Repowering a Metroliner MU

[green_elite_cab]

Hello everyone!

I have a bunch of dummy Metroliner cars since it is nearly impossible to get one that is powered without shelling out ridiculous amounts of money on ebay. i Decided it might be easier to buy a dummy and modify it to work. unfortuneately i have no idea how i would do that. i feel like i saw a "booster" truck that you installed in passenger cars to aid in long trains. the side frames happen to match the metroliner. would this work, if i found a way to mount it in the shell?

i'll take any other suggestions

thanks,
chris

 

[shortliner]

Chris - I see no reason why it shouldn't work. If you can find a motorised "bogie", or a "SPUD" or Black Beetle, that will put you on the way. I "motorised one of Athearn dummy RDC cars with a spud, and it works fine. I used the original bogie to cast new sides in glass-fibre resin - try to arrange pick-up from both ends as well, which will help
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

 

[green_elite_cab]

the thing is the Metroliner chassis is unique to itself. its nothing like the athearn chassis. i'll have to post pictures. Aperently the "coach yard" company sells power trucks for $86. thats still alot, although not as much as bidding for a powered car on ebay. the chassis would need all sorts of modifcation though.

 

[haberbeckbrandao]

Repowering a Metroliner

Hi Green_Elite-Cab,

We've exchanged a few messages over the past few days in the forum railroad.net about repowering options for the Metroliner, which may be of different shapes, depending on parts availability and creativity of the railroad modeler.

I'm in the worst situation because I live outside the US, with few options for parts suppliers, but the situation is much better for you.
I'm finding the participation of other colleagues too timid or nonexistent, even though the United States, but for me it is a pleasure to share knowledge, anyway.

My last attempt (which seems closer to the final solution) is an assembly with two interconnected motors, with the transmission into gearboxes in its original form.

The vibration problem I had is over and I can print maximum speed in the system without mechanical instability. Naturally the noise becomes higher, but I don't enjoy my train in high speeds in our layout.
If the idea works as I hope, other modelers could be based on this structural scheme, using US local mechanical parts, and can fully enjoy this wonderful and rare model train.

Below are pictures of my last setup that I just mentioned. I hope some comments, after all, I understand that virtually all owners of the Metroliner have any problems with the engine.