powering the unpowered inner wheelset on a con-cor PA or DL109 ?

[scaro]

Hi

For weird TT scale related reasons I wondered whether anyone had ever powered the inner - that is, unpowered - axle on a Con-Cor/Kato  PA or DL109 truck?

Ben S.

 

[woodone]

Do you mean you want the wheel to pick up power? Or are you trying to drive the wheel?

[scaro]

Hi, drive it. Sorry, should have been clearer.

[CRL]

If memory serves, those 3 axle trucks were really long relative to the sharper curved track commonly used back then. I seem to remember the middle axle would float side to side so to not bind on sharper radius snap track.

Working off memory here so I might be FOS.

[Lenny53]

If memory serves, those 3 axle trucks were really long relative to the sharper curved track commonly used back then. I seem to remember the middle axle would float side to side so to not bind on sharper radius snap track.

Working off memory here so I might be FOS.

Middle axle is geared, it's inner axle that is the idler as per the original post.

[learmoia]

What about the Lifelike Erie Built/PA Truck.. I think that has all wheels geared.

[scaro]

I believe those LL Eries and PAs have unpowered middle axles.

[Mark5]

I believe those LL Eries and PAs have unpowered middle axles.

Kato PA trucks definitely all axles powered (this probably doesn't help).

[scaro]

Kato PA trucks definitely all axles powered (this probably doesn't help).

Con-Cor are preferable since - correct truck wheelbase (for what I need it for, anyway) easier to regauge & hack up the mech, and cheap. 

[thomasjmdavis]

Well, I haven't tried, but I would hypothesize that it would be difficult.  On the Con-Cor (at least mine), the pivot point and gear tower of the truck are centered between the 2 geared axles- that is to say geared axle-pivot-geared axle-space-idler axle (with the rear truck being reversed).  With careful machining, you could fit the gears into the space, but I would anticipate potential binding due to the location of the drive, and the stress on the 2nd (center) geared axle.

[thomasjmdavis]

As another possibility.... The Con-Cor PA truck axle spacing is very close (the same?) as the axle spacing of an E-8 truck (some folks assert this is the reason the Con-Cor PA truck is "short"- essentially an E-8 truck with different sideframes).  While the Kato E-8 is longer overall than a PA (but shorter than a DL-109), perhaps the truck offers a solution to the all wheel drive at that axle spacing.

I am unclear on what your project is (I am guessing it is TT narrow gauge- or are you replacing the axles with TT scale axles?)

[peteski]

Ben prefers N scale trucks with inside bearings because IIRC, he re-gauges them to 12mm (TT gauge).

[scaro]

... but I would anticipate potential binding due to the location of the drive, and the stress on the 2nd (center) geared axle.

Yes, that's what I wondered, that it would put stress on that centre axle as it is going to be responsible for transmitting power to the rear axle.

Well, it was maybe a nice idea!

[thomasjmdavis]

Yes, that's what I wondered, that it would put stress on that centre axle as it is going to be responsible for transmitting power to the rear axle.

Well, it was maybe a nice idea!

Well, before taking my word for it, you probably should consult with any of the several folks here who have more experience with these things than I do.  Perhaps with metal gears?

Very intriguing project in any case. 

If you decide to go ahead and experiment, I do have a Con-cor PA parts loco (bought as a dummy with no motor or idler gears, but has geared axles and the frame).  I'd be happy to trade geared axles for blind axles (since those would serve the purpose I have planned for what is left of this loco).

[Sharky_McSharknose]

I believe those LL Eries and PAs have unpowered middle axles.

Yes, the LL Erie/PA/DL109 truck is A1A, just like the prototype!