The Home Machinist!

Anybody on here know who makes a small 4 axle switcher in 7.5 inch gauge such as the SW 1500 or close to it utilizing the Honda 5.5 HP engine and the Eaton hydro stat transmission? I know about the Titan Jr, but I am looking for something smaller than the ones made with the Briggs Vanguard engine.

Thanks
Dick

Hi Dick,
I had that option when I bought my SW7 new SW900 from Rai Systems. I really wanted a jeep
but money was an issue. That also influenced me getting the Honda 5.5 instead of the Vanguard.

I wish I'd found the extra money.

If for no other reason the Vanguard is far and away a much quieter engine and does not have the lawn mower effect the 5.5 does.

It also is much more reactive to enhanced
muffler techniques.

Just my two cents.

Take care,

...don't know if the guy is still producing locomotives or not, but his SW was just what you described. 5.5hp Honda engine with 2:1 gearbox and Eaton hydrostatic drive. There are quite of few of his locos "out there".

Don't remember the company name...Morris Locomotive, Morris Equipment...not sure what name he goes by. Used to advertise in the hobby mags. RTR loco in primer. Reasonably priced. Contact info:

421 N. Sheldon St.
Charlotte, MI 48813
Tele: (517) 543-8279
Products: 1-1/2″ Scale all steel diesel – ready to run

Hope that at least gets you going in the right direction. Carl B.

The muffler has a lot to do with the sound of the engine, the little stock can mufflers don't cut it. Building a custom one can be expensive if you can't DIY it, but a multi-pass muffler with perforated metal and packing in it, with a long large exhaust pipe going to your stack will quiet it up and deepen the exhaust tone.
One member on here with an older post stated their single cylinder actually sounded pretty realistic with the right exhaust, as the real engines turn over so slow that you can hear each cylinder fire at idle.
In addition, if you have room to enclose the engine and insulate the body, it will make a huge difference. We built a natural gas compressor module at work and it was tested in the open and must have been 110 decibels+. It was skinned with aluminum, then panels were formed from perforated metal with a layer of rockwool and acoustic foam inside them and you could hardly hear the thing running once those were installed.
Personally I like the vanguard because its a pressurized oil system engine with a oil filter, whereas all the smaller engines are just splash lubed. I am on a tight budget like many, and had a 420cc 15HP motor on hand that was retired from my kart, so I'm using it and I get it.
The harbor freight engines aren't that bad, there is some tricks to "prepping" them to get them to last, and with coupon the 7HP version is about $100.

I love the SW series switchers, post up what you find!

Thank you, As usual I got an excellent response to a question. One of the reasons why I like this hobby and the board. Thanks again.

What would really be cool is to use one of Honda's smaller four cylinder motorcycle engines in a 7.5" gauge 'diesel' locomotive. The adequately muffled exhaust sound would be down right delightful!
BC

^ I looked into a lot of different options from motorcycles to industrial engines to refrigeration motors. Sadly the motorcycle engine would never fit due to the size unless it was going into a F7 or full width body unit, and even then you'd be removing the transmission, cutting the transmission portion of the cases off, making some "hugger" headers, and some 90 degree manifolds that placed the carbs off to the side.
What's really needed is an inline twin of fairly large displacement, with a HEAVY flywheel so there is that slow acceleration, low idle rpm capability, and deep tone. There is also some small 3-cylinder diesel engines found in refrigeration units on tractor trailers that may fit the bill. I was considering one of these and had found someone selling 4 of them on craigslist, but decided to stay gas because of the fact that I'll be using my train in the rain-snow-cold, probably even more to haul more firewood when it's colder, and I don't want to deal with jellied diesel.

rkcarguy wrote: and I don't want to deal with jellied diesel.

I'm not convinced that would be a problem, depending on your location. I've owned a couple of Dodge Cummins trucks for a long time and have yet to experience temperatures that are troublesome. Do keep in mind, I live in Western Washington, however. That may not be true for those who live where temps drop below 0°F, which doesn't happen here.

H

I live in Washington by the Sumas border crossing Harold, it's not that often, but when we get the cold NE winds blasting out of the Frasier river valley it plunges us into the single digits and occasionally minus #'s pretty easily. A few years ago we had such a cold blast, I drove my V10 ford to work. My neighbors Cummins wouldn't start, and don't get me wrong I love that Cummins engine. I got to work and there was only 3 people there because the yard was all iced over, and none of the equipment(propane and diesel) would start either. Pulled the filler cap on the big forklift and it was like Karo syrup. I worked a half day in the shop until we ran out of stuff to weld on and then went home.
I'll never forget it, because that Friday evening we had NE wind gusts to 80 mph at home and I thought I was going to lose my picture window. Up at the Mt. Baker ski area, a 116 mph gust was recorded which then destroyed the weather station thingy measuring the wind-speed. The time of this gust was the same one that knocked me on my butt in the back yard when I was carrying in another armful of firewood.
Due to the shape of the mountains and terrain here, I think this is limited to Whatcom and Skagit county, and parts of the San Juan islands as its shaped to funnel all the cold wind to the SW.

Steve Morris is the man in Charlotte, MI who built the SW1500's with Eaton drives.