Rubber band drivelines

[Anonymous]

I forgot to post. But I actually got the thing running the other day. I'll post pictures soon. Now, im not sure i can really put it in a train though, its REALLY fast, i guess it might just be kind of a novelty. Ill put a decoder in it when i get around to it...

[dinwitty]

of all the crazy things to do...

well they have sound boxcars...

some lines using helper service cut in locos in the middle of the train as well as the back. Just a part of the operation fun.

more like with all the fiddling your doing by the time your done you could buy another loco....hint hint...

ah well, its a boxcabless

[Bob Hayes]

I used to have 4 of the rubberband drive F7's. Used to take them to a club in Venice, California where the inventer, one Robert M. Smith, used to hang out while working on his version of carrier control, simular to GE's Astrac. This is in the early '60s. They were sure noisy pulling a string of cars up a grade, but they were the only thing available back then.
Bob Hayes

[MisterBeasley]

I was at my LHS, and asked if he could order Athearn drive belts. He asked if I had a part number, which I quoted from the above posts. He was a bit skeptical, but went on-line and found the part. A week later, I'm the proud owner of a small plastic bag with a bunch of those little belts. Cheers for Athearn and Maine Trains in Chelmsford, MA.

[Leon Silverman]

Since some people mentioned SPUDS and Fleas, look into the Bowser Interburban/trolley drives. They may have a suitable wheelbase and is in current production.

[rbturner]

While searching for traction tire substitutes, I found some neat little bands at Wal-Mart. They aren't really rubber but are an elastic type and are pretty durable. They are available in a clear/whitish and black and are in several sizes. The clincher is that they are in the ladies hair band section. What a model railroader won't do for parts.

Randy

[Don Gibson]

You also need overly thick axles to gear down motor/wheel ratio. Better to do what the R.R.'s did - add an engine.

[MisterBeasley]

I've been pulling my old trains out of storage. I have three of these drive-belt engines. I'm hoping I still can get the belts from Athearn. They are listed (as noted above) on their web site, but they will not move into the "shopping cart" if you try to mail-order them. I'll be checking with my LHS this week to see if they can order them. These same belts were used on older Atlas turntables for the motor drive unit.

I know it seems like a Don Quixote quest, but I'm hoping to restore these old things to operating order, and maybe even upgrade to DCC. It would certainly be easier and probably more economical just to go out and buy new engines, but they're kind of like old friends by this point, and I'd hate to put them out to pasture without at least trying. They do have a lot of room inside the shell for the electronics, at least.

The point about the big axles is important, by the way. With drive belts, there is a similar relationship between the motor shaft and the axle shaft as between motor gears and axle gears. If you drive very thin axles, then the wheels will spin very quickly, much faster than the other engine will be going. Also, you will reduce the torque on the drive wheels, so your pulling power is greatly reduced.

[Anonymous]

Do you remember when Athearn had a f7 with rubber band drive. Its was my first HO loco.

[Jetrock]

PDT's and SPUDs might be a bit large for a freight truck--I think the smallest had a 7' wheelbase, suitable for passenger equipment but not freight. You might try a NWSL "Flea", though--they are even smaller than the PDT's, and offer a complete gearing system.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JPM335

Bob, where did you install the PDT? will it fit in a frieght truck?

Under an Athearn RDC, worked great!

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

My experience with the underfloor power trucks was that their wheelbase was just a little too long to fit into a typical freight truck, but that might not be so with the new NWSL.

[Anonymous]

Bob,

Thanks for the info on the Spud. My memory is starting to be jogged awake.

Walt

[Anonymous]

Bob, where did you install the PDT? will it fit in a frieght truck?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by murrieta

Anyone? Does "SPUD" ring a bell? Anyway, maybe the NWSL is making something similar. It's basically two power driven axles that can be used under anything, and the wheels are the pick-ups. No wiring, nothing, just attach and go.

