Revamped railmotor with suspension

[ge_rik]

The railmotor which I bashed from a couple of Andel freelance coaches has undergone quite a few revisions since she was built - new r/c, new motor and gearbox, new lighting, new wheels and now to improve her running reliability - front suspension. I made the mistake of making her wheelbase too long and as my trackwork is not without a few `undulations` she often struggled to keep all four feet on the ground - especially when negotiating some of my less than level pointwork.


So ........ I made a rocking bracket by adding a fulcrum (ie a piece of brass rod) to the back of it



Now, the front wheels follow the track wherever it may wander ......


Rik

 

[ge_rik]

.... but the proof of the pudding ........

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZEaZoFsCA[/youtube]

As you can see, test-running lasted most of the day - and some of the night!

Rik

PS - Slightly more detail on the mods here - http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/how-added-suspension-to-my-railmotor.html

 

[gregh]

Looks like a simple solution. I've read about and tried various '3 point suspensions' but my skills never achieved a good result. Maybe I'll give your simple system a go. But probably, whatever I use it on will just droop down on one side.
Great night shots. Love the 2 headlights. But the internal lights may be a bit bright for your era?

 

[ge_rik]

Great night shots. Love the 2 headlights. But the internal lights may be a bit bright for your era?

Yes - I replaced four very dim yellow LEDs in each coach with two bright LEDs. As you say, even only two are too bright. I think I'll either paint them yellow or replace them with conventional LEDs.

Rik
PS - Just thought. I might have some flickering LEDs left over from the tea-lights I bought for lighting my signals

 

[ge_rik]

But probably, whatever I use it on will just droop down on one side.

I think as long as you only put suspension on one axle it will be OK - the other axle will keep it level.
I've figured it's a bit like a three-legged stool - it will never wobble (well that's the theory) - Reliant Robins were never noted for their cornering ability!!

Rik

 

[gregh]

I 'think' 3 point suspension like a stool, works OK if the 'legs' are roughly equally spaced. When you get 2 legs 45mm apart and the 3rd one 400mm away, I think the idea 'falls over' - just like the Reliant Robins.

 

[KandNWLR]

.... but the proof of the pudding ........

As you can see, test-running lasted most of the day - and some of the night!

Rik

PS - Slightly more detail on the mods here - http://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/how-added-suspension-to-my-railmotor.html

I´m entranced by the nighttime part of the video. And I rather like the sharp contrast between the darkness and the interior of the railbuses. In fact, I discover a lot of the effect that we see on photos or video is just that - the size of the lens and the length of exposure. The pic below was taken with a dollhouse LED yellow battery powered interior light placed on the far side of the cab. I couldn´t see anything of it, until I photographed it without flash (yeah, logical), and with automatic exposure time of 1/15 sec.

013 by kandnwlr, on Flickr

 

[KandNWLR]

The railmotor which I bashed from a couple of Andel freelance coaches has undergone quite a few revisions since she was built - new r/c, new motor and gearbox, new lighting, new wheels and now to improve her running reliability - front suspension. I made the mistake of making her wheelbase too long and as my trackwork is not without a few 'undulations' she often struggled to keep all four feet on the ground - especially when negotiating some of my less than level pointwork.


So ........ I made a rocking bracket by adding a fulcrum (ie a piece of brass rod) to the back of it

Now, the front wheels follow the track wherever it may wander ......

Rik

You mean you let the entire axle seesaw (?), which has the additional advantage of letting it get round tight curves, though from a 3D-trigonometry point of view, I can´t quite explain why.

K&NWLR: Bedford OB railbus by kandnwlr, on Flickr

And the lights are too bright on my Bedford OB

K&NWLR: The school bus at the castle in Kent by kandnwlr, on Flickr

 

[ge_rik]

Just love that Bedford Bus and that night shot of the quarry Hunslet looks great. I know Greg has been experimenting with night-time photography recently - something I think I'll have to investigate more. Got some yellow LEDs yesterday - might try a few experiments.

Rik

 

[ge_rik]

You mean you let the entire axle seesaw (?), which has the additional advantage of letting it get round tight curves, though from a 3D-trigonometry point of view, I can´t quite explain why.

Now you mention it, I have noticed it seems to slow less when going round some of my tighter curves. I've not tried it through R1 points (no need as these only now exist on the copper mine sidings where it would never venture) - but you've now got me curious.

Rik

 

[KandNWLR]

Now you mention it, I have noticed it seems to slow less when going round some of my tighter curves. I've not tried it through R1 points (no need as these only now exist on the copper mine sidings where it would never venture) - but you've now got me curious.

Rik

The length axle-over-axle is 20cm, which is pushing it a bit to get round my 45mm curves, but there was no room to position a conventional bogie, so I was left with the seesaw principle and prayer. Gets through the points too ok, but the smallest radii are on the "32mm gauge only" part of the line down by the harbour. Fortunately, I provided for a 32/45mm dual gauge escape route along the straight part round the back.

Now interestingly, Sunstar also do other buses. The one below has a length axle-to-axle of 20.5cm .... Thinking about it, carefully, as it would be an awful lot of diecast weight to move using a small motor, plus the lighting, but : ....

001 by kandnwlr, on Flickr

 

[3Valve]

Top job Rik. Colonel Stephens would have been well pleased.

 

[ge_rik]

Now you mention it, I have noticed it seems to slow less when going round some of my tighter curves. I've not tried it through R1 points (no need as these only now exist on the copper mine sidings where it would never venture) - but you've now got me curious.

Never one to resist a challenge - first thing this morning I went out and run her through the VERY uneven R1 pointwork on the copper mine sidings. Pleased to say she performed well - except on a crossover made from two R1s - but the problem was caused by buffer-lock and not, I'm pleased to say, by the front wheels.

Video evidence..........
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d4NtVFDfR8[/youtube]

URL = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d4NtVFDfR8


Rik

 

[ge_rik]

Top job Rik. Colonel Stephens would have been well pleased.

Thanks Gareth

Yes - I'll admit to being a great fan of the Colonel - I've even been known to visit his standard gauge lines - eg KESR where there's a fine museum devoted to his work

Rik

 

[ge_rik]

Now interestingly, Sunstar also do other buses. The one below has a length axle-to-axle of 20.5cm .... Thinking about it, carefully, as it would be an awful lot of diecast weight to move using a small motor, plus the lighting, but : ....
001 by kandnwlr, on Flickr

Go on, you know you want to .......

Rik

 

[KandNWLR]

Thanks Gareth

Yes - I'll admit to being a great fan of the Colonel - I've even been known to visit his standard gauge lines - eg KESR where there's a fine museum devoted to his work

Rik

Agreed. The KESR is well worth a visit - and there´s a strong chance you´ll have the museum to yourself too.

 

[KandNWLR]

Never one to resist a challenge - first thing this morning I went out and run her through the VERY uneven R1 pointwork on the copper mine sidings. Pleased to say she performed well - except on a crossover made from two R1s - but the problem was caused by buffer-lock and not, I'm pleased to say, by the front wheels.

Video evidence..........

Rik

Congratulations. Good to see that the bugger, sorry, buffer lock has been solved. I did think of doing two Bedfords back-to-back, but the rear wheel are too far away from the end of the vehicle, so the overhang would make for interesting connections between the two and probably too big a gap between them.

 

[KandNWLR]

[quote
Go on, you know you want to .......

Rik
[/quote]


Watch this space. What can possibly go wrong? ??? :-\