I am looking for a older Grandt Line Hon3 boxcab to buy. Anyone out there have one to buy? I am only interested in the old "round" motor type. I have a couple of the newer can motor type and the running gear setup drives me crazy. I have heard the older round motor types were better. Any thoughts?
Not sure what you mean. The can motors are the round ones, the newer ones have the open frame motor. I have built 2 of them, each with the open frame motor. I consider them novelty items. Really need to add a lot of weight for them to pull as well as to have good electrical contact with the rails. Those small plastic gears cannot last long with constant running, but they do have great detail. It would be interesting to pry the wheels out on an N gauge switcher & use it as the power.
Yes I mean the "can" motor.
Yes, the can motor was a nicer set-up. Unfortunately, it became unobtanium and Grandt was forced to develop an alternative. That was 15 maybe 20 years ago? So good luck finding one. The issue is well-known in the HOn3 community, so it will be just a matter of getting lucky and finding someone letting go of one because their interests changed or they died and left it as part of the posterity/estate sale.
Another possibility is to engineer your own conversion to a nicer motor, which I've seen done.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Thanks, It does look like the kitbash route may come into play. I AM STILL INTERESTED IF SOMEONE COMES ACROSS ONE OF THE OLDER VERSIONS.
As another alternative, I powered a similar loco with one truck from a 2 motor Spectrum 44 tonner. I considder it as a novelty too. But it runs.
As I mentioned, it runs, actually as well as any 44 tonner, if you can live with the gear and motor noise of the 44 tonners. That 25 tonner is powered the same way. My model was made from cut down MDC box cab components, including the chunky frame. then lead was added to fill in more space. It tracks well for a little locomotive. Dan
I like how you think, Dan. Great idea!
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
You could always do a custom chassis like I did!
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/205327.aspx
I'm planning to finally paint it soon now that the weather's warming up.
_________________________________________________________________
RailphotogI powered mine with a PFM "SPUD" many years ago, it fit entirely under the floor. I don't think they are still available though.
Railphotog:
I have managed to get four Tenshodo spud drives on eBay for good prices. I also got two NWSL powered trucks cheap too. If you're not in a hurry you might set up an auto search on eBay to see what you can get. They come up fairly regularly but most of the time the sellers want as much as you would pay if you bought them from Ulrich's linked source. However you might find them cheap on eBay if you are lucky.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter Railphotog: I have managed to get four Tenshodo spud drives on eBay for good prices. I also got two NWSL powered trucks cheap too. If you're not in a hurry you might set up an auto search on eBay to see what you can get. They come up fairly regularly but most of the time the sellers want as much as you would pay if you bought them from Ulrich's linked source. However you might find them cheap on eBay if you are lucky. Dave
I'm not looking for any SPUDs myself, think I have a few in my stash. I just reported that I used one to power my boxcab many years ago.
This topic encouraged me to get started on my HOn3 Box cab. I pried the wheels out on a bachmann switcher to make it HOn3 & removed the shell. Modified the Grandt line box cab by cutting a notch in the back to fit over the motor block & filed the radiator flush with the inside wall. This done, the assembled box cab fits perfectly over the Bachmann switcher. Also had to file about a .020 notch on the bottom front to have the cab set straight. Will make a new radiator on the outside. The Bachmann switcher runs great & has sone weight.
What scale bachman switcher did you use? You said you pryed the wheels out?
jack308gtsi What scale bachman switcher did you use? You said you pryed the wheels out?
Made a styrene frame from .020x.125 & cut a piece of Campbells corrugated siding to fit inside for the radiator, will paint it black & scrape the paint from the high ribs. Made it the same size as the radiator opening.
Thanks.
Hi Bob:
I should have worded my response differently. I simply meant to inform any followers of the thread that the spuds do occasionally come up on eBay for decent prices.
However, I was very interested to learn that you had used one to power a box cab.