Delton Railbus

[Madman]

I started this over on Large Scale Central. I`d like your input also.

I picked up a Delton rail bus from Ebay. The seller indicated that it would not run. I took a gamble on it anyway. Well it arrived today. Someone had their way with this thing in a major way. After I removed all of the jacked up wiring and large incandescent toy train lamps, I tackled the motor block and front truck. The photo of the motor block shows that the swivel pin on the top has been cut off. When I received the bus the motor block was held in place with some stiff wire screwed to the top of the block and bent up through the hole in the chassis, really? I noticed that only one axle is powered, not good. One of my concerns is the front truck. It will not swivel without the wheels hitting the chassis.


One more thing. I seem to recall that the Hartland rail bus started life as a Delton product. I wonder if the motor block is the same and if Hartlands block has two powered axles ?

 

[spoz]

Wow, that has been butchered. Not sure if they are the same, but my impression was that Hartland used the one motor block for everything except the "steamers" (and I'm not so sure about those); and certainly the one I have has both axles powered although it comes from a Mack, not the rail bus.

 

[Madman]

Here is an image of a Hartland Mack motor block. While the wheel spacing could be the same, there are two differences that I see. The Mack block has it's removable panel on the underside while the rail bus block panel is on the top. Also the rail bus panel has a hump on top. That's not to say that the Mack block couldn't be used on the bus by adding a hump, but then the wheel sizes are different.

 

[trammayo]

Here is an image of a Hartland Mack motor block.

Oh no there isn't!

I really like the railbus (made one up from a Sierra coach), but that's one heck of a cut n'shut. Cannot imagine what thinking went on in the background of the project. I know these comments don't help you but I am sure there are solutions (like altering the front truck - axle spacings and position of mounting). I am following your thread with anticipation!