The "SPUD" (Self Propelled Underfloor Drive) was made by Tenshodo, and marketed by Pacific Fast Mail I believe. I have several under different pieces of rolling stock. I don't think they have been available for some time. When I bought them they could be had for around Cdn $25.00, the similar NWSL "PDT" trucks (Preety Darn Tiny) were about Cdn $65-75 at the same time. I have one of those somewhere too.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

GO to Railserve site under classifieds/trains
Somebody has them for sale 48 for $1.50 includes postage
e mail address is [e-mail]
good luck

[Anonymous]

Yep, thats pretty much what it is, just wondering if i can fit it in an HO frieght truck

[Anonymous]

Lindsay use to make a fully self contained power truck and sold it under a very catchy name. It was so catchy that I can't remember what it was called. Anyone? Does "SPUD" ring a bell? Anyway, maybe the NWSL is making something similar. It's basically two power driven axles that can be used under anything, and the wheels are the pick-ups. No wiring, nothing, just attach and go.

[Anonymous]

What about the NWSL "Magic Carpet" or "PDT" drivelines. Would they fit in a frieght truck?

[Anonymous]

That's an interesting note that Athearn might still stock rubber bands for their older band driven units.

Hobby Surplus Sales use to have in their catalog replacement band drives for Athearn. A company made these bands and were sold in very inexpensive boxes of 24 each. The bands were actually an improvement over the Athearn and lasted much longer. If Athearn can get a Hustler, F7 and plow to operate as well as they did on band drive, I'm sure anything is possible.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

Hmm...wouldn't a rubber band on the axle of a boxcar truck yank the truck up against the bottom of the boxcar--unless it was screwed in so tightly it couldn't turn?

The rubber bands would not be that tight, and that's why I mentioned using two, one for each axle. Athearn used this system on their RDCs, Hustler, older F-7s, GP-9's and I think on one steam engine. Thier rotary snow plow has the rotary blade turned by rubber bands on the front truck.

I've used regular rubber bands on my models, the ones that come from stationery stores.

Bob Boudreau

[Jetrock]

Hmm...wouldn't a rubber band on the axle of a boxcar truck yank the truck up against the bottom of the boxcar--unless it was screwed in so tightly it couldn't turn?

[Anonymous]

Are you taking into account that Athearn rubber band powered models had special wheelsets with large diameter axles? The ones on their RDCs had a rubber like axle. I imagine this was so the rubber band would not slip too much. Speaking of slipping, if you intend to have the powered boxcar help with the train load, it won't have much power - under a heavy load the band(s) will slip. You would need two bands per truck, one for each axle too. If not the truck will twist sideways.

It would be much better to power a non engine with a single geared power truck from some of the older cheaper engines. These were motor and truck all in one piece. Just a thought.

Bob Boudreau

[Virginian]

Without addressing the merits of your idea, only the implementation, I'd take a string and figure out what length/diameter you need, and then go to an auto parts place and get a thin 'O' ring or two to try. Do not get one they have to cut and glue, because the glue will eventually fail from the flexing, and it makes the ring 'O' stiffer at the joint; get a new molded one piece 'O' ring. I'd allow some vertical adjustment in your motor mounting to allow for taking up slack as it develops.
Medical latex tubing is also very tough, very flexible stuff, and you could cut a slice from some of that if you could find the right diameter.
Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Here's a couple of suggestions.
Athearn part # 90101 drive belts(rubber band)

A powered P1K F3 B unit chasis under an Athearn 50' express reefer . Snug fit and works like a charm.

You would place the powered car midway or there abouts to split the load and even out the all over drive.
I used this system when I use to run longer steam freights up a 3.1 grade and I couldn't
afford a second steamer to double head.

[NZRMac]

Wot about an o-ring for sealing shafts, from an engineering supply shop?

Ken.

[Anonymous]

Dentist rubber bands are too short for my application. Basically its an athearn motor mounted on its side inside a 40' boxcar with holes drilled in the floor to put rubber band to the axle. A little longer than a dentist rubber band would be better.

[Doug Goulbourn]

JPM335,
If memory serves me correctly, you could use those little "rubber" bands that dentists use when someone has retainers, I used to replace my old Athearn Hi-F bands with these many , many moon ago. I image that a call to your dentist would get you a free hand-full or a place where you could purchase them. You have a good idea but why not double head as the prototype would do or if you have a grade you are trying to take "X" number of cars up , double the hill (take about half the cars up to the top and return for the balance) and add a bit of operation (fun) to your session?
Doug

[Anonymous]

Well. I started another crazy project. Im putting a motor in a boxcar. I figure i can use it to pull longer trains while looking like I have less engines. But, anyway. What kind of rubber bands should i use to power the axels and where can i get some. By the way, I know Gears or shafts would be better. I dont want a different kind of driveline I just want to know where to get rubber bands[:p].