I have a thing for railtrucks and am always on the lookout for them.
Here is a style I have never seen before.
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What caught my eye about the one I posted was the front (truck ?) with the wheel flanges almost touching and the rear (truck ?) with the rod connection. How is it driven? with a chain drive to one axel, which is very common like the one Peter posted or is the Model A’s differential driving one axel directly?
I keep thinking I need a rail truck in my life. I have a started but not finished 50’s era chevy COE. It could make for a fun rail truck.
Your guess is as good as anyone’s Rick. I decided long ago that rail trucks were not built to any kind of standard. They were the original MIK challenge. Build a rail vehicle with what ever you have in your junk pile.
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Dave… are you taking notes. 2025 MIK. . . “Make s rail truck or speeder”.
I thought that Todd built one for a Mik many years ago…
As it has coupling rods I guess the diff is driving one axle.
Is this MasterClass stuff? I’ve been rather unsuccessful in finding appropriate scale vehicles for my era. Are you guys building from scratch or kitbashing?
Short answer, yes. add some filler
Bill:
I did a railtruck (not car) that was mostly scratchbuilt but relied on a 1:24 plastic model for the cab. You can see the build here on LSC:
Here’s a picture or 3:
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If I could find a cheap Bachmann railtruck, I’d kitbash my next rail truck project…
There are a lot of 1:24 and 1:25 scale models. When I was a car modeler I stuck almost exclusively to these scales. And they work great in our hobby. right between 1:20 and 1:29.
All this talk really makes me want to turn my Chevy COE into one.
Hey Jim,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your original post. It’s easy to be captivated by impressive models and immediately say "Wow, I could never do that! However, your detailed account achieved two crucial things:
- It demystified the kitbashing process, revealing the intricate thought and effort invested. So, now I’m saying “Wow, I might be able to do something like that!”
- It weaved a captivating narrative about life along the Durango & Jasper.
Great job! Definitely a MasterClass!
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Yea, they are not cheap anymore. When I did mine Bachman was blowing them out for like 75 bucks each.
Ken Brunt and I each bought some and developed some kit bashed trucks.
Mine are here. Rail Truck Bash, Again, sigh.
I had forgotten we had converted Dodge in Broken Hill at the Tramway Museum 
…maybe a good place to start?
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1950’s Chevy COE? As they say on the truck forum I read, “pictures or it didn’t happen” 
Please, lets see this unfinished COE.
Did you know, starting in 1952 you could get a Detroit 2 stroke oil burner diesel in your GMC, COE?
Yea, I have Ken’s two in my collection now. I want to keep them as unmolested as possible (adding sound to the one that doesn’t have it)