Salty Question

[Super]

The drive in the Plarail/Tomy Salty Train looks like the same as the Trackmaster Salty. Are they exactly the same as the Trackmaster flat drives as are notoriously noisy, rattly, grindy, messes. Might the Plarail/Tomy have better gearing to sound smooth or are they the same?

The drive in the Plarail/Tomy Salty Train looks like the same as the Trackmaster Salty. Are they exactly the same as the Trackmaster flat drives as are notoriously noisy, rattly, grindy, messes. Might the Plarail/Tomy have better gearing to sound smooth or are they the same?

I don't know for sure, because my Spencer and Salty are both very old, but I think flat drive units are louder than the others by default. I've always thought Plarail to have better gearing, however. At least better than Trackmaster Revolution. I don't know about HiT Toys Trackmaster.

On another note, does anyone have spare cargo from this? I've lost mine after years of play, and I wish I had something other than rocks, LEGO bricks, and blutack to put in trucks.

Mine are in the "Find The Thing That You're Looking For" bucket, in which anything forgotten about ends up, including my TOMY Salty, which need a tune up.

I don't know for sure, because my Spencer and Salty are both very old, but I think flat drive units are louder than the others by default. I've always thought Plarail to have better gearing, however. At least better than Trackmaster Revolution. I don't know about HiT Toys Trackmaster.

I remember how annoyed I used to be by that horrid grinding sound from my Tomy Emily's power tender. I once opened it up in an attempt to see what was causing it, but couldn't find any clue. It's safe to assume that all the flat types (including Tomy and HiT Toys [which was identical to Tomy]) are indeed louder than the other styles of drive units.

I remember how annoyed I used to be by that horrid grinding sound from my Tomy Emily's power tender. I once opened it up in an attempt to see what was causing it, but couldn't find any clue. It's safe to assume that all the flat types (including Tomy and HiT Toys [which was identical to Tomy]) are indeed louder than the other styles of drive units.

My Emily seems to be a lot quieter than Spencer or Salty tho. Molly, however, is EXTREMELY loud, but probably because of all of the battery leakage it suffered. At some point I'll try and bring her back to full working order. But, in a way, I do like how she starts so slowly and is able to carry tons of weight due to being able to slowly make her way up hills inch by inch, steadily, instead of the other engines who seem to rush and slip their wheels.

[Super]

Thanks for your input fellows, I was also just assuming so thats why I thought I would post the question here in case there was some definitive knowledge.

Super, didn't you do that with your hiro? The trackmaster trandmission was noisy and you swapped it for a new Luke chassis and flat drive didn't you? As the new one's were quieter, right? Or have I got my wires crossed?

[Ucwepn]

The TOMY flat drive units are equally noisy (sometimes noisier) to the Trackmaster, My plarail Neville is outrageously loud haha, this is caused by the longer shaft on top and the positioning of the gear and worm on that shaft, they can be spaced out more by a couple of mm making it more quiet with less play on the shaft but it can result in more friction on the case causing a slow down. The last of the Trackmaster all had very quiet drive units possibly because of a slight gearbox redesign and or use of different materials.

[Super]

The reason I brought this Salt subject up is that I received a red TM Salty in the mail the other day which was quite noisy and saw a new boxed one listed in the Japan Auctions and I became curious.

Super, didn't you do that with your hiro? The trackmaster trandmission was noisy and you swapped it for a new Luke chassis and flat drive didn't you? As the new one's were quieter, right? Or have I got my wires crossed?

You are right Nigels, your memory is better than mine as I don't remember which drive I removed it from. It could very well have been a Luke as all I remember is Ucwepn stating that there were 3 trains than had quieter TM flat drives but off the top of my head I only remember the yellow Rheanas but I am not sure whos motor I used.

The TOMY flat drive units are equally noisy (sometimes noisier) to the Trackmaster, My plarail Neville is outrageously loud haha, this is caused by the longer shaft on top and the positioning of the gear and worm on that shaft, they can be spaced out more by a couple of mm making it more quiet with less play on the shaft but it can result in more friction on the case causing a slow down. The last of the Trackmaster all had very quiet drive units possibly because of a slight gearbox redesign and or use of different materials.

Is that what causes it? I have been over and under these gears and swapped out motors with quieter ones and still the noise is there. I also moved those worm gears on the long shaft with minimal results. I quite frankly don't get why or exactly where the noise occurs. If I could see exactly where then I could try diferent gears or something. The motors by themselves are whisper quite, at least the ones I have swapped out with but once in with those gears the noise is back. The metal shaft sits in plastic grooves and used with plastic gears...where does the noise come from? All the lithium grease in the world doesn't change anything either. I at least thought that would help some, not a cure but help some.

[Ucwepn]

I have spaced the gear and worm closer to the walls with sound quietening results but there is increased friction slowing down the whole show. It could even be because the screws are too tight causing a rubbing of gears on the housing.