Large Scale Central

Engine Carriers

General Discussion
#1

Today our club is having a work day in my shop to construct, “Engine Carriers”. The basic carrier sits on top of your track and allows for your locomotive to run out onto the track without having to man handle it. The bottom runners are aluminum angle attached to a wooden frame. The carriers also protect the locomotive during transportation.

I will be taking lots of pictures today showing the different materials that we use and the assembly process along with a completed carrier for those interested in coping our design.

Chuck

#2

Chuck Inlow said:

Today our club is having a work day in my shop to construct, “Engine Carriers”. The basic carrier sits on top of your track and allows for your locomotive to run out onto the track without having to man handle it. The bottom runners are aluminum angle attached to a wooden frame. The carriers also protect the locomotive during transportation.

I will be taking lots of pictures today showing the different materials that we use and the assembly process along with a completed carrier for those interested in coping our design.

Chuck

Chuck,

Pictures are good, a dimensional drawing even better.

#3

Chuck, Here are a couple pics if the engine carriers I make. I use 1/2"x 1/8" flat aluminum for rails. The rails are milled to a taper on one end and the masonite floor is cut away underneath the same end about 6". The ends of the carrier are resting in slots and can be removed easily. One end has a 2x2 block attached to it. When this end is removed and placed underneath the carrier, between the carrier and the track, at the opposite end, it creates a nice slope with the tapered ends of the carrier rails resting right on the track rails. It sound like yours are similar.

#4

Something I forgot to mention is that my handles are attached in a dovetail groove so that they can be slid (no easily though) to balance the load. The only thing I would do differently, is change the hadle design so that the boxes could be stacked on top of each other. Ben

#5

Yes, I am interested in making carriers for some of my locomotives. So, please, post on Chuck.

#6

C’mon, Chuck. I’ve been home for an hour. Where’s the pics?

#7

Just what I need to do!

come on Chuck!

#8

OK boys here are some pictures from todays workshop. The first picture shows the parts for a 32" long carrier with the sizes of the parts on the picture. The next few pictures shows my carrier with a locomotive inside and how the carrier works. I realized after I reviewed all the pictures I took today that I need to go back and take additional pictures showing the exact assembly process to show you how simple the process is. So enjoy for now.

![|800x531](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Carrier Parts_1_1.jpg)


#9

Some additional pictures of all the fun we had.



(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/IMG_9315_1_1.JPG)

#10

A really cool idea. I am so new to G scale the thought never even occurred to me that one must have a safe effective way to move these valuable machines from track to shop and back. Really interesting. I must pay close attention to this. Because I will be using a bevy of Dash 9’s and SD70 Macs when I start to construct my outdoor BNSF. These carriers can safe allot of wear and tear and offer a really nice neat way of relocating engines without damaging them in the process.

Very cool idea.

Stacy

Thank you Chuck for sharing all these pictures. Really cool. :slight_smile:

#11

thanks Chuck for the pics. one ? where the loc. loads on to the carrier what is to prevent the bottom from spreading apart or is the end stiff enough to prevent this?

thanks richard

#12

Richard Beverly said:

thanks Chuck for the pics. one ? where the loc. loads on to the carrier what is to prevent the bottom from spreading apart or is the end stiff enough to prevent this?

thanks

Richard, we use furniture grade birch 3/4 inch plywood. No voids. So far no problems, and the prototype is at least five years old.

#13

I just use 1/8" luan and haven’t had any problems. The nice thing is that it’s a light weight carrier.

#14

The fellow who runs Silver State Trains (See sponsor flag above for link…) makes one … I got one when I bought SCRY (orig. SP) #9 from him … works very well for the steam engine, and most of my others too.

Matthew (OV)

#15

Bruce Chandler said:

I just use 1/8" luan and haven’t had any problems. The nice thing is that it’s a light weight carrier.

I know that you’ve posted pics of your’s before, but I can’t find them, now. Can you re-post one or two?

Thanks.

#16

Steve Featherkile said:

Bruce Chandler said:

I just use 1/8" luan and haven’t had any problems. The nice thing is that it’s a light weight carrier.

I know that you’ve posted pics of your’s before, but I can’t find them, now. Can you re-post one or two?

Thanks.

Oh, sure. Now I have to find them. :wink:

Dang. I’ll get them…somewhere.

#17

Here’s some.

This is the first one I made. It didn’t have sides originally; they were added later - made with corrugated plastic.

This is my most recent one, made for my Mikado. For the larger locomotives, I really prefer the handle oriented with the locomotive, much like a suitcase handle; it makes it a lot easier to carry.

This is all luan, with some quarter round at the base to give a place for nails and glue. It’s plenty stiff enough, but still light weight.

A shot of all of my carriers.

#18

Thanks, Bruce, you’ve given me some really good ideas.

#19

Nice carrier Chuck but what I’m really impressed with and envious of is your shop.
#1 The tools
#2 The SPACE
#3 It’s Clean

#20

Except for the one young whippersnapper, all I see are Geezers.