rrinker As for powering the frog, Brian said he is using Peco Insulfrog. There's nothign to power. There's only a TINY sliver of insulated section at the very point of the frog, the rest is all powered, so it should be OK. --Randy
As for powering the frog, Brian said he is using Peco Insulfrog. There's nothign to power. There's only a TINY sliver of insulated section at the very point of the frog, the rest is all powered, so it should be OK.
--Randy
So far that seems to be the general opinion,...that these little guys do NOT suffer that much on Peco insulafrogs.
Industries Served:
https://trackmobile.com/industries-served/
...looks like quite a variety,...and looks like they have considerable pulling/pushing power,..even the smaller ones.
I won't mind using some ordinary larger switchers in some instances, but there are some locations on my track plan that are very condensed , and where the tail tracks are too short to do the switching operations I might like to try
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
The real ones have a little 'trick' they use to get more tractive force than they otherwise might with their light weight - they put some of the weight of the first car on the Trackmobile, sort of like the reverse of jacking up a trailer hooked to your truck without releasing the hitch first. The model is stuck with whatever weight it has in it, so if your cars are properly weighted, the model may not be bale to pull as many cars as the prototype. But really, they look best just shuffling one or two cars at a time around in an industry's private trackage.
One palce I did some work, there were two large feed mills I had to pass. One had a Trackmobile to pull a string of cars in for dumping, the other used the old cable and winch, but from the road you couldn't actually see that, but I'd go by in the mornign and there'd be a frech cut of cars dropped off my the railroad behind the building, at lunch there's be a couple now in front, and int he evening they'd now all be in front - like magic. The other place, I'd see the Trackmobile parked around the track area, so it was obvious how the cars were moved there.
There's another I have passed many times, which stands directly next to the main road, and you can clearly see the cable and the winch. A couple of rollers are to either side of the winch end of the dump building, and at that one, the winch itself is actually back alongside the building. Probably not a bad idea, the operator is then pretty well protected from a cable break, as it would head out the open end of the building away from the operator's position.
Makes me wonder if there is a book on Trackmobile history and design. The modern ones aren't super interesting to me, but they've been around a long time, and part of coverign them would also have to cover all the other various rubber tired railcar moviers like those really oddball things the PRR had, which had a big ship's wheel for steering. Those sorts of things fascinate me, even if I don;t have any - one fo the reasons I bought the new book on turbines even though I don't model the UP, and don't model a modern enough era to run something like the Turbotrain. My benchmark for boosk of this type is probably the one I have on the Alco High-Hood switchers. While there are shots of pretty much every one made, great for modeling, there is also a lot of technical information on the design and assembly of them.
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Yes ago I was doing environmental work at Monsanto in Massachusetts and there was a little track mobile there to shuffle tank cars around.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I hope this video comes up, not exactly sure the address gets you to a video rather than slide show. (sure moves quite a number of cars)
https://vimeo.com/141059677
https://vimeo.com/208319508
I have in mind using one of these locos part time moving empty container cars, cars onto my carfloat, cars into my repair facility......
Video comes up, pretty much a commercial for Trackmobile, but shows it in action.
The little trick that Randy talks about, you can see this at the foundry where they use one of these to move empty and full coke hoppers.
The trackmobile is usually between empty and full cars.
Mike.
My You Tube
European One
This one was recently posted on another forum. I think there were even some videos associated with it, but I can't find them at the moment,...nor the proper name of this one.
That looks - impractical at best. Maybe if it ran off overhead, or a third rail. There's no room for a diesel and even a mechanical drive in there. Seems more like a foobie like a Beep or Eggliner.
I will certainly stand corrected if that's an accurate model of a real prototype. Seems like there could be better ways to make something equally small without being so ungainly.
rrinkerThat looks - impractical at best. Maybe if it ran off overhead, or a third rail. There's no room for a diesel and even a mechanical drive in there. Seems more like a foobie like a Beep or Eggliner.
Not at all!
It´s a Diesel powered "shunting tractor" built from 1913 until 1957 by Breuer Maschinen- und Armaturenfabrik/Germany. Over 1,000 were built. The later versions were remote controlled and had no cab.
Rivarossi makes a nice model of it.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Interesting. There doesn't even seem to be room for an engine, and I see no drive shafts or anything going to the wheels - or is there a third set of wheels in the middle that are the driven ones? Or is the drive in that angled bit that comes out under the cab alongside the drawbar?
Edit: Hard to find any info, the most I found was on a page where a guy built a Lego model of one. I see that mechanism coming out is linked to the handwheel below the center window and it's a screw jack to pick up the wagon and tranfer some of the weight to this little thing so it has enough tractive effort - pretty much the same thing a Trackmobile does. So somewhere under the floor in there are some chains for the drive.
A few locomotive shops have "shunters" that have been cobbled together from spare parts:
http://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/image/view/22808/_original
I've seen these at Collinwood, Altoona and Enola.
080916_1 by lmyers83, on Flickr
There are others using a larger "SD" type three-axle truck:
This outfit offers some other solutions:
https://rollingstockmover.com/rail-movers/
http://www.tractivepowercorp.com/our_technology/photo_gallery/
Yes, there are options. Kato made the powered, self contained truck for the GE Genesis locomotive. It used a tiny, coreless motor mostly contained within the truck frame. You could place any type of cab over it or use it as a "remote controlled walkie".
Regards, Ed
The engine and gearbox are below the cabin, connecting to a chain drive on both axles. Actually, the tractor operated similar to a tractor/trailer rig, using the weight of the car to increase the tractive effort. A 10 hp motor was sufficient to move a load of up to 175,000 lbs.
Tinplate ToddlerNot at all! It´s a Diesel powered "shunting tractor" built from 1913 until 1957 by Breuer Maschinen- und Armaturenfabrik/Germany. Over 1,000 were built.
I gotta build me one of those!! Makes my critters look huge.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Dave - they sell for €70 in Germany!
They can be ordered here
Shipment to Canada is € 27,90.
The Hornby/Rivarossi ones even have a socket for a decoder.
The model with the fully enclosed cab was the big one - 5.8 metric tons! The really small original one with the 10HP motor was - really small. Just an open platform on 4 wheels, way smaller than Conrail's little movers - they had a name for those, slips my mind at the moment, or at least one of them had a name.
Tinplate ToddlerDave - they sell for €70 in Germany! They can be ordered here Shipment to Canada is € 27,90.
Buy one?!? Are you kidding? That would take all the fun out of it and Darth Santa Fe would be ashamed of me!!!
Seriously, he gave me the information to build this drive for a Mack switcher. Building a drive to fit the upright switcher wouldn't be much different although it might end up being a bit taller than the Rivarrosi model because of the size of the gears.
Thanks for the supplier lead Ulrich. Who knows? By the time I buy all the bits and pieces I could be pretty close to the cost of the German model.
What's the current exchange rate with the Canadian dollar?
hon30critterWhat's the current exchange rate with the Canadian dollar?
1 Euro = 1,45 Can. Dollar
Tinplate Toddler hon30critter What's the current exchange rate with the Canadian dollar? 1 Euro = 1,45 Can. Dollar
hon30critter What's the current exchange rate with the Canadian dollar?
Rich
Alton Junction
Thanks for your interesting postings Tinplate Toddler.
Found a few more videos on modified Trackmobiles,..https://youtu.be/GdN315-efog
https://youtu.be/aI2C0Ls4rIE
railandsailThanks for your interesting postings Tinplate Toddler.
Brian,
Sorry for hijacking your thread.
Too bad that the last two YouTube videos weren't done better. I think the second one has a wealth of information in it but it is extremely difficult to understand.
Dave, No problem hi-jacking, interesting stuff. BTW does that drive mechanism you pictured have 1 or 2 axel drive?
Yes, that second video was very poorly done. I didn't review it thoroughly before I posted that link. Just looking at the beginning i thought it might offer interesting material on installation.
Amazing that guy got decoder, multiple lights AND sound into that little critter. I don't need the sound, but I like the flashing lights,...at lest 2.
hon30critterI gotta build me one of those!! Makes my critters look huge. Dave
Hey Dave,
I was shuffling thru some old cut-outs I had today, and ran across this article that appeared in a May 1985 issue of Model Railroader. Its about 4 pages long, and I'm sure you know how to find it in their archives,...
Building a 23-ton Trackmobile
...just to tempt you...
railandsailBTW does that drive mechanism you pictured have 1 or 2 axel drive?
Hi Brian,
Both axles are driven. It isn't a whole lot different from a power truck with idler gears. Getting the gears to mesh smoothly was the biggest challenge. I burned out the first motor because the gears were too tight.
Thanks for the lead on the Trackmobile build. I just read through it. Excellent modelling! The author used styrene for the body and frame. I'd be inclined to use brass to make the unit heavier.
Dave,
I take it you were able to find the whole article??
railandsailDave, I take it you were able to find the whole article??
Yes, the article was easy to find in the archives, although I believe you have to subscribe to the archives to gain access to it.
Building the Trackmobile is actually simpler than first impressions might suggest. The whole thing starts with a NWSL Flea drive and an auxiliary axle set. The Flea drive is basically a motor, gearbox and one driven axle. Unfortunately, the Flea drive is not currently available. The NWSL catalogue says that it is undergoing a re-design. No estimates of an available date are given.
The rest of the model is made from styrene and various castings and bits like the wheels from a grader that are used as the road wheels. The design is very clever in that it allows the road wheels to be raised or lowered depending on where the model is positioned. Making the various styrene cab and frame parts will require some accuracy. but styrene is cheap so it won't cost much if you make a few mistakes. The MR plan can be printed out and used for templates. The only trick there is to make sure that your printer is printing at the right scale. You might want to place a ruler on the printer screen when you are copying the plans so that you can verify that the drawings are the right size.
I think the biggest challenge will be getting enough weight into the model to give it enough traction to pull a car or two. For that reason, I would personally consider building the body out of brass although the amount of work involved would be considerably greater. Another option would be to add some sheet lead anywhere it will fit. In fact I would do that with the brass body too, like this:
I would raise a challenge to any modellers who would love to do this sort of modelling but don't think they can. Prove yourselves wrong! Give it a shot! Your first attempt might be frustrating. So what. Don't quit!
The whole thing starts with a NWSL Flea drive and an auxiliary axle set. The Flea drive is basically a motor, gearbox and one driven axle. Unfortunately, the Flea drive is not currently available.
Not sure, but I think I have one of those floating around in my misc box(s).
railandsailNot sure, but I think I have one of those floating around in my misc box(s).
Well then Brian, let's dig that little beast up and get started!
NWSL does have their Stanton drives available but the longest wheelbase is only 10'. The Trackmobile requires 13'. I'm not sure if a Stanton drive could be modified to extend it to 13', but it might be possible to just cut the wheels off of one axle and then build a frame to support an axle set at the 13' mark. If I was going to do that, I would likely start with a much shorter Stanton wheelbase so there would be more space to add the second axle. Just speculation.