Large Scale Central

Just another Boxcab saga

Having completed my Ozark boxcab, I moved on to the next project, a Banta Modelworks Crewcab. (It is also a boxcab in you install the side sheathing, as their photo shows, but it has the option of a full set of windows, llike a large MoW car or Speeder.)

It fits on a Bachmann Davenport chassis, which I didn’t have. But after a few weeks a pair popped up on Facebook - one used/good, one with no motor, but I figured I could make something of it. When it turned up I wasn’t encouraged.

I already have a USAT power block from a 44 tonner. Having 2 complete bodies my thoughts turned to a center-cab:

Naw, that doesn’t get me a Boxcab frame! So I continued stripping it down, and got to the point where I realised the USAT block wasn’t going to be just a drop-in. (Working Davenport on the right.)

Looks like it will work though. That’s the Banta base and a battery holder, as that’s the way it will work, I think. I then worked out what was missing from the good loco, and swapped bits to make one very complete loco, which I then sold on Facebook for the same as I paid for the pair. (The trickiest bit was the headlight. The good loco had one with broken legs and a bulb. Took me a while to figure out how to remove the front and get the bulb out to put in the other headlight. [Put a screwdriver in the hole underneath where the wires come out and push/lever the reflector out.])

I found the chassis is solid metal, and the hump over the motor is asymmetrical and thick metal. This baby, with traction tires on the USAT block and all the weight, is gonna pull anything. After stripping it down completely, (8 tiny screws holding each cut lever? Really?) I got out my Harbor Freight oscillating power tool and a couple of new (decent) metal cutting blades and attacked it. It wasn’t too hard though the tool got a bit hot, and my hands were sore from the vibrations.

With the frame on the USAT block, we now have something that might work. You’ll note I haven’t put the sideframes back, as the wheelbase is different. However, as you can see from the first photo, the wheels are not exactly visible, so I don’t anyone will notice - especially after I paint them black/rusty.

I think the next task is to check out the power block. It seems to have 2 small plugs in one end, which I assume are motor-in, pickups-out. A JST plug might fit.

Pete Thornton said:

Having completed my Ozark boxcab, I moved on to the next project, a Banta Modelworks Crewcab. (It is also a boxcab in you install the side shething, as their photo shows, but it has the option of a full set of windows, llike a large MoW car or Speeder.)

It’s screaming HEP and MU ports on the pilot however that is only “my opinion”

It’s screaming HEP and MU ports on the pilot however that is only “my opinion”

Not sure what HEP or MU cables/ports would do. It’s not likely there would be 2 of them around that needed to get together. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

I have one of these, and its built, except I dont have a Davenport to go under it. I should see if I can dig one up, its a cute little bugger.

Pete Thornton said:

It’s screaming HEP and MU ports on the pilot however that is only “my opinion”

Not sure what HEP or MU cables/ports would do. It’s not likely there would be 2 of them around that needed to get together. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

I’m pretty sure that’s just Rooster screaming.

Bob McCown said:

I have one of these, and its built, except I dont have a Davenport to go under it. I should see if I can dig one up, its a cute little bugger.

Yes, I enjoyed your thread from 10 years ago!

Today’s job was mundane housekeeping. I tried to find a plug that would fit the pins on the motor block, but had to take the top off and solder on some wires. Interestingly, the 2 outer pins are motor (and they/it works) and the other 2 are pickups and only 1 works - the other pin has no connection to the wheels or skates. Good job I don’t do track power.

I then attacked the skates, which are not needed, and found I could fit a small screw in the top when it was fully depressed. That fixed them in place.

Finally, I got out my electronics bag and tried to figure out how it will all go together. Clockwise from the 2" speaker is the mini-receiver (which worked when I tested it,), the Cobra ESC and the Mylocosound board. The Cobra has outputs for forward/reverse LEDs, so that will simplify wiring a little.

