STEAM ERA MODELS - Black Beetle Page

Black Beetle Drive Bogies and Black Bug Drive Units.

The Black Beetle is a four wheel, completely self contained power bogie with its own electrical pickups. It is relatively lightly constructed, with 2mm diameter axles and is intended for use in model railmotors hauling one or two trailers or multiple units. The weight on the centre pivot should not exceed about 100g (~3.5oz.). For locomotive applications the use of two Black Beetles is recommended.

Available in any wheelbase from 25.5mm to 40mm, in steps of 0.25mm.
Wheel options are 9.6mm in disc; 10.5mm 10 spoke or disc; 11.08mm 9 spoke; 11.6mm disc; 12mm disc; 12.25mm 12 spoke or disc and 14 mm disc. All wheels have nickel silver tyres in NMRA RP25 code 110 or code 88, or P4 wheel profiles and are available in HO/OO, EM, P4, On3, S and O gauges.
Wheelbases from 25.5mm to 29.5mm use the mashima 1220 motor. Speed at 12V is approximately 3.3 scale miles per hour per scale inch of wheel diameter.
Wheelbases from 29.75mm to 40mm use the mashima 1224 motor. Speed at 12V is approximately 2.3 scale miles per hour per scale inch of wheel diameter.
Height of centre pivot above rail is 12.4mm plus half the wheel diameter in mm.
All Black Beetles are fitted with axles flush with the wheel face as standard.
Bogies include a bracket to which sideframes can be fixed. (NOTE: sideframes are not included).

The Black Bug is a single axle drive unit for rail tractors, small rail cars and similar light self propelled vehicles. They are assembled from the same range of motors, gearboxes and wheels as the Black Beetle range. They are available with either a 15:1 or a 27:1 gear ratio, but do not have electrical pickups fitted.

Download the Specification Sheet for the Black Beetle and Black Bug. (640k file in .pdf format. Requires Acrobat Reader to open.)

Shown below are typical examples of the possible range of Black Beetle Bogies.
NOTE - all Black Beetles are now fitted with flush axles, not the pinpoint axles shown in some of the photographs below.

	28mm wheelbase with 10.5mm wheels -suits HO V/Line Sprinter, SAR Redhen, SAR Bluebird or NSWR Explorer railcars
29.75mm wheelbase with 12.25mm wheels - suits HO VR DERM, Y class or E class locomotives and Tait/Dogbox EMU's	30mm wheelbase with 10.5mm wheels - suits HO CR Budd Diesel Railcar or VR/NSWR Tulloch DRC
34mm wheelbase with 12mm wheels -suits various 4mm scale BR DMU's	38mm wheelbase with 14mm wheels - suits 1:48 scale PCC trolley car
40mm wheelbase with 14mm wheels - suits 4mm scale BR diesels, eg Hymek	Black Bug Drive Unit - shown without wheels, with choice of 15:1 or as shown, 27:1 gearing

STEAM ERA MODELS
C/- P.O. Rhyll
Victoria 3923
Australia

Phone: +61 3 5956 9389 E-mail : Click Here

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