Feedback request - Beginners' guide to kit built battery locos

ge_rik

ge_rik

British narrow gauge (esp. Southwold and W&LLR)
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Hi folks
I've put together a beginners' guide to creating battery locos from kits. It's very much an intro. I'd appreciate some feedback from experienced and less experienced modellers alike. Is anything missing? Is it easy to follow? Is it too basic? Anything else?
riksrailway.blogspot.com

How to build battery locos for your garden railway - Part 1 - Kits

Narrow gauge large scale model garden railway. Battery powered, radio controlled locomotives, some Bluetooth. Set in Cheshire UK in 1930s
riksrailway.blogspot.com riksrailway.blogspot.com

Rik
 
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ge_rik said:
Hi folks
I've put together a beginners' guide to creating battery locos from kits. It's very much an intro. I'd appreciate some feedback from experienced and less experienced modellers alike. Is anything missing? Is it easy to follow? Is it too basic? Anything els?
https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2022/1 ... -your.html

Rik
Click to expand...
'Sorry, the page you were looking for in this blog does not exist' = I tried to read your article but this is what I got!
 
I think that's placed at the right level, outlines the different skill levels required and links to further detailed info for those that are interested.
As a 'teaser' to get people thinking about making their own models I think it's fine.
 
Not sure what happened to the original link. Thanks The Shed The Shed for the right link

Rik
PS Probably because I did the post on my tablet which auto corrects things annoyingly
 
alcashj94 said:
I think that's placed at the right level, outlines the different skill levels required and links to further detailed info for those that are interested.
As a 'teaser' to get people thinking about making their own models I think it's fine.
Click to expand...
Hi Rik.
Yes that looks good, as always with your writing. The only thing I think may be missing is cardboard kits as for instance Complete Loco Kits | rail-roadmodels. They go together well but finding the right glue to use can be a problem so I added strips of wood inside to strengthen the joints. Just a suggestion, keep up the good work.
Happy Christmas.
David
 
RDFMTS2 said:
Hi Rik.
Yes that looks good, as always with your writing. The only thing I think may be missing is cardboard kits as for instance Complete Loco Kits | rail-roadmodels. They go together well but finding the right glue to use can be a problem so I added strips of wood inside to strengthen the joints. Just a suggestion, keep up the good work.
Happy Christmas.
David
Click to expand...
Thanks David
I did think about those kits but couldn't remember who now sells them. I'll add a section about it. They are probably even more cost effective than Phil Sharples' kits.

Rik
 
Rik, just had a read through, and I may have missed, but where the driven axel is on a short wheel base, experience has shown that, both axels need to be driven. Obviously for steam or coupled dismals, then the coupling rods do this, otherwise something else needs to be employed, e.g. a Delrin chain-drive, this will apply even more so the scratch built.

Just my opinion.
 
JimmyB said:
Rik, just had a read through, and I may have missed, but where the driven axel is on a short wheel base, experience has shown that, both axels need to be driven. Obviously for steam or coupled dismals, then the coupling rods do this, otherwise something else needs to be employed, e.g. a Delrin chain-drive, this will apply even more so the scratch built.

Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
Hi Jim
I agree with you entirely, but I've deliberately avoided discussing mechanisms and chassis in any detail in this introduction. I've posted a couple of links to my introductory guides to battery power and radio control and (I think) I mention the efficacy of powering all axles there. I've certainly described it in the build posts for the kits I've constructed.

Rik
 
RDFMTS2 said:
Hi Rik.
Yes that looks good, as always with your writing. The only thing I think may be missing is cardboard kits as for instance Complete Loco Kits | rail-roadmodels. They go together well but finding the right glue to use can be a problem so I added strips of wood inside to strengthen the joints. Just a suggestion, keep up the good work.
Happy Christmas.
David
Click to expand...
Hi David
Now added a section on card kits and also sent off for one so I can describe the build process first-hand.

Rik
 
Why did you (from the title) limit it to battery locos? Why not all about building a loco from a kit. Then you could have 2 different follow on articles, one fitting batteries, and one fitting track power (if you wanted).

It would make your blog more universal. I'm a track power guy, and I wonder if you limited your audience by adding battery? I would not read the article based on title, but I would if it did not appear battery only.

(yes you might have to do an aside in the article that would say "if you are going battery, you should do this here" and "if you are doing track power, be sure to do this at this step".

Greg
 
Hi Greg
I don't really have any experience of building track powered locos from kits. The only two I did build were about fifteen years ago, so the info now would be way out of date. Also, most (if not all) UK kits are for battery locos. I'd struggle to find links to kit suppliers with track powered mechanisms.