I’m thinking of tucking all this up in the roof area using an electronics tray, with the speaker built in. Maybe clear plastic for the tray, though I don’t know why I’d need to see what it is doing. The objective, as this thing doesn’t have a removable roof, is to be able to pull the whole tray out and figure out what isn’t working!

If anyone’s curious why I keep using those DSM2 r/c receivers, let me explain. I have a lot of live steam locos with r/c in them, and I discovered that using DSM2 I have a wide choice of receivers and transmitters. (I started with a Spektrum, but now use an RCS TX with a small handprint and a knob.) Sticking with DSM2 means I can bind all the receivers to my TX and then I only have to carry one with me.

(When it breaks, I will have to get a new one and re-bind all my receivers. Jon Radder just found out what a pain that is when he acquired my old Spektrum DX5e. RCS just produced an “auto-bind” receiver, which connects itself to the nearest (only) active TX - seems like a good idea and would simplify my problem, but wouldn’t give me the diversity of supply.)

The cost of a Cobra ESC which will handle 3 amps at 20 volts is only $62, as is the Mylocosound board. The RX cost me about $11. [Of course, the exchange rate affects these prices.]

The alternative would be a Revolution RX/Sound card for $110-ish. I do have a Revolution TX so I can go that way when I feel like it, or when the exchange rate shifts again. A Revolution certainly reduces the wiring.

Hello Pete.

Thanks for the business.

There are a couple of updates for those interested.

The latest RCS DSM2 Receivers have servo reversing on all 5 servo outputs as well servo end point adjustments.

They also have front and rear LED outputs for directional lighting.

For those not needing such heavy duty power ESC’s, Fosworks also have a 30 watt ESC that can do 2 amps at 15 volts. Or 1 amp up to 24 volts. US$ 42. They can be used with any brand of stick radio. Ideal for low current drain Locos like Bachmann Anniversary Big Haulers.

A little more progress. I decided that it wasn’t a good idea for the power block to fall out every time you pick up the frame, so I searched for a way to attach it. The rear is now located with a piece of plywood:

The front was a little trickier, but as it sticks up over the frame, and as I had opened it up to add the motor power leads, a piece of stainless steel wire seemed like a possibility. It runs right through the block.

The small brass stand-offs keep the battery holder off the block. Despite being 1/4" thick almost, the frame is soft diecast metal, so the holes for the stand-offs were tapped M2.5. I did the same with a couple of holes for screws and washer to hold the stainless wire in place.

Finished the wring for the power on the frame. DPDT switch with Off/Charge and Run as its two options, plus a charging jack.Drilling the 15/32nd hole for the charging jack was fun, but my hole enlarger drill turned out to make short work of the 1/4" diecast frame.

I’m going to try and keep this tidy. Already working on a cover for the battery box. Minor issue is that I have the seat from the Davenport, but it fits at the back. Wonder if I can turn this body around?

The bodywork was glued and dried overnight. Now I am trying to figure out how to hide the electronics. I could put them upside down, as shown here, but the double-sided tape would give out at an embarrassing moment. I’m thinking a wooden bar across each board to keep it in place.

As the body is essentially ready for painting, I parked it on the side track next to my Ozark boxcab. I’m still considering various paint colors - I have some more Blue, and Hunter Green. Bright orange or Caterpillar Yellow are options, or even Cherry Red.

I spent a quiet weekend thinking about how the boxcab electronics are going to fit, and picking things up to test while glue dried. The interior and driver seat need work, as the Davenport is driven from the back, and a boxcab from the front. The kit is designed for the driver to be at the rear - I assume you aren’t expected to install one! However, I had already cut the base into symmetrical shape to clear the battery box, and I found it does indeed fit the other way around. Then there’s the question of where the seat goes and the control stand - I reversed both.

From my endless supply of silly 1/20th figures, I found this “driver” who will work fine with a little surgery around her hips and knees to keep her legs on the floor.

