trackmobile (better pics)

quote:

Originally posted by Enginear-Joe:
I just went to their site to see any news about their SD70s and saw the trackmobile listed.
http://www.overlandmodels.com/showroom.php?scale=2
I wonder how much this will cost? Great looking stuff. Joe

If you have to ask, you probably can't afford it,

Joe,

I looked up this trackmobile a while back, I believe it is being used by NASA.

I had heard a few people were tinkering around the the Lionel Trackmobile and converting them. Don't know if it's scale as I haven't seen one up close and personal. Haven't seen any photos of any converted ones yet.

I bet the Lionel would be closer to my budget (free?). Again, I had a Tower engine in HO scale and admired it's beauty. I would hope that someday I could afford one in O scale. They never seem to get any closer as the years go by. Just like the Allegheny G scale brass I saw. Only dreaming, Joe

Joe, if I recall correctly, the Overland Trackmobile announcement was kind of a "teaser" of sorts to see just how much interest there would be in such an item. I see it popped up on Overlands site again, and I thought someone said it was going to retail for around $700 - $800..., but this off the top of my head. Kind of pricey in my opinion, but a truly scale model as opposed to the Lionel version. I remember even an unpowered one being talked about by Overland. I'm not quite certain just how many of these would sell?

Now that would be an excelent model for Atlas to make in O and could do it right and priced well.

The OMI trackmobile had been removed from the website for a while now. Engineer Joe. The FAM Gauge 1 AG looks good but there are.several problems like the white lettering, should be yellow gold. I had to replace the 1.5 light bulbs,twice. The brass crane is the best piece I have! I so love the Big brass pieces. I'll take brass over plastic any day. nw2124

I think there is some play factor for me here. They used these at the chemical plant to move cars in and out of the loading bays. A switcher would then pull the string out to a holding track were CSX would take over. I actually rode in one and thought they were amazing in how they worked. You can see all around. We could lift a tanker up to move it. I think someone lifted too much and freed up a truck one time. Ooops. Joe

Yeah, there had been a rumor for a while about a big company getting into the O scale market. If Exactrail can bring their history from HO and N to O I really think it would change the game dramatically. Certainly the material, molds, etc are different but they have the knowledge/experience to deliver revolutionary products in O Scale! Not just the run of the mill stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by R Nelson:
On a side bar, Exact Rail is seriously looking at getting into the O scale market sometime in the next couple of years. I bent their ears for a while with my suggestions for cars.

Here's a picture of one of Lionel's versions. Looks OK?
http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve...772985917#4772985917
Funny, That coupler looks even larger

Here's some more pics of forum member Jim Z Lionel engine. It runs really quite well. He mentioned that there maybe a battery as the engine goes over switches without stalling. He notices some light diming but the engine kept going. It ran slowly, silent and smooth while I watched. I think moving my Lionel tankers with sound would be quite nice. I liked the lighting effects. After riding in one, I might expect that loud diesel sound. No real place to even think about a speaker.

The ability of it's 3 rail couplers to drop cars so well is a feature that needs to be properly addressed in scale two rail. It coupled smoothly too.

The axles appeared to be incased in a plastic removeable housing? This might help the two railing conversion.













This maybe a great affordable option, that looked quite good to me. I would like to see a touch of weathering done on the exhaust, road wheels, etc. The real rubber tires look good. The missing scale electro coupler in this 2 rail marketplace is making me more frustrated daily.
Thank you Jim (NYC Z-MAN) for the hospitality. Joe

Joe: What about the pizza cutter wheels? How would you solve those gross things?nw2124

They have to come off first thing. One side has got to get insulated. Making reliable power pickups is the challenge for me. I'm on my third design. My steamer draws some amps with the smoke on full. It studders sometimes on switches.
This should be easier?? Joe

There was some rumble of someone two railing this thing. I should have talked with Joe F. sooner. Good info from a pro. Thanks!

Joe, I started converting one and got side tracked. Got the motor isolated, started using some PC couplers and made some contact with Dave Rygmyr from NWSL. Mine is apart in a projects box. This winter I will pick it up again and figure out the wheels and gearing.

quote:

Originally posted by Enginear-Joe:
There was some rumble of someone two railing this thing. I should have talked with Joe F. sooner. Good info from a pro. Thanks!

Added better pics. Thanks again to Jim Z who brought it over for the pics. I would be interested to see your final fixes Mike when it's complete. Thanks for posting, Joe

This showed up at my door! The lights are directional but they all are on when it's in neutral. When a direction is selected, the head lights stay on the forward side and the red tail lights on the rearward. I think it's pretty cool. I may have to talk with Joe F about some work. Otherwise I'd be adding some new trackage. Hmmm.

 The axles come right out. Isolate the motor? I would like operating couplers.

I wonder if I could grind down these couplers or the Atlas ones? 

I may just play with her for a while. I'm thinking 3 railers are having more fun?

I should shout out a thank you to Charles Ro for a great deal, and to Jim Z for telling me about it!