Rik
 
Not to argue, but the main difference would just to be able to pick up power from the rails, simple wipers, etc.

But that was not what I asked.... why not make the title generic? You are limiting your audience to an excellent article by of-putting track power people.

For example I could make these track power myself (it is not rocket science), but I would greatly benefit from your overview of the various locomotive kits and types available.

But I would not read your article because the title implies only battery locos.

I thought I made that clear, but still trying.

p.s. Actually there is nothing battery-specific in your article, where you might give pointers on specific things that would affect battery operation.
 
Hi Greg
I take your point about broadening the readership but, as you can see from the intro, I envisaged this as part one of a five part series focused on different ways of creating battery powered locos. The second part is about converting track powered locos to battery power.

I'm not sure I'm qualified or sufficiently knowledgeable to include info about the best ways to convert those battery powered loco chassis in the kits to track power. Some have plastic wheels and some of those with metal wheels are uninsulated. I'd probably open myself up to all manner of criticism from those with far more knowledge of track powered models if I tried including untested information about possible ways of converting the chassis. I prefer to stick with what I know.

Rik
 
ge_rik said:
Hi folks
I've put together a beginners' guide to creating battery locos from kits. It's very much an intro. I'd appreciate some feedback from experienced and less experienced modellers alike. Is anything missing? Is it easy to follow? Is it too basic? Anything else?
riksrailway.blogspot.com

How to build battery locos for your garden railway - Part 1 - Kits

Narrow gauge large scale model garden railway. Battery powered, radio controlled locomotives, some Bluetooth. Set in Cheshire UK in 1930s
riksrailway.blogspot.com riksrailway.blogspot.com

Rik
Click to expand...
Hi Rik

My very first loco was the HGLW kit which I built from your extremely helpful guide (Bible?) approx 3 years ago and it still runs!

I think your latest guide really helps any beginner to be aware of the different types of kits now available including 3D and the Card kits which I never knew existed until this morning!

This not only helps the beginner to choose the type of kit which should be the easiest for them, but also possibly the most cost effective.

I’m still a beginner and have found the 3d kits particularly useful when fragile parts eg handrails might break and they can then be quickly reprinted.

​

 
I think it is a near trueism that few 16mm or G scale modelers build locomotive kits for track power. Yes a few may but very much in the minority.
 
As Jon says the market for kit built electric powered locos,, in the UK and outside of 16 mm (c 1:19) and 7/8" (c1:13), is virtually non existent. Yes, the makers of these products either offer an option or make their products readily regaugable between 32 & 45mm, the latter being the domain of predominantly associated, but not exclusively by, track powered "G Scale" operators. The reason - those scales tend to be favoured by those who operate "dead rail".

I own a GRS make L&B 2-6-2 Manning Wardle that was supplied as a kit. I originally built it, as supplied, as a track powered loco. After a while its performance dropped off due to regular track debris contamination and as a result of its wheel configuration. The UK climate is great for promoting that type of frustration. I removed the pick ups and installed a battery conversion to solve the issue. I included sound and working smoke later. It was my first battery loco that led me, along with a similarly recalcitrant Accucraft K-27, along the path from track to battery power for the whole fleet, eventually.

That first loco, as a design necessity, incorporated insulated wheels as its design was intended to incorporate current pick ups from the outset. See below the simple pick up arrangement I have now removed - LGB plungers soldered to brass strips on a plasticard mounting plate, for insulation, wires straight to the motor. The problem with converting a lot of the current "kit" product available is that it is not just working out how and where to fit pick-ups - that is not an option concidered in a lot of designs. You also have to see if they will need wheels replacing, as the may well not be insulated as supplied, or even conducting at all, glass filled plastics are becoming common on these products. It also follows that number of these kits, as is the nature of the market, tend to represent smaller prototypes that feature 0-4-0/0-6-0 wheel configurations that could lead to an increase in the likelihood of running issues. Max

20221223_115550.jpg

P.S. I now have a fleet of 45 mm locos I can now run on fellow 16 NGM Association members' similarly gauged lines - most of them are dead rail. I also have a few that can regauge to 32 mm.
 
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dunnyrail said:
I think it is a near trueism that few 16mm or G scale modelers build locomotive kits for track power. Yes a few may but very much in the minority.
Click to expand...
Certainly true for 16mm scale 32mm gauge ,I would have thought. 45mm gaugers would use the motor block from LGB or similar
 
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