5 inch gauge Santa Fe battery electric

A 5 inch gauge scratch-built battery-electric, loosely based on a Santa Fe EMD diesel-electric of the 1960s.

Fitted with a 12 volt, 90 amp Parkside controller, with one motor on each bogie, belt drive to both axles. Speed and direction controls are panel-mounted at the rear.

Whilst the locomotive runs backwards and forwards, the rest of the wiring offers optimisation opportunities...

Only one of the two batteries is currently wired in. There is a sound card of pedestrian quality, it only works if the earth wire is disconnected from the battery - however that, in turn, disconnects the motor fan and power indicator. The front running light and battery voltmeter are not working.

Fitted with a pair of extremely loud Fisa horns, there's no risk of people not hearing you coming!

We'd suggest a complete overhaul of the wiring. Using the second battery in parallel would extend running time, the issues with the earth wire could be resolved at the same time.