Steve, here are a few more photos of how I use the USATrains motor block.
This is a Lionel #17 caboose I converted into a trolley.
Again I used standard gauge pilot wheels, this time the solid rather than spoked:
- these wheels are a larger diameter than the ones that come on the motor block, which provides a little more clearance between the belly of the motor and the center rail.
- The center hole in these wheels is the right diameter to press securely on the axle.
- the wheels are thick enough at the hub to press on the larger diameter part of the axle. I have never had any problem with slippage or wobbling. About half of the thickness of the wheel is pressed on the larger diameter part of the axle.
- When the tip of the axle is flush with the outside of the wheel, the wheels are pretty much gauged at 2-1/8" for standard gauge (might need a little fine tuning from there).
Obviously, the motor block has a longer wheelbase than the old Lionel truck, so it doesn't look quite right. I have yet to find a better solution. So I would admit that at this point there is an aesthetic consideration using this motor for SG which I am not quite entirely happy with.
On this trolley I made from an old beat-up friction-motor toy, I left the truck off the motor, and used a McCoy truck on the front. Not sure if it looks much better than the caboose trolley..
Aesthetic considerations aside, in all the standard gauge applications for which I have used this motor, the performance can't be argued with; it runs and pulls like crazy.
david
