Motorizing the Amarelis Tram

As one of several ongoing projects with Tomix track, I have been motorizing an Amarelis HO Lisbon tram. In preparation for this both a Kato 11-103 and Bandai 1 drive were purchased.

I tired the Kato 11-103 drive first, but in the end I felt it was too large to fit even with substantial filing and trimming.

The Bandai 1 drive by comparison has the same wheelbase but the casting is notably narrower. I was able to cut the red underbody of the tram with a hobby knife. The Amarelis tram has much softer plastic than a Bachmann Brill for instance.

Amarelis tram on Bandai 1 drive

Underbody of Amarelis tram

Only very minor trimming of the underside of the interior was necessary. So I now have a motorized Amarelis Lisbon tram and the car still has a full interior unlike most other motorized Amarelis trams I have seen on the internet.

I hope to remove the lower window glazing to duplicate the open tram windows that are so common in Lisbon and add figures to the interior at a later date.