Battery Railcar using Peter Spoerer (Fosworks) kit

[dunnyrail]

I inherited a couple of Railcars when Andy Rush died in 2013, one a Diesel one that was Track Powered with a Massoth Sound Chip in it. Phots of this machine have appeared in the Forum before. The second was the Prototype of what was to be a short run of Overhead Electric Railcars. This was basically a Body Shell converted from a Newquida Coach and a couple of I think USA Trains Power Bogies, Roof Flat pre cut plus a GRS Roof Profile to sit on top. On the Dunnybahn it will be a Diesel Railcar and to that end I ordered last week from Steve who now has taken over from Peter Spoerer the bits that I needed. These arrived in the Post very quicky despite Steve needing to make the Battery Pack up as a special. They in fact arrived yesterday but I was out so collected the parts today.

Prior to Today I have done a little work on the beast just fitting the Bogies and making a bit of a bodge to where the Loo will be to fit one of the Bogies. One of the bogies has been adapted so that it can Swivel Left to Right and the other has been made to sit flat. These fits were done to ensure that the Railcar does not lean, a problem that we had with Andy's original one that I managed to fix after considerable bad language. The following pics attempt to show the arrangement without completely pulling things apart again.

The A End Bogie has the Brass U shape held on with the Screws at each end. This has to be done with great care as these hold Thrust Bearings in place.
The B End has a piece of Copper Clad with the Bogie Screws being used as Pivot Points and a Screw in the Centre to hold it all in place.

Pic below shows pretty well the Body as modified by Andy just sitting on the Bogies as fitted by me.

I wanted to get the Batteries into the Roof and a little work with some spare Aa's that were kicking around showed that I could fit 5x3 (well a few more actually but 15 is plenty) under the GRS Roof Profile and it would still sit flat on the Black Plastic as shown.

Showing the Roof Profile test fitted. Starting to look more like a Unit.

The various Power Parts shown lined up waiting to be stuffed somewhere in the body.

Having managed to wedge everything in it seamed like a good time for a test run. Here is the beast in the Garden during that Testing. Note the hanging on/off switch and charging plug. Plus a YouTube Vid of the run.

Battery was temporarily shoved into the Passenger Compartment. Viper, RC Reciever and Sound Unit stuffed into the Rest Room, was going to say Bog but I thought that would be a little uncouth.

Below shows the arrangement for the Wires from the Bogies to the Electrical system. Inside the Trunking there is a Choc Block that joins the wires and two bogies together. A few holes had to be drilled to get wires in place.

List of parts that I have used to get this beast Battery Powered:-
- Mylocosound Diesel Sound Card
- AA Battery Pack 15 cells low discharge NiMH
- No1 Loom with a Metal Toggle Switch
- OMNi Tx 2.1 Transmitter
- OMNi Rx 2 Reciever
- Viper ESC-125 Speed Controller
- 3 Way Sound Card Lead
- SND-500 50mm Speaker

All thoughtfully connected together by Steve, all I had to do was wire in the Bogies to get it all working.

I was originally with Bench Tests a little unsure about the Viper as it appeard to want to shoot off in what appeard to be an uncontrolled way. But test running on Rails showed it to be a positive and controllable, more than adequate for a bit of Shunting when handling Mixed Trains.

So thus far I am pleasd with my efforts today to get this to a rolling unit. Next up will be to get on with the detailing and not least Windows.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I've used a mini viper (or is it a micro?), and it's been very good. I'd remove the skates from the bogies though - you probably have already done that now

 

[mike]

Great idea and it's comming together nicely

 

[dunnyrail]

I've used a mini viper (or is it a micro?), and it's been very good. I'd remove the skates from the bogies though - you probably have already done that now

Skates. Not yet but thanks for the reminder. Must investigate the Mini Viper, despite the size of this beast I am a little concerned at having stuffed the Viper, Reciever and Sound Chip all in a pretty confined space.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Skates. Not yet but thanks for the reminder. Must investigate the Mini Viper, despite the size of this beast I am a little concerned at having stuffed the Viper, Reciever and Sound Chip all in a pretty confined space.

Yeah, it's actually the Micro Viper 10 - there is a marine version but the one I have does have 'cruise control' so is suitable for garden railway locomotives. I believe that the original concept behind cruise control was so that the train would keep moving even if radio contact were lost through distance or obstruction, but it's mighty useful for longer, tail-chasing railroads like mine

 

[dunnyrail]

A little derisory work yesterday, reviewing how Andy had made his Bogie Sideframes and Drawing out how the design for mine will work strongly based on a French Doesel Railcar in the Drawing below. I also managed to cut the Basic Brass that will be shaped to the correct design. Hope you can work out the shape from Andy's ones, the prototype that I will be using and my own rather amature drawing.

