to it side , .320 thousandths would only be needed width wise .

10mm = 1 cm

Yes the cover has to come off, definitely.

Yes the motor will need to be rotated as Randy and Chris have done.

However I'm thinking if the motor is moved under the cab you might get a bit more room.

8mm is 0.315"

[SirTainly]

and if push comes to shove...the pager motors here would fit

http://www.totalrobots.com/acatalog/Total_Robots_Motors_30.html

[Chris333]

The Kato motor stock is 10mm wide.

If you move the motor forward to the cab the driveshaft will need to be shortened. the worm pivots with the trucks so you can mount the motor directly to it.

I think you can get the hood sides thin enough if your careful.

[Chris333]

Pager motor

1.3 volt

[SirTainly]

Pager motor

1.3 volt

Too weedy ?

6v version here

http://www.geocities.com/nigellawton009/6VMicroMotors.html

[Chris333]

I have that motor from Nigel, but it's in one of his critters.

I have repowered a Kato chassis with one of his 10mm motors though and it ran great!
http://www.railimages.com/albums/chrisschmuck/ahs.jpg

The plus is they are cheap too. I say it's worth a try if you can't get the stock motor to fit.

[up1950s]

Chris , where did you get those sideframes , they are almost perfect for the 44 ton ?

[randgust]

Here's the shot of my motor mount:





That's .010 styrene to make a pocket on the frame; motor is 90-degrees from the original.  On this one I didn't tinker with the wheelbase.  On the later Shay and Climax B conversions I did.  You can change the driveshaft length by cutting it and stuffing it into a piece of square K&S tubing.  It works.  On this one I also stuffed in the original resistor and I'd never do that again either.

You're going to have to replace the motor contact strips with wire; not a killer, just get used to it. And you 'probably' could simply goo or epoxy the motor right on the frame instead of trying the pocket thing.

Chris made the masters for his sideframes, which was the original inspiration for me starting to cast resin.  I got my sideframes from him; also the one hood end that turned into the GE 25-tonner.  Chris did a GREAT job on those sideframes - that's what convinced me to try to learn to do this.

[Chris333]

Richie,
Talking about these sideframes???
http://www.railimages.com/albums/chrisschmuck/adl.sized.jpg
They are GHQ parts from RLW, NP tender truck sideframes.

They would be closer than the stock sideframes, but not perfect.



Just confirmed, I am getting one of these shells. No breath holding please, remember my own 44T has been on the shelf for a while now.  :-\

[up1950s]

Richie,
Talking about these sideframes???
http://www.railimages.com/albums/chrisschmuck/adl.sized.jpg
They are GHQ parts from RLW, NP tender truck sideframes.

They would be closer than the stock sideframes, but not perfect.



Just confirmed, I am getting one of these shells. No breath holding please, remember my own 44T has been on the shelf for a while now.  :-\

Thanks Chris . I think I can add a strip of plastic above , and or below those trucks to make them look more like the GE trucks . Thanks , this saves a lot of scratch building to the 8th power .

EDIT those sideframes are ordered now as well . Woohoo . I bet my UP decales for the cab will be too big . Time will tell .

[tom mann]

What MT couplers work with the critter chassis? 1015s?

Just found out I was able to secure three of these.  This will be a fun project.

[Chris333]

Well I hope someone makes a mold for these.

Tom,
I think you could take your pick on couplers. The Kato chassis has truck mounted rapidos, you could rig up a MT in that box with the metal insert or cut them off the trucks like we did.

To body mount I think Randy used a 1015 or one of those 1017 passenger car truck couplers (very short) I used 903's, but had to cut a lot of the box off the back. I might have a pic of it somewhere.

The body mounts would probably be mounted to the shell and not the chassis so any mounting pad would decide what couplers fit.

[tom mann]

Well I hope someone makes a mold for these.

Tom,
I think you could take your pick on couplers. The Kato chassis has truck mounted rapidos, you could rig up a MT in that box with the metal insert or cut them off the trucks like we did.

To body mount I think Randy used a 1015 or one of those 1017 passenger car truck couplers (very short) I used 903's, but had to cut a lot of the box off the back. I might have a pic of it somewhere.

The body mounts would probably be mounted to the shell and not the chassis so any mounting pad would decide what couplers fit.

You know, you're right.  This model is so small that 903s will probably look great.  I'll give them a shot.