Eltham Model Railway Club

Eltham Model Railway Club Ideas and Help - Repowering a "G" This page is about using a AUSTRAINS "C" mech to repower a POWERLINE "G". Stage 1 My initial work on one loco Stage 2 Finishing work on one loco Stage 3 My work on a second loco After a post in aus.rails.models, I put this page up to show my progress. MY "G" had died, so I took the opportunity to start this conversion. I have not really got far, but I have made all the big "cuts". MY guide was the AMRM article found in October 1998 , issue 212 vol 18 no 11. Here is a few photos of the progress so far. Since I originally took these initial photos and wrote this page I have finished this project ( what, over a year! yes yes, I know ) The results are in Stage 2 & 3 for you to see ! David Head
Stage 1

The body of the "G" almost ready for mating to the chassie. The headstock will be glues onto the body.	The headstocks, filled in, and the back filled up to allow Kadee coiuplers to be fitted.

The weight of the "C" class. I have cut some weight off at one end, and the top.	A shot of the Chassie. The fuel tank form the "G" has been cut, altered and glued to the "C" chassie.

A top shot of the chassie, showing the all the cuts etc made to the "C".	The remains of the "G"'s chassie ! The headstocks have been cut off, and the fuel tank has also gone.....
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Stage 2
I have finished this model, eventually. You will notice I have made brackets that are glued under the bogie and onto the chassie at each end that secure the body to the chassie.
Call me different but I didn't want to remove the coupler in order to remove the body, so I made the bracket so I screw either side. I used brass shapes etc and soldered two nuts onto one piece, then glued them into the top part of the headstock assembly (as the photo in stage 1 shows). I had to remove even more of the cast weight from the top part in order to get it to fit. That wasn't a worry as I can always put more weight on the sides if needed. There is still penty of space for a DCC decoder as well. The fuel tank is glued to the chassie. The loco runs very well and has already been used on my EMRC club layout "Murranbilla" at two recent exhibitions.

	a close up of one end of the chassie.

	a close up to see the modification to the body.

a 3/4 view of the completed chassie and modifications.	a side view of the completed chassie and modifications.
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Stage 3
Victorian Hobby Center Method With success of the first I wanted to do a second. Then I went to the 2002 Corio Model Railway Exhibition, and noticed a FAR BETTER way of repowering a "G". It was shown by the friendly Eric from the Victorian Hobby Center. I were so impressed I had to try it - and are amazed at to he simplicity. So, this method belongs to Eric, and thankyou for sharing it with us !
The VHC method was to use the existing "G" chassie, and transplant the motor and bogies from Austrain into it. Really quite simple. You make some mounts (mine are brass), and glue them where the original powerline motors swivelled. Make sure the height places your coupler at the correct height. You may get away with not removong your coupler at all ! Then time to mount the motor. Eric put metal in the fuel tank before attaching the motor - differed here and used a sagami motor. I put down Plastic, so unlike you my version is not as heavey. Then two drive shafts are made - another revelation that I could have used 6 years ago. All you need is brass rod of two thicknesses, one to be the driveshaft, 'the other the drive pins. I used a motor tool to slot the driveshaft (cut to the length you wanted). Then I sodered the thinner wire into it. When cool I then trimmed it with wire cutters. Next was to file the area with needle files to ensure it went in and turned in the Austrains bogie housing. I did add extra weight, but placing three steel bars in the insides, with electrival tape insulating them, just in case. There is still penty of space for a DCC decoder as well. To attach the body to the chassie, I glued in some stryrene into two corners of the cab, then drilled and screwd through just behind the pilots. The loco runs very well and has already been used on my EMRC club layout "Murranbilla" at two recent exhibitions. Due to using the Sagami motor, it does not run well with my other Austrain "G" or "C". So, shall I repower it as well ? I know Eric at the Victorian Hobby Center occasionally sells converted model like what I have shown here, but with extra detail added as well. I wonder if this would work for a 81 class ???

	a close up of one end of the chassie.

	a 3/4 view of the chassie.

	a 3/4 view of the chassie and body.
Another method is described here: http://host.railsa.org/modelrail/pwrlineG.htm
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