Many older trolley models used a spring belt drive (Suydam, etc.). Does anyone know of a source for replacement belts? Alpine models (the successor to Suydam), used to carry them, but they don’t anymore.
I bought some here:
https://www.ministeam.com/category/Live-Steam-Fuel-Belts-Oil
Double check your OD to be sure you order the correct belt. You’ll have to cut them to length and bend your own linking eye.
Good Luck, Ed
I have two sets of the older kind, with the necked-down end that made a continuous belt, like the belts in the old Mamod or Wilesco model steam-engine toys. You cut the ‘un-necked’ end to length, and the belt then acts ‘seamless’ except for a short section of stiffer behavior. They were being remaindered out as old stock (for under $10 a package). Let me know if one or both would be helpful.
I see in gmpullman’s above post that they have the Mamond spring belts, these should have the tappered/necked down end that I am looking for. The Jenson spring look like they have the ‘‘hook’’ on both ends. Thanks all.
Would it be possible to use a rubber O ring of the correct size?
The trouble with a rubber O ring, or any other belt that can’t undone is that you have to take apart the power truck to install it. The trucks aren’t designed to be disassembled. You would have to unsolder the joints to disassemble the truck and then resolder everything once the belts were installed. The old spring belts could be installed and then attached into a loop without disassembling anything else.