Below two pics of Andy's Bogies, the sideframes are all Metal Construction with small screws for detail and even small bits or rod soldered in. Even the Springs have been soldered up from short lengths of thin brass. Quite a robust job. Andy also used LGB Snow Skids on his Bogies, a typical Swiss feature. Not sure if I will on on my ones. LGB Couplins sans Hooks complete the job.



Prototype that I wish to follow.

My full size drawing with the cut outs shown as pen hatching somewhat crude. Colour would have shown things up much better, but my Cad Skills and patience to do a full job are pretty well non existant. But it will work for me. At least I managed to cut the 4 pieces of Brass to length ready to go.

 

[dunnyrail]

Well I had intended to do a lot of work on the Bogie today but got a request to meet the Mayor so that lost the morning. Then when I got home had to attend to some dislodged Fence Panels. But I did make a start and the 4 Sideframes were bolted up (after drilling them all held in a vice for 10BA Clearance) and Chain Drilled for the Middle cutouts. Attached Pic shows where I am just now. Quite dodgy bodgy Chain Cutting!
Lack of Daylight made any further progress nigh on impossible as I could not see the Scribe Lines when the work was in the Vice for further cutting and filing. The two prominent holes are where the Power Bogie Axles will sit.

 

[Moonraker]

Well I had intended to do a lot of work on the Bogie today but got a request to meet the Mayor so that lost the morning. Then when I got home had to attend to some dislodged Fence Panels. But I did make a start and the 4 Sideframes were bolted up (after drilling them all held in a vice for 10BA Clearance) and Chain Drilled for the Middle cutouts. Attached Pic shows where I am just now. Quite dodgy bodgy Chain Cutting!View attachment 232184
Lack of Daylight made any further progress nigh on impossible as I could not see the Scribe Lines when the work was in the Vice for further cutting and filing. The two prominent holes are where the Power Bogie Axles will sit.

3D printing is great for bogies. You just have to draw a half a bogie, copy, flip and merge it to make the whole and then print it four times. And you don't even need a 3D printer, just draw it and send it to a local member of 3D Hubs or similar organisations.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound

 

[dunnyrail]

3D printing is great for bogies. You just have to draw a half a bogie, copy, flip and merge it to make the whole and then print it four times. And you don't even need a 3D printer, just draw it and send it to a local member of 3D Hubs or similar organisations.

Regards
Peter Lucas
MyLocoSound

Thanks Peter but they would be plastic or somesuch material, I like Metal and enjoy working with it.

 

[dunnyrail]

I fanally fisished up the ckeaning of the Chain Cutting earlier this week and have been working on the metod to Join the Sideframes together.

Below the 4 frames still bolted together placed over my roigh drawing. Not an exact fit but more or less what I was looking to achieve

Just test hungbon the Bogie after a little hole widening to make them fit.

Next Job was to create the Frame Spacers, procedure for this akin to Scratch Building a Loco Chassis.

I used 6mm Solid Brass Square Section cut into 4 58mm lengths that had to be overcut then properly Squared off with files and much checking with an Engineers Setsuare. Much gentle work with a vice ensured this, easier would have been to part each length off in the Lathe. Sounds so much easier now that I have just thought about it!

Next step was to drill the Bar Centrally for the 10BA screws that would hold the frames to the Spacers. This was done in the Lathe with a 10BA Threading Drill around 15mm deep, then another drill somewhat larger for around 3mm to enable the Top of the Screws to go all the way in as a Die generally does not cut the full length of the screw, well mine are not anyway. Third and Final Operation is to Tap the hole for 10BA, this is again done in the Lathe with the Drill Holder loose so that the Tap pulls itself into the work as it is turned. 5 turns forwards and 2 back till the Tap is all the way in.

Pic below shows the 10BA Tapping Screw waiting tomstart a new drilling job. Oversize Drill and 10BA Tap can be seen just Left of the Dividers which are set for the Depth of the Drill about tombe done. This will be measured as the Drill Chuck is moved forwards in the Lathe. This job being Square is done in the 4 Jaw Chuck which can take a little while to Centre. As each work is done the same two parts of the 4 Jaw are unturned just 1/2 of a turn, work turnedcor removed fornthe next 3 bits of the job. This makes sure that once a piece is trued up the others will follow suit. Though it is always best to ensure that the work is centred properly before you start drilling.

