3D printed motor blocks for my GVT Glyn loco

[ge_rik]

Some of you might recall that I designed, drew and printed a GVT Beyer Peacock loco in 1:20 scale and used a Bachmann motor block from a tramcar for its motive power. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed with its performance - it could just about manage three coaches but struggled with a decent goods train up my 1:40 gradients. So, I designed and printed my own motor block using an MFA Como 918D 30:1 gearmotor.


Alas, this was no more powerful than the Bachmann block - and so, I got myself a more powerful gearbox motor - the MFA Como 942DLN with a 51:1 gear ratio. The motor block needed to be redesigned to take the larger motor but, fortunately, I managed to squeeze it into the body of the Glyn


The Glyn is now a heck of a lot more powerful - probably the most powerful loco on the line (if I added more weight to give it adhesion).

Motor blocks are now so difficult to find from any manufacturer and so I aim to keep experimenting with my own. I've just taken delivery of a Polulo gearmotor which is a compromise between the MFA Como 918D and the 942DLN. I'll see if I can produce something which is just as powerful as the LGB ToyTrain blocks which I've used in the past and been extermely pleased with.

Rik

 

[Rhinochugger]

Yep, Rik, it's the gearing as much as anything else. I s'pose, to be fair, the Bachmann tram was only designed to haul itself and possibly a trailer.

Even 30:1 cab be a push for some motors in our large scale.

40:1 is probably ideal, 50:1 is powerful but slow.

Then again, I've had trouble with single reduction gears of 40:1 stripping, and therefore a motor with a reduction gearhead that involves two or three stage reduction is going to be more robust.

I don't know if you remember, but all of my woes with the Yeti (as in yetinother gearbox) were resolved when I used a 30:1 double reduction motor/ gearbox from one of the 0 Guage suppliers (which they had designed and built for Guage 1 use)

 

[dunnyrail]

Some of you might recall that I designed, drew and printed a GVT Beyer Peacock loco in 1:20 scale and used a Bachmann motor block from a tramcar for its motive power. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed with its performance - it could just about manage three coaches but struggled with a decent goods train up my 1:40 gradients. So, I designed and printed my own motor block using an MFA Como 918D 30:1 gearmotor.
View attachment 312239

Alas, this was no more powerful than the Bachmann block - and so, I got myself a more powerful gearbox motor - the MFA Como 942DLN with a 51:1 gear ratio. The motor block needed to be redesigned to take the larger motor but, fortunately, I managed to squeeze it into the body of the Glyn
View attachment 312240

The Glyn is now a heck of a lot more powerful - probably the most powerful loco on the line (if I added more weight to give it adhesion).

Motor blocks are now so difficult to find from any manufacturer and so I aim to keep experimenting with my own. I've just taken delivery of a Polulo gearmotor which is a compromise between the MFA Como 918D and the 942DLN. I'll see if I can produce something which is just as powerful as the LGB ToyTrain blocks which I've used in the past and been extermely pleased with.

Rik

Rik reading your superb blog about the build of this loco I see you have used the MLS British Loco Sound Card, I have one of these and am very happy with the sound and the whistles are much more European than the other cards. Problem I have is for my German theme there is no Bell. I know you use the bell to announce departure Southwold style, presumably that does not bother you with the Glynn Train?

 

[Rhinochugger]

Rik reading your superb blog about the build of this loco I see you have used the MLS British Loco Sound Card, I have one of these and am very happy with the sound and the whistles are much more European than the other cards. Problem I have is for my German theme there is no Bell. I know you use the bell to announce departure Southwold style, presumably that does not bother you with the Glynn Train?

I think there is a bell, but probably only in US mode. I don't know if you can have Euro chuff with US bell

 

[PhilP]

I think there is a bell, but probably only in US mode. I don't know if you can have Euro chuff with US bell

I think you will find it depends on which version, as well as country settings?

The newest 'black' premium cards are not available at the moment (there may be some supply with dealers) so they are marketing the older cards as the 'classic' at the moment.

PhilP

 

[Rhinochugger]

I think you will find it depends on which version, as well as country settings?

The newest 'black' premium cards are not available at the moment (there may be some supply with dealers) so they are marketing the older cards as the 'classic' at the moment.

PhilP

I've got blue and green (I think) and both have bells as well as whistles but I have them on US settings

 

[ge_rik]

Rik reading your superb blog about the build of this loco I see you have used the MLS British Loco Sound Card, I have one of these and am very happy with the sound and the whistles are much more European than the other cards. Problem I have is for my German theme there is no Bell. I know you use the bell to announce departure Southwold style, presumably that does not bother you with the Glynn Train?

Hi Jon
I hadn't noticed, TBH. I haven't wired up the card inputs for the additional sounds apart from the whistle, so hadn't spotted the omission of the bell. I don't often use the bell effect though I do use the guard's whistle which also seems to have disappeared from the Classic version.

Rik

 

[Rhinochugger]

Hi Jon
I hadn't noticed, TBH. I haven't wired up the card inputs for the additional sounds apart from the whistle, so hadn't spotted the omission of the bell. I don't often use the bell effect though I do use the guard's whistle which also seems to have disappeared from the Classic version.

Rik

I use the remote control for odd sounds - you just have to conceal the infra-red umbilical somewhere - it's not too difficult to hide it with just the end showing somewhere.

Being infra-red, you need a direct line-of-fire to the remote - something I forgot when blasting the horn on the railbus as it moved off it went a fair few yards before I managed to quiten it down

 

[dunnyrail]

I use the remote control for odd sounds - you just have to conceal the infra-red umbilical somewhere - it's not too difficult to hide it with just the end showing somewhere.

Being infra-red, you need a direct line-of-fire to the remote - something I forgot when blasting the horn on the railbus as it moved off it went a fair few yards before I managed to quiten it down

While the infra Red gives you all the sounds via a TV remote, not a lot of good if you are driving with an RX as well. Both hands get used so how am I going to wield a shunting hook and hold a simplified for my schedule? I use 3 outputs on the Fosworks Rx (4 on my Deltang). The sounds that I use are whistle, bell and blower being the most used sound noticed on a loco. Blow down is nice and the Deltang uses that as well on the MLS. Fosworks DCC of course gives you many more sounds but via a combination for more than 3 of pressing up to 2 other buttons to achieve 12 sounds.

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi Jon
I hadn't noticed, TBH. I haven't wired up the card inputs for the additional sounds apart from the whistle, so hadn't spotted the omission of the bell. I don't often use the bell effect though I do use the guard's whistle which also seems to have disappeared from the Classic version.

Rik

The setup with the newer MLS cards is somewhat more complex, I am sure that a whistle is there somewhere. Sorry Rik we seam to have drifted your thread!

 

[JimmyB]

The setup with the newer MLS cards is somewhat more complex, I am sure that a whistle is there somewhere. Sorry Rik we seam to have drifted your thread!

I did find with the Premium MLS my remote would not work correctly, and Andy at Micron gave me an alternative code to use.

 

[PhilP]

I did find with the Premium MLS my remote would not work correctly, and Andy at Micron gave me an alternative code to use.

With the TV remotes...
There is a code for Sony, and then there is a code for Sony.


It does get better with practice.
PhilP.

 

[ge_rik]

The setup with the newer MLS cards is somewhat more complex, I am sure that a whistle is there somewhere. Sorry Rik we seam to have drifted your thread!

No problem - it's all interesting and useful stuff. Maybe, though, for ease of future reference, we should start a new thread on experiences with the newer MLS soundcards. I'm sure Peter will be more than happy to respond.

Rik