What motor block is this?

KeithT

KeithT

Hillwalking, chickens and - err - garden railways.
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6C9D8ABD-4716-48CF-9696-53D74F1314ED.jpeg T278E0C09-0D9D-4810-9825-1CEF0586CA94.jpeg Years ago with good intent I purchased this block, the intention being to motorise an M&S biscuit tin in the shape of a tram.
I obtained the block but failed to obtain the tin!
As a result it has sat on the shelf ever since.
I don’t recall that it came with any info’ if it did I have lost it it!
Purely for my own interest can anyone put a name to it?
 
I think it might well be a USAT (USA Trains) one, Keith - I have a very similar one underneath a scratchbuilt mini-railbus that I bought from Steffen Otto in Germany.

If it's not USAT, then it's most likely Aristo.

Jon.

Edit: PhilP posted just a second before I did, at least we both agree..... ;)
 
That is indeed USA trains, and I'm 99.9% sure is the 84mm wheelbase type out of the NW2 and S4.

Jonathan
g-bits
 
That block will also fit the Bachmann trams with only a small amount of adjustment to the tram..
 
Yep, all spot on thanks.
I recall buying using that blue advert.
Still not located the tin tram but I have a KitKat bus one which has the right dimensions. . . Hmmm?
 
I wonder, does anywhere stock the power connectors?
 
KeithT said:
Great, many thanks.
Click to expand...

If using the standard LGB push-on terminals (as supplied with Massoth decoders) on one of these motor blocks, I would put some heat-shrink over each push-on connector - the two pins (track and motor) on each side of the gearbox are quite close together, and if both connectors get turned "flat" I think they could actually touch - or certainly come within about 0.001 of a British Standard Gnat's Todger of each other......

Jon.
 
You can use the ones that are spare in LGB Chips sets. You will of course need 4 of em, alternatively you could solder some wires to small brass tubing flatten it a little and press on to the pegs.

LGB connectors and 2mm Brass Tubeimage.jpg
 
"British Standard Gnat's Todger"

This is the exact unit of mini-measurement used by my school metalwork teacher in Kidderminster in the early 60s, Jon...
 
penylanpip said:
"British Standard Gnat's Todger"

This is the exact unit of mini-measurement used by my school metalwork teacher in Kidderminster in the early 60s, Jon...
Click to expand...


Of course, it's a well known unit of measure! These days it's probably been replaced by some bl**dy Euro-standardised ISO thingy..... ;)

Jon.
 
KeithT said:
I wonder, does anywhere stock the power connectors?
Click to expand...

&

dutchelm said:
Standard LGB connectors fit.
Click to expand...

Additionally, in theory I'm about to start stocking the flying-lead version of the type USAt use on their wiring looms (JST SM, two pin, male half) that clips into the block casing. But I'll wait until they've landed and I've checked them before I promise anyone owt.

Jonathan
g-bits
 
Or for short tasting purposes, get a short length of wire, remove all the wire, coils it up and shove it in the hole, and short out the pins,
Do this for both sides and the block will then run quite happily, as from memory the block won’t run with out this,

One coil of wirein each side and it’s a very handy motor block

Dan
 
g-bits said:
&



Additionally, in theory I'm about to start stocking the flying-lead version of the type USAt use on their wiring looms (JST SM, two pin, male half) that clips into the block casing. But I'll wait until they've landed and I've checked them before I promise anyone owt.

Jonathan
g-bits
Click to expand...


Do you mean the little red two-pin connectors? If so, that's very interesting, as I've got a whole load of those here already - I hadn't thought to try one as a connector for the motor block under the railbus, though i do need to re-wire it for DCC, so I'll give that a go!
If they are the same ones I'm thinking of, then I think that technically the bit you're using is referred to as the "female" end of the connector - the "male" is the shrouded bit that the other plugs into, which seems the wrong way round until you notice that the shrouded part actually has the two exposed pins inside, which fit into the two holes in the end of the female half......

Jon.
 
I would stop there Jon, before you get yourself in deep water!:rofl:
 
a98087 said:
Or for short tasting purposes, get a short length of wire, remove all the wire, coils it up and shove it in the hole, and short out the pins,
Do this for both sides and the block will then run quite happily, as from memory the block won’t run with out this,

One coil of wirein each side and it’s a very handy motor block

Dan
Click to expand...
Thanks, I have a vague recollection of instructions about connecting the pins when I tested it originally but, I could not recall the detail
 
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KeithT said:
Thanks, I have a vague recollection of instructions about connecting the pins when I tested it originally.
Click to expand...

When my little mini-railbus arrived, it was wired for analogue DC - and all that the builder had done was to open the motor block and replace the plastic washer that covers each pair of terminal wires with a metal one, thus shorting each pair together and making the block run on DC. He had then just externally connected to one of each pin pair to take off DC power for the lights.

In order to make the block DCC-compatible again, after figuring out what had been done to it I've replaced the metal washers with silicone ones to isolate the pins from each other again.

Jon.
 
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