Has anyone ever done a 'proper' model of a diesel loco?

[Lisa]

Just something that's been buzzing around in my head lately: Has anyone ever done a 'proper' model of a diesel loco?

By proper I mean that rather than a scale outline with a commercial electric motor or IC engine inside, actually created a scale model of the entire loco; engine, controls, and drive train included.

It's done all the time in steam, with just some areas modified (boiler design, pipe sizes, and so on) in order to make a working loco.
With a diesel loco one would make a working model of the engine (I know miniature motors are done, but one for a loco?), then the drive train which could be a custom made and wound generator/alternator and traction motors, or a scale working hydraulic pump and motors, or a mechanical drive train (gearbox).

I'd imagine that it'd be doable, but I don't know that it's been done.

I do know that some have done petrol/diesel electric, but again by hooking up a readily available motor to a readily available generator/alternator. Likewise I've seen some large petrol hydraulic loco's done, using a car engine and commercial hydraulics. But has it ever been done to scale?

It'd likely be quite an interesting build for someone interested in diesel traction.

[peterseager]

Part of the appeal of a diesel is that you have to design what's inside.

As to your question see part way down

modeleng.proboards.com/thread/6914/diesel-electric-model

Peter

[dscott]

I have been amusing myself in the local shops and asking for 4 strokes in among masses of everything else。 Yes I am in China and the
main place that seems to be producing all of these is Chungquing about a day by train from here！！
An internet search gets you lots of details and they seem to ship them out to you！

I keep looking at designs of engines and over the years articals but the desriber wishes to keep all the usefull bits secret！！

We found a sreious shop in Xian with big radio controled cars but the guys were trying to sell a hoverboard to a couple of young girls
not wearing much so missed out on any informatin！ They had a drone about the size of a dining table and raced 翺gs up and down the pavement！

I shall keep looking， The badly worded tee shirts have got worse since our last visit and we are still laughing at CASH ONLY worn by one girl today in
my wifes home town of Yaan！！

[92220]

One of the main problems with making a 'proper' model of a diesel is that a working model of the engine would be impossible to make. You just have to look at the scale model internal combustion engines at the m.e. exhibitions to see that it would be impossible to scale down to 5" or 7.1/4" gauge. Most miniatures are around 1/4 - 1/6 scale. Railway diesel engines are fuel injected too. There is no way you could scale the injector system down and get the engine to work. Pipe sizes would also be a major problem. A working scale diesel loco is a very attractive idea, but not practical in reality, but a scale non-working model is. Now I've said that, someone will go and prove me wrong!!

Bob

[John Baguley]

I seem to remember a series of articles by Roy Amsbury that appeared in Model engineer many years ago that described a scratchbuilt 5 inch gauge Hymek that Roy had built. This originally used hydraulic transmission driven by a homemade petrol engine but I think the transmission was eventually replaced by a friction drive? as the hydraulic drive was not very successful. I'll see if I can dig out the articles,

John

[dscott]

Yes we found one and it has only been assembled so petrol has never been in its tank！A neat little thing
with a cenrrifugal clutch which may bite in at 5000 reves。 So I only have 11 KGs left for clothes in the
suitecase？Priorities！

Yes now I have something to do between Chinese meals？ Take it appart for transit without spark plug and
design something for it to go on！8 wheels or a Bo Bo？（ Loud fart in Chinese！）

David with Lily translating tool shopping expeditions！

[dscott]

The engine and I with hot wife in tow, arrived several days ago into Heathrow with the maximum
weight allowed! Yes, the engine is being reassembled on the dining table?
Have you got the room for a new project in your workshop via 3 months of grass waiting to be trimmed!!!
Cut grass, find the workshop, do a proper drawing and get on with it!
Us in a windy Reading.

[dscott]

I now have all the bearings and have sorted out a Bo Bo with all wheels driven.
I am beginning to cut metal between other projects like cover the workshop floor
with tiles which means moving everything around, over there over here, and having
that there is so much better!
David now worn out again!!!

[chrisb]

I seem to recall years ago a magazine article about someone makeing a gauge 1 class 47 with a model aircraft glow plug diesel engine driving a generator to power the loco. So it was a proper diesel electric. It could well have been Bob Symes but I cant remember