Bashing a Hong Kong tram

[velotrain]

While looking at photos of Hong Kong trams, I ran across this store

 

http://www.80mbusmodel.com/eshop/

 

 

Almost all of their models (including busses) are 1:76 scale, but I noticed that a few of the trams were to 1:150, and started considering a motorization project.  Not only are these models short, but also extremely narrow, and I quickly realized that the Kato 11-10x power chassis series was the obvious choice, but it would need some bashing at that.  Both the tram and the chassis were cheap enough that I decided to get one of each, as it would be no great loss if the project didn't work out.

 

There's about 1/4" to spare at each end of the Kato chassis inside the tram shell, but I had to remove the sideframes and also file off some of what was left, as well as flatten the sides of the motor casting.

 

The tram took more work than I was expecting.  It's a cast, clear plastic shell, roughly 1/16" thick, with a color imprint over it, which seems to be of good quality - both visually and in terms of permanence.  It suffered a lot of very rough handling during the bash, and based on the photos I think it survived this fairly well.

 

It was easy enough to remove the cheap wheels, but I had been hoping to simply pry the bottom off to fit the chassis - not so fast.  After having no success, I decided it was time to use my mini-motor tool.  Using a combination of attachments, mostly a drill bit, I discovered the source of my anguish.  A pair of roughly 1/16" steel pins run through the top level seats/floor, as well as the bottom.  I initially used grinding heads to try to eat this away, but it was very slow work. 

 

I was so frustrated at these steel pins that I contacted 80Mbus and said these were way overkill for this application, and if they replaced them with plastic pins there might be a new market for sales.  They replied, "Well, the product is for hobby collection, but not for modify."  I tried a new tactic of drilling away the plastic from around the bottom of the pin.  However, I feared that it might be attached to the two castings with a really strong glue.  Much to my surprise, I was able to use a pair of square-nosed pliers to grab the end of the pin and pull it out.  When I removed the second one the whole bottom floor came with it.

 

I was able to press-fit the chassis in at this point, but the sides were bowing out more than I was willing to tolerate.  I put a tubular grinding bit in my tool and was able to slowly remove enough material from the inside bottom of the casting to allow the motor to slip in.  Having discovered how to attack the tram without getting too frustrated, I may try another one, and maybe even create a micro layout for them. 

 

80M does offer a trio of small HK structures, but I imagine Japanese ones could be used if you plaster them with enough advertising.  I'll also look to source a better quality power pole.  Maybe I'll get one of each and store the others unmodified in a carbarn.

 

 

[cteno4]

Charles,

 

not the models fault, they make these as displays not designed to be modified as they noted.  ;-p

 

I have a couple I got a long time back and realized the kato mechs are way to big and they need a Tsugawa Chassis to fit well and give better wheel size and location. As with many little projects I have it ready to dive into, but not the time. all the prefitting I did looked good and wheel position was close on the chassis I bought. I'll dig it out to see which one I got.

 

https://www.modeltrainplus.net/search?q=Tsugawa+Chassis

 

Cheers

 

jeff

[velotrain]

Jeff -

 

I realize this Kato chassis isn't great, but I've been very disappointed with Tsugawa chassis - what is your experience with them on starting speed and running characteristics?

 

My feeling is that given the body type wheel size and wheelbase are not really an issue.

 

If I blacken the Kato wheels it'll be even less of an issue.

 

Charles

 

[bill937ca]

Info on Hong Kong Tramways:

 

Text is in German, photos are recent.

 

http://www.bahninfo-forum.de/read.php?20,317454

 

Hong Kong fleet list:

 

http://web1591.fge1.5hosting.com/lfr-wp1/?p=4579

 

Track map 1996.

 

Edited October 6, 2017 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

 

[velotrain]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_Hwjz_CMI

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcq_2rxdPAk

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOBxoXKD5CM

[cteno4]

the mech i got was the TMC100. its got smaller wheels and the axle spacing is just a bit wider than plastic ones on the tram.

