Designs that won't work

You could always do one of the modified switchers as seen here, then you'd only be off by a foot.

White Pass switcher

Maybe one truck of the ED17 kit is doing the job, looks like 6mm motor

Still haven't got mine, I will let you know

Gerd wrote:

Still haven't got mine, I will let you know

Gerd... maybe Monday?

O.K., goy my ED17 kit today, thanks, Alex!
Quickly soldered one truck together and a short test run on my test oval.
First dimensions:
Height: 13.5mm
Width(top): 9mm
Width(truck): 11mm
Length (overall): 24.5mm
The length could be reduced to 18mm, the width on the top to 6mm, because it's a 6mm motor, rated for 12V DC. Nevertheless no good for a GE25t, because the wheelbase is exactly as a MTL Geep, so much too long.
Only 1 axle is powered, weight is 5g, with the supplied weight 9g. Was able to push 3 AZL ACF 3-bay hopper on flat track. Max. speed is like a rocket, similar to a Marklin BR 89.
Summary: no good for a GE25t, the overall dimensions similar to Lajos' chassis which has more pulling power and the design looks more robust.

BTW: The whole kit looks very good, even the instruction is written in Japanese, the pictures are talking for themself. I'm going to finish this kit as is, I wonder what comes next from this manufacturer.

AAAaaaaaaaaawww Shucks ! How bout big MOW trucks?? Can you feel the twisting yet??

How about a slightly stretched GE boxcab shell for use on that chassis?Use the Rebel as a starting point (walkway,pilots,etc.) and build a boxy cab to replace the Rebel cab and hood.

On the plus side there won't be any easily broken railings.You could even do two versions one in Z and another identical but slightly larger Nn3 shell.

Just sayn'

Stony----A BIG MOW Truck!!

I admidt this is not for ribbit counters.. I made this from a Micro Machine truck probably 15-20 years ago. Cut it vertically and horozontally on band saw. If I were to use it on a layout now I would definitely do some altering- wheels etc. The Plow is N cut down- MTL couplers....

Stony-- Can you feel the twisting yet, or should I apply the mechanical advantages of a "Handy Billy"? HB?? Blocks and tackels.
Pullies and Rope - for landlubbers

Fred wrote:

Stony-- Can you feel the twisting yet, or should I apply the mechanical advantages of a "Handy Billy"? HB?? Blocks and tackels.

Fred, whatever you do, for heaven's sake don't shoot him.....you'll just make him mad.

A static non-powered Speeder is sweet, a static non-powered GE25T switcher would be even sweeter.

John

The reality of the situation is that speeders and MOW vehicles are very small, far smaller than the smallest diesel locomotives. Hobo Tim used a pager motor to power a very large, bulky MOW vehicle. I also made an N Scale hi-rail using a pager motor:

whiteriverandnorthern.net/clinic_35.htm

It does work--but barely.

As Stony has shown, the Lajos drive is many, many times larger than even the largest MOW vehicle. So, a custom pager motor drive is the only kind of mechanism that's capable of powering something that size. Which means it probably cannot be made affordable for the average modeler.

As for a powered Z Scale speeder, I'm afraid that even the smallest pager motor made (3.5mm diameter) is too large. T Gauge mechanisms are not practical; even though they use pager motors, the gearbox alone is several times the size of a speeder. There are motors that exist which are the size of a piece of pencil lead (they're made for the medical industry), but they cost many thousands of dollars, and they're not likely powerful enough to move a speeder. Plus, even if a drive could be built small enough, you'd have other issues, such as electrical pickup, which will be almost impossible to maintain reliably with such a tiny, lightweight object.

So, my recommendation is to dispense with any thoughts of a self-powered Z Scale speeder.

What might be possible would be a magnetic drive, but here you run into problems where freely-rolling objects will move in spurts--think in terms of the slinky effect with M-T couplers times one hundred. Loren's cars move smoothly principally because they aren't free-rolling; the wheels on the vehicles are fixed and drag along a textured surface, which induces sufficient drag to overcome the slinky effect.

A linear electro-magnetic drive might be possible, but it would have to be far more powerful than the examples on the market now, which require the magnets be in virtual contact with the drive surface, and the mass of the object needs to be lower than a typical Z Scale automobile.

A chain with a slender rod passing thought a slot in the track would work, although it has obvious cosmetic issues, and it couldn't share trackage with other conventionally powered trains.

One trick that's almost sure to work: connect the speeder to the end of a train with a length of superfine monofilament thread, or a piece of synthetic hair. Virtually invisible, and guaranteed to run perfectly, without compromising the appearance of the speeder.

Technology has come a long way, and we are seeing marvelous things. But we are still a long, long way away from a self-powered Z Scale speeder--at least one that anyone could afford!

Surprise!! Stony has done it again!! Shapeways has a new GE25T loco. If Stony won't toot his horn- somebody else has to! Looks good. A Thought here Stony.. Can you feel the pain yet. Can you feel it now?? How Bout making a Chassis- or a set of wheels that would fit under the little critters. That way we can paint them up and use them as static models around the yard, for those that don't or can't motorize. Just a thought-- read--(twisting harder)
Signed Annonamouse

Thank You, another mouse.

Stony wrote: "The ONLY thing I don't have correct......" What about a whistle and a bell,at the least, a fog horn!! For some reason I can't get 3-d on SW. Your grossly enlarged picture does show a set of wheels. NEET! Hope it is sturdy. I can send you an MTL coupler--Make the hole correct size and a gluing surface for top of coupler inside.
Fred