battery powering a Gandy Dancer

5H17 said:
Sorry to dig up an age old thread, but how did you get on with this in the end? I'm just about to attempt the very same thing, and was actually just about to order a small battery pack thinking 'that's bound to be enough'. I'd best go and try mine first, just to be sure.
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Good idea, it would be able to make the speed more realistic!
 
Since my original post here, in 2011, I have battery powered three candy dancers. Two Bachmann and one LGB. The first Bachmann I did was of the older design with the wimpy rubber band motor. The second one is the more robust worm driven motor. The last is the LGB candy dancer. The yellow Bachmann works just OK. The gray Bachmann works well but not through sprung turnouts, as you will see in the video. The LGB works the best, but to my mind is not the most realistic. The films are not in order of the description above.



 
It's the gray Bachmann one I have. I haven't taken it to bits yet to see the motor arrangement.
What batteries do you have in those? I was going to build a crate similar to the arrangement you have on the trailer but am not sure what I can fit in there. I'm also liking the outhouse idea mentioned earlier in this very thread :blush:
 
5H17 said:
It's the gray Bachmann one I have. I haven't taken it to bits yet to see the motor arrangement.
What batteries do you have in those? I was going to build a crate similar to the arrangement you have on the trailer but am not sure what I can fit in there. I'm also liking the outhouse idea mentioned earlier in this very thread :blush:
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The gray dancer has a nine volt battery housed in it's own box. The box has a slide switch on top of it and two wire leads as it comes from the factory. I glued a Bachmann tool tray, the one that comes with the yellow GD, to the top of the battery box. I cut a hole in the bottom of the tray where it sits over the slide switch, so it's somewhat hidden.

The yellow GD has 4 AAA batteries in the crate. The LGB has a nine volt battery on the front of it that I painted black. It is held in place via open 9 volt battery holder. All sorts of battery holders are available on Ebay. But try to look for the ones that come directly from China as they are much less expensive. There are some sellers that buy them from China then resell them on Ebay.
 
Madman said:
The gray dancer has a nine volt battery housed in it's own box. The box has a slide switch on top of it and two wire leads as it comes from the factory. I glued a Bachmann tool tray, the one that comes with the yellow GD, to the top of the battery box. I cut a hole in the bottom of the tray where it sits over the slide switch, so it's somewhat hidden.

The yellow GD has 4 AAA batteries in the crate. The LGB has a nine volt battery on the front of it that I painted black. It is held in place via open 9 volt battery holder. All sorts of battery holders are available on Ebay. But try to look for the ones that come directly from China as they are much less expensive. There are some sellers that buy them from China then resell them on Ebay.
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I wondered where the batteries would go! Good disguises! I made my trailer into a pick-up also (directly wired to the Gandy).I might copy your idea!
 
whatlep said:
Could I suggest a Pola/Piko outdoor loo as the structure, both for size and a guaranteed smile raiser?
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I've just ordered one to try exactly that! If it works I will post some piccies :)
 
The actual conversion is far easier than I thought. Took less than an hour to cobble this together. Just need to add a switch and charge socket etc, but I won't do that until I decide what I am going to cover the battery with.
 
Great ! No grass will grow under your feet !
 
Works a treat :)
 

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And it's not made of brick!
 
Now how about a video.....;)
 
Careful what you wish for....

 
You'll be flushed with success, with that one! :clap::giggle::giggle:

The running water in the background is appropriate too!! :rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
I do wonder whether they are allowed to use it while they are in a station though :(
 
You do get some great tomatoes growing in the fourfoot though!
 
Badoom Tishhhh!
 
Thanks for that. I'm sure you will get much enjoyment from it.
 
I had one of the probably quite early one of these with the horrible Band Drive. Ran like a Dog due to no pickup on the Trailer. So I decided to re hash it to a Battery Drive. Made connections between the two units, battery on the Trailer hidden by a Box. Using a DPDT Switch set up and of course weatherd it. Ran very sedately till the band gave up the ghost. So the Trailer now acts as a Pull at the Rear of a Train thing ala Welsh Highland. The driving bit Dumped by a pile of scrap as below in my Silberhutte Station Yard:-
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Below Tex gets a ride on the revised Loop Section behind a Passenger Train en route to a PWay Job out on the Line somewhere. Probably to fettle up the revised Track on this relaid Loop.
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On this you can see the Battery Box, all the connections have been stripped out. I have all the motor and bits in a bag somewhere. Saving for a Rainy day or boot sale!
JonD
 
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