First set of frames screwed up together. One side will be soldered up solid allowing the other sides screws to be undone for removal/fitting. This will ensure that the Spacers stay flat as there will be a Coupling Mount fitted to one end and various bits to hold the frame to the Bogie. Yet to be copied or worked out as one of the Bogie ends os significantly different in its Bogie fitting to the method used by Andy.

I know Cad or Moulded would have been much easier and possibly quicker, but I am using technology that I am familiar with. All the Metal used thus far has been sourced from stock and as said before I like working with Metal.

 

[PhilP]

That 'rear' spacer looks remarkably like the 'blunt' end of a cutting-tool for lathe-work??

 

[Rhinochugger]

You used to be able to buy frame spacers from Roundhouse - haven't looked at the website lately though

 

[PhilP]

You used to be able to buy frame spacers from Roundhouse - haven't looked at the website lately though

Where's the fun in that? - Though knowing my metal-working skills!

 

[dunnyrail]

That 'rear' spacer looks remarkably like the 'blunt' end of a cutting-tool for lathe-work??

Ah it had a saw lump out of it, but I used it anyway. Will probably fill gap with solder.

 

[dunnyrail]

You used to be able to buy frame spacers from Roundhouse - haven't looked at the website lately though

Probably still can but I doubt they would have worked for this project, anyway more fun to make them!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Probably still can but I doubt they would have worked for this project, anyway more fun to make them!

Although remember that most Roundhouse locos have outside frames

 

[dunnyrail]

Have been beevering away at this project over the last few days and some progress has been made. Looking at the Test fit of the Bogies in Post #10 there is an awfully large gap that I have been pondering over. There was also the issue of Buffer, Couplings and fitting Off/On Switch. Plus better securing the Bogie Sideframes and the start of some detail for these.

First things were to attend to the Couplings and Buffers. Andy had used E177059 on the packet. This consists of a Plough with a fitment to allow the Buffer to sit on it. All convinently Screwed to the L Shaped Shaft that I made up into an LGB Coupling Loop. The second pic shows this which is screwed to the Frame Spacer with 10Ba nuts n bolts and into the Screw of the Thrust Bearing on an L Shaped Shaft. A shorter L shaped shaft does a similarvjob at the end of the Bogie as can be seen in the third picture. Al of the drilling for this was undertaken in my Vertical Pillar Drill, invaluable for accuracy and not breaking lots of small drills.

Below can be seen the fake box that I have buikt for the Switch and Charging Socket. Essential to have these relatively easily accesible, I can live with them being on the Outer Side of my Garden line as they are not seen too much in Traffic.

I mentioned earlier in this post that there was a rather large gap below the body work. This has been filled with an I beam of Brass Curtain Runner, an invaluable resource donated to me by one Martin Shrubsole of Somesay Island fame. Thanks Martin, so glad that I took a little more than I needed for the original project that I had in mind for this stuff. It has been held in place by 10Ba Nuts n Bolts plus the original fittings that Andy used to couple the Plastic Body to the Ally Sheet used as a strong flat bottom plate. Some of the fixings for this can be seen in the earlier pictures, Andy used Self Tapping Screws for his fitting. The Snow Plows needed a little shaved off the Top to clear these sideframes.
The Bogie Sideframes have thus far had U's sweated onto them just seen either side where the Axles poke out of the sideframes. Next will be to fit some Axle Guards and perhaps some more details like Rivets etc.

 

[Tony Walsham]

Hi Dunnyrail.
Nice work.
One thing you may not be aware of regarding the charge jack (socket).
When the pin in the socket is positive, the frame of the socket is negative potential. When mounted uninsulated to a metal frame that frame also becomes negative. Carried through, that means being bolted to the main chassis it too becomes a ground potential. Be careful not to let battery positive anywhere near the chassis.
Not usually a problem, but it could be.

 

[PhilP]

Hi Dunnyrail.
Nice work.
One thing you may not be aware of regarding the charge jack (socket).
When the pin in the socket is positive, the frame of the socket is negative potential. When mounted uninsulated to a metal frame that frame also becomes negative. Carried through, that means being bolted to the main chassis it too becomes a ground potential. Be careful not to let battery positive anywhere near the chassis.
Not usually a problem, but it could be.

Really??
Where do you get your charge-sockets from, Tony?

I had to go-get the meter out!
I do not think the socket Jon has used will be like that. - Certainly the ones I supply do not have a connection between the fixing barrel and any of the pins.

 

[Paul M]

Really??
Where do you get your charge-sockets from, Tony?

I had to go-get the meter out!
I do not think the socket Jon has used will be like that. - Certainly the ones I supply do not have a connection between the fixing barrel and any of the pins.

I thought the fixing barrel was earth.