Rubber Band Drives


B

beiland

Well-Known Member
I've been doing a bit of research on alternative motor-axle drive systems to utilize on a 'disguised pusher' to help power up our steam engines that have been trying mightily to do it all on individual selfs.

A few days ago I ran across a few references, including this very convincing video,..



Look at the pulling capabilities,...WOW


Look at the potential simplicity of these drives.


Look at the potential space to add weight for traction improvement.


I thought this subject deserved a new subject discussion.
 
if they would have worked well, they would still be offered ... major complaint was a very high top speed
 
High Speed Issue

With the BIG variety of motor selections we have these days, and the DCC control of those motors I'm sure this can be taken care of?
 
I have two of these and they run the same speed as the geared ones Came in original box from Athearn with several cars
100_0902.JPG
 
My one experience with rubber band drives was IIRC, an Athearn RDC. "the horror...", not well behaved at all. I strongly dis-recommend.
 
Yep I have a few of those also and several of the older Athearn ones not very good but for when they were made top of the line
 
If used as a “secondary” pulling device would it remove the erratic behavior at all?
 
A little bit but the normal rubberband drive was just too fast to run well with anything else
Those two that I have that are different will run with normal engines
 
MikeGTW said:
I have two of these and they run the same speed as the geared ones Came in original box from Athearn with several cars
View attachment 135796
Click to expand...
Do you have a few more pics of that engine?
I don't seem to see an 'outboard bearing support' for those shafts?

Looks like it might have some sort of a gearhead motor mounted down in the fuel tank area under the shaft??
 
It looks like the motor is upside down and there is a small gear under that larger white one There is no support under the shafts and they are larger diameter then the standard ones
DSC_0284.JPG
 

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My experiences with it were in the 1950s with my "Little Hustler" 4 wheel switcher (Was it Athearn ?). When it stopped it bounced a bit fore/aft...
I also had (still have) a brass box cab where the belt became brittle and disappeared...
Your claim of extra space has some merit..But it's as Toots says in post #3...

Jeeesh ! Is that Masonite peg board ??!! Never saw that used !! But train lengths and speed IS mighty impressive !!...
 
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Dear Eric (on MRH site), that belt site is most interesting, ....and likely most applicable.


from that website: http://www.nigellawton009.com/DriveComponents.html
"and specially made Chloroprene rubber (CR) drive belts. The belts are square in cross section and are closely related to those found in mini voice recorders of the tape variety and many other small mechanisms in audio and video machines. They will not take on a 'set' (like rubber bands do) if left stretched permanently for many years so long as the stretch no more than
Click to expand...
 
MikeGTW said:
It looks like the motor is upside down and there is a small gear under that larger white one There is no support under the shafts and they are larger diameter then the standard ones
View attachment 135815
Click to expand...
Just a quick guess but I think the gearing likely represents a reduction of 10 to 1. Then the rubber band reduction of another 10 to 1. So the 8000rpm motor goes to 800, then goes to 80 for the wheels??
 
MikeGTW said:
I have two of these and they run the same speed as the geared ones Came in original box from Athearn with several cars
View attachment 135796
Click to expand...
I thought I had seen every configuration of the rubber band drive, but this one is new to me. Now I'll have to go hunting for one to add to my collection.

Through the years I've modified the drive in several different ways. One was to mount a ball bearing on the top of the two shaft supports. Make getting new rubberbands on and off a horrible chore. That dealt with a lot of the noise problem. There was another one I put drive rods with cones on them to the "gear" ratio changed as speed increased and the rubber band moved up and down the shaft. The idea was to make starting easier and smoother. Had a hard time finding o-rings that were flexible enough to be tight over the whole operating area but loose enough that they would work their way to the large side of the cone.

Then finally as this one I made the shaft larger diameter and turned the wheel axles to make them smaller. Then replace the motor with a slot car motor for the children's Youth in Model Railroading great locomotive drag race. It was so fast that the first race it ran, jaws dropped.
 
beiland said:
I've been doing a bit of research on alternative motor-axle drive systems to utilize on a 'disguised pusher' to help power up our steam engines that have been trying mightily to do it all on individual selfs.

A few days ago I ran across a few references, including this very convincing video,..



Look at the pulling capabilities,...WOW


Look at the potential simplicity of these drives.


Look at the potential space to add weight for traction improvement.


I thought this subject deserved a new subject discussion.
Click to expand...
Did they buy all of Athearn's hopper production for 5 years?
 
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