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 Posted - December 23 2012 : 4:40:29 PM
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I was at a train show a while back, and while looking through a table with a bunch of old junky stuff on it, I found one of Penn Line's original D-1 Midgets. It was in bad shape, with poorly soldered handrails and terrible brushed paint among other problems relating to age and poor care. So, I bought the thing, took it home, stripped it down to bare metal, replaced all the handrails, and turned it into a much nicer looking and very smooth running critter!
This is the original Midget, with minimal cast detail, a heavy milled brass frame, and spring belt drive. The spring belt was missing on mine, but a new Athearn belt turned out to be a perfect fit!
The design makes these harder to work on than the later D-2 Midgets, but this is without a doubt the smoothest running and most powerful critter (with stock parts) I've owned!
Darth Santa Fe, doing weird and challenging projects for the fun of it!
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Member Since: September 13 2011 ~
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Posted - December 23 2012 : 6:13:22 PM
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They do run well Darth, although mine (which was given to me by a now departed forum member, Loopy) had a motor toasted enough that the commutator flew apart when I tested it. The fiber forms were effectively burned, but I rebuilt it and it does run. It seems like my particular motor is unbalanced and a prior owner had tried to keep the motor from vibrating against he shell by grinding material from inside the hood.
I recently came across an original spring belt for this in a junk box at a train show, but have yet to try it. I was using a can motor with a rubber belt, but I need a better mount for it. Nice paint job, and it looks like you painted the brass frame, too.
The Tyco Depot
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Posts: 3927 ~
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Last Visit: November 19 2015
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Posted - December 23 2012 : 6:49:55 PM
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I hate you!!! I want one soooo bad!! 
I buy, repair, and collect
http://scvr.weebly.com/
http://seyboldlocomotiveworks.weebly.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDeputation?feature=watch
Hyde.
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Member Since: January 15 2012 ~
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Posted - December 24 2012 : 12:20:06 AM
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quote:| They do run well Darth, although mine (which was given to me by a now departed forum member, Loopy) had a motor toasted enough that the commutator flew apart when I tested it. The fiber forms were effectively burned, but I rebuilt it and it does run. It seems like my particular motor is unbalanced and a prior owner had tried to keep the motor from vibrating against he shell by grinding material from inside the hood. |
I have a Varney motor that did the same thing. I found all the pieces, but I decided it wasn't worth fixing. My motor isn't perfectly balanced either, so there is vibration noise, but it's not bad until it gets going pretty fast.
quote:| Nice paint job, and it looks like you painted the brass frame, too. |
Thanks! I spray painted the body with a can of Krylon, since I was a bit too lazy for the airbrush. Some Microscale lettering and Testors Dull Cote finished it off pretty nicely! And yes, I did paint the frame too. I brushed it with Scalecoat II silver, and it turned out pretty smooth!
Darth Santa Fe, doing weird and challenging projects for the fun of it!
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Posts: 257 ~
Member Since: September 13 2011 ~
Last Visit: February 24 2026
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