Model railroad motors
#1
I have dug out motors from old cd rom drives and tape decks that are identical to some supplied with model locomotives. I am assuming many model manufacturers use off-the-shelf motors to avoid the expense of designing a custom motor. The old pancake motors seem to be rather unique to model railroad applications, but what about the old open frame pittman motors? The only time I have seen a motor like that is in a model application. Were they ever used for anything else? Is anyone aware of motors designed specifically for model trains?
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Kevin
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#2
I'd like more info on this too. The upgrade motors from PPW are expensive! Any source for cheaper, high quality motors? yes, I realize that "cheaper" and "high quality" together is an oxymoron. Misngth
Three Foot Rule In Effect At All Times
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#3
Gary S Wrote:I'd like more info on this too. The upgrade motors from PPW are expensive! Any source for cheaper, high quality motors? yes, I realize that "cheaper" and "high quality" together is an oxymoron. Misngth

Cheaper and high quality can go together as long as quantity is added to the equation. I know TrainClown (member) has done some fantastic things with CD and VCR motors. You might need to go back to the "Z" days to see some of his work though...

Andrew
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#4
MasonJar Wrote:I know TrainClown (member) has done some fantastic things with CD and VCR motors.

Andrew

Crap! I forgot about VCRs. I suggest wandering down to your local goodwill on a saturday and browsing their old electronics junk. Sometimes you can pick up an old VCR for a couple of bucks, and have loads of fun taking it apart. Inside, you will find: A large transformer or two, several motors, belts and pulleys, gears, small switches and electronic buttons, LEDs, large electrolytic capacitors, small screws, chassis components. All of the above I have found useful for model railroad applications.
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Kevin
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#5
Some of the open frame motors were used in slot cars.
I have used VCR and CD pancake type motors with good results.
The Cannon EN22 and DN22 can motors are relitively inexpensive and are a good quality motor.
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Ray Marinaccio
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#6
My neighbour drove a school bus for a while and he found an interesting motor source. The busses have these stop signs and stick barriers that swing out when they are letting people off. When they break down, they are just replaced and the parts discarded. Norm found that often it was the electronics that was kaput, not the motor. He salvaged a bunch of them -- one's running his turntable.
They're a bit large for locos, though.
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
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#7
There is a store near here called Fry's Electronics. They have lots of curious items in there for the tinkerer, and I spent an hour or so browsing there the other day, and ran across these:

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They had several different types, and I thought they may be useful for model applications. I think they are designed for small robotics projects, but I could see them useful as turntable drives or for other layout animation.
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Kevin
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