TheRailwire

General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: Iain on March 06, 2018, 11:50:17 PM

Title: Stepper motor for locomotives?
Post by: Iain on March 06, 2018, 11:50:17 PM

I recently got my hands on some very tiny stepper motors, and I was wondering if anyone had ever tried a stepper motor to power a locomotive.  These ones that I got run very smoothly.

Title: Re: Stepper motor for locomotives?
Post by: peteski on March 06, 2018, 11:56:28 PM

Smoothly, but step by step.  :D  They do not have smooth rotation.  Steppers also have relatively slow maximum speed. But if you could couple it directly to the wheels (no gear reduction) that might be a workable solution. Even with direct drive you could have the loco traveling at very, very slow speeds.   But you still have to shoehorn the electronic driver circuit and have it controlled by a DCC decoder (it would be difficult to make the stepper circuitry work from variable DC track voltage).

Title: Re: Stepper motor for locomotives?
Post by: Hansel on March 07, 2018, 10:54:31 AM

Has anyone every replaced an Atlas Diesel locomotive motor with another brand/type of motor?

Title: Re: Stepper motor for locomotives?
Post by: peteski on March 07, 2018, 02:06:01 PM

Quote from: Hansel on March 07, 2018, 10:54:31 AM

Has anyone every replaced an Atlas Diesel locomotive motor with another brand/type of motor?

I have not, but why are you planning on doing this?  There aren't many complaints about Atlas stock motors. They work rather well.

I think that Kato motor would be almost direct replacement. But Atlas motor is pretty good (and slower speed that Kato).  Or are you thinking of replacing the Atlas motor with some high-quality (Maxon ot Faulhaber) coreless motor?

Title: Re: Stepper motor for locomotives?
Post by: Hansel on March 07, 2018, 03:45:43 PM

Just curious.  I do love the "scale speed" and "slow speed" Atlas motors.