 

the wheels are maybe a mm narrower than the inside of the shell. the motor is mounted lengthwise and is tiny so it should come to just about the bottom of the windows so with some black paint i doubt you will ever see it past 6". the truck frames on there would need to come off or parts of it mounted into the shell well there to fake it being there as N gauge does not leave enough room to fit it between the wheeels and the shell.

 

ill give a quick whack at taking mine apart, looks like the pin can easily be drilled out on the drill press and then pulled apart easily enough.

 

ive got the tgw tiny deki 3 switcher and the bit larger mow car. like all small mechs they can jump with uneven track joints and can stall on point frogs some but do ok for their size. just cant have it all with tiny things like this. at least the 100 is a longer wheel base so better handling points i would think. 

 

cheers

 

jeff

Edited October 10, 2017 by cteno4

[velotrain]

Jeff - based on my experience I'd just drill out a ring, or maybe just two sides around the steel pins to give you an opportunity to grab and pull. 

If you attack the pin itself, it only means that you'll need to remove more plastic to have an opportunity to extract the pins.

I see no benefit to shortening the length of the pin.

 

While we're discussing small mechs, what do people think of the Tomytec "Hako-Tetsu" HM-01 - although, it does look fatter than the tram interior. 

 

The first of the three videos above is a "stop motion" run over the whole line, and I was surprised by a relatively long stretch of single track.  I have to assume that it is part of an area that is served by a loop line, and you can't always travel directly between two points.  You often think the tram you're on is going to collide when the one in front of it is stopped at a station.

Edited October 9, 2017 by velotrain
rephrasing

[bill937ca]

Happy Valley line is single track (see the track map above).  Though it seems the rail is getting a bit corrugated with broken rail joints and some rough riding.

 

 

Oh yes, these are single truckers with a bonus bucking bronco ride.  This might be better than an amusement park ride.  :)

 

 

Edited October 9, 2017 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Battery powered Hong kong tram. I suspect its no longer available.

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2017 by bill937ca

[velotrain]

Did it come with ear plugs?

[cteno4]

so i just popped mine open. i looked closer at the end of the metal rod and its not a peened over so i just stuck a thin screwdriver in from the ends and levered the bottom section off. ends of the rods are just roughed surfaces to grab into the plastic holes in the top and bottom so they pull right out. then pulled the pins out of the roof with the parallel pliers.

 

the tm-100 will fit in nicely with a small square cut out of the lower floor. ironically there is a masked out rectangle on the floor that is the exact size that needs to be cut out for the motor to pop up into the floor area! almost like it was put there to show where to carve out for the TM-100!

 

I think the bottom plate is best having the ends cut off to be mounted on each end and then see if parts of the bogie sides can be remounted into the cut out area of the outer shell there. the side frames can be cut off then sanded down to about half as thick as the outer shell so it looks like its recessed and you think the shell is thinner than it actually is. may also slim down the shell right in this area of the cutout and past the skirts to make these fit in and give good clearance to the wheels. looks to be about 1mm on each side of the wheels and the inside of the shell.

 

wild idea of putting smd leds. would need some tiny wiring, but its got the room and interesting access points to run wire. I think i will probably be thinning the sides of the floor so it can all drop in as a single unit from the top. this gives good access to secure the chassis in the first floor and two little wire strip smd leds for the bottom of the second floor and roof can easily slip in and wire go up the staircase.

 

jeff

[kvp]

I found a video: 

 

[velotrain]

Jeff - how does yours run on the TMC100 chassis?

[cteno4]

Haven't cut the hole yet for it.

 

jeff

[brill27mcb]

Well, let's get going, Jeff! I am liking this thread... 

 

Rich K.

[cteno4]

theres this thing of getting all the carpentry done on the new club layout...

 

jeff

[kvp]

I found this video: (imho a good way to see some of the operating patterns)