Then it was back to work on the roof. The sub-roof flat electronics board is held in place by a block at the back, but at the front the headlight gets in the way. I slid a brass rod though from near the doors to hold it in place. The speaker sits in a box made in the sub-roof and will get held upside down by screws. As you can see, I am trying hard to keep the interior clear. There’s even a plan to run the wires in rigid tubes between the chassis and the roof to stop them flopping about (let’s hope it works.) The headlight will need a plug-socket so I can remove the board for testing, which is the whole point of making it removable.

Looking from the top, I had figured I would have to move some ribs to fit the speaker box, which has the curved top on the left. I removed 3 ribs and put in a thin one, (from the scrap on the sheet between the ribs.) The speaker box fits against the remaining rib and can’t move forward unless the rod falls out.
While the sound board (larger of the 2) could go underneath, it actually fits up between the ribs, so that’s where it will end up. There’s even room for the receiver next to it. There’s also a red LED going in the back wall, as the ESC has front and rear LED feeds.

**Pete Thornton said:**From my endless supply of silly 1/20th figures, I found this “driver” who will work fine with a little surgery around her hips and knees to keep her legs on the floor.

May I suggest some overalls for the lady before placement in the cab. A little dignity never hurt anyone especially a lady!

This post has been edited by ROOSTER: for punctuation correction

Pete Thornton said:

As the body is essentially ready for painting, I parked it on the side track next to my Ozark boxcab. I’m still considering various paint colors - I have some more Blue, and Hunter Green. Bright orange or Caterpillar Yellow are options, or even Cherry Red.

I can see blue with an orange band.

But should it be orange over blue or blue over orange?

Or should it be orange with a blue band?

Hmm …

Okay, after looking at photos of the yellow one,

Overall orange (except for roof) with blue band of a height from top of radiator and bottom of side doors.

Or put another way, blue band height equivalent to 5 boards on lower sides.

Which would leave lowest portion of sides orange.

Since door handles would be right on divide, leave them and the plates brass.

Rooster said:

**Pete Thornton said:**From my endless supply of silly 1/20th figures, I found this “driver” who will work fine with a little surgery around her hips and knees to keep her legs on the floor.

May I suggest some overalls for the lady before placement in the cab. A little dignity never hurt anyone especially a lady!

That wouldn’t be any fun, would it? She’d just look like any other RR employee.

The choice was her or the guy behind in this next pic. He’s some kind of Anime figure (I got 10 of them for $11 some months ago.) They all came with AK47s and other weapons, but most are detachable (!) He’s about the same height as her - maybe he could be driving and she could be sitting with her feet on the warm engine box enjoying the ride?

Pete Thornton said: The choice was her or the guy behind in this next pic. He’s some kind of Anime figure (I got 10 of them for $11 some months ago.) They all came with AK47s and other weapons, but most are detachable (!) He’s about the same height as her - maybe he could be driving and she could be sitting with her feet on the warm engine box enjoying the ride?

No, he is the yard worker that plugs in the HEP cables (head end power) when she arrives at the terminal in her box cab with the Ak47 under her cut off legs

Thinking outside of the box sometimes helps me Pete !

No, he is the yard worker that plugs in the HEP cables (head end power) when she arrives at the terminal in her box cab with the Ak47 under her cut off legs

OK. I’ll ask. Why does she need an AK47 in the cab with her? (And I don’t need to cut off her legs this time. Will need to bend them a bit!)

While grabbing her out of the figures drawer, I did spot a possibly better alternative.

I got a collection of Tinker Bells in various postures, and I forgot there was one actually seated. A fairy might make more sense in this baxcab!

Pete Thornton said: OK. I’ll ask. Why does she need an AK47 in the cab with her? (And I don’t need to cut off her legs this time. Will need to bend them a bit!)

What are your plans for bending her legs a bit? Please don’t tell me boiling water as that is more barbaric than just cutting them off!