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:
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!
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?
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)
I thought that Todd built one for a Mik many years ago…
I did. It was the year you sent out flat car kits as a starter. I saw a neat MAC speeder in a book about logging trains and built mine to resemble it.
Rail trucks are really cool and so unique.
Here is a bash I did using a Bachmann rail truck and a LGB box.
Wait I didn’t mean a real one. I am talking a 1:25 scale model. And all I have is the cab. I am thinking of making a Gscale COE railtruck,
These are the two I got from Ken’s estate. Rear one needs sound, but I have the parts.
I also have Goose 2, 5 and 6. I’d like a full set of the Geese, but I’m not made of money at this point.
This is turning into a railtruck/car vanity show. I’ve done some which have been posted here - let me see if I can find pictures.
This is a NENG kit (Model T?) that I tidied up and got working:
Then there was the railcar, whose origins are murky:
There was the monster railtruck, which was the front of a Bachmann railtruck with a boxcar melded to the back. I had to build a new rear truck :
This is the NENG railtruck, with a yellow Bachmann railtruck and my 1:20 Chevy (?) truck and a fake chassis. The latter is still un-powered.
A fun trip down memory lane.
OK, just for fun I went and dug them all out and took quick pictures.
A heavily bashed NENG kit from way back, probably 20 years. Still track power.
Just finished this one a year or so ago, build thread is here somewhere. Battery, RC, Sound.
Another oldie. 34’ Ford diecast with scratch built frame and box, Aristo motor block. Battery. RC, Sound
The 2 Bachmann trucks pretty heavily modified and scratched bodies. Battery, RC, Sound.
I’m not sure this qualifies as a railcar but I threw it on here anyway because,well why not?
Anybody else want to jump in here?
Let’s see them.
not mine.
a build by one of the old masters: Chris Walas.
(the pic is bad quality, but the originals all disapeared from the net)
Yea, Chris offered us a lot over too short a span of time.
for his missing pics i blame the gremlins.
Gremlins, maybe. But I’m afraid I would be a little less charitable and lay the fault directly in the laps of the newest owners of that other place.
Open that up to a MOW equipment and I’d be on board. I’ve got a few pieces of unique equipment on the someday do list.
Nah knowing a year in advance would be cheating. Or would the hardest part be not starting? Or have a non MIK MIK build. No money limit, the time frame is the 335 days between the MIK builds…
Midsummer MasterClass?
Part one, Kitbashing same project… (could be difficult for OS Centralians)
Part two, pimp your rail truck?