Hello,
I have this older loco that needs a new motor. The engine is a RS unit, I think rs-3...? Something like a can motor and that will take a DCC controller. Know where I can buy one?
who makes the loco? you can try A-line repowering parts
Quote from: hobo1 on June 17, 2009, 12:03:57 PM
who makes the loco? you can try A-line repowering parts
OK i finally found the box, its A.H.M.(Associated Hobby Manufacturers, inc.) and i also found out it's a Alco RS-2 road switcher diesel. Hope this helps.
I sent an E-mail because i could not find one. Hope to get a reply form them
The engine you have could date to the late 60's or early 70's. AHM went bankrupt and is no longer in existence. I think IHC is a direct decendent of the earlier company, but I'm not sure. Your best bet for a new motor might be NorthWest Short Line or A-Line. Here's a link to A Line.
http://www.ppw-aline.com/
Good luck. Bringing an old timer back to life can be very rewarding.
Rusty
From your original post, you are converting an old locomotive into a DCC compatible locomotive ? Make sure the motor is completely isolated from the frame.
Quote from: ta152h0 on June 17, 2009, 03:20:09 PM
From your original post, you are converting an old locomotive into a DCC compatible locomotive ? Make sure the motor is completely isolated from the frame.
no, so the motor will run on it. Some non Dcc locos can run with the controllers. Non Dcc locos run on channel 10 for bachmann E-Z Dcc controller.
Another question is how old is it. Does it have both trucks powered or just one. If both trucks are powered you might check with Micro-Mark for a motor. www.micromark.com
Quote from: RAM on June 18, 2009, 12:30:16 AM
Another question is how old is it. Does it have both trucks powered or just one. If both trucks are powered you might check with Micro-Mark for a motor. www.micromark.com
No, just one. Sorry, no date.... :(
Edit:you know whats funny? A.H.M. was in the Philadelphia Pa. area like bachmann....hmmmm...... i wonder..... no :) i am going off topic then. ;)
Jeff;
A small A-line motor will work for you. As would small motors from NWSL.
There is no problem with insulating the motor from the frame, because the frame is plastic - non issue.
Some of these model had electrical pick-up from one side of each truck. If you take apart the trucks carefully, you can make duplicates of the pick-ups from thin copper sheet so that you have all wheel electrical pick-up.
Another challenge with this model is that the gearing is 8.5:1 (double lead worm on 17T worm gear). With DCC this not an issue. Going with a low rpm motor would be advantageous though.
if it's an old ahm locomotive, i wouldn't even bother trying to remotor it. many orf these had a motor mounted on the front truck, and were extremely poor runners. very few of the old ahm locomotives had the standard motor driving a shaft and worm gears to each truck as we know it. this standard is what most if not all repowering kits are designed for.
a second problem would be the wheelsets themselves. ahm locomotives did not conform to nmra rp25 standards, and had deep flanges, european style. they also often had traction tires. all of this means that even if you do figure out a way to put a can motor in this unit, it will still be a very poor performer.
the third problem is that this unit has truck mounted horn-hook couplers. it is going to be very hard to change these out to knuckle type in a manner that will work reliably. it simply wasn't designed for this.
to upgrade this locomotive is going to be expensive. especially since others have made much better quality rs2's that cost not much more than the parts you'll have to buy to upgrade this one. better to park it on an out of the way siding as a stored surplus locomotive. after all there is a recession going on and the real ones are doing the same.....
Quote from: jward on June 18, 2009, 07:06:45 AM
if it's an old ahm locomotive, i wouldn't even bother trying to remotor it. many orf these had a motor mounted on the front truck, and were extremely poor runners. very few of the old ahm locomotives had the standard motor driving a shaft and worm gears to each truck as we know it. this standard is what most if not all repowering kits are designed for.
a second problem would be the wheelsets themselves. ahm locomotives did not conform to nmra rp25 standards, and had deep flanges, european style. they also often had traction tires. all of this means that even if you do figure out a way to put a can motor in this unit, it will still be a very poor performer.
the third problem is that this unit has truck mounted horn-hook couplers. it is going to be very hard to change these out to knuckle type in a manner that will work reliably. it simply wasn't designed for this.
to upgrade this locomotive is going to be expensive. especially since others have made much better quality rs2's that cost not much more than the parts you'll have to buy to upgrade this one. better to park it on an out of the way siding as a stored surplus locomotive. after all there is a recession going on and the real ones are doing the same.....
I took the shell off and was surprised. The motor looked fine but was a bit of a mess. :( I was not the original owner(you might have guessed ;)) but it looked like a loose weight was thrown in! >:( I put it back and i noticed before i put the shell back on, a pickup copper wire was dangling! This prevented me from putting it on. So i am now going to take it to my grandpa(when he gets back next week) to see if he could fix it. Worse comes to worse i will buy a new motor or make it a non powered one. I did get a E-mail and they said # 40321 or 40322 might work. they would like a chassis photo so i will try and get one for